Editing Fabian Forte (section)

==Acting==
===20th Century Fox===
[[20th Century Studios|20th Century-Fox]] had enjoyed success casting teen idol pop stars in movies, such as [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Pat Boone]]. They decided to do the same thing with Fabian and signed him to a long-term contract. His first leading role was ''[[Hound-Dog Man]]'' (1959), based on the novel by [[Fred Gipson]] (who had written ''[[Old Yeller]]'') and directed by [[Don Siegel]]. He co-starred with the more experienced [[Stuart Whitman]] and sang several songs, including the title track. The ''Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film'' featured a photo of Forte's screen test where he appeared in the same outfit that [[Elvis Presley]] wore in Fox's ''[[Love Me Tender (film)|Love Me Tender]]''.<ref>Weldon, Michael, ''Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film'' 1987 Ballantine Books</ref> "Acting came natural to me. I don't know why", Fabian later said.<ref name="gold"/>

Fabian's recording of the ''Hound Dog Man'' title song was a top ten hit but the film was not a financial success – in contrast to Presley and Boone's first films. The studio, however, tried again in two smaller roles, supporting a bigger star – ''[[High Time (film)|High Time]]'', with [[Bing Crosby]], and ''[[North to Alaska]]'', with [[John Wayne]]. Both films were popular especially the latter and in November 1960 his contract with the studio was amended with an increase in salary &ndash; it was now a seven-year deal with an option for two films a year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fabian Signs Contract for Seven Years|work="The Washington Post|date=November 26, 1960|page=A15}}</ref><ref name="warriors"/> He later said that "acting wasn't like the singing, because it was very private – quiet on the set. No screaming [teenage fans]. It was a wonderful experience. I got to meet and work with John Wayne, [[Jimmy Stewart]], and [[Peter Lorre]]. Elvis came over to meet me when I was on the lot. [[Marilyn Monroe]], [[Natalie Wood]] and [[Gary Cooper]] were also on the lot. I was on the plane with [[Marlon Brando]] for eight hours coming back from Tahiti."<ref name="pop">{{cite web| url=http://www.popentertainment.com/fabian.htm| title=Fabian Forte interview| website=PopEntertainment.com| date=2007-09-19| access-date=2016-03-14}}</ref>

The Fox contract included television series as well as films. Fabian was cast by director [[Robert Altman]] as a psychotic killer in "[[A Lion Walks Among Us]]", an episode of the television series ''Bus Stop''. This episode was highly controversial due to its violent content, with many affiliates refusing to run the program, so much so, that it was even mentioned in the US Senate.<ref>Laurent, Lawrence. "New Chief at ABC Indicates a Change", ''The Washington Post'', March 21, 1962, pg. C 8.</ref> However, the series was good for Fabian's acting career, and saw him regarded with more respect.<ref name="bus">{{cite news| author=Humphrey, Hal| title=Bus Stop Flop Flips Fabian Into High Gear| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=June 17, 1962| page=N19}}</ref> He later said he regarded this as his best performance.<ref>Mitchell Zuckoff, ''The Oral History of Robert Altman'', p 115-116</ref>

Paramount borrowed him from Fox to co-star with teen idol [[Tommy Sands (American singer)|Tommy Sands]] in ''[[Love in a Goldfish Bowl]]'' (1961). In 1961, Bob Marcucci announced that Fabian and Avalon would star in ''Virginia Ridge'' by Clarence Fillmore about the [[Battle of New Market]], where Virginia Military cadets took on union soldiers.<ref>{{cite news| author=Scheuer, P. K.| title='A fever in blood' ingenious in plot| date=January 26, 1961| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| id={{ProQuest|167817748}}}}</ref> The movie was never made. In April 1961 Fox announced Fabian would star in ''Blue Denim Baby'' and ''Bachelor Flat''; the former was never made and the latter was made with Richard Beymer.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1961-04/page/n3/mode/1up|date=5 April 1961|title=20th Fox decision|page=4}}</ref>

Instead Fabian co-starred opposite [[Tuesday Weld]] in an episode of ''[[The Dick Powell Show]]'', titled "[[Run Till It's Dark]]". In ''[[Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation]]'' (1962), he romanced (and sang with) the daughter of a family man played by James Stewart; this was a big hit. So too was ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]'' (1962), Fox's all-star epic about the D-Day landings; Fabian appeared among a number of other teen idols as US Rangers. Less popular, though still widely seen, was ''[[Five Weeks in a Balloon (film)|Five Weeks in a Balloon]]'' (1962), [[Irwin Allen]]'s take on [[Jules Verne]]; Fabian sang one song but again it was a supporting role.

In April August 1961 Fabian had to go to court to get his contract with Fox approved. It was for six years, covering nine films for a gross sum of $545,000.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1961-08/page/n106/mode/1up?|magazine=Variety|date=9 August 1961|title=Orphans court learns of 20ths deal with Fabian|page=3}}</ref>

In October 1962 Fabian changed management to Jack Spina, who managed Pat Boone.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-10/page/n194/mode/1up?|date=17 October 1962|title=Jack Spina now holds Fabian managerial reins|page=41}}</ref>

When Fox temporarily shut down following cost overruns on ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]'', Fabian was one of the first actors whose options were exercised after the studio re-opened. He was to have supported Stewart again in ''[[Take Her, She's Mine]]'' (1963) but did not appear in the final film.<ref name="hunt"/> [[Samuel Z. Arkoff]] of [[American International Pictures]] said he wanted Fabian to play the lead in ''[[Beach Party]]'' (1963) but was unable to do it because of his Fox contract.<ref name="sam">[[Samuel Z. Arkoff|Arkoff, Samuel Z.]] & Richard Turbo, ''Flying Through Hollywood By the Seat of My Pants'', Birch Lane Press, 1992, pg. 129<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> ''Filmink'' argued the film might not have been as successful with Fabian in it.<ref name="beach">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=4 December 2024|magazine=Filmink|title=Beach Party: An Appreciation|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/beach-party-an-appreciation/|access-date=11 December 2024}}</ref>

Fabian had not become a film star but was in demand as an actor, appearing in episodes of series like ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)|The Greatest Show on Earth]]'' and ''[[The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)|The Eleventh Hour]]''. ''Variety'' described his performance in ''Wagon Train'' as "most effective".<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1963-09/page/n180/mode/1up?|title=Wagon Train|date=18 September 1963|page=29}}</ref>

He had a good role in a surf movie made for Columbia, ''[[Ride the Wild Surf]]'' (1964) (with [[Tab Hunter]]), and was reunited with James Stewart for Fox's ''[[Dear Brigitte]]'' (1965) – the film failed to repeat the success of ''Hobbs''. [[Harry Alan Towers]] cast him as one of the victims in ''[[Ten Little Indians (1965 film)|Ten Little Indians]]'' (1965).

In October 1965, Fox announced it had picked up Fabian's option to make three more films for the studio, starting with ''Custer's Last Stand''.<ref name=setnextyear>{{cite news|author=Martin, Betty|title='Waterloo' Set Next Year|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 7, 1965|page=D16}}</ref> However, that film was not made and Fabian made no further films for Fox.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

===AIP===
In November 1965, he signed a seven-picture deal with [[American International Pictures]] (AIP).<ref name="betty">{{cite news|author=Martin, Betty|title='Bloomer Girl' on 20th Slate|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 29, 1965|page=C-23}}</ref> His first film for the company was alongside ''Beach Party'' stars [[Frankie Avalon]] and [[Annette Funicello]] in the 1966 stock car racing film ''[[Fireball 500]]''. AIP then sent him to Italy to play a role originally intended for Avalon in ''[[Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs]]'' (1966), supporting [[Vincent Price]] and directed by [[Mario Bava]]. Back in the United States, he made another stock car racing film for AIP, ''[[Thunder Alley (1967 film)|Thunder Alley]]'' (1967), opposite Funicello and directed by [[Richard Rush (director)|Richard Rush]]. His fourth movie for AIP was ''[[Maryjane (film)|Maryjane]]'' (1968), where Fabian played a school teacher fighting the evils of the marijuana trade.

He returned to racing car dramas with ''[[The Wild Racers]]'' (1968), partly financed by [[Roger Corman]] and shot in Europe. This was not a big hit on release but has developed a cult following; [[Quentin Tarantino]] described it as his favorite racing car movie.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://f1socialdiary.com/2013/08/21/quentin-tarantino-my-favourite-racing-movies/|title=QUENTIN TARANTINO: MY FAVOURITE RACING MOVIES|work=F1 Social Diary|date=August 21, 2013|access-date=July 5, 2014|archive-date=July 7, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707073733/http://f1socialdiary.com/2013/08/21/quentin-tarantino-my-favourite-racing-movies/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''[[The Devil's 8]]'' (1968) was an AIP rip-off of ''[[The Dirty Dozen]]'' (with a script co-written by [[John Milius]]). His seventh and final film for the studio was ''[[A Bullet for Pretty Boy]]'' (1970).

Fabian also played [[John Ashley (bandit)|Josh Ashley]] in ''[[Little Laura and Big John]]'' (1973) for [[Crown International Pictures]].

He performed in ''John Loves Mary'' in summer stock in 1962.<ref name="bus"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Age Can't Wither|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 29, 1965|page=C11}}</ref>