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Roots - Full Cast & Crew. The landmark dramatisation of Alex Haley's classic saga follows his ancestors from Africa into slavery and then to their freedom in the post-Civil War South.
- Marvin J. Chomsky, David Greene, John Erman
- 1
- Roots: Changing The Face of Television
- Levar Burton, Then
- Levar Burton, Now
- John Amos, Then
- John Amos, Now
- Cicely Tyson, Then
- Cicely Tyson, Now
- Louis Gossett Jr., Then
- Louis Gossett Jr., Now
- Madge Sinclair, Then
When ABC first aired Roots, the 1977 miniseries based on the best-selling novel by Alex Haley, the network worried no one would watch. Instead, the eight-night epic became one of the most watched dramas in history. Nearly 100 million viewers, about half the country at the time, saw the final episode. The impact on the culture was monumental: Black ...
Playing the role of defiant and proud Mandinka warrior Kunta Kinte, Haley's great-great-great-great-grandfather, was a huge opportunity for Burton, who landed the role after his first professional audition. He would earn an Emmy nomination for best actor.
After Roots, Burton went on to have a successful career in television. He's best known for his role as Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and as the host of the PBS series Reading Rainbow. He'll have a recurring role in TNT's Perception, premiering this summer. He's also working on a Reading Rainbow app.
Amos was already well-known for his roles as Gordy Howard on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and James Evans Sr. on Good Times. As the older Kunta Kinte/Toby, Amos imbued the character with an inner strength that defied the brutality of slavery. His stoic performance would also earn a best actor Emmy nomination.
Amos continues to play prominent roles on television and in film, most notably as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing. He's recently had recurring roles on Men in Trees and Two and a Half Men and was seen in episodes of 30 Rock and Lie to Me. He was in Die Hard 2 and Coming to America. His son, K.C., and daughter, Shannon, are up-and-coming ...
The grande dame of stage, film and television, Tyson was already an Oscar nominee for the 1972 movie Sounder and a two-time Emmy winner for her titular role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittmanin 1974. Though Tyson had a very minor role as Kunta's mother, Binta, having a well-regarded actress appear in the opening episode gave audiences a reas...
After Roots, Tyson continued doing what she does best: give stunning portrayals of strong, iconic black women. She played Coretta Scott King and Harriet Tubman in made-for-TV movies and starred in the films Fried Green Tomatoes, Hoodlum, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and, more recently, The Help.
Gossett appeared mostly in TV roles and had a part in both the Broadway play and film version of A Raisin in the Sunwith Sidney Poitier before playing the lovable Fiddler, a breakout role that would earn him an Emmy for best actor.
In addition to Fiddler, Gossett is best-known as Gunnery Sergeant Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, a role that would earn him an Academy Award for best supporting actor, making him the first African-American man to win for a supporting role and the second black male to win an Oscar for acting. He would continue to star in films, i...
Sinclair had minor roles on TV and appeared in the 1975 film Cornbread, Earl and Me before her performance in Roots. Sinclair would earn an Emmy nomination for best actress for her portrayal of Belle, wife to John Amos' Kunta Kinte/Toby and mother of Kizzy (Leslie Uggams).
Roots (TV Mini Series 1977) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
Meet the cast of Roots. Malachi Kirby, Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Matthew Goode and James Purefoy are all starring in this remake of the 1977 series. Eleanor Bley Griffiths. Published...
- Eleanor Bley Griffiths
The epic tale of celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors as portrayed in the acclaimed twelve hour mini-series Roots, was first told in his 1976 bestseller Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
Aug 23, 2024 · Every member of the cast of Roots plays a part in creating well-rounded personalities. Among this lineup stands LeVar Burton as young Kunta Kinte, whose performance sets a high standard for those following him in their roles.
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Nov 6, 2013 · The original featured an all-star ensemble cast, including Ed Asner, Cicely Tyson, Robert Reed, Lloyd Bridges, George Hamilton, Maya Angelou, Richard Roundtree and even O.J. Simpson.
