Jeffrey Schwarz on his Allan Carr doc: 'He caught lightning in a bottle' with 'Grease,' crushed by Oscar embarrassment

In conversation with Nonfictionfilm.com, Schwarz reflects on Carr's achievements and excesses: 'He made a name for himself for living large and for making entertainment as glamorous and gaudy as he was'

Allan Carr at his Hilhaven Lodge estate in Beverly Hills, where he was famous for hosting parties for straight and gay Hollywood. Photo courtesy Automat Pictures

Allan Carr only lived to 62, but he packed plenty into his six decades plus. He produced the movie version of Grease, the most successful Hollywood musical of the 20th century, played a key role promoting Saturday Night Fever, managed the careers of Mama Cass, Tony Curtis and Ann-Margret, and earned a Tony for producing La Cage Aux Folles.

Unfortunately for him, his failures were equally legendary, like his Village People musical Can't Stop the Music and that abysmal Oscar telecast of 1989 -- the one Rob Lowe is still trying to forget. 

Carr's epic career is remembered in The Fabulous Allan Carr, the new documentary from Jeffrey Schwarz. The director spoke with Nonfictionfilm.com editor Matthew Carey in a conversation that touched on making Grease, casting Grease 2, miscasting Nancy Walker in a mega-flop and being gay in 1970s Hollywood.