The Temptations (1998) (TV)

Director:

Allan Arkush

Writers (WGA):

Robert Johnson (teleplay) and
Kevin Arkadie (teleplay)

Release Date:

1 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

The unforgettable story of one of Motown's hottest acts.

Plot:

Biography of the singers who formed the hit Motown muisical act, The Temptations.

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Motown | 1960s | Wheelchair | Record Producer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Charles Malik Whitfield	...	Otis Williams
D.B. Woodside	...	Melvin Franklin
Terron Brooks	...	Eddie Kendricks
Christian Payton	...	Paul Williams
Leon	...	David Ruffin
Alan Rosenberg	...	Shelly Berger
Tina Lifford	...	Haze
Jenifer Lewis	...	Mama Rose
Gina Ravera	...	Josephine
Obba Babatundé	...	Berry Gordy
Erik Michael Tristan	...	Smokey Robinson
J. August Richards	...	Richard Street
Harold Surratt	...	Edgar
Charles Ley	...	Dennis Edwards
Vanessa Bell Calloway	...	Johnnie Mae Matthews
Mel Jackson	...	Norman Whitfield
Rhonda Ross Kendrick	...	Maxine
Vincent A. Ponder	...	James 'Pee-Wee' Crawford
Chaz Lamar Shepherd	...	Elbridge 'Al' Bryant
Stevland Parks	...	Lamont, age 12
Christopher Reid	...	Joltin' Joe
Chrystal Bates	...	Mrs. Rogers
Bianca Lawson	...	Diana Ross
Melissa Mercedes Cardello	...	Florence Ballard
Taifa Harris	...	Mary Wilson
N'Tasha A. Pierre	...	Martha Reeves
Ricky Fante	...	Marvin Gaye
Russell Clark	...	Cholly Atkins
Adam Lazarre-White	...	Flynn
Benjamin J. Cain Jr.	...	Glenn Leonard
Peter Anthony
Tommy Lafitte	...	Drug Dealer
Lamman Rucker	...	Jimmy Ruffin
Nyjah Moore	...	Tammi Terrell
Danni Vasser
Jonnie Brown	...	Damon Harris
Charles Brown
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ronnie Beasley	...	The Voice Masters
Stephanie Bertoni	...	Dancer
Thomas Martell Brimm	...	Barber
Albridge Bryant	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Ezra S. Coles	...	The Voice Masters
Marcel Curges	...	The Cadillacs
Anthony Dixon	...	The Cadillacs
Dennis Edwards	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Melvin Franklin	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Michael Fullmer
Shelly Hall	...	Grocery Lady
Shelton Hall	...	Allan age 8
Tony Haris	...	Principal Dancer
Eric Hersh	...	Concert Member
Amanda Iwanonkiw	...	Family friend
Jesse Iwanonkiw	...	FAMILY FRIEND
Stephaine Iwanonkiw	...	Family Friend
Eddie Kendricks	...	(archive sound)
Robert Knowles	...	The Cadillacs
Mandell Loman	...	The Voice Masters
Larry John Meyers	...	Dr. Klein
Martha Reeves	...	(archive sound)
Smokey Robinson	...	Himself
Thomas Ross	...	The Cadillacs
David Ruffin	...	Man in Coppa Cabana (archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Tim Stevens	...	Hall of Fame Presenter
Richard Street	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Maurice Walker	...	The Voice Masters
J.R. Whittington	...	The Cadillacs (as James R. Whittington)
Otis Williams	...	(archive sound)
Paul Williams	...	(archive sound)
Tony Amen	...	Patron at Club (uncredited)
Carl Clemons	...	Motown Family Member (uncredited)
John W. Iwanonkiw	...	Singing Cop (uncredited)
Diondre Jones	...	Lamont - age 18 (uncredited)
Jason David McFadden	...	Student on Sidewalk (uncredited)
Aisha Renée Moore	...	Schoolgirl (uncredited)
Phil Nardozzi	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Jackson Nunn	...	Chef at Nightclub (uncredited)
James Werley	...	Fan (uncredited)
Franklin Westbrooks	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
John Yost	...	Visiting Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Arkush

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Johnson		(teleplay) and
Kevin Arkadie		(teleplay)

Produced by
Jay Benson	....	producer
Shelly Berger	....	co-producer
Suzanne Coston	....	executive producer
Suzanne De Passe	....	executive producer
David V. Picker	....	executive producer
Helen Robin	....	associate producer
Deborah Edell Underwood	....	associate producer
Otis Williams	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Jamie Anderson

Film Editing by
John Duffy
Neil Mandelberg

Casting by
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Canice Kennedy
Robyn M. Mitchell

Production Design by
Cary White

Art Direction by
Ed Vega

Set Decoration by
Diana Stoughton

Costume Design by
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

Makeup Department
Mary Cooke	....	hair stylist
Sterfon Demings	....	key hair stylist
Rachel Geary	....	additional makeup
Nancy Keslar	....	hair stylist
Rachel Kick	....	additional makeup artist
Wynona Price	....	makeup supervisor
Julia L. Walker	....	key hair stylist
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker
Patty Bell	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Frederic B. Blankfein	....	unit production manager
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Estelle Collins	....	second assistant director
Deborah A. Dell'Amico	....	additional first assistant director
Carol Green	....	first assistant director
Kristina M. Peterson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Chuck Askerneese	....	assistant property master
Vincent Borrelli	....	second scenic artist
Robert Buncher	....	construction foreman
Darien N. D'Alfonso	....	scenic artist
Bill Dalzell	....	second on-set dresser
Thomas J. Garrigan	....	assistant property master
Jim Heastings	....	set dresser
Gregory Jones	....	set dresser
Eva Kamienska-Carter	....	set designer
Kenneth J. Kellers	....	lead man
Dick Kyker	....	property master
Lara Lampenfield	....	painter
Travis Gale Lewis	....	swing gang
Mary O'Brien	....	on-set dresser
Buster Pile	....	construction coordinator
Gregory Puchalski	....	scenic artist
Gregory Puchalski	....	signwriter
Diane Sunderlin	....	art department coordinator
Casey Brown	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Richard Alexander)
Suzanne Angel	....	sound editor
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
David C. Eichhorn	....	dialogue editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kristi Johns	....	adr supervisor
Michael A. Patillo	....	boom operator
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Rich Rogers)
Russell Williams II	....	sound mixer
Ronald L. Wright	....	cable person
Lou Thomas	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Trey Freeman	....	digital compositor: Anderson Video
O.T. Hight	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
David Sanders	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Alexander Andres	....	camera loader
Kevin Brady	....	rigging electrics
Kevin C. Brady	....	electrician
Jarrett Buba	....	electrician
Brian 'Buzz' Buzzelli	....	dolly grip
Daniel Casey	....	video assistant
Jorgen Christenen	....	set lighting
Richard S. Crumrine Jr.	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Gregory L. Edwards	....	dolly grip
Ray 'Chazz' Edwards	....	grip
Michael S. Endler	....	first assistant camera
John Evans	....	electrician
Jimmy Ferguson	....	second assistant camera
Bart Flaherty	....	key grip
Michael Ginsburg	....	still photographer
Daniel Kendgia	....	follow spot operator
Russell McElhatton	....	camera operator (as Russ McElhatton)
Frank McGough	....	best boy electric
Brian Powers	....	rigging grip
Keith Seymour	....	grip
Doug Stanczak	....	additional grip
Harry Greenberger	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Noah Harlan	....	casting associate
Nancy Mosser	....	extras casting director
Megan Taylor	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Diane Collins	....	costumer (as Diane Kubasak Collins)
Joe Diaz	....	costumer
Lillian Lanette Little	....	key costumer (as Lanette Little)
Catherine Peña	....	wardrobe production assistant
Gregory B. Peña	....	key costumer
Hugo Peña	....	costume supervisor
Ron Recio	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Anthony Atamanuik	....	post-production
Wade Felker	....	film-to-tape colorist
Frank Morgenstern	....	post-production coordinator
Lauren A. Schaffer	....	additional editor
Howard Scott Stein	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Mark Agostino	....	music playback operator
Johnny Britt	....	music producer
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	conductor
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	music supervisor
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	musical director
Kevin Crehan	....	music editor
Tanya Noel Hill	....	assistant music editor
Eddie Kendricks	....	composer: songs "The Girl's Alright With Me", "Keep On Truckin'"
Joseph Magee	....	scoring mixer
Tom Villano	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Mario Simon	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Anthony Atamanuik	....	production assistant
Ray Cervenak	....	security captain
Amy D'Alessandro	....	titles
Angela M. Da Costa	....	stand-in
Cindy French	....	assistant to producers
Ellen Gannon	....	production coordinator
Larry Geyer	....	key set production assistant
Paula Gregg	....	key craft services
Keith Harris	....	production assistant
Stephen Hough	....	location assistant
David 'Yoko' Jose	....	production assistant
Bruce Lawhead	....	location manager
Lynn Lewis Lovett	....	script supervisor (as Lynn Lewis)
James A. Mahathey	....	assistant location manager
Hope Anne Nathan	....	assistant location manager
Jan Nizen	....	production accountant
Steve Parys	....	location scout
Christopher Sararo	....	assistant to director
Rodney Saulsberry	....	adr voice
Christian Stavrakis	....	location production assistant (as Chris Stavrakis)
Jeffrey R. Stimmel	....	location manager (as Jeff Stimmel)
April Weitzel	....	assistant location manager
Tiffany Sander McKenzie	....	office production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• De Passe Entertainment
• Hallmark Entertainment

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1998) (USA) (TV)
• Sonar Entertainment (II) (1998-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Elephant Films (2000) (France) (all media)
• Polyband (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:150 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

De Passe Entertainment

Trivia:

Otis Williams' ex-wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose, and David Ruffin's family, filed suit against Williams, Motown, De Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for use of their likenesses in the film, defamation of character, and emotional distress. The plaintiffs claimed that they and/or their relatives and certain events were portrayed inaccurately. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants. The plaintiffs appealed but the original ruling was upheld. Otis Williams later stated that while his book was the source material for the film, he did not have control over the making of the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: David Ruffin is portrayed as missing a Reunion tour date by engaging in a crack cocaine binge. While the tour occurred in 1982, crack cocaine did not appear on the streets until 1984.

Quotes:

David Ruffin:Y'all ain't the same without me.
Otis Williams:Oh, yeah? Not the same but nominated for a Grammy!
David Ruffin:That's mine!
Otis Williams:No, no, that ain't you on "Cloud Nine". That's Dennis' voice!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

"Wonderfully acted depiction of the greatest soul group in history.

I was delighted by this movie. Not only is it largely educational and offers very introspective looks into the lives of all members of the group, but the acting is fantastic. The film truly captures the soul music scene of early 1960's Detroit, and further on as the Temptations rise to fame, and fall to ruin. It offers breathtaking and somewhat disturbing scenes which make the film seem almost too real. The soundtrack is amazing, and you will truly sympathize with this group of real-life legends who sang their hearts out in Motown's heyday.