Brian's Song
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| Brian's Song | |
| Directed by | Buzz Kulik |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Paul Junger Witt |
| Written by | Gale Sayers with Al Silverman (original book); William Blinn (teleplay) |
| Starring | James Caan Billy Dee Williams Jack Warden Shelley Fabares |
| Music by | Michel Legrand |
| Cinematography | Joseph F. Biroc |
| Editing by | Bud S. Isaacs |
| Distributed by | Screen Gems / Sony Pictures Television (producers) ABC (original broadcaster) |
| Release date(s) | 30-Nov-1971 |
| Running time | 73 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Brian's Song is a 1971 TV movie, recalling the details of the life of Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan), a white football player stricken with terminal cancer, and his friendship with black Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), who helps him through the difficult struggle. The true story was such a success on ABC television (November 30, 1971) that it was later shown in theaters.
The movie is based on Sayers' account of his friendship with Piccolo and Piccolo's illness in Sayers' autobiography, I Am Third. The film was written by veteran screenwriter William Blinn.
[edit] Music
The musical theme to Brian's Song, "The Hands of Time," was a popular tune during the early 1970s. The music for the film was by Michel Legrand, with lyrics to the song by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Nashville pianist Floyd Cramer performed a popular version of "The Hands of Time".
[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 as Sayers and Sean Maher as Piccolo.[1]
