The Josephine Baker Story (1991) (TV)

Director:

Brian Gibson

Writers (WGA):

Ron Hutchinson (story) and
Michael Zagor (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Before Madonna. Before Marilyn. There was Josephine.

Plot:

Biography of the African-American who became a major performer in the Paris cabarets of the 1920's and 1930's...

Plot Keywords:

Performer | 1930s | France | Death | Cabaret

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 7 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Lynn Whitfield	...	Josephine Baker
Rubén Blades	...	Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
David Dukes	...	Jo Bouillon
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Sidney Williams
Craig T. Nelson	...	Walter Winchell
Kene Holliday	...	Sidney Bechet
Vivian Bonnell	...	Josephine's Mother
Mayah McCoy	...	Josephine -Age 8
Ainslie Currie	...	Josephine - Age 13
Pierre Magny	...	Poul Colin
Franco Britt	...	Victor (as Franco Iiriti)
George Faison	...	Emcee in Harlem Club
Robert Lesser	...	Copa City Manager
Luis Reyes	...	Josephine's Father
Vivienne Eytle	...	Josephine's Sister
Frédéric Norbert	...	The dancer
Eartha Robinson	...	Female Singer / Dancer
Paula Brown	...	Amateur Female Singer / Dancer
Ann Harrington	...	Cruel Woman
Zoltán Gera	...	Folies Bergeres Producer
Gábor Csíkos	...	French Cab Driver
Noel Weekes Jr.	...	Soldier from St. Louis
Péter Kertész	...	Casablanca Doctor
Gregory Orr	...	New York Hotel Manager
János Gosztonyi	...	Bobino Theatre Manager
Tibor Kenderesi	...	Priest (as Tibor Kenderessy)
Steven R. McGlothen	...	American Reporter in Press Conference (as Steve McGlothen)
Richard Rothenstein	...	American Reporter in Press Conference
Sherry Baumgart	...	American Reporter in Press Conference
Debbie Javor	...	American Woman at Party (as Deborah Javor)
Iván Angelusz	...	Dance Teacher (as Ivan Angelus)
András Márton	...	Pepito's Doctor
Dean Tschetter	...	New York Critic
Richard Battagna	...	White Racist
Gábor Ferenczi	...	Reporter at Stork Club
András Monory Mész	...	Reporter at Stork Club
Jimmy Smith	...	Bell Boy
Laszlo Dozsa Jr.	...	Stork Club Waiter
Fajer Khaled	...	Casablanca Nurse
János Vészi	...	Lover in New York
Attila Lõte	...	Court Official
Darrel W. Wright	...	Dancer (as Darrel Wright)
Adrian Bailey	...	Dancer
Carolyn Campbell	...	Dancer
Cedric Lee Bradley	...	Dancer (as Cedric Bradley)
Taj Foster	...	Dancer
Kiki Shephard	...	Dancer
Eric James	...	Dancer
Monika Zsiros	...	Dancer
Jozsef Bauer	...	Dancer
Helga Szabó	...	Dancer
Sándor Király	...	Dancer
Mónika Czár	...	Dancer
Lásló Oláh	...	Dancer
Éva Molnár	...	Dancer
Michael Kropf	...	Dancer
Vera Kun	...	Dancer
Imre Németh	...	Dancer
Zsuzsa Tarjányi	...	Dancer
Zoltán Bihari	...	Dancer
Veronika Vámos	...	Dancer
Attila Egervári	...	Dancer
Andrea Tallós	...	Dancer
Ferenc Molnár	...	Dancer
Csilla Szoboszlay	...	Dancer (as Csilla Szoboszlai)
János Kaczor	...	Dancer
Helga Gryöri	...	Dancer
László Kriszt	...	Dancer
László Novák	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marie Carter	...	Hotel Maid
Michael Mehlmann	...	American Reporter in Press Conference (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Gibson

Writing credits (WGA)
Ron Hutchinson		(story) and
Michael Zagor		(story)
Ron Hutchinson		(teleplay)

Produced by
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	executive producer (as Robert Halmi)
Robert Halmi Sr.	....	executive producer (as Robert Halmi)
Madeleine Henrié	....	associate producer (as Madeleine Henrie)
John Kemeny	....	producer
David Puttnam	....	executive producer: Angelica Television Ltd.
Alisa Taylor	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Elemér Ragályi		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Graham Walker

Casting by
Reuben Cannon
Carol L. Dudley		(as Carol Dudley)

Production Design by
József Romvári

Costume Design by
Maria Hruby
Györgyi Vidák

Makeup Department
Marie Carter	....	makeup artist: Ms. Whitfield
Julia Fenyvessy	....	makeup artist (as Julia Fenyvesi)
Jánosné Kajtár	....	hair stylist (as Katalin Kajtár)
Ferdinando Merolla	....	hair stylist
Aldo Signoretti	....	hair stylist: Ms. Whitfield

Production Management
József Cirkó	....	unit manager
László Helle	....	production supervisor
Peter Lancaster	....	post-production supervisor
Endre Sík	....	executive in charge of production
Gabor Tiszitarto	....	assistant unit manager (as Gábor Tiszttarto)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Normand Bourgie	....	second assistant director
Mario Dellamaistra	....	third assistant director
Gábor Gajdos	....	second assistant director
Zsuzsa Gurban	....	second assistant director (as Zsuzsa Gurbán)
Pierre Magny	....	first assistant director
László Sipos	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Serge Bureau	....	property master
Simon Dowling	....	graphic designer
Zoltán Hardy	....	prop man
Lóránt Jávor	....	assistant art director (as Loránd Jávor)
András Langmár	....	assistant art director
Ágnes Menyhárt	....	set dresser
Csaba Stork	....	assistant art director (as Csaba Stark)
Zoltán Szabó	....	prop man
István Tóth	....	set dresser
József Vass	....	construction coordinator (as Joszef Vass)
Zoltán Tóth	....	prop man (uncredited)

Sound Department
Peter Elliott	....	foley editor
Jonathan Enraght-Moony	....	assistant sound editor
Leonard Green	....	assistant sound editor (as Lenny Green)
Richard Hiscott	....	dialogue editor
Peter Horrocks	....	dialogue editor
Eddy Joseph	....	supervising sound editor
János Köporosy	....	boom operator (as János Koporosi)
Laurie McDowell	....	assistant sound editor
Christine Newell	....	assistant sound editor
Victor Nunes	....	assistant sound editor
Clive Pendry	....	assistant dubbing mixer
János Réti	....	sound
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer
Budge Tremlett	....	sound editor
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ferenc Ormos	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Bruce A. Block	....	matte supervisor (as Bruce Block)

Stunts
Bela Kasi	....	stunt performer
Péter Katona	....	stunt performer
Ferenc Novinecz	....	stunts
Béla Unger	....	stunt coordinator
Sándor Boros	....	stunts (uncredited)
László Imre	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Csaba Bankhardt	....	grip
Attila Dóczi	....	electrician (as Attila Doczi)
Egon Endrényi	....	still photographer
Géza Gonda	....	focus puller
Rudolf Graczer	....	second assistant camera (as Rudolf Gráczer)
Miklós Hajdu	....	gaffer
Tamás ifj. Vitray	....	third assistant camera (as Tamás Vitray Jr.)
Nyika Jancsó	....	camera operator: second unit (as Miklós Jancsó Jr.)
Zsolt Jámbor	....	grip
Sándor Novák	....	electrician
Iván Nyitrai	....	electrician
György Simon	....	electrician (as György Simon)
Lajos Simon	....	grip
Imre Sisa	....	key grip
Rudolf Takács	....	electrician
András Váradi	....	second assistant camera (as András Várady)

Casting Department
Kálmán Balogh	....	casting: Budapest
Karen Cooper	....	casting assistant
Pat Golden	....	casting consultant
Zsóka Takács	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Zsuzsa Balai	....	wardrobe master (as Zsuzsa Ballai)
Gyula Bongor	....	dresser
Sándor Csajbók	....	dresser (as Sandor Csajbok)
Éva Csele	....	dresser (as Éva Csella)
András Deu	....	dresser
Judit Deu	....	dresser
Randall J. Pratt	....	wardrobe consultant
Zsuzsa Pártényi	....	wardrobe coordinator
Gábor Simkó	....	dresser (as Gábor Simko)
Mónika Takács	....	dresser: Ms. Whitfield

Editorial Department
Peter Baldock	....	first assistant editor
Cynthia Fitzpatrick	....	additional off-line editor
Jim Howe	....	assistant film editor
Alexandra Kemeniczky	....	assistant film editor
David Martin	....	supervising editor
Folasade Oyeleye	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Ralph Burns	....	orchestrator: songs
Carolyn Dennis	....	singing voice: Josephine Baker
Robert Hathaway	....	music editor (as Bob Hathaway)
Jacques Hubert	....	music consultant
London Symphony Orchestra	....	orchestra (as The London Symphony Orchestra)
Magyar Rádió és Televízió Szimfonikus Zenekara	....	orchestra (as Symphony Orchestra of Hungarian Radio & Television)
Gábor Oroszlán	....	music coordinator
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recordist
Rick Winquest	....	music recording engineer

Transportation Department
Adrienne Rorarius	....	transportation coordinator
Jimmy Smith	....	assistant to driver
Márta Stella	....	assistant to driver

Other crew
Andrea Albert	....	interpreter
Brian Bouillon Baker	....	consultant
Jean-Claude Bouillon	....	consultant (as Jean Claude Bouillon)
Heidi Brennan	....	liaison: Los Angeles
Pamela Carlton	....	script supervisor
Éva Deák	....	interpreter
Gina Renée Ellis	....	assistant choreographer
George Faison	....	choreographer
Bela Frey	....	production assistant (as Béla Frey)
Jacques Hubert	....	visual consultant
Joanne Jackson	....	auditor
Eszter Karkovany	....	production secretary
Judy 'Lucky' Kemeny	....	production coordinator (as Judi Kemeny)
Kati Kemeny	....	assistant to producer
Bobe Kiraly	....	cashier (as Böbe Király)
Gabi Márky	....	production secretary
Gréta Máté	....	interpreter
Luis Reyes	....	unit publicist
Andrea Scharf	....	film researcher
Ervin Schwender	....	caterer: Szinbád Caterers
Jimmy Smith	....	assistant to director
Márta Stella	....	assistant to director
Dean Tschetter	....	visual consultant
Péter Varga	....	production assistant
Béla Vaszary	....	medical coordinator
Béla Vaszary	....	set doctor
Richard Yarborough	....	historical consultant (as Dr. Richard Yarborough)
Piroska Nagy	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Laszlo Rorariusz	....	production organiser (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Anglia Television
• Home Box Office (HBO)
• RHI Entertainment

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (1991) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• ARRI  cameras equipment provided by
• Abbey Road Studios  music recording
• Berman's and Nathan's  wardrobe rental
• Christian Dior  original eyeglasses
• Davis & Zimmerman  casting: London (as Davis/Zimmerman)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound re-recording
• General Screen Enterprises  additional opticals
• Hungarian Film Laboratories  processing and printing
• Optyl Seiler  original eyeglasses
• Rank Film Laboratories  release printing
• Reuben Cannon & Associates  casting
• Studios CTS  music recording
• Szinbád Caterers  catering
• The Optical Partnership  titles and opticals
• The Studios of Hungarian Radio  music recording
• Transatlantic-Media Associates, Budapest  production services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Anglia Television

Trivia:

Filmed in over 100 different locations with 80 speaking parts and 6,000 extras, the film was given the biggest budget of any HBO production (up until that time) as well the network's most extensive promotional campaign.

Quotes:

Josephine's Mother:[after Josephine is exiled from America] Let's get one thing straight from the get-go: I ain't learning no French.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Live with Kelly and Michael: Episode dated 6 March 1991" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Me Revoila Paris

very good but flawed

I enjoyed this movie but felt there was one major problem that prevented it from being an even better film. Even though Baker was VERY famous for her semi-nude dancing in France in the early 20th Century, showing these nude dances in the film make this a poor choice to show kids. And, the problem is, this is EXACTLY the audience that could really benefit from learning about Miss Baker. In other words, how can kids learn about a great African-American if their parents tell them they can't see the film because of its "high boobie quotient"? If they had used a few photographic techniques, they could have made this a PG movie and appropriate for all.

Apart from this, the movie is very competently made. The acting and direction are fine. Give it a try and then try to get a copy of ZOU ZOU--a film actually starring Josephine Baker. Then, you can compare the bio with the real lady.