Grease Johnny Casino
If you’re a fan of Sha Na Na, you have to be a fan of their appearance in Grease, Whether you were already a fan of the TV show or discovered the band after seeing the movie, seeing Johnny Casino and the Gamblers is a special treat in an already entertaining film. That said, the band’s screen time is woefully brief for us fans. Still, on the official soundtrack recording, Sha Na Na’s songs almost fill up an entire side of the double record album, so that’s something.
According to various interviews with the band, when Grease was being developed for Broadway (circa 1971-1972) Sha Na Na were tapped for their input. However, due to the band’s already successful concerts and heavy touring schedule, they declined.
Grease Johnny Casino
Flash forward to 1977, Grease the movie began filming. According to Bowzer, the band was asked to appear in the film simply because they had a hit TV show, and producer Alan Carr wanted their name on the marquee. Bowzer went on to say that the film’s director, Randal Kleiser, didn’t really care for them and considered them too much of a parody band, wanting something more “authentic” for the scene.
That’s why, to quote Bowzer, “In the ten frames in which I’m seen, like eight of them are standing on Chico the bass player’s shoulders, and my head is cut off at the frame line.”
2 days ago Grease (1978) Johnny Contardo as Johnny Casino & The Gamblers. Grease (1978) Johnny Contardo: Johnny Casino & The Gamblers. It looks like we don't have any photos or quotes yet. Be the first to contribute! Add a photo or add a quote. Johnny Contardo (born December 23, 1951) is a former singer with the musical group, Sha Na Na which he left in 1983. In 1978, he appeared with Sha Na Na in the movie musical Grease as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers. His performance of the song 'Those Magic Changes' was featured in the movie and on the soundtrack for Grease. JOHNNY CASINO: - A 'greaser' student at Rydell who leads a rock 'n' roll band and likes to think of himself as a real rock 'n' roll idol. TEEN ANGEL: - A good-looking falsetto-voiced, Fabian-look-alike. A singer who would have caused girls to scream and riot back in 1958. MISS LYNCH: - An old maid English teacher.
- Understudies: Peter Heuchling (Eugene Florczyk, Doody, Roger, Kenickie, Sonny Latierri, Danny Zuko, Johnny Casino, Vince Fontaine, Teen Angel), Caryn Richman (Miss.
- Grease the Movie Pop Quiz The band Sha-Na-Na, who played Johnny Casino & The Gamblers in 'Grease', received their big break by doing what? Choose the right answer: They toured the US with the Beatles.
(Actually, if you’ve listened to the director’s commentary on the Grease DVD, he doesn’t have a lot to say about Sha Na Na.)
The band’s big (well, one and only) scene, of course, takes place during the school dance when Rydell High is to be featured on the show, National Bandstand. The sequence was filmed on a hot summer day in Huntington Park High School in California. According to sources, the school had no air conditioning, and the doors had to be kept shut for lighting purposes. Still, from most accounts, the cast and crew had a good time filming the scene. To help the dancers keep the correct tempo, the film’s choreographer, Patricia Birch, worked with directly with the band on their musical numbers.
In the clip below are some deleted scenes from the dance. Starting at 7:15 we get a few more glimpses of Johnny Casino and the Gamblers. While the band’s pre-recorded numbers are played in the final film, here you can see Screamin’ Scott doing what seems to be a live version of “Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Here To Stay”. After that you can hear what also sounds to be a live version of “Tears on My Pillow” with Denny Greene singing lead.
After another brief glimpse of the band reacting to the T-Birds’ public mooning, the scene is over. Luckily we still have the soundtrack. If you’re like me, you had the actual vinyl record album set with gatefold full of pictures from the movie, including a nice one of Sha Na Na. The band’s songs include:
“Blue Moon”
“Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Here To Stay”
“Those Magic Changes”
“Hound Dog”
“Born To Hand Jive”
“Tears on My Pillow”
“Those Magic Changes” is actually the one song they do that is not a ’50s song, but was, in fact, a song from the original stage musical. There the song is performed by the youngest T-Bird, Doody, a role that was once performed by John Travolta on Broadway.
However, in the hearts and minds of Sha Na Na fans, the song will always belong to Sha Na Na and, in particular, Johnny Contardo, for his amazing vocal performance. So, of course I have to include it here in a clip from the Sha Na Na show.
Another contribution Sha Na Na made to the movie was the song “Sandy”. For some reason, the song originally used for the drive-in scene in the musical was scrapped, so Scott Simon co-wrote a new song with Louis St. Louis, who had written some of the music for the movie. Here’s Screamin’s interpretation of the song on the show.
Johnny Casino Grease Lines
Funny enough, the TV version of Sha Na Na were not oblivious to the fact that they were in a major motion picture, and would bring it up often in the show. In this day and age, you call that kind of reference “meta”. If there’s one thing us fangirls and boys love, it’s a good meta reference.
Oh, and on a minor, not-really bragging note, I have a family connection to the movie Grease. During the filming of the movie, my cousin dated the guy who wrestles John Travolta in the gym. According to her, “He was a big guy.”