Roadie 1980
Directed by
Alan Rudolph
Made by
United Artists
Roadie Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Roadie (1980). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Travis W. Redfish is a beer-drinking, bar-brawling, fun-loving Texan who works as a distributor of Shiner beer. He also helps his father, Corpus C. Redfish with the family salvage company, whose motto is
Everything will work if you let it!
B.B. Muldoon is his loyal best friend and business partner, and curiously enough, the romantic interest of Travis’ younger sister Alice Poo Redfish. The trio moves through a blend of hustling deliveries, quick fixes, and tight-knit camaraderie as they tackle the unpredictable world around them.
When they pull over to help a broken-down RV, they meet Lola Bouilliabase, a gregarious, starstruck fan who adores Alice Cooper. Lola’s enthusiasm pulls Travis into a new, risky path: road duty for a group headed toward a major show in Austin, led by a showman named Mohammed Johnson and featuring performances by the legendary Hank Williams Jr. The road crew’s manager, the brusque Ace, pushes Travis to keep control of the wheels and the gear, hoping the Texas cowboy can prove himself on the road.
A quick repair earns Travis a promotion of sorts: Johnson sees in him a talent for setting up equipment with lightning speed, and the promise of more gigs yields a shift in Travis’s life. The money and attention come with pressure, especially as Lola leverages his fatigue after a rough night to urge him to keep the journey moving toward Hollywood. The result is a whirlwind ride that tests loyalty, resolve, and the ability to improvise under pressure.
In Hollywood, Travis has to prove himself once again. He physically compels the band to perform when power and timing threaten to derail a show, and he even crafts a DIY electrical generator that runs on cow dung to keep the Blondie performance alive. The feat earns him national attention and a reputation as the “greatest roadie that ever lived,” a testament to his practical skill and stubborn resourcefulness in the face of logistical chaos. Throughout this stretch, a tentative romance brews between Travis and Lola, though Lola’s guarded feelings complicate things: she reveals she’s sixteen and is tentatively pursuing her own dreams, while she continues to flirt with various musicians whenever opportunity knocks. The relationship strains and reshapes as Lola’s attention darts between loyalty, growing feelings, and ambition.
The voyage leads to New York City, where Lola’s jealousy flares when she notices Travis spending time with Debbie Harry. In the end, fate pushes them toward Alice Cooper’s orbit, and Cooper himself persuades Travis to stay long enough to fix additional problems and to accept a bus that lets him drive home to Texas. Lola is treated with VIP access and a promise of romance, but the reality of the path ahead remains open-ended as the wedding between B.B. Muldoon and Alice Poo Redfish approaches in Texas.
Just as life seems to settle, Lola calls Travis back to action in a moment that tests everything they’ve learned about trust and possibility: she travels to Texas, claiming a new destiny as a psychic, and a UFO suddenly lands in front of them. Lola’s psychic sense detects that the aliens’ broken spacecraft needs repair, and she turns to Travis for the skills that only a seasoned roadie could bring. With the world curiously poised between the ordinary and the extraordinary, Travis faces a final choice: to return home or to pursue the next extraordinary challenge with Lola at his side.
Roadie Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Roadie (1980) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Travis's Texan road life and family work
Travis W. Redfish leads a rough-and-tumble Texas life, juggling a job as a Shiner beer distributor and helping his father with the family salvage business. He loves beer, bar-brawls, and the freedom of the road with his partner B.B. Muldoon. The motto 'Everything will work if you let it!' anchors his everyday outlook.
Encounter with the stranded RV and Lola
While delivering beer, they come across a broken-down RV on the roadside. They initially consider passing, but Lola Bouillabaisse's smile through the rear window makes Travis stop to help. They repair the RV and Lola's presence pulls Travis into a new, chaotic chapter.
Drive to Austin and the show stakes
Road manager Ace pushes the group to drive to Austin for a Hank Williams Jr. show produced by Mohammed Johnson. Travis's speed and skill at setting up equipment impress Johnson, who starts demanding more work from him. The new opportunities fuel Travis's ambitions on the road.
Lola pressures Travis to stay as roadie
Ace forces Lola to persuade the reluctant Travis to continue as their roadie so Ace can claim credit. Lola uses Travis's dazed state after a bar fight to keep him in the tour. The arrangement tightens as they move from city to city.
Hollywood move and a police chase escape
Lola persuades Travis to move the tour toward Hollywood, and they even elude a police pursuit to reach the airport for a flight there. He wakes up in Hollywood in a mix of anger and homesickness, but Lola's tears persuade him to stay for now. The move marks a new, glamorous, and chaotic chapter.
The Blondie show and the DIY generator
In Hollywood, a Blondie concert nearly derails due to power issues. Travis threatens the band into performing and builds a DIY generator powered by cow dung to keep the show going. His improvisation earns him national publicity as the 'greatest roadie that ever lived'.
Romance, flirtation, and Lola's boundaries
Travis's growing affection for Lola collides with her flirtations with other musicians. She reveals her guarded nature and her ambitions, which complicate their relationship. The tension between romance and loyalty becomes a constant undercurrent.
New York with Alice Cooper and a deal
Lola persuades Travis to go to New York for Alice Cooper's show, hoping to capitalize on the opportunity. Alice recognizes his talent and convinces him to stay long enough to fix sound problems. In return, Alice buys him a bus to drive back to Texas, and Lola gets VIP treatment and backstage access.
Wedding drive home to Texas
Travis returns to Texas just in time to witness B.B. and Alice Poo's wedding. He is torn between Lola and his roots, torn between staying with the tour and returning home. The wedding marks a bittersweet milestone in his circle of friends and family.
Lola arrives in Texas for love
Lola travels to Texas to be with Travis, giving up her groupie persona and waiting at a bus stop for a chance at a real relationship. She hints at redefining her dreams, signaling a shift in her path. The reunion is hopeful but unsettled by other unknowns.
A moment of romance interrupted by a UFO
As Travis and Lola start to settle into life together, a UFO suddenly lands in front of them. Lola uses her psychic impression to sense that the aliens' spacecraft is broken and needs Travis's repair skills. The moment shifts the story from roadie romance to a sci-fi twist.
Cliffhanger: the aliens need a roadie
With the alien craft waiting, Travis prepares to apply his makeshift tech know-how to extraterrestrial repair. The ending leaves him at a crossroads between ordinary roadie life and an otherworldly assignment. The future of his journey remains open and uncertain.
Roadie Characters
Explore all characters from Roadie (1980). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Travis W. Redfish (Meat Loaf)
A beer-loving, brawl-prone Texan who thrives on being in the middle of the action. He is loyal to his family and quickly proves himself capable behind the soundboard and the road, turning improvisation into success. His charm masks a stubborn streak, but his heart pushes him to protect those he cares about even as he’s pulled into a chaotic lifestyle.
Lola Bouilliabase (Kaki Hunter)
A precocious, ambitious young groupie who uses Travis to advance her dreams while wrestling with her own heart. She’s flirtatious and calculating, yet capable of genuine emotion, especially as she reveals her feelings for Travis and later pivots toward a different path in life.
Alice Cooper (Alice Cooper)
A legendary rock figure who acts as a mentor and catalyst for Travis. He can be generous and practical, buying Travis a bus and offering backstage opportunities, while also representing the intricate relationship between fame and personal choices.
B.B. Muldoon (Gailard Sartain)
Travis’s best friend and business partner, a steady, protective presence who also carries romantic implications for Travis’s sister. He remains practical and loyal, helping steer the duo through the tour’s chaos and culminating in a family wedding.
Ace (Joe Spano)
The road manager who wields influence over the tour and often manipulates others to get credit. He embodies the controlling side of show business, steering Lola’s actions to secure the band’s success.
Mohammed Johnson (Don Cornelius)
A powerful music mogul driving the tour’s scale and opportunity. He’s a figure who navigates the business side of rock, making deals that push the road crew toward bigger stages—and bigger risks.
Debbie Harry (Debbie Harry)
A real-world rock star cameo who interacts with Travis and Lola during the road-show circuit, highlighting the blend of fame and flirtation in the touring life. Her presence adds glamour and a new level of challenge to the road crew’s adventures.
Alice Poo Redfish (Rhonda Bates)
Travis’s sister, the younger family member whose engagement to B.B. Muldoon anchors the personal stakes back home. Her relationship with Travis’s circle emphasizes family ties amid the tour’s chaos.
Roadie Settings
Learn where and when Roadie (1980) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Late 1970s
The narrative is grounded in the late 1970s era of arena rock touring, when road crews and pop stars dominate the live show scene. It features real-world music acts and a cultural backdrop of flashy performances, road-dressed venues, and the hustle of making live music work on the fly. The period-style energy fuels the improvisational, DIY spirit that drives the plot.
Location
Texas, Austin, Hollywood, New York City
The film unfolds across a touring landscape that starts in Texas and spans major entertainment hubs. Travis and his crew travel from a Shiner beer operation in a small Texan town to the high-energy venues of Austin, Hollywood, and finally New York City. The settings mix gritty road downtime, backstage chaos, and big-city showcases that define a roadie’s life.
Roadie Themes
Discover the main themes in Roadie (1980). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🎸
Dreams
A central thread follows Travis chasing a chance to prove himself as a capable roadie and to win Lola’s affection. The film treats ambition as a daring, hands-on pursuit that thrives on tough luck and quick problem-solving. It shows how skill and grit can elevate someone from a small-town life to the glow of stage lights.
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Showbiz
The story explores the power dynamics of the touring world, where managers and moguls pull strings and fame can turn on a dime. It highlights the ingenuity needed to keep performances alive, from improvised generators to persuading stars to stay on the road. The film uses cameos and celebrity presence to underscore the allure and peril of show business.
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Love & Loyalty
Romantic entanglements and family loyalty drive much of the drama, with Travis torn between Lola and his sister and friend circle. The relationships test trust, as Lola’s shifting goals clash with Travis’s growing devotion. The ending also emphasizes reconciliation and the idea that love can endure even through wild adventures.
Roadie Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Roadie (1980). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the heat‑blazed backroads of Texas, a tinkering soul finds his rhythm amid beer crates and salvage trucks. Travis W. Redfish splits his days between hauling Shiner bottles for his dad’s salvage business and coaxing life back into stubborn pieces of electronic gear. His knack for making anything work, paired with a swagger that blends bar‑room bravado and small‑town loyalty, sets the stage for a chance that could take him far beyond the lone‑star horizon.
When a chance encounter on a dusty highway pulls him into the world of touring rock‑and‑roll, Travis trades the familiar hum of a workshop for the roar of amplifiers and the glow of stage lights. Alongside his steadfast sidekick B.B. Muldoon and the spirited Alice Poo Redfish, his sister whose own dreams echo his own, he steps onto a convoy of musicians, roadies, and endless miles. The tour is a living, breathing machine—half chaos, half camaraderie—where every knot of cable and weight of speaker becomes a test of grit and quick‑thinking.
Among the eclectic crowd, a wide‑eyed fan named Lola Bouilliabase arrives, her star‑struck enthusiasm for the roadshow’s larger‑than‑life personalities sparking both mischief and opportunity. The troupe’s charismatic leader, Mohammed Johnson, and the no‑nonsense crew chief known only as Ace keep the pace relentless, pushing Travis to prove that his down‑home ingenuity can survive the high‑octane demands of stadium‑size spectacles. The tone crackles with humor, sweat, and the electric buzz of possibility, leaving the road as much a character as any person on board.
As the convoy barrels toward bigger stages and stranger horizons, the film teases a balance between ordinary toil and the surreal moments that only life on the road can deliver. Travis’s journey becomes a study in loyalty, improvisation, and the restless yearning to see how far a true roadie’s talent can roll.
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