Brian's Song
| Brian's Song | |
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| Directed by | Buzz Kulik |
| Produced by | Paul Junger Witt |
| Written by | Gale Sayers, Al Silverman (original book); William Blinn (teleplay) |
| Starring | James Caan Billy Dee Williams |
| Music by | Michel Legrand |
| Cinematography | Joseph F. Biroc |
| Editing by | Bud S. Isaacs |
| Production company | Screen Gems / Columbia Pictures |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Release date | November 30, 1971[1] |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
Brian's Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan), a Wake Forest University football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro, told through his friendship with Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), who helps him through the difficult struggle. The production was such a success on ABC television (November 30, 1971) that it was later shown in theaters,[2] with a major premiere in Chicago; however, it was soon withdrawn due to a lack of business.[1] Many critics have called the movie one of, if not the finest telefilm ever made.[1][3]
The movie is based on Sayers' account of his friendship with Piccolo and coping with Piccolo's illness in Sayers' autobiography, I Am Third. The film was written by veteran screenwriter William Blinn, whose script, one Dallas television critic called, "highly restrained, steering clear of any overt sentimentality [yet conveying] the genuine affection the two men felt so deeply for each other."[3]
Although based on a true story, the film did include some fictional scenes. One example was when George Halas (played by Jack Warden) told Gale Sayers that he wanted to bench Brian Piccolo when he suspected that there may be a problem affecting his performance. He later learned of Brian's cancer. In reality, Jim Dooley was the head coach at that time, as Halas had retired from the position following the 1968 season.
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[edit] Cast
- James Caan as Brian Piccolo
- Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers
- Jack Warden as Coach George Halas
- Shelley Fabares as Joy Piccolo
- Judy Pace as Linda Sayers
- Bernie Casey as J.C. Caroline
- David Huddleston as Ed McCaskey
- Ron Feinberg as Doug Atkins
- Jack Concannon as Himself
- Abe Gibron as Himself
- Ed O'Bradovich as Himself
- Dick Butkus as Himself
- Chicago Bears as Themselves
[edit] Music
The musical theme to Brian's Song, "The Hands of Time," was a popular tune during the early 1970s and has become a standard.[1] The music for the film was by Michel Legrand, with lyrics to the song by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. LeGrand's instrumental version of the theme song charted for eight weeks in 1972, peaking at #56.[4] Nashville pianist Floyd Cramer performed a popular version of "The Hands of Time".
[edit] Awards and nominations
The film won an Emmy Award for Best Dramatic Program (1971–72). William Blinn won an Emmy for his teleplay, and Jack Warden won for his performance as Coach Halas. Caan and Williams were both nominated for best leading actor.[1]
[edit] Remake
Thirty years after its original airing, a remake was aired in 2001 on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney starring Mekhi Phifer in Billy Dee Williams' original role as Sayers and Sean Maher as Piccolo, the character originally played by James Caan.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Marill, Alvin H. (1987). Movies Made For Television: The Telefeature and the Mini-series, 1964-1986. New York: Baseline/New York Zoetrope. pp. 53–4. ISBN 0-918-432-85-5.
- ^ Thomas, Bob. "TV 'Brian's Song' on movie screens," The Dallas Morning News, April 29, 1972, page 2.
- ^ a b Harry Bowman. "Broadcast Beat [TV column]: 'Brian's Song' superior film," The Dallas Morning News, November 27, 1971, page 7A.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2000). Top Pop Singles 1955-1999. Record Research (Menomonee Falls, WI). p.371. ISBN 0-89820-193-X
- ^ Brian's Song (2001)
[edit] External links
- Brian's Song at the Internet Movie Database
- Brian's Song at the TCM Movie Database
- Brian's Song at AllRovi
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