Editing Fabian Forte (section)

===''The Idolmaker''===
The film ''[[The Idolmaker]]'' (1980), written by [[Edward Di Lorenzo]] and the first feature film 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&mdash;a pretty boy with little singing talent&mdash;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 launched a $64 million lawsuit at the time of the picture's release, claiming the film made him look like "a totally manufactured singer, a mere pretty face without any singing ability or acting talent."<ref>{{cite news|author=Pollock, Dale|title=FILM CLIPS: PARAMOUNT'S EISNER CAN'T FIND A BOOTH|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 30, 1981|page=G-1}}</ref> The filmmakers insisted that the [[All persons fictitious disclaimer|movie presented only fictional characters]] (although Marcucci was a paid consultant on the film). Forte claimed they settled out of court, where he and his wife received apologies and Marcucci's 7.5% ownership of the film passed to Forte.<ref name="storyofthestars.com"/>

He appeared in a 1982 television commercial for ''The Idols of Rock n' Roll'' and in the documentary film ''[[The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania]]'' (2005). In the 1980s, he developed some sitcoms for television.<ref>{{cite news|author=Van Matre, Lynn|title=FABIAN: Troubled Odyssey of a Teen-Age Heartthrob Fabian|work=Chicago Tribune/The Washington Post|date=July 31, 1983|page=C1}}</ref> Forte hosted and headlined in the hit show ''The Original Stars of Bandstand'' at The Dick Clark Theater in Branson, Missouri.<ref>[http://www.dickclarksabbranson.com Dick Clark's AB Theater – Branson Missouri], Dickclarksabbranson.com; retrieved 2015-05-29.</ref> The show starred Forte and [[Bobby Vee]] and featured [[The Chiffons]], [[Brian Hyland]], [[Chris Montez]] and rare footage of the performers and [[Dick Clark]]. As part of a long-running concert tour, Fabian has toured with fellow Philadelphian 1950s teen idols [[Bobby Rydell]] and [[Frankie Avalon]] as Dick Fox's Golden Boys.

On January 8, 2002, Forte was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] for his achievements in live theatre.