"[7] Pomus' biographer later wrote Fabian's "labored reading of a macho lyric lent him a vulnerability that couldn't have been missed by his pubescent fans.

[14] A review in Variety of a concert featuring Fabian in early 1959 declared the singer "was undoubtedly the standout of the show, who floors the kids with his gyrations and groans of “Hard Headed Woman,” “I'm a Man,” “Turn Me Loose” and, for an encore, “Stop Thief”.

"[15] Other singles that charted included "String Along", "About This Thing Called Love" (written by a man who went on a crime spree[16]) and "This Friendly World", which reached No.

A review of Hold That Tiger in Variety stated, "Fabian is a hardbelting rocking singer who has the faculty of projecting his emotions.

"[18] In October 1959, he toured five major cities in Australia[19][20] including several concerts in Sydney that were turned into the Australian film, Rock 'n' Roll.

"[32] 20th Century-Fox had enjoyed success casting teen idol pop stars in movies, such as Elvis Presley and Pat Boone.

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.

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.

The studio, however, tried again in two smaller roles, supporting a bigger star – High Time, with Bing Crosby, and North to Alaska, with John Wayne.

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.

[41] 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 (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 (1962), Irwin Allen's take on Jules Verne; Fabian sang one song but again it was a supporting role.

[43] When Fox temporarily shut down following cost overruns on Cleopatra, Fabian was one of the first actors whose options were exercised after the studio re-opened.

[29] 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.

[45] Fabian had not become a film star but was in demand as an actor, appearing in episodes of series like The Virginian, Wagon Train, The Greatest Show on Earth and The Eleventh Hour.

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.

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), opposite Funicello and directed by Richard Rush.

His fourth movie for AIP was 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.

"[54] In October 1974, Carr – by then no longer his manager – said that Fabian was "a sensational lounge act in Nevada and shouldn't play anywhere else except on prom nights.

In the movie version, singer Caesare—a pretty boy with little singing talent—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.

[26] 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).

[59] Forte hosted and headlined in the hit show The Original Stars of Bandstand at The Dick Clark Theater in Branson, Missouri.

[60] The show starred Forte and Bobby Vee and featured The Chiffons, Brian Hyland, Chris Montez and rare footage of the performers and Dick Clark.

He was practicing at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park under the instruction of professional driver Bill Simpson when he rolled his car and suffered minor cuts and bruises.