Wolfman Jack on AllMovie

In addition to his outrageous exploits as a popular radio disc jockey, Wolfman Jack also appeared in several feature films, among them the Oscar-nominated 1973 movie American Graffiti. Never really playing any terribly demanding roles, the Wolfman's screen and television appearances generally required the DJ to play characters that were either partly based on his own widely recognized persona or to out-and-out play himself. Having established himself in radio throughout the '60s, Wolfman Jack was approached by TV producer Rocco Ubisci to host The Midnight Special, a program geared towards live performances by the hitmakers of the day. Accepting the offer, the gregarious DJ thrived on the public attention the show generated, and his ease with the camera eventually caught the eye of a young George Lucas. In the process of developing a script about a group of '50s teenagers coming of age, Lucas had been an admirer of the wild DJ and wrote the Wolfman into the plot of his new movie, American Graffiti, as a way to sew the disparate story lines together. Playing himself, the Wolfman's performance was a hit, and the success of the movie led to other movie and television appearances, albeit in far less critically acclaimed projects. An instantly recognizable figure and persona, casting directors were often able to capitalize on the Wolfman's celebrity to enhance somewhat ailing scripts.