ON THIS DAY IN 1956, THE RENOWNED ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK FILM WAS DEBUTED

Opening early in Washington D.C. ahead of the films official release on March 21, the movie featured a highly fictionalised take on the discovery of rock and roll. Running for only 77 minutes, the film nonetheless was regarded as one of the big box office successes of the year.

The film starred Alan Freed as himself, and featured music mostly from Bill Haley and the Comets, as well as some other smaller acts like Tony Martinez and His Mambo and The Platters. No official soundtrack album was ever released for the film, but several unauthorised compilations were assembled to tie-in with the movie.

Rock Around the Clock was notable as it became the first major box office smash centred around rock and roll music, and it opened the doors for many to follow, as well as allowing musical acts to pursue seperate careers in film. By the next year Elvis Presley would be cast in the most popular films of the rock genre, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole.