Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
Encyclopedia
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan is a 1975 two-part television movie
, which dramatised the events following the 1964 disappearance and murder of three Civil Rights
workers in Mississippi
. In this, it is similar in theme to the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning
, though some names and details were changed, and both productions pick up the approximate storyline of the 1990 TV-movie Murder in Mississippi
.
Attack on Terror starred Ned Beatty
, John Beck
, Marlyn Mason
, Billy Green Bush
, Dabney Coleman
, Virginia Gregg
, George Grizzard
, Rip Torn
, Sheila Larken
, Hilly Hicks
, and two M*A*S*H alumni, Wayne Rogers
("Trapper John") and Johnny Haymer
("Sgt. Zale").
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, which dramatised the events following the 1964 disappearance and murder of three Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
workers in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. In this, it is similar in theme to the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders...
, though some names and details were changed, and both productions pick up the approximate storyline of the 1990 TV-movie Murder in Mississippi
Murder in Mississippi
Murder in Mississippi is a 1990 television movie which dramatized the last weeks of civil rights activists Michael "Mickey" Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney, and the events leading up to their disappearance and subsequent murder in the summer of 1964. It starred Tom Hulce as Schwerner,...
.
Attack on Terror starred Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
, John Beck
John Beck (actor)
John Beck is an American actor. He grew up in Joliet, Illinois. Renowned as a gritty actor with plenty of presence on set, he is ultimately best-known worldwide for playing the role of Mark Graison in Dallas during the mid-1980s, but is also well-known for several other roles in which he...
, Marlyn Mason
Marlyn Mason
Marlyn Mason is an American actress.Her acting credits include roles in My Three Sons, Burke's Law, Kentucky Jones, Bonanza, Ben Casey, Dr...
, Billy Green Bush
Billy Green Bush
William Warren Bush is an American actor, sometimes credited as “Billy Greenbush”.Notable movie appearances include Five Easy Pieces , The Culpepper Cattle Company , Electra Glide in Blue , Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , The River , The Hitcher , Critters , and Jason Goes to Hell: The Final...
, Dabney Coleman
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
, Virginia Gregg
Virginia Gregg
Virginia Gregg Burket was an American actress best known for her many roles in radio dramas.Born in Harrisburg, Illinois, Virginia Gregg was the daughter of musician Dewey Alphaleta and businessman Edward William Gregg.-Radio:Gregg was a prolific radio actor, heard on such programs as The...
, George Grizzard
George Grizzard
George Cooper Grizzard, Jr. was an American actor of film and stage. He appeared in more than 40 films, dozens of television programs and a number of Broadway plays.-Life and career:...
, Rip Torn
Rip Torn
Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
, Sheila Larken
Sheila Larken
Sheila Larken is an American television actress.-Career:She is best known for playing the role of Margaret Scully on the popular The X-Files series....
, Hilly Hicks
Hilly Hicks
Hilly Gene Hicks is an American character actor, born May 4, 1950 in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:The role for which Hicks is perhaps best known is Lewis Moore in the TV mini-series Roots...
, and two M*A*S*H alumni, Wayne Rogers
Wayne Rogers
William Wayne McMillan Rogers III is an American film and television actor, best known for playing the role of 'Trapper John' McIntyre in the U.S...
("Trapper John") and Johnny Haymer
Johnny Haymer
Johnny Haymer was an American actor who played Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale, a recurring character in the television series M*A*S*H. Another high-profile role was that of the painfully unfunny stand-up comedian in the Woody Allen film Annie Hall...
("Sgt. Zale").
Selected cast
- Ned BeattyNed BeattyNed Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
as Ollie Thompson (fictonalized representation of Cecil PriceCecil PriceCecil Ray Price was linked to the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964. At the time of the murders, he was 26 years old and a deputy sheriff in Neshoba County, Mississippi...
) - John BeckJohn Beck (actor)John Beck is an American actor. He grew up in Joliet, Illinois. Renowned as a gritty actor with plenty of presence on set, he is ultimately best-known worldwide for playing the role of Mark Graison in Dallas during the mid-1980s, but is also well-known for several other roles in which he...
as George Greg - George GrizzardGeorge GrizzardGeorge Cooper Grizzard, Jr. was an American actor of film and stage. He appeared in more than 40 films, dozens of television programs and a number of Broadway plays.-Life and career:...
as Attorney Clay - Rip TornRip TornElmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
as Glen Tuttle (fictionalized representation of Sam BowersSam BowersSamuel Kenneth Bowers , was a leader of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.-Early life:Bowers was born on August 25, 1924, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Sam Bowers Sr., a salesman, and Evangeline Peyton, daughter of a well-to-do planter...
) - Dabney ColemanDabney ColemanDabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
as Paul Mathison - Peter StraussPeter StraussPeter Strauss is an American television and movie actor, known for his roles in several television miniseries in the 1970s and 1980s.-Personal life:...
as Ben Jacobs (fictionalized representation of assassination victim Michael SchwernerMichael SchwernerMichael Henry Schwerner , was one of three Congress of Racial Equality field workers killed in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by the Ku Klux Klan in response to their civil rights work, which included promoting voting registration among Mississippi African Americans...
) - Hilly HicksHilly HicksHilly Gene Hicks is an American character actor, born May 4, 1950 in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:The role for which Hicks is perhaps best known is Lewis Moore in the TV mini-series Roots...
as Charles Gilmore (fictionalized representation of assassination victim James ChaneyJames ChaneyJames Earl "J.E." Chaney , from Meridian, Mississippi, was one of three American civil rights workers who were murdered during Freedom Summer by members of the Ku Klux Klan near Philadelphia...
) - Andrew ParksAndrew ParksAndrew Lawrence Parks is an American film and television actor.Born in Los Angeles, California to actors Larry Parks and Betty Garrett, Andrew Parks made his film debut at the age of eleven but did not continue his acting career for another eight years, beginning with The Strawberry Statement in...
as Steven Bronson (fictionalized representation of assassination victim Andrew GoodmanAndrew GoodmanAndrew Goodman was one of three American civil rights activists murdered near Philadelphia, Mississippi, during Freedom Summer in 1964 by members of the Ku Klux Klan.-Early life and education:...
) - Ed FlandersEd FlandersEdward Paul Flanders was an American actor best known for his role as Dr. Donald Westphall in the television series St. Elsewhere.- Biography :...
as Ralph Paine (fictionalized representation of Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights John DoarJohn DoarJohn Michael Doar is an American lawyer and currently senior counsel with the law firm Doar Rieck Kaley & Mack in New York.... - Lew Askew as Aaron Cord (fictionalized representation of Alton Wayne RobertsAlton Wayne RobertsAlton Wayne Roberts was a Klansman convicted of depriving slain activists Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney of their civil rights in 1964. He personally shot two of the three civil rights workers before his accomplices buried their bodies in a dam.-External links:...
) - Geoffrey Lewis as Ed Duncan (fictionalized representation of Lawrence Rainey)
- Paulene Myers as Mrs. Gilmore (fictionalized representation of Fannie Lee ChaneyFannie Lee ChaneyFannie Lee Chaney was an American baker turned civil rights activist after her son James Chaney was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan during the 1964 Freedom Summer rides in Mississippi....
) - Sheila LarkenSheila LarkenSheila Larken is an American television actress.-Career:She is best known for playing the role of Margaret Scully on the popular The X-Files series....
as Linn Jacobs (fictionalized representation of Rita Schwerner)