October 9th 2024.
In 1984, a movie called Footloose took the box office by storm and made Kevin Bacon a household name. What many people don't realize is that the film was actually based on a true story. The plot follows Ren McCormack, played by Kevin Bacon (who is now 66 years old), as he and his family move from Chicago to the small town of Bomont. As the new kid in town, Ren faces a series of challenges, the biggest one being the town's ban on dancing and rock music. This means that the high school's prom is also prohibited. Ren falls for Ariel, played by Lori Singer (also 66), and becomes determined to convince the town council to change their minds and allow dancing.
Despite Ren's best efforts, the odd law remains in place. But that doesn't stop him. In fact, it only fuels his determination. Ren and a group of teenagers decide to throw their own prom, defying the ban. The movie has a happy ending, and what makes it even more special is that it's based on real events. Kevin Bacon played Ren in the film, but the real story takes place in a small town in Oklahoma called Elmore City.
Founded in the 1860s by James Elmore, the town of Elmore City has a population of just over 700 people. It was this town that lived through the main events depicted in Footloose. In 1898, the town council banned dancing as a way to control alcohol consumption. This ban wasn't lifted until 1980, over 80 years later. However, it wasn't an easy decision, and it would not have been possible without the help of local high school students, particularly Mary Ann Temple-Lee and the late Leonard Coffee.
Mary and Leonard were high school sweethearts at the time, and they were determined to have a real prom. They were tired of the usual routine of raising money, decorating the school cafeteria, having dinner, and then going bowling. They wanted to dance. Leonard remembers asking, "Why can't we have a prom like other schools do?" and the idea caught on like wildfire among their classmates. But as the event would take place at school and be classified as a private event, the teens needed to convince their school board to allow it. And to make things even more complicated, Mary's father was the president of the school board.
Despite the split vote of 50/50, Mary's father was the deciding factor in allowing the teens to have their prom. Mary recalls feeling proud of her father, but also feeling immense pressure to prove that the prom was a positive and responsible event. Due to the significance of the board's decision, the prom attracted not only students and their families, but also media attention. This caught the eye of songwriter and screenwriter Dean Pitchford, who visited the town for research purposes before writing the script and soundtrack for Footloose.
The movie became an international sensation, grossing $80 million at the box office and becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of 1984. It was also nominated for two Academy Awards, five Grammy Awards, and one Golden Globe for its hit song "Footloose". However, Mary admits that while the movie is incredible, it didn't accurately portray the town and its residents. She says, "We were extremely ornery, but no, we were not wild."
To honor the legacy of Mary, Leonard, and their classmates, the high school has held a prom every year since 1980. In 2010, they also started the Footloose Fest, which takes place every third Sunday in April. And to this day, the hit song "Footloose" is played at every prom. Mary explains, "This was the most exciting thing that has ever happened in this town, so we wanted to do something to celebrate Footloose."
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