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Writer's pictureMichael Quebec

The Word On Grease: History vs. Hollywood by Michael QuebecHow historically accurate is the 1978 mo

Updated: Jul 17, 2023

How historically accurate is the 1978 movie version of Grease in relation to the 1950s, particularly its youth culture? How accurate is the depiction of 1950s youth gangs in Grease? In this 76 page visual essay, written as pages of an e-book, we attempt to answer that question, in detail, by exploring the real-life fifties-era teen car cultures, rock n' roll TV dance shows, high-school and teen athletics, and especially, the fighting inner-city youth gangs of the 1950s. We also look at the journey of Grease from a local adult (and very raunchy!) Chicago dark comedy stage play in 1971, to becoming the light-hearted mainstream film phenomenon of 1978, aimed at families, and even children. This look at both Grease, and the real-life history of The Rock n' Roll Era of the Fabulous Fifties, is part Hollywood, part rock n’ roll history, and even part true crime! Scroll down below to start reading. * Note: When reading on mobile devices such as cell phones, click on the first page/picture below, and read by using your touchscreen. Move the photos progressively by touchscreen scrolling to the left and to read previous pages, use touchscreen to scroll backwards to the right.









































































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* Additional 1950s culture links relating to this work are below:


Documentaries on rock n’ roll history and fifties-era youth gangs are up for free viewing on YouTube at the following channel:


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Vintage Swing Dancing and 1950s Teen History
(1950s rock n' roll, 1950s juvenile delinquency, teen idols, 1950s teen fashions,
hot rod culture, rock n' roll dance styles, teen movies of the 1950s.)

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