Before prom night at Payson High School in Utah, actor Kevin Bacon, who starred in the 1984 film Footloose, returned to the campus for the first time in 40 years. The student body lobbied for Bacon’s return before they relocated to a new facility in the fall. Instead of just giving Bacon an honorary diploma, the students decided to volunteer for his charity, Six Degrees, by creating 5,000 kits of essentials for those in need. The event gathered over $865,000 worth of product distribution and a total of 121,900 items to be distributed to four different organizations.
Bacon expressed his gratitude towards the community for their tireless efforts in bringing him back to the school and their commitment to coming together for a positive cause. He highlighted the themes of standing up to authority, forgiveness, self-expression, and compassion that were present in the movie Footloose and how these ideas were mirrored in the students’ dedication to giving back to their community. Bacon was presented with an honorary diploma for his impact on the school and also received his own varsity jacket commemorating Footloose.
Footloose, which was released in February 1984, follows the story of teenager Ren McCormack (played by Bacon) as he tries to overturn a law that prohibits dancing and rock music in a small town after a local tragedy. The movie was a commercial success, grossing $80 million at the box office, nearly 10 times its production budget. Since its release, Footloose has been adapted as a stage musical and remade in 2011 with a new cast.
Despite the iconic soundtrack of Footloose, with songs like Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” and Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” being nominated for Oscars, Bacon has admitted that he tries to avoid the songs in social settings. In a 2013 appearance on Conan, Bacon mentioned that he would pay the disc jockey at weddings not to play “Footloose” as he felt the celebration was about the bride and groom, not him. The movie has continued to have a lasting impact on pop culture over the years with its themes of rebellion and standing up for what is right.
