History Main / GreaserDelinquents

In Great Britain, they were called rockers (other names included leather boys, Ton-up boys and café racers) and lasted well into the 1970s, fighting the [[ScooterRidingMod mod subculture]] left and right. Rockers got their name not from the American music they enjoyed, but from the rockers found in the 4-stroke motorcycle engines. Interestingly, rockers generally disdained narcotics, which was yet another reason they were at odds with the more drug-friendly mods.

* The French "Blousons Noirs" (also called "loubards"): literally "Black Jackets", urban, poor or working-class youth who had a fascination with American culture, mostly rock'n'roll and motorcycles. Caused riots in Paris in the early 1960s. In the 1980's, particularly in the banlieues (the poor suburbs of the big cities), the culture got fragmented into a multitude of other similar subcultures, still with the greaser culture at heart, though it gradually disappeared when said banlieues became multi-ethnic coinciding with UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop.

** Subverted with Blue Suede Heartstrings. Being based on Music/ElvisPresley, Blue Suede is an Alicorn god of Music whose [[GodInHumanForm mortal form]] is a Unicorn Greaser, with a [[HellBentForLeather black leather jacket]], sunglassess, and [[DelinquentHair pompadour]]. His appearance and popularity birthed the Greaser movement during the Second Age, and its revival in the Fourth Age. However, it's subverted as Blue Suede is a devout follower of King Equus and is a humble, AllLovingHero. He initially preferred to appear as this out of humility, but it turns out he had [[DarkAndTroubledPast deeper reasons for it]]. After overcoming his psychological issues, however, he appears as a Greaser less often and starts wearing divine regalia due to his duties as a Prince and, later, a King. That being said, Blue Suede still does revert to his old attire whenever he appears in his mortal form.

* ''Film/TheLoveless'' by Creator/KathrynBigelow is about a gang of motorcycle-riding greasers on their way to a stock car show, who stop by a small town and begin to raise hell. Noted to be Willem Dafoe's first leading role, and for featuring famed rockabilly singer Robert Gordon (fittingly as one of the greasers).

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS5E138BlackLeatherJackets Black Leather Jackets]]", the aliens Scott, Steve and Fred disguise themselves as this.

Greasers were a common subculture of the 1950s and early 1960s, known for their rebellious attitude and love of Rockabilly music. Most greasers were working-class or lower-class, often coming from an Irish, Italian or Latino[[note]]This use of the word "greaser" is probably not related to the earlier use of the word in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the Southwestern USA as an anti-Mexican ethnic slur.[[/note]] background. (This is the core reason that a lot of greasers in fiction tend to have either Irish or Italian surnames, such as [[Series/HappyDays Arthur Fonzarelli]] or [[Literature/TheOutsiders Dally Winston]].) The trend was big in the 1950s and most common in the Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, California and even parts of the upper South like in Maryland and Virginia that had sizable ethnic communities or contact with such. Many greasers formed street gangs, although the culture existed outside of gang life as well. Greasers began to fade out in the latter half of the 1960s and were pretty much gone by the mid-1970s.

In Great Britain, they were called rockers and lasted well into the 1970s, fighting the [[ScooterRidingMod mod subculture]] left and right. The rockers had an offshoot subculture called the Teddy boys, who dressed in styles partly inspired by [[TheEdwardianEra Edwardian]] dandies.

* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14275548/chapters/32927061 Anachronism]]'' portrays Shadow the Hedgehog as this. He's a FishOutOfTemporalWater from the 1959. He speaks in outdated '50s slang, which contrasts with the TotallyRadical Sonic and his own outdated '90s slang.

* Creator/AndrewDiceClay portrayed a DeconstructiveParody of this type of character with "The Diceman". Clay's character was cynically portrayed a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain who spoke with a [[BrooklynRage Brooklyn accent]] and treated women like objects.

* Ralph Bakshi's animated film ''WesternAnimation/HeyGoodLookin'' has the main character Vinny and his gang, the Stompers.

In Great Britain, they were called rockers and lasted well into the 1970s, fighting the [[ScooterRidingMod mod subculture]] left and right. In a way, they were the predecessors to GangBangers (the earliest street gangs of the contemporary era were greasers; more current gangs didn't really pop up until the end of the Sixties and into the Seventies), as well as the punk subculture (both were all about youth rebellion and rock music, although rockers, the descendants of greasers, fought against mods, the predecessors of punks). Even though the greaser subculture is long gone, its influence is felt today in fiction and real life; the much-hyped feuding between mods and rockers gave birth to the phrase [[MediaScaremongering "moral panic"]].

The Greaser Delinquent is today more or less a DeadHorseTrope outside of {{period piece}}s. Since the original greasers tend to be today already grandparents if not great-grandparents, the today's greasers tend to be more like history re-enactment and keeping the 'Golden Age of Rock and Roll' legacy alive rather than being antisocial louts. For example, most Raggare in Sweden tend to be rather respectable members of the society, and building, restoring and customizing [[CoolCar historical American (and Swedish) vehicles]] and playing live rockabilly and rock and roll music is a hallmark of their culture. Many of the women either sew their clothes from original materials and patterns, or restore authentic clothes of the era.

* ''Film/CryBaby'' by John Waters is a parody/homage to the greaser movies of the 1950s. It basically tells the story of a gang of greasers whose leader (a young, greased-up Johnny Depp) falls in love with a girl from the rival subculture, the Squares (nice, by-the-book people). And everyone sings.

* ''Film/TheLoveless'' by Kathryn Bigelow is about a gang of motorcycle-riding greasers on their way to a stock car show, who stop by a small town and begin to raise hell. Noted to be Willem Dafoe's first leading role, and for featuring famed rockabilly singer Robert Gordon (fittingly as one of the greasers).

* Creator/MarlonBrando plays a Greaser who's the leader of his own gang in ''Film/TheWildOne.'' Probably the most iconic film example out there, and a big influence on the RealLife versions.
* In ''Film/OnceUponATimeInLondon'' Jewish mob boss Jack Spot hires three Teddy Boys to murder his rival Billy Hill.

* This was one of the larger and more well-known youth subcultures in the 1950s and the first half of 1960s, but with different regional spins on it. Most greasers in the West Coast were Latino, focused around hot-rods, and would later give way to the cholos of the present day. Greasers in the Northeast were usually Italian-American (except in Massachusetts where they were more Irish-American due to a sizable amount of Irish immigrants in the state, especially in UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}) and focused more on fashion. The Midwest and The South had a predominantly Irish-American greaser scene that was more focused on motorcycles. Street gangs were common in all of the subcultures, although it also existed outside of gangs as a working-class subculture and a fashion statement. African-American youth didn't really get involved in the subculture that much. Ironic, as the main music behind the scene, Rock & Roll and Rockabilly, originated in Southern Black culture.
* Greaser Delinquents were sort of a spiritual ancestor to the Rocker, Biker, and Heavy Metal subculture, as they codified the leather jackets and denim jeans look that these cultures would have, as well as the gearhead tendencies of these cultures, and finally, the love of the harder, rebellious rock-oriented music.

* In the 1950s tribute band Music/ShaNaNa, there are a few explicit Greasers: Bowzer, Donny, and Chico. A few others are more downplayed but still greasy. And Bowzer's CatchPhrase, said at the end of every episode of their eponymous TV show: "Grease for Peace."

* The titular King of ''Heyyy, It's the King!'', a segment from the animated anthology ''WesternAnimation/CBBears''. He was basically [Series/HappyDays Arthur Fonzarelli]] in lion form; he had the typical leather jacket and hairdo, he had the slang down (including, of course, "Heyyy"), and often hung out at a fifties-looking malt shop.

In Great Britain, they were called rockers, and lasted well into the 1970s, fighting the [[ScooterRidingMod mod subculture]] left and right. In a way, they were the predecessors to GangBangers (the earliest street gangs of the contemporary era were greasers; more current gangs didn't really pop up until the end of the Sixties and into the Seventies), as well as the punk subculture (both were all about youth rebellion and rock music, although rockers, the descendants of greasers, fought against mods, the predecessors of punks). Even though the greaser subculture is long gone, its influence is felt today in fiction and real life; the much-hyped feuding between mods and rockers gave birth to the phrase [[MediaScaremongering "moral panic"]].

* This was one of the larger and more well-known youth subcultures in the 1950's and the first half of 1960's, but with different regional spins on it. Most greasers in the West Coast were Latino, focused around hot-rods, and would later give way to the cholos of the present day. Greasers in the Northeast were usually Italian-American (except in Massachusetts where they were more Irish-American due to a sizable amount of Irish immigrants in the state, especially in UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}) and focused more on fashion. The Midwest and The South had a predominantly Irish-American greaser scene that was more focused on motorcycles. Street gangs were common in all of the subcultures, although it also existed outside of gangs as a working-class subculture and a fashion statement. African-American youth didn't really get involved in the subculture that much. Ironic, as the main music behind the scene, Rock & Roll and Rockabilly, originated in Southern Black culture.
* In the latter half of TheSixties and the early years of TheSeventies, the greaser subculture died out in a steady and silent death, as many more rebellious youth gravitated towards subcultures such as Hippies, Mods, Glam Rockers, Punks, Skinheads, and the earliest trappings of the disco subculture. To put it simply, youth rebellion diversified so much to the point that the greaser subculture seemed obsolete and an anachronistic holdover from TheFifties. However, as the real-life greaser delinquents died out, the media's portrayal of them and their image in pop culture truly began as nostalgia for TheFifties began to take hold in TheSeventies, to the point of becoming an iconic 1950's stock character and the original Bad Boy of contemporary America.

** The original greasers also had a much darker forerunner of their own, in the form of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture) les Apaches]]'', a subculture of Parisian street gangs during TheGayNineties. There are a number of similarities: the Apaches had distinctive styles of dress that foreshadowed the greasers, they became synonymous with their [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_revolver signature weapon]], they were associated with styles of music (or in this case, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(dance) dancing]]) that were considered too racy for the mainstream, and their violent exploits were heavily sensationalized in the newspapers of the day. However, the Apaches were primarily a criminal subculture, rather than a musical subculture with incidental ties to crime like the greasers; their violent reputation was certainly more deserved.
* It seems that most of the western countries had their version of greasers at one time or another: from the British rockers to the Swedish raggare, to the French blousons noirs and the Finnish rautalanka scene... There are also accounts of similar cultures in Italy, Germany and in Eastern Europe too. Every variant of the subculture has in common a fascination with America and rock'n'roll music (to a large extent), a idea of rebellion and a fondess for cars and/or motorcycles.
** In Japan, the ''UsefulNotes/{{Bosozoku}}'' bikers/delinquents have a huge stylistic influence of the 50s greaser culture, as well. (The bosozoku are basically a combination of the aesthetics of Samurai, World War 2 soldiers and American greasers.) Unlike their western counterparts, Bosozoku continue to exist even today.

* Creator/AndrewDiceClay portrayed a DeconstructiveParody of this type of character with "The Diceman". Clay's character was a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain who treats women like objects.

* Creator/AndrewDiceClay portrayed a DeconstructiveParody of this type of character with "The Diceman". Clay's character was meant to poke fun at how sexist, homophobic, and otherwise completely outdated such a character's way of thinking would be.

* ''Film/SecondhandLions'' has the main characters get hassled by four greaser delinquents who don't realize they're messing with an old man who can kick their asses. [[Creator/TravisWillingham One of them]] even later plays a [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist Fire Toting Colonel Badass]]

* ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'':
** Blue Suede Heartstrings is a subversion. Being based on Music/ElvisPresley, he is an Alicorn god of Music who usually [[GodInHumanForm appears as a mortal unicorn Greaser]], with the trademark [[HellBentForLeather black leather jacket]], sunglassess, and [[DelinquentHair pompadour]]. His appearance and popularity played a direct role in birthing the Greaser movement during the Second Age, and then revived it in the Fourth Age. However, he's devoutly religious, and is an humble and compassionate AllLovingHero. He used to prefer this form over wearing divine regalia due to his humility and [[ImpracticallyFancyOutfit not wanting to wear anything uncomfortable and itchy]]. After overcoming his psychological problems, becoming Prince Caerulus Melodia Equestria, and joining the Equestrian Pantheon, he started being this far less often in favor of dressing up like a Prince, with divine cobalt-blue armor with silver designs. That being said, it's noted there's still numerous occasions where he has appeared as his mortal self.

* Greasers also appear in ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' by [[Creator/TakeTwoInteractive Rockstar Games]]. They logically shouldn't exist in a modern-day (mid-'00s) high school, but it's otherwise justified by the game's RetroUniverse setting, which also features '80s-style [[RichBitch preps]] and {{nerd}}s and an AnachronismStew of vehicles and technology.

* In UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} and UsefulNotes/NewZealand, they were known as 'bodgies and widgies', who wanted to imitate the styles of visiting American soldiers for a fraction of the budget.

** The original greasers also had a much more violent ancestor of their own, in the form of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture) les Apaches]]'', a subculture of Parisian street gangs during TheGayNineties. They had distinctive styles of dress that foreshadowed the greasers (particularly the fondness for dark-colored jackets), they were both associated with styles of music (or in this case, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(dance) dancing]]) that were considered too racy for the mainstream, and their violent exploits were heavily sensationalized in the newspapers of the day. However, the Apaches were primarily a criminal subculture, rather than a musical subculture with incidental ties to crime like the greasers; their violent reputation was certainly more deserved.

In Great Britain, they were called rockers, and lasted well into the 1970s, fighting the [[ScooterRidingMod mod subculture]] left and right. In a way, they were the predecessors to GangBangers (the earliest street gangs of the contemporary era were greasers; more current gangs didn't really pop up until the end of the Sixties and into the Seventies), as well as the punk subculture (both were all about youth rebellion and rock music, although rockers, the descendants of greasers, fought against mods, the predecessors of punks). Even though the greaser subculture is long gone, its influence is felt today in fiction and real life; the much-hyped feuding between mods and rockers gave birth to the phrase [[YouCanPanicNow "moral panic"]].

* ''VideoGame/MafiaII'': Greasers are the focus of the chapter "[[ShoutOut The Wild Ones]]", where a gang of them brashly decide to [[BullyingADragon pick a fight with the mafia]] for selling bootleg cigarettes on "their turf". The mobsters respond by killing their leader, torching their bar, massacring dozens of them in a shootout,[[labelnote:*]]Though in fairness, the mobsters weren't looking to kill anyone; just to beat them up a bit with baseball bats to teach them a lesson. It was the greasers who escalated it into a shootout.[[/labelnote]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and stealing their hot rods]] to compensate for [[DisproportionateRetribution the greasers trashing their shipment of cigs]].

* Squiggy from ''Series/LaverneAndShirley'' is a Greaser and a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.

** The original greasers also had a much more violent ancestor of their own, in the form of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture) les Apaches]]'', a subculture of Parisian street gangs during TheGayNineties. They had distinctive styles of dress that foreshadowed the greasers (particularly the fondness for dark-colored jackets), they were both associated with styles of music (or in this case, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(dance) dancing]]) that were considered too racy for the mainstream, and their violent exploits were heavily sensationalized in the newspapers of the day. However, the Apaches were primarily a criminal subculture, rather than a musical subculture with incidental ties to crime like the greasers; their violent reputation was a bit more deserved.

** The original greasers also had a much more violent ancestor of their own, in the form of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture) les Apaches]]'', a subculture of Parisian street gangs during TheGayNineties. They had distinctive styles of dress that foreshadowed the greasers (particularly the fondness for striped or light-colored shirts under dark-colored jackets), they were both associated with styles of music (or in this case, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(dance) dancing]]) that were considered too racy for the mainstream, and their violent exploits were heavily sensationalized in the newspapers of the day. However, the Apaches were primarily a criminal subculture, rather than a musical subculture with incidental ties to crime like the greasers.

** The original greasers also had a much more violent ancestor of their own, in the form of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture) les Apaches]]'', a subculture of Parisian street gangs during TheGayNineties. They had distinctive styles of dress that foreshadowed the greasers (particularly the fondness for striped shirts under dark-colored jackets), they were both associated with styles of music (or in this case, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(dance) dancing]]) that were considered too racy for the mainstream, and their violent exploits were heavily sensationalized in the newspapers of the day. However, the Apaches were primarily a crime subculture, rather than a musical subculture with incidental ties to crime like the greasers.