American Gigolo the only role that Travolta has turned down only to be taken by Gere: it had previously happened with "Days of Heaven" (1978) and occurred again when Travolta was offered the lead in both "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982) and "Chicago" (2002). Paul Schrader had threatened to sue Travolta if Richard Gere wasn't cast in the film knowing full well that Travolta had his eye on the script of another Paramount production "Urban Cowboy" (1980). Gere's very brief nude scenes marked the first time a major Hollywood actor was frontally nude in a film. According to Gere, the nudity
American Gigolo (soundtrack) 1978) where Gere's character Julian goes to find Leon, his pimp. The Giorgio Moroder instrumental "The Seduction (Love Theme)" was also recorded by German bandleader James Last as a saxophone tune featuring David Sanborn (uncredited). This cover version peaked at number 28 in the "Billboard" Hot 100 in May 1980. "American Gigolo" was one of two soundtrack albums to be written and produced by Moroder in 1980, the other being "Foxes", which included Donna Summer's hit single "On the Radio" as well as tracks by Janis Ian and Cher. In 1979, Moroder had won an Academy Award for Original Music