Thank God It’s Friday

Thank God It’s Friday

Year: 1978

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Klane

RomanceMusicComedySong and danceDance rhythms and catchy tunes

After five millennia of civilization, everyone is craving a break, and Friday night finds the town flocking to the hottest new disco. The Commodores are set to perform—if Floyd arrives with his instruments—while Nicole hopes to launch a disco‑star career. Friends compete in a dance contest and aim to add excitement to a fifth‑anniversary celebration.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Thank God It’s Friday (1978)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Thank God It’s Friday (1978). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Friday evening

The events unfold over a single Friday evening inside The Zoo. Music, dancing, and flirtation drive the action as multiple stories intersect on the dance floor. Characters pursue connections, attempt to gain entry to the DJ booth or the club's inner circles, and chase a moment of triumph on the dance floor.

Location

The Zoo, Los Angeles

The action centers on The Zoo, a fictional Los Angeles disco. The venue is a magnet for a diverse crowd seeking music, drinks, and escape from daily life. It serves as a microcosm of nightlife where reputations are made or broken on a single Friday night.

🎶 Disco 🕺 Nightlife

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:28

Main Characters – Thank God It’s Friday (1978)

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

Toni Di Marco (Jeff Goldblum)

A smooth, flirtatious patron who bets he can pick up Sue, injecting playful mischief into the club. His charm and bold attitude highlight the nightlife as a stage for casual romance and social wager-making.

💃 Charmer 😂 Mischievous 💘 Flirt

Sue (Andrea Howard)

A married woman who pushes her uptight husband to the disco, seeking excitement and social connection. She drives several interactions and serves as a catalyst for many of the night's adventures.

💃 Adventurous ❤️ Romantic 😂 Comical

Dave (Mark Lonow)

Sue's uptight husband who is dragged into the nightlife against his will and becomes the butt of mischief after a prank. His arc plays the straight man to the surrounding chaos.

🤵 Reserved 😂 Humorous 😵 Humiliated

Nicole Sims (Donna Summer)

An aspiring singer who repeatedly tries to slip into the DJ booth to have Bobby play her single, culminating in a triumphant on-stage moment with 'Last Dance'. Her drive anchors the club’s musical ambitions.

🎤 Performer 💃 Ambitious ❤️ Romantic

Bobby Speed (Raymond Vitte)

A confident party figure who intersects with Nicole’s ambitions, aiding and complicating her path to a musical moment in the spotlight. His interactions reflect the social currents of the night.

🎶 Music-lover 🕺 Confident ❤️ Romantic

Marv Gomez (Chick Vennera)

A jovial dancer who mentors Ken and ultimately pairs with Frannie to win the dance contest. His easygoing nature contrasts with the night’s more anxious energies.

💃 Dancer 😂 Jovial 🤝 Partner

Frannie (Valerie Landsburg)

A bold, sociable dancer who teams with Marv, helps orchestrate entry schemes, and ultimately wins the big dance contest, embracing her disco-queen identity.

💃 Daring ❤️ Romantic 😂 Playful

Jeannie (Terri Nunn)

Frannie’s partner in crime on the dance floor, who later proclaims disco-queen status with a fearless, high-energy presence.

💃 Energetic 👯 Dance partner

Maddy (Robin Menken)

A social maneuverer who ditches Jennifer to attend a hot tub party, weaving herself into the night’s more risqué exploits.

🕺 Free-spirited 🎯 Opportunistic

Jennifer (Debra Winger)

A fashioning of desire who tries to meet a guy, only to be vetoed by Maddy in a web of romantic pursuits and rejections.

💃 Hopeful 😒 Frustrated

Ken (John Friedrich)

An uptight, reserved man who learns to loosen up and dance under Marv’s guidance, sparking a slow-burning romance and personal transformation.

🤵 Uptight 💃 Learning ❤️ Romantic

Gus (Chuck Sacci)

A garbage collector who frets about an awkward dating service match, providing a grounded, comedic counterpoint to the club’s larger-than-life personalities.

😂 Comedic 🧑‍💼 Working-class

Shirley (Hilary Beane)

Gus’s partner in experimenting with the night’s possibilities as the couple decides to give disco dating a try.

💃 Supportive 😂 Funny

Miss Negative (Sandra Will)

A bar patron whose skeptical remarks provide a counterpoint to the optimism and bravado around the dance floor.

🙄 Cynical 😒 Negative

Lionel Richie as Self (Lionel Richie)

A cameo appearance as himself, underscoring the era’s musical milieu and the club’s place in pop culture.

🎤 Icon ⭐ Celebrity

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:28

Major Themes – Thank God It’s Friday (1978)

Explore the central themes of Thank God It’s Friday (1978), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💃 Dance & Romance

The dance floor functions as both stage and catalyst for relationships. Characters chase connection through flirtation, chance encounters, and romantic duets. The dance contest anchors the narrative, bringing together multiple pairings and rivalries. The film uses dancing to explore desire, performance, and the social dynamics of a nightclub.

🎤 Performance & Ambition

Music and public performance are vehicles for personal validation and aspiration. Nicole's quest to get her single heard culminates in a high-stakes moment on stage and in the DJ booth. The nightclub provides a platform where talent, luck, and timing can elevate someone to center stage. Fame, even briefly, changes how a character is perceived within the club's social hierarchy.

🌃 Nightlife & Identity

The Zoo offers a space for characters to shed ordinary roles and try on new personas. Nightlife amplifies social dynamics—humor, jealousy, camaraderie, and competition—as people seek connection and recognition. The setting emphasizes how environment shapes behavior and self-expression. Through the night, individuals redefine who they are among friends, rivals, and admirers.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:28

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Thank God It’s Friday Summary

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Thank God It’s Friday Summary

Thank God It’s Friday Timeline

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Thank God It’s Friday Timeline

More About Thank God It’s Friday

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Thank God It’s Friday (1978) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Thank God It’s Friday (1978) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Thank God It’s Friday (1978) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow