Polly (1989 film)

Polly
Genre	Television movie
Directed by	Debbie Allen
Produced by	Frank Fischer
Written by	Eleanor H. Porter (Novel) William Blinn (Adaptation) David Swift (Scenario)
Starring	Keshia Knight Pulliam Phylicia Rashād
Music by	Joel McNeely
Country	United States
Language	English
Original channel	NBC
Release date	November 12, 1989
Running time	100 mins.
Followed by	Polly: Comin Home

Polly is a musical television movie that originally aired in November 1989 on NBC. Adapted from the book Pollyanna, Polly was directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen and stars Keshia Knight Pulliam and Phylicia Rashād. It also featured the final performance of Butterfly McQueen (Gone With the Wind).

Plot

Set in 1950s Alabama, the film features an all African American cast (with the exception of Celeste Holm). Keshia Knight Pulliam stars as Polly, an orphan who moves in with her Aunt Polly and attempts to unite the small Southern town during the segregation era.

Polly proved to be a ratings hit and a sequel, Polly: Comin Home, followed in 1991. Both films are available on DVD exclusively from the Disney Movie Club and Disney Movie Rewards.

Cast

• Keshia Knight Pulliam as Polly Whittier
• Phylicia Rashād as Aunt Polly Harrington
• Dorian Harewood as Dr. Robert Shannon
• Barbara Montgomery as Mrs. Conley
• T. K. Carter as George Dodds
• Vanessa Bell Calloway as Nancy Palmer
• Brandon Quintin Adams as Jimmy Bean
• Butterfly McQueen as Miss Priss
• Larry Riley as Reverend Gillis
• Brock Peters as Mr. Pendergast
• Celeste Holm as Miss Snow

Award nominations

Year	Award	Result	Category	Recipient
1990	Emmy Award	Nominated	Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special	Isidore Mankofsky
			Outstanding Achievement in Choreography	Debbie Allen
	Young Artist Awards		Best Young Actress Starring in a TV Movie, Pilot or Special	Keshia Knight Pulliam
			Best Young Actor Starring in a TV Movie, Pilot or Special	Brandon Adams

External links

• Polly at the Internet Movie Database
• Polly at AllRovi