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IMDbPro

It's Good to Be Alive

  • TV Movie
  • 19741974
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
128
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
86,921
15,502
It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
BiographyDramaSport
The story of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella, whose career was cut short when he lost the use of his legs in an auto accident in January of 1958.The story of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella, whose career was cut short when he lost the use of his legs in an auto accident in January of 1958.The story of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella, whose career was cut short when he lost the use of his legs in an auto accident in January of 1958.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
128
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
86,921
15,502
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Michael Landon
    • Writers
      • Steve Gethers(teleplay)
      • Roy Campanella(book)
    • Stars
      • Paul Winfield
      • Louis Gossett Jr.
      • Ruby Dee
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michael Landon
    • Writers
      • Steve Gethers(teleplay)
      • Roy Campanella(book)
    • Stars
      • Paul Winfield
      • Louis Gossett Jr.
      • Ruby Dee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 3 wins total

    Photos9

    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    Paul Winfield in It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    Louis Gossett Jr. and Paul Winfield in It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
    It's Good to Be Alive (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Winfield
    Paul Winfield
    • Roy Campanella
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    • Sam Brockington
    • (as Lou Gossett)
    Ruby Dee
    Ruby Dee
    • Ruth Campanella
    Ramon Bieri
    Ramon Bieri
    • Walter O'Malley
    Joe De Santis
    Joe De Santis
    • Roy Campanella's Father
    • (as Joe DeSantis)
    Ty Henderson
    • David Campanella
    Ketty Lester
    Ketty Lester
    • Roy Campanella's Mother
    Julian Burton
    Julian Burton
    • Dr. Rusk
    Lloyd Gough
    Lloyd Gough
    • Surgeon
    Eric Woods
    • Roy Campanella as a Boy
    Len Lesser
    Len Lesser
    • Man at Accident
    Gene Borkan
    Matthew 'Stymie' Beard
    Matthew 'Stymie' Beard
    • Stymie
    • (as Stymie Beard)
    Paul Savior
    • Attendant
    Stanley Bennett Clay
    Stanley Bennett Clay
    • Boy
    • (as Stanley Clay)
    Nina Roman
    • ER Receptionist
    David Frank
    Stuart Nisbet
    Stuart Nisbet
    • Reporter
    • Director
      • Michael Landon
    • Writers
      • Steve Gethers(teleplay)
      • Roy Campanella(book)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      When Roy is taking his first 'tour' of the Rehab center he sees several children playing. One girl is playing with a toy telephone that has a push-button dial. Push-button phones were not introduced until the early 1960s.

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Serious, solid drama
    We get a front row seat to serious trials and tribulations as Roy Campanella, Major League Baseball's first black catcher, struggles to rehab from a car accident that left him paralyzed below the shoulders. We get some flashback moments to show how Roy got to where he did, but the focus is on his life after the accident, dealing with his own agonies and those of his family as they all try to cope, sometimes well, often times not.

    There are some trite/cliché moments in the movie (including a scene very reminiscent of the Lou Gehrig farewell speech), but even those hold up well due to the quality of the acting, and the realism of the direction (Kudos to Michael Landon in his directorial debut!).

    Solid acting performances by all the players, and a realism (I'd like to use the word "gritty" even though it isn't quite right, but neither is any other adjective I can think of) that hit me right in the gut.

    I think even those who don't like sports movies in general, but who appreciate a good real life drama, would enjoy this mostly "lost" TV movie. I'd never even heard of this before I saw it the other night, and it deserves a wider audience strictly on its merits, and even more so as an important piece of history many probably don't know about.
    helpful•2
    0
    • obloco
    • Apr 1, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 22, 1974 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Fight
    • Production companies
      • Larry Harmon Pictures Corporation
      • Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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