The Blue and the Gray 

America just before and during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of an artist correspondent.

Creator:

John Leekley

Stars:

Stacy Keach, John Hammond, Julia Duffy

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Stacy Keach	...	Jonas Steele 3 episodes, 1982
John Hammond	...	John Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
Julia Duffy	...	Mary Hale 3 episodes, 1982
Robin Gammell	...	Jacob Hale Sr. 3 episodes, 1982
David W. Harper	...	James Hale 3 episodes, 1982
Julius Harris	...	Preacher / ... 3 episodes, 1982
Gregg Henry	...	Lester Bedell 3 episodes, 1982
Cooper Huckabee	...	Matthew Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
James Carroll Jordan	...	Professor Lowe 3 episodes, 1982
Brian Kerwin	...	Malachy Hale 3 episodes, 1982
William Lucking	...	Capt. Potts 3 episodes, 1982
Charles Napier	...	Maj. Harrison 3 episodes, 1982
Walter Olkewicz	...	Pvt. Grundy 3 episodes, 1982
Penny Peyser	...	Emma Gayser / ... 3 episodes, 1982
Duncan Regehr	...	Capt. Randolph 3 episodes, 1982
David Rounds	...	Christopher Spencer 3 episodes, 1982
Christopher Stone	...	Maj. Fairburn 3 episodes, 1982
Diane Baker	...	Evelyn Hale 3 episodes, 1982
Kathleen Beller	...	Kathy Reynolds 3 episodes, 1982
Paul Benedict	...	Arbuthnot 3 episodes, 1982
Lloyd Bridges	...	Ben Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
Rory Calhoun	...	Gen. George Meade 3 episodes, 1982
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Maggie Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
David Doyle	...	Phineas Wade 3 episodes, 1982
Michael Horton	...	Mark Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
Warren Oates	...	Maj. Welles / ... 3 episodes, 1982
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Sgt. O'Toole 3 episodes, 1982
Geraldine Page	...	Mrs. Lovelace 3 episodes, 1982
Dan Shor	...	Luke Geyser 3 episodes, 1982
Rip Torn	...	Gen. Ulysses S. Grant 3 episodes, 1982
Robert Vaughn	...	Sen. Reynolds 3 episodes, 1982
John Vernon	...	Secretary of State Seward 3 episodes, 1982
Sterling Hayden	...	John Brown 3 episodes, 1982
Paul Winfield	...	Jonathan Henry 3 episodes, 1982
Gregory Peck	...	Abraham Lincoln 3 episodes, 1982
Bruce Abbott	...	Jake Hale Jr. 3 episodes, 1982
Janice Carroll	...	Mary Todd Lincoln 2 episodes, 1982
Veronica Redd	...	Hattie 2 episodes, 1982
Fred Stuthman	...	George (older employee at the Gettysburgh Newspaper) 2 episodes, 1982
John Voldstad	...	Alvin Mooney 2 episodes, 1982

Storyline

America just before and during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of an artist correspondent.

---

Plot Keywords:

civil war | u.s. civil war | epic battle | river battle | husband wife relationship | 

---

Genres:

Drama | History | War

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Blue and the Gray

Filming Locations:

Arkansas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Larry White/Lou Reda Productions, Columbia Pictures Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

296 min (Recut 2005 Version) 381 min (Original 1982 Version)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the filming took place at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Arkansas. The film crew built a false side onto one of the historic buildings there and then blew it off for a special effect - assuring the State park officials that no harm would come to the building. The explosion was rather larger than promised and caused some damage to the structure of the historic house.

---

Goofs

In the Civil War the primary infantry weapon was the muzzle-loading musket. For close up shots most of the soldiers use the British made .577 Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket, which was imported in large quantities during the Civil War by both sides. However, in many scenes (especially the Vicksburg scene with victorious Union troops) many of the soldiers can be seen carrying the .45-70 U.S. Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield rifle, a shortened breech-loading version of the U.S. Model 1861 Springfield Rifle Musket.

---

Quotes

Jake Hale Jr.: Five dollars?

---

Connections

Referenced in The Cleveland Show: The Blue, the Gray and the Brown (2011)

---

Soundtracks

Tenting On the Old Camp Ground
Traditional

User Reviews

Totally engrossing, well acted and beautifully photographed...

I'm not going to nitpick this film because the wrong number of buttons are on a Civil War jacket nor am I going to criticize the fact that certain battles are presented out of chronological sequence, as some others have already pointed out.

But taken as a Civil War drama, THE BLUE AND THE GRAY ranks with the very best movies made about this era of American history and all of the performances are splendid. The human drama, both on the home front before the war and during the various battles, is portrayed very realistically, as are the graphic battle scenes.

The cast assembled does a wonderful job with characters that come alive. GREGORY PECK does well as Abraham Lincoln, although his make-up is a bit disconcerting and he was a bit too mature to play the role in the first place. But STACY KEACH and JOHN HAMMOND carry much of the film as the two leading characters who witness various aspects of the Civil War, seen through their eyes and experiences, and they are excellent.

The supporting cast includes vivid performances from LLOYD BRIDGES, COLLEEN DEWHURST, RORY CALHOUN, GERALDINE PAGE, RIP TORN, STERLING HAYDEN, DIANE BAKER. BRIAN KERWIN is excellent as the Hale brother facing battle for the first time, and the sequence with the balloon to observe the enemy from the air is full of tight suspense.

It may not be a perfect history lesson, but it is photographed beautifully in color (all of it filmed in Arkansas), has a fine musical score and is well worth the time it takes to unwind a very compelling story with characters any viewer can relate to.

I consider it one of the finest made-for-TV miniseries ever made.