Greasers

THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH AND AN OLD FEUD

Here’s an oldie but goodie worth revisiting for a number of reasons. The Lords of Flatbush is a movie from the 70’s about a group of greasers from the 50’s. It starred Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, and Perry King- all unknown at the time. Perry King had the lead because he got the girl played by Susan Blakely. Perry’s role was originally played by Richard Gere (who we would LOVE to have seen as a greaser) but Sly didn’t get along with Gere (called him egotistical) and eventually he told the director ”It’s him or me” and the director replaced Gere with Perry King. The feud still smolders- Sly and Richard Gere still don’t get along. Henry Winkler was SO memorable in this film that he went on to become the “ultimate greaser” on Happy Days.

GREASERS: AN AMERICAN SUBCULTURE OF NOTE

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We fell helplessly in love with this photo of “greasers” in New York taken in 1950. No doubt guys like these were the inspiration for the stage musical “Grease” and Elvis Presley’s style. That HAIR! They might not have been the smartest, but they were far and away the coolest and most heart-stopping young men around. We’d give anything to have a time machine so we could go back and sit on that park bench with them.