Ringo

Ringo

Year: 1978

Runtime: 45 mins

Language: English

Director: Jeff Margolis

MusicTV MovieComedy

Ringo Starr, weary of celebrity life, encounters his Hollywood doppelgänger Ognir Rrats, a quirky vendor who sells maps to the homes of stars while living under an abusive, thieving father. Yearning for normalcy, Ringo invites Ognir into his studio and proposes they swap identities for a few hours, exploring the contrast between fame and an ordinary existence.

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Timeline & Setting – Ringo (1978)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Ringo (1978). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1970s

Set during the era of sprawling variety shows and rock-star notoriety, the narrative mirrors the late 1970s atmosphere of media spectacle and celebrity obsession. The environment emphasizes performance, image, and the constant surveillance of public life. This period detail grounds the doppelgänger premise in a time when fame was as much about TV presence as musical talent.

Location

Los Angeles, Hollywood

The story unfolds in Los Angeles, the heart of the film and music industry, with Hollywood as its glittering backdrop. It moves between studio corridors, glamorous nightlife, and street-level neighborhoods where ordinary people cross paths with celebrities. The city’s celebrity culture and entertainment infrastructure drive the satire of fame and identity that the film explores.

🎬 Film setting 🏙️ Cityscape 🎭 Showbiz culture

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:07

Main Characters – Ringo (1978)

Meet the key characters of Ringo (1978), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Marquine (Carrie Fisher)

Rrats’s girlfriend who becomes entangled in the swap of lives. She navigates the confusion and emotional tension as Starr, impersonating Rrats, interacts with her, testing loyalty and trust. Her reactions anchor the human cost of the doppelgänger scheme, revealing how relationships are strained when identity is in flux.

💖 Relationships 🧭 Loyalty

Sgt. Suzanne Anderson (Angie Dickinson)

A sharp and imposing police officer who arrests Starr during the chaotic mix-up. She embodies order and consequence in a world where celebrity antics threaten public safety. Her role underscores the friction between law, celebrity excess, and personal accountability.

👮 Law enforcement 🧭 Authority

George Harrison (George Harrison)

George Harrison appears as himself, presiding over a press conference that frames the central premise of the doppelgänger switch. His presence ties the story to the Beatle legacy and lends a meta-commentary on fame within the rock world. He acts as a catalyst that propels the plot toward its televised climax.

🎤 Music legend 🎭 Fame

Ringo Starr / Ognir Rrats (Ringo Starr)

The real Starr experiences the lure and burden of a normal life while his doppelgänger lives the high-profile but precarious fantasy. Swapping identities forces him to confront what he values about his career and who he is when not under the spotlight. Ultimately, Starr reclaims his role, using the swap to reassess fame and authenticity.

🎤 Celebrity 🪞 Identity

Dr. Nancy (Vincent Price)

A hypnotist-like figure who helps restore Rrats to his rightful identity through trance. Her intervention adds a surreal, almost mystical dimension to the plot as memory and performance blur. She serves as the cognitive bridge between illusion and reality.

🧠 Psychology 🧪 Medicine

Marty Flesh (John Ritter)

Starr’s overwhelmed manager who pushes for productivity and success amid exhaustion. He navigates the chaos of the swapped lives and tries to salvage the tour and public image. His practical, sometimes frazzled perspective highlights the commercial pressures of rock stardom.

💼 Showbiz 🎭 Management

Ognir's Father (Art Carney)

A domineering, financially controlling father who exerts pressure over his son’s life. His abusive behavior and control-addled dynamic illustrate the harsh, limiting forces that shape the protagonist’s early life. The relationship grounds the film’s tug-of-war between opportunity and oppression.

👨‍👦 Family 🔒 Abuse

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:07

Major Themes – Ringo (1978)

Explore the central themes of Ringo (1978), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🪞 Identity

Two men born the same moment in the same country inhabit each other’s lives, prompting a meditation on what truly defines a person. The swap between Starr and his doppelgänger reveals the fragility and performativity of celebrity identity. As each man navigates the other’s world, the film probes the gap between outward image and inner self. In the end, the story suggests identity is both chosen and performed, and authenticity may require confronting one’s own persona.

🎭 Fame

Ringo Starr’s life is saturated with attention, management pressures, and the expectations of a public persona. The plot uses press events, autograph opportunities, and on-stage moments to critique how show business rewards spectacle over substance. It satirizes the way fame can be intoxicating yet isolating, turning real emotions into performances for an audience. The identity swap intensifies the tension between public adoration and private doubt.

🧭 Reality vs Illusion

A trance-induced memory sequence with Dr. Nancy blurs the line between remembered past and constructed present. The counterfeit maps and staged appearances symbolize deceptive routes to stardom, while Starr’s music represents a compass toward genuine artistry. The finale restores the real performer and highlights how reality struggles to reclaim what fame has rewritten. The film invites reflection on what is real when showmanship creates a compelling illusion.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:07

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Ringo Summary

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Ringo Summary

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Ringo Timeline

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