American Hot Wax

American Hot Wax
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Floyd Mutrux
Screenplay by	John Kaye
Story by	John Kaye Art Linson
Produced by	Art Linson
Starring	Tim McIntire Fran Drescher Jay Leno Laraine Newman Moosie Drier Jeff Altman John Lehne Richard Perry Chuck Berry Jerry Lee Lewis Screamin' Jay Hawkins Frankie Ford Charles Greene
Cinematography	William A. Fraker
Edited by	Ronald J. Fagan Melvin Shapiro Danford B. Greene (sup)
Music by	Kenny Vance
Production company	Paramount Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	March 17, 1978 (1978-03-17)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$11,000,000[1]

American Hot Wax is a 1978 biographical film directed by Floyd Mutrux with a screenplay by John Kaye from a story by John Kaye and Art Linson. The film tells the story of pioneering disc jockey Alan Freed, who in the 1950s helped introduce and popularize rock and roll, and is often credited with coining the term "rock 'n' roll". The film starred Tim McIntire, Fran Drescher, Jay Leno, Laraine Newman, Jeff Altman, and Moosie Drier. It also featured musical performances by Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Ford, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Brooklyn Dreams as "Professor La Plano and The Planotones". The film was not a box-office success.

A&M Records released a two-record soundtrack album featuring the film's live Brooklyn Paramount performances on record one (in stereo) and the film's soundtrack (the original monophonic hit recordings) on record two. The LP reached number 31 on the Billboard charts.

Producer Art Linson discusses the movie's production and its box office failure in his book What Just Happened? Bitter Hollywood Tales from the Front Line.