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Biography
Infobox person|image =|name =Fabian|birth_name =Fabiano Anthony Forte|birth_date =Birth date and age|1943|2|6|birth_place = Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States |spouse =Kathleen Regan (1966-? , 2 children) Kate Forte (1980–90) Andrea Patrick (1998 to present, 1 child)|years_active=1959& ndash;present|website = http://fabianforte.net/ Fabiano Anthony Forte (born February 6, 1943, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ), known as Fabian , is an United States|American teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s. He rose to national prominence after performing several times on American Bandstand . Eleven of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100 listing.
Early life
Fabian was the son of Josephine and Dominic Forte. His father was a Philadelphia policeman.cite book|first=John|last=Tobler|year=1992|title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years|edition=1st|publisher=Reed International Books Ltd|location=London|page=68|id= CN 5585 Fabian was discovered in 1957 by Bob Marcucci and Peter DeAngelis, owners of Chancellor Records . At the time, record producer s were looking to the South Philadelphia neighborhoods in search of teenage talents with good looks, and Frankie Avalon , also of South Philly, suggested Fabian as a possibility.
Fabian was the oldest of three brothers, and with his father ill and unable to work, he hoped to earn enough for his family. At 15 Fabian won the Silver Award as "The Promising Male Vocalist of 1958."
Singing career
With songwriter s Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman writing for him, Fabian released a series of hit singles on Chancellor Records, including "I'm a Man", "Hound Dog Man", (US #9; UK Singles Chart|UK #46),cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 192 " Turn Me Loose (Doc Pomus song)|Turn Me Loose " (US #9), and his biggest hit, "Tiger", which reached #3 on the US charts. Other singles that charted included "String Along", "About This Thing Called Love" and "This Friendly World", which reached #12 on the US charts.
His career in music basically ended after he bought out of his contract with Marcucci http://www.storyofthestars.com/fabian.htm after signing a seven-year deal with 20th Century Fox . During the payola scandal of the 1960s, http://www.music.com/person/fabian/1/biography/ Music.com Fabian testified before Congress that his recordings had been doctored electonically to "significantly improve his voice."Bogdanov, Vladimir, Woodstra, Chris & Erlewine, Stephen Thomas All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul 2002 Backbeat Books. p. 1386
Film career
Fabian was contracted to 20th Century-Fox beginning with Don Siegel 's Hound-Dog Man , based on Fred Gipson 's novel. The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film featured a photo of Fabian's screen test where he appeared in the same outfit that Elvis Presley wore in Love Me Tender .Weldon, Michael, Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film 1987 Ballentine Books He appeared in more than 30 film s, including Five Weeks in a Balloon , High Time (film)|High Time , Ten Little Indians (1965 film)|Ten Little Indians (1965), North to Alaska , The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day and Ride the Wild Surf (1964) (with Tab Hunter and Peter Brown (actor)|Peter Brown . Most of his early films were comedies and cast him as a restless teenager with a penchant for singing. After 1965 his film and singing career began to fade, along with his popularity as a teen idol. He made several films for American International Pictures , including a role as Pretty Boy Floyd in A Bullet for Pretty Boy (1970). He also played John Ashley (bandit)|Josh Ashley in Little Laura and Big John (1973) for Crown International Pictures .
Later life
Forte never regained his teenage popularity, but has continued performing for more than 40 years. RecentlyWhen|date=December 2011 he has been appearing with Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell to perform concerts as The Golden Boys.
The 1980 film The Idolmaker , written by Edward Di Lorenzo and directed by Taylor Hackford , was a thinly-disguised biography of Fabian (called "Caesare" in the film), as well as songwriter/producer Marcucci (called "Vinnie Vacarri") and Frankie Avalon (called "Tommy Dee"). In the movie version, singer Caesare--a pretty boy with little singing talent--goes through a whirlwind of success in a short time, and in a fit of pique, he abruptly fires his songwriters and quits his record label. The real-life Fabian threatened a lawsuit at the time of the picture's release, though the filmmakers insisted that the movie presented only fictional characters (even though Marcucci was a paid consultant on the film). Fabian claimed they settled out of court, where he and his wife received apologies and Marcucci's 7.5% ownership of the film passed to Fabian.
He appeared in a 1982 television commercial for ''The Idols of Rock n' Roll and in the 2005 documentary film The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania .
In his latest endeavor, Fabian hosts and headlines in the hit show The Original Stars of Bandstand at The Dick Clark Theater in Branson, Missouri . http://www.dickclarksabbranson.com Dick Clark's AB Theater - Branson Missouri The show stars Fabian and Bobby Vee and features The Chiffons , Brian Hyland , Chris Montez and rare footage of the performers and Dick Clark .
Personal life
He was drafted but rejected for military service during the Vietnam War . According to USMC Lt. Col. Arthur Eppley, Fabian was declared 4F (military conscription)|4F (unfit for service) after presenting a doctor's note stating that induction into the army could cause him to develop homosexual tendencies. http://books.google.com/books? id=ntjIxkh2BJwC& pg=PA146& dq=fabian+%2B+jim+mitchum+%2B+marine#v=onepage& q=& f=false Eppley, Arthur. "A Marine Mustang". Trafford Publishing, 2007, p. 146
He has been married three times; to Kathleen Regan (1966, with whom he had 2 children); to Kate Netter Forte from 1980 to 1990 and to his current wife Andrea Patrick , a former The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania|Bituminous Coal Queen and Miss Pennsylvania USA , whom he married in 1998.cite news|title=Former Connellsville Beauty Queen weds Fabian|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=1998-09-22|first=Jean|last=Bryant|page=G1 He has a son, Christian (born 1969), and a daughter, Julie (born after 1969), from his first marriage. Christian is a screenwriter with the 1996 movie Albino Alligator , starring Matt Dillon , Faye Dunaway , and Gary Sinise and directed by Kevin Spacey , to his credit. He also both wrote and directed Deep in the Valley with Denise Richards , Chris Pratt , and Brendan Hines , released in October 2009,cite web|title=IMDb.com|url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1078885/ and he is the co-screenwriter for The Monkey Wrench Gang , which is scheduled for release in 2013. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482548/combined IMDB: The Monkey Wrench Gang Christian and his wife have one daughter, Ava Josephine.
Fabian and his wife are actively involved in the American Diabetes Association , the American Heart Association and Fabian has helped raise money for veterans with his Celebrity Golf Tournament in North Carolina . They live on convert|20|acre|m2 in Southwestern Pennsylvania with their dog Max, in a home which Andrea designed.
Filmography
Hound-Dog Man (1959)
High Time (film)|High Time (1960)
North to Alaska (1960)
Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961)
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962)
Five Weeks in a Balloon (film)|Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962)
The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day (1962)
Ride the Wild Surf (1964)
Dear Brigitte (1965)
Ten Little Indians (1965 film)|Ten Little Indians (1965)
Up Close & Personal (1996) http://www.fabianforte.net/movies.htm Fabian Filmography
TV Appearances
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)|The Greatest Show on Earth ("Uncaged", 1963 ABC television series with Jack Palance )
The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)|The Eleventh Hour as Gilbert Brubaker in "You're So Smart, Why Can't You Be Good" (1964)
Daniel Boone (TV series)|Daniel Boone - The First Beau / December 9, 1965 (Season 2, Episode 12) as David Ellis)
The Rat Patrol - Season 1, Episode 21 'The B Negative Raid', Guest Star (1967)
The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian - Season 3, Episode 17 'Two Men Named Laredo', Guest Star (1965)
Singles
''I'm In Love/Shivers Chancellor (1958)
Be My Steady Date/Lilly Lou (1958)
''I'm A Man/Hypnotized (1959)
Turn Me Loose/Stop Thief (1959)
Tiger/Mighty Cold (1959)
Come On And Get Me (1959)
Got The Feeling (1959)
Hound Dog Man (1959)
This Friendly World (1959)
String Along (1960)
About This Thing Called Love (1960)
''I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter/Strollin' In The Springtime (1960)
King Of Love/Tomorrow (1960)
''Kissin' And Twistin'/Long Before (1960)
You Know You Belong to Someone Else/Hold On (1961)
Grapevine/David and Goliath (1961)
''The Love That I'm Giving to You/You're Only Young Once (1961)
A Girl Like You/Dream Factory (1961)
Tongue Tied/Kansas City (1961)
Wild Party/Made You (1961)
''Break Down and Cry/She's Staying Inside With Me'' (1963) http://www.fabianforte.net/discography-singles.htm Fabian's Discography
Quotation
On his audition for Bob Marcucci . cquote|As I'm tone-deaf, I didn't think he'd like it much - but I sang for him. It sounded like a jackass& #33; You could have bowled me over when he said I had possibilities. NME - October 1959cite book|first=John|last=Tobler|year=1992|title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years|edition=1st|publisher=Reed International Books Ltd|location=London|page=73|id=CN 5585
Pop culture references
In the 1986 US film Peggy Sue Got Married , Nicolas Cage 's character keeps a picture of Fabian on his car's sun visor. On the TV show Laverne & Shirley , the title characters would often talk about how much they loved Fabian (he guest appearance|guest-starred in the Season 3, Episode 8 episode "Laverne & Shirley Meet Fabian").
See also
Portal|Philadelphia
Mononymous persons
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.fabianforte.net/ Fabian Official website
IMDb name|id=0003104|name=Fabian
Persondata| NAME =Fabian | ALTERNATIVE NAMES= | SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States|American teen idol | DATE OF BIRTH =February 6, 1943 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Fabian (entertainer) Category:Living people Category:1943 births Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American rock singers Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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