Fabian, born in 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, emerged as a teen idol during the late 1950s and early 1960s, captivating audiences with his charm and musical talent. Transitioning to film, he showcased his acting skills in Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961) and Fireball 500 (1966), blending his pop star persona with the vibrant culture of the era. His roles in Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966) and The Devil's 8 (1969) further solidified his presence in the realm of cult cinema, where his performances continue to resonate with fans of exploitation and grindhouse films.
Fireball 500
Stock car racer "Fireball" Dave Owens from California goes to race in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he intends on competing against local champ Sonny Leander Fox. Dave beats Leander in a race, impressing the latter's girlfriend, Jane, and the wealthy Martha Brian. Martha persuades Dave to drive in a cross country night race, not telling him he is actually smuggling moonshine. She and her partner, Charlie Bigg, are pleased with Dave's results. Leander, who runs his own still and smuggling operation, is impressed with Dave's success, but this does not change the fact that he wants to beat Dave on the track, even challenging him to a dangerous figure-8 race which ends in a draw. Agents from the IRS threaten to send Dave to six months in jail unless he helps them bust the local moonshine ring. After a driver, Joey, is killed during a run, Dave and Leander agree to team up to investigate the accident. They discover it was caused by someone placing a huge mirror across the road. It turns out that Martha's moonshining partner, Charlie Bigg, was solely responsible for the murder of Joey and also tried to kill Dave because he was jealous that the young California driver is sleeping with her. Dave wins the big race but Leander is badly burned. Jane helps him recover and Dave drives off into the sunset with Martha.
