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Marvinberry
Marvin Berry
Biographical information
Date of birthApril 13th 1923
Age (1885)Not yet born
Age (1925)2
Age (1931)8
Age (1955)32
Age (1985)62
Age (2015)92
Physical description
GenderMale
Hair colorBlack
Behind-the-scenes information
Played byHarry Waters, Jr.
  [Source]
"Chuck, Chuck! It's Marvin! Your cousin, Marvin Berry! You know that new sound you were looking for? Well listen to THIS!"
—Marvin Berry on the phone with Chuck Berry, while Marty plays Johnny B. Goode.

Marvin Berry was the lead singer of Marvin Berry and the Starlighters. He was the cousin of Chuck Berry.

Biography[]

Marvin and his band performed at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance in 1955.

After finishing a set, Marvin and the rest of the band went to their car for a smoke break. While they were in the car, Marty McFly was thrown into the trunk by Biff Tannen's gang. The band chased the gang away, but the trunk was closed with the keys locked inside. In an effort to free Marty, Marvin used a screwdriver to open the trunk, but badly cut his left hand when the screwdriver slipped, which led Marvin unable to play the guitar for the rest of the night.

Marvinberry2

Marvin, with his left hand bandaged, gets on the telephone to his cousin Chuck.

Marty gladly played the guitar for the band. After singing "Earth Angel", Marvin asked if Marty would like to do one more number; something that "really cooks". Marty agreed to play one more song and chose "Johnny B. Goode". Initially impressed, Marvin called his cousin Chuck, holding out the receiver at arm's length so as to allow him to hear the "new sound". By the time Chuck was listening, however, Marty had segued into playing heavy metal, a "new sound" that nobody was quite ready for in 1955. (What Chuck thought of the "new sound" remains unrecorded.)

Not surprisingly, Marvin was left somewhat bewildered as Marty handed back the guitar.

It is unknown what happened to Marvin after 1955, but he more than likely continued on with his band until at least the 1970s.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Marvin Berry was played by Harry Waters, Jr., who was thirty-two at the time of filming his 1955 character — putting Marvin's date of birth as being in 1923.

Appearances[]

See also[]

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