King (1978– )

The story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stretching from his days as a Southern Baptist minister up to his assassination in Memphis in 1968.

Stars:

Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson, Tony Bennett

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 8 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Paul Winfield	...	Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (3 episodes, 1978)
Cicely Tyson	...	Coretta Scott King (3 episodes, 1978)
Tony Bennett	...	Himself (3 episodes, 1978)
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Philip Harrison (3 episodes, 1978)
Lonny Chapman	...	Chief Frank Holloman (3 episodes, 1978)
Ossie Davis	...	Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. (3 episodes, 1978)
Cliff De Young	...	Robert F. Kennedy (3 episodes, 1978)
Al Freeman Jr.	...	Damon Lockwood (3 episodes, 1978)
Clu Gulager	...	William Sullivan (3 episodes, 1978)
Steven Hill	...	Stanley Levison (3 episodes, 1978)
William Jordan	...	John F. Kennedy (3 episodes, 1978)
Warren J. Kemmerling	...	Lyndon Johnson (3 episodes, 1978)
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	Jerry Waring (3 episodes, 1978)
Kenneth McMillan	...	Bull Connor (3 episodes, 1978)
Howard E. Rollins Jr.	...	Andrew Young (3 episodes, 1978)
David Spielberg	...	David Beamer (3 episodes, 1978)
Dolph Sweet	...	J. Edgar Hoover (3 episodes, 1978)
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Malcolm X (3 episodes, 1978)
Art Evans	...	A.D. King (3 episodes, 1978)

Storyline

The story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stretching from his days as a Southern Baptist minister up to his assassination in Memphis in 1968.

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Plot Keywords:

assassination | one word title | african american | fbi | communism | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1978 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

271 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Jerry Waring is based on C.T. Vivian. The reason for the name change is unknown.

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Connections

Featured in The 30th Annual Emmy Awards (1978)

User Reviews

Powerful story and portrayal turned a sceptic into a believer

Made at a time before King had achieved public sainthood and acceptance by the ruling class, this mini-series changed the way many people felt about civil rights. Expertly scripted and directed by Abby Mann, the film centers on Paul Winfield's excellent interpretation of a man who was a great poet and writer as well as a leader. If it's ever released on DVD, it will be recognized as a classic biography.