Roy Orbison

Acting

Roy Orbison

Born — Died

1936-04-23 — 1988-12-06

Place of birth

Vernon, Texas, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

48 titles

Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were in the early 1960s and the late 1980s. Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male performers projected strength. He performed with minimal motion and in black clothes, matching his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses. Born in Texas, Orbison began singing in a country-and-western band as a teenager. He was signed by Sam Phillips of Sun Records in 1956 after being urged by Johnny Cash. Elvis Presley was leaving Sun and Phill…

Known for

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

Top of the Pops poster
6.6

The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

Top of the Pops

1964

Wogan poster
5.6

Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

Wogan

1982

The Ed Sullivan Show poster
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the CBS Sunday Night Movie, which ran only one season and was eventually replaced by other shows. In 2002, The Ed Sullivan Show was ranked #15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948

Classic Albums poster
7.7

A documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.

Classic Albums

1997

The Dick Clark Show poster
6.7

The Dick Clark Show is an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network 7:30-8 PM on Saturdays from February 15, 1958 through September 10, 1960, sponsored by Beechnut Gum.

The Dick Clark Show

1958

Film credits

2020s · 2 titles

2010s · 6 titles

Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO poster
7.4

Documentary which gets to the heart of who Jeff Lynne is and how he has had such a tremendous musical influence on our world. The story is told by the British artist himself and such distinguished collaborators and friends of Jeff as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Barbara Orbison and Eric Idle. The film reveals that Lynne is a true man of music, for whom the recording studio is his greatest instrument. With access to Lynne in his studio above LA, this is an intimate account of a great British pop classicist who has ploughed a unique furrow since starting out on the Birmingham Beat scene in the early 60s, moving from the Idle Race to the multi-million selling ELO in the 70s and then, with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and George Harrison, as a key member of the Traveling Wilburys.

Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO

2012

Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled poster
6.5

The discography of Roy Orbison (1936-1988) - which yielded some of the most heartfelt, passionate classics of the rock ‘n’ roll era - shined even brighter with the release of Mystery Girl, the last album Orbison recorded, in 1989. The commercial success of Mystery Girl was nothing short of impressive: the album was a Top 5 hit, eventually earning Orbison his first platinum award for over 1 million sales, and featured the worldwide Top 10 smash “You Got It.” Mystery Girl: Unraveled features a new hour-long documentary on the making of the album, executive produced by Roy’s sons. The documentary includes new interviews with those behind the album including Steve Cropper, Tom Petty, Mick Campbell and Jeff Lynne. In addition there are eight wonderful music videos, including an unreleased alternate video for “She’s a Mystery to Me” and three new videos for “The Way Is Love,” “You Got It” and “California Blue.

Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled

2014

Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30 poster
7.0

Black and White Night 30 is a re-imagined, re-edited, remastered and expanded version of the original television special. Re-edited by Roy's youngest son Alex Orbison, the program has been restored to reflect the correct set order as the audience who attended the show saw it.

Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30

2017

Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones poster
8.0

Using previously unseen performances, a biography of rock balladeer Roy Orbison told through his own voice, casting new light on the triumphs and tragedies that beset his career.

Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones

2015

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC poster
8.0

A celebration of rock 'n' roll in the shape of a compilation of classic artists and songs, featuring the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and Dick Dale who all featured in the Rock 'n' Roll America series, alongside songs that celebrate rock 'n roll itself from artists such as Tom Petty (Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll), Joan Jett (I Love Rock 'n' Roll) and Oasis (Rock 'n' Roll Star).

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC

2015

Roy Orbison: Love Hurts poster
10.0

Roy Orbison's legacy as a beloved rock legend and a devoted father is revealed through intimate interviews with Roy's three surviving sons, featuring previously unseen home videos.

Roy Orbison: Love Hurts

2017

2000s · 12 titles

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream poster
7.7

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich and packed with rare concert footage and home movies, this documentary explores the history of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, including Petty's famous collaborations and notorious clashes with the record industry. Interviews with musical luminaries including Jackson Browne, George Harrison, Eddie Vedder, Roger McGuinn, Jeff Lynne, Dave Stewart and Petty himself shed some revelatory vision.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream

2007

Eddie Cochran & Friends: C'mon Everybody poster
6.5

No synopsis available yet.

Eddie Cochran & Friends: C'mon Everybody

2004

The Best Of Beat poster
NR

1 –No Artist. Introduction, 2 –Stevie Wonder. Fingertips, Part 2, 3 –Bob Dylan. Blowin' In The Wind, 4 –Gene Pitney. 24 Hours From Tulsa, 5 –Roy Orbison. Pretty Woman, 6 –Sonny & Cher. I Got You Babe 7 –The Byrds. All I Really Want To Do, 8 –The Hollies. Look Through Any Window, 9 –Beach Boys*. Sloop John B., 10 –The Four Tops*. Reach Out, 11 –Ike & Tina Turner. River Deep Mountain High, 12 –Nancy Sinatra. These Boots Are Made For Walking, 13 –Peter & Gordon. Woman, 14 –Simon & Garfunkel. Homeward Bound, 15 –Pink Floyd. See Emily Play, 16 –The Moody Blues. Nights In White Satin, 17 –The Mamas & The Papas. Dedicated To The One I Love, 18 –Donovan. Mellow Yellow, 19 –Esther & Abi Ofarim. Cinderella Rockafella, 20 –Fleetwood Mac. Need Your Love So Bad, 21 –Janis Joplin. A Piece Of My Heart, 22 –Unknown Artist. When Rock Goes On (Instrumental)

The Best Of Beat

2003

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: Million Sellers poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: Million Sellers

2006

The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys poster
7.0

Spring, 1988: George Harrison asks Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty to spend a day in the studio at Bob Dylan's L.A. house. The result is "Handle With Care." He liked the process so much that the five of them, plus Jim Keltner, spend a week in May at Dave Stewart's house, where they write and record a song a day to produce an album. We watch the creative process: group efforts ("Dirty World" is a found poem) and individual ones (Dylan's lyrics for "Congratulations'). Petty calls them "a bunch of friends who happened to be really good at making music." The album, released in October, goes platinum. The rock video for "End of the Line" is a eulogy for Orbison (1936-1988).

The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys

2007

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1980 poster
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1980

2007

The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show 1969-1971 poster
8.8

The Best Of The Johnny Cash Show 1969-1971, collects some of the top performances from the man in black's television show. If you're unfamiliar with the show, all you need to know is that it features Cash, his wife June Carter, and artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, George Jones, Neil Young, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Loretta Lynn, Ray Charles, and Roy Orbison performing some of their classic hits. Both as individuals and occasionally as duets with their host Cash. Highlights include Cash's opening "I Walk The Line", young Bob Dylan's "I Threw It All Away", George Jones' "She Thinks I Still Care", Neil Young's "The Needle & The Damage Done", CCR's "Bad Moon Rising", Loretta Lynn's "I Know How", and Cash's rousing finale of "A Boy Named Sue".

The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show 1969-1971

2007

Johnny Cash: Live On Air poster
9.3

Selection of live tracks by the late, great country singer. Includes full-length performances from The Johnny Cash Show, Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary Concert, Farm Aid, and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Tracks include: 'Oh! Pretty Woman', 'Matchbox', 'Folsom Prison Blues', 'Ring of Fire', and many more.

Johnny Cash: Live On Air

2008

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Light My Fire poster
NR

A presentation of some of the best moments of speeches, performances and backstage moments of the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies. Footage was culled from the RockHalls archives and represent 24 years of events

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Light My Fire

2009

No artwork available
8.0

For many music fans, history is divided into the long, dull centuries before rock 'n' roll was born and the exciting decades since, when the influential musical form changed the world. This documentary traces the early years of this audio revolution, featuring historic footage and interviews with several musical pioneers, including Little Richard, Bill Haley and The Comets, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley.

One for the Money: The Birth of Rock & Roll

2006

Roy Orbison: Greatest Hits poster
9.0

For the first time ever, some of the all-time greatest performances from one of history's most unique artists are collected in one place on DVD. Roy Orbison may not have had the gyrating hips of Elvis to make the crowds go wild, by what he did possess was a voice so uncannily emotional and honest that his audience would sit in total silence, savoring every note and hanging on every word, While Roy's formidable songwriting skills could make virtually any singer sound good, when applied to his beautifully peculiar pipes, his creations simply soared. Featuring his timeless classics "Only the Lonely," "You Got It," "Crying," "Pretty Woman" and many more, this is Roy Orbison at his absolute finest. With special guest appearances by k.d. lang, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and many more!

Roy Orbison: Greatest Hits

2003

Roy Orbison - Live at Austin City Limits poster
5.8

This live version from the August 5, 1982, telecast has been digitally remastered and edited. Orbison’s appearance was a milestone in the 25-year history of AUSTIN CITY LIMITS. He became the first bona fide legend to step onto their stage. His performance took the show to a new level, a larger audience and the status of being a nationally recognized television program. Live songs performed: Only the Lonely, Leah, Dream Baby, In Dreams, Mean Woman Blues, Blue Angel, Lana, Blue Bayou, Candy Man, Crying, Crying (Reprise), Ooby Dooby, Hound Dog Man, Working For The Man, That Lovin’ You Feelin’ Again, (Go, Go, Go) Down The Line, It’s Over, Oh, Pretty Woman, Running Scared, Running Scared (Reprise) BAND CREDITS Roy Orbison – guitar, vocals Bucky Barrett – guitar Jim Kirby – keyboards Terry Elam – percussion Jim Johnson – bass Marshall Pearson – drums Susan Bennett – vocals Barbara South – vocals Richard Law - vocals Bonus Features Include: Documentary, Song Lyrics

Roy Orbison - Live at Austin City Limits

2002

1990s · 3 titles

1980s · 6 titles

She's Having a Baby poster
6.0

Jake and Kristy Briggs are newlyweds. Being young, they are perhaps a bit unprepared for the full reality of marriage and all that it (and their parents) expect from them. Do they want babies? Their parents certainly want them to. Is married life all that there is? Things certainly aren't helped by Jake's friend Davis, who always seems to turn up just in time to put a spanner in the works.

She's Having a Baby

1988

Roadie poster
5.8

A young Texas good ol' boy has a knack with electronic equipment, and that talent gets him a job as a roadie with a raucous traveling rock-and-roll show.

Roadie

1980

Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll poster
7.4

St. Louis, 1986. For Chuck Berry's 60th, Keith Richards assembles a pickup band of Robert Cray, Joey Spampinato, Eric Clapton, himself and long-time Berry pianist, Johnnie Johnson. Joined on stage by Etta James, Linda Ronstadt and Julian Lennon, Berry performs his classic rock songs. His abilities as a composer, lyricist, singer, musician and entertainer are on display and, in behind-the-scenes interviews, are discussed by Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springstein, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and others. There's even a rarity for Berry—a rehearsal. Archival footage from the early 1950s and a duet with John Lennon round out this portrait of a master.

Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll

1987

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night poster
7.7

Recorded live at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars including Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits.

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

1988

Living Legend: The King of Rock and Roll poster
7.5

Living Legend, a play on the Presley dynasty, presents the story of Eli Canfield (Earl Owensby), a country rock-legend who has fallen victim to the pitfalls of superstardom - a failed marriage addiction, living up to an image, and an unclear vision as to who are his true friends. When Eli's new love interest (Ginger Alden) meets with the disapproval of his unscrupulous and manipulative manager (William T. Hicks), tragedy results, and Eli realizes what he must do to not only save his new relationship but also his life; and he does so in a most dramatic way. Living Legend features a dynamic original soundtrack performed by the Legendary Roy Orbison.

Living Legend: The King of Rock and Roll

1980

Roy Orbison Live In Texas poster
NR

The great Roy Orbison and his 1986 band perform 12 of his greatest hits live in Houston, Texas

Roy Orbison Live In Texas

1986

1970s · 3 titles

1960s · 3 titles

Series credits

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

Top of the Pops poster
6.6

The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

Top of the Pops

1964

Top of the Pops poster
6.6

The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

Top of the Pops

1964

Wogan poster
5.6

Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

Wogan

1982

The Ed Sullivan Show poster
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the CBS Sunday Night Movie, which ran only one season and was eventually replaced by other shows. In 2002, The Ed Sullivan Show was ranked #15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948

Classic Albums poster
7.7

A documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.

Classic Albums

1997

The Dick Clark Show poster
6.7

The Dick Clark Show is an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network 7:30-8 PM on Saturdays from February 15, 1958 through September 10, 1960, sponsored by Beechnut Gum.

The Dick Clark Show

1958

The Midnight Special poster
8.1

The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The ninety-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The show typically featured guest hosts, except for a period from July 1975 through March 1976 when singer Helen Reddy served as the regular host. Wolfman Jack served as the announcer and frequent guest host. The series also occasionally aired vintage footage of older acts. As the program neared the end of its run in the early 1980s, it began to frequently use lip-synched performances rather than live. The program also featured occasional comedic performances such as Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman.

The Midnight Special

1972

Legends poster
5.0

The story of the big names that have shaped the musical genres, plus an occasional stopgap for the new rock 'n' roll - comedy.

Legends

2006

Shindig! poster
6.4

Shindig! is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz. The original pilot was rejected by ABC and David Sontag, then Executive Producer of ABC, redeveloped and completely redesigned the show. A new pilot with a new cast of artists was shot starring Sam Cooke. That pilot aired as the premiere episode.

Shindig!

1964

The Johnny Cash Show poster
6.5

The Johnny Cash Show was an American television music variety show hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969 to March 31, 1971 on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show reached No. 17 in the Nielsen ratings in 1970. Cash opened each show, and its regulars included members of his touring troupe, June Carter Cash and the Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins, and The Tennessee Three, with Australian-born musical director-arranger-conductor Bill Walker. The Statler Brothers performed brief comic interludes. It featured many folk-country musicians, such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Merle Haggard, James Taylor and Tammy Wynette. It also featured other musicians such as jazz great Louis Armstrong, who died eight months after appearing on the show.

The Johnny Cash Show

1969

Just Our Luck poster
6.7

Just Our Luck is a short-lived American sitcom which aired on the American Broadcasting Company in the fall of 1983. Created by brothers Lawrence and Charles Gordon, it was considered a modernized version of the classic 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. The series stars Richard Gilliland as a mild-mannered TV weatherman for KPOX-TV, and T. K. Carter as a hip, fun-loving 3,000-year-old genie who is freed by Gilliland after being imprisoned in his bottle for nearly two centuries. The series was produced by Lorimar Productions, and initially promoted by ABC as one of its new ambitious comedies along with Webster. Just Our Luck was created to compete against The A-Team on NBC but earned low ratings for much of its run. It was poorly received by critics, however, and was the subject of controversy when the NAACP charged the show with promoting negative stereotypes of African-Americans. The NAACP originally campaigned to have the show removed but later settled for a degree of creative control in the show's development. This included changes to Carter's dialogue, the hiring of black staff writers and the addition of Leonard Simon to the cast. The show was cancelled after three months.

Just Our Luck

1983

McCartney 3, 2, 1 poster
8.4

Paul McCartney sits down for a rare in-depth one-on-one with legendary producer Rick Rubin to discuss his ground breaking work with The Beatles, the emblematic 70s arena rock of Wings and his 50 years and counting as a solo artist.

McCartney 3, 2, 1

2021