Roots (TV miniseries)
Encyclopedia
Roots is a 1977
American television miniseries
based on Alex Haley
's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family
. Roots received 36 Emmy Award
nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award
. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings
with the finale still standing as the third-highest rated U.S. television program ever. It was shot on a budget of $6 million.
The series introduced LeVar Burton
in the role of Kunta Kinte
, Haley's maternal fourth great-grandfather. A sequel, Roots: The Next Generations
, was broadcast in 1979, and a second sequel, Roots: The Gift
, was produced as a Christmas movie which starred LeVar Burton and Louis Gossett, Jr.
Following the success of the original novel and the miniseries, Haley was sued by author Harold Courlander
, who asserted that Roots was plagiarized from his own novel The African, published nine years prior to Roots in 1967. The resulting trial ended with an out-of-court settlement and Haley's admission that some passages within Roots had been copied from Courlander's work. Separately, researchers refuted Haley's claims that, as the basis for Roots, he had successfully traced his own ancestry back through slavery to a specific individual and village in Africa.
, in 1750, Kunta Kinte
(LeVar Burton
) is born to Muslim Mandinka
warrior Omoro Kinte (Thalmus Rasulala
) and his wife Binta (Cicely Tyson
). When their son reaches the age of 15, he and a group of other adolescent males take part in a tribal "coming of manhood" ceremony, after which they officially become Mandinka warriors. While trying to find wood outside his village to make a drum for his brother, Kunta is captured by contentious tribe members and sold to slave traders and is put on a slave ship
commanded by Captain Davies (Edward Asner) and his third mate Slater (Ralph Waite
) for a three-month journey
to Colonial America. During the course of their forced journey, a group of African rebels try but fail to take over the ship. Kunta inadvertently kills Slater in the process.
The ship lands months later in Annapolis, Maryland
, where the captured Africans are sold at auction as slaves. Kunta Kinte is sold to plantation owner John Reynolds (Lorne Greene
) and is given the slave name of Toby. An older slave named Fiddler (Louis Gossett Jr) is charged with teaching Toby the ways of being a chattel slave, including learning English. In a desperate struggle to be free and to preserve his Mandinka heritage, he makes several unsuccessful attempts to escape. Kunta doesn't want to give up his Mandinka roots and is reluctant to change his name to Toby and give up his Muslim faith. An overseer named Ames (Vic Morrow
) has Kunta Kinte severely whipped, until he submits to his slave name.
The adult Kunta Kinte/Toby (John Amos
) eventually learns what it means to be a chattel slave but is haunted by his Mandinka roots and his memories of being free. He submits to the harsh life, but only after having half of his foot severed to keep him from attempting further escapes. He is sold to John Reynolds' brother William (Robert Reed
), eventually marrying another slave named Belle (Madge Sinclair
), who treats his severed foot. Toby and Belle have a daughter named Kizzy (Leslie Uggams
). Kizzy is secretly taught to read and write by Missy Anne (Sandy Duncan
), the product of an adulterous affair between John Reynold's wife and Dr. Reynolds. When Kizzy is in her late teens, she is caught writing a fake travel pass for a boy she is in love with, Noah (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
). Missy Anne turns her back on Kizzy when Kizzy needs her the most, which makes Kizzy think white people aren't to be trusted. She is then sold away to Tom Moore (Chuck Connors
) in North Carolina
. Kizzy is raped by Moore when she arrives at his plantation and, as a result, gives birth to a son named George.
The adult George (Ben Vereen
) becomes an expert in cockfight
ing, earning him the moniker "Chicken George", which eventually gives him the opportunity in the 1840s to be sent into servitude in England. He returns to America a free man 14 years later in 1861. George's son Tom Harvey (Georg Stanford Brown
) becomes a blacksmith - and a slave for George Harvey - whose slave labor is used by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
. After the war, racists led by Evan Brent (Lloyd Bridges
) give birth to an early form of the Ku Klux Klan
, and begin to frequently harass Tom, his family and other blacks — exploiting them economically by day and terrorizing them by night wearing the infamous white hoods. The problem escalates when Tom reports the issues to authorities and Brent finds out about it. However, Chicken George returns after the news of blacks being freed, and tells his family of land he bought that they may live in. Afraid of the Ku Klux Klan, especially after receiving a whipping from one of them, Tom and his family move to George's land in Tennessee
to begin a new life. And as the series ends in 1867, Chicken George tells his grandson about his grandfather, the African who went to find some wood for a drum, and was captured by a contentious tribe of Africans and sold to the slave traders.
Alex Haley narrates the last few minutes of the miniseries: a montage of photos of family members connecting Tom's daughter Cynthia, the great-great-granddaughter of Kunta Kinte, to Haley himself.
was executive producer. The score was composed by Gerald Fried
and Quincy Jones
.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications recounts the apprehensions that Roots would flop, and how this made ABC prepare the format:
for eight consecutive nights from January 23 to January 30, 1977. In the United Kingdom, the BBC
screened the miniseries from April 8 to April 20, 1977.
The ratings for all episodes were found here. All episodes rank within the top 100 rated TV shows of all time.
and Ed Asner
among other key cast members, "Remembering Roots" behind-the-scenes documentary, "Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated an Entire Nation" featurette, new interviews with key cast members and the DVD-ROM "Roots Family Tree" feature.
Golden Globe Award
:
Golden Globe Award
:
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
American television miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
based on Alex Haley
Alex Haley
Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Roots: The Saga of an American Family is a novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. It tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African, captured as an adolescent and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and the lives of his descendants in the U.S....
. Roots received 36 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
with the finale still standing as the third-highest rated U.S. television program ever. It was shot on a budget of $6 million.
The series introduced LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
in the role of Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte is the central character of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley, and of the television miniseries Roots, based on the book. Haley described his book as faction - a mixture of fact and fiction...
, Haley's maternal fourth great-grandfather. A sequel, Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations is a 1979 television miniseries that continues the story of the family of Alex Haley from the 1880s, and their life in Henning, Tennessee, to the 1960s, with Haley researching his family history and his travels to Africa to learn of his ancestor, Kunta Kinte...
, was broadcast in 1979, and a second sequel, Roots: The Gift
Roots: The Gift
Roots: The Gift is a 1988 television film. It is the third installment of the Roots series, which traces the maternal family history of African American author Alex Haley, starting with his fourth great-grandfather Kunta Kinte. The film premiered on ABC on December 11, 1988, with AT&T as the sole...
, was produced as a Christmas movie which starred LeVar Burton and Louis Gossett, Jr.
Following the success of the original novel and the miniseries, Haley was sued by author Harold Courlander
Harold Courlander
Harold Courlander was an American novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist, an expert in the study of Haitian life. The author of 35 books and plays and numerous scholarly articles, Courlander specialized in the study of African, Caribbean, Afro-American , and American Indian cultures...
, who asserted that Roots was plagiarized from his own novel The African, published nine years prior to Roots in 1967. The resulting trial ended with an out-of-court settlement and Haley's admission that some passages within Roots had been copied from Courlander's work. Separately, researchers refuted Haley's claims that, as the basis for Roots, he had successfully traced his own ancestry back through slavery to a specific individual and village in Africa.
Plot summary
In the Gambia, West AfricaWest Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, in 1750, Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte is the central character of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley, and of the television miniseries Roots, based on the book. Haley described his book as faction - a mixture of fact and fiction...
(LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
) is born to Muslim Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
warrior Omoro Kinte (Thalmus Rasulala
Thalmus Rasulala
Thalmus Rasulala was an African American actor who was an original cast member of ABC's soap opera One Life to Live from its inception in 1968 until he left the show in 1970....
) and his wife Binta (Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson is an American actress. A successful stage actress, Tyson is also known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film Sounder and the television movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots....
). When their son reaches the age of 15, he and a group of other adolescent males take part in a tribal "coming of manhood" ceremony, after which they officially become Mandinka warriors. While trying to find wood outside his village to make a drum for his brother, Kunta is captured by contentious tribe members and sold to slave traders and is put on a slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
commanded by Captain Davies (Edward Asner) and his third mate Slater (Ralph Waite
Ralph Waite
Ralph Waite is an American actor, whose most notable role was playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he also occasionally directed...
) for a three-month journey
Middle Passage
The Middle Passage was the stage of the triangular trade in which millions of people from Africa were shipped to the New World, as part of the Atlantic slave trade...
to Colonial America. During the course of their forced journey, a group of African rebels try but fail to take over the ship. Kunta inadvertently kills Slater in the process.
The ship lands months later in Annapolis, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, where the captured Africans are sold at auction as slaves. Kunta Kinte is sold to plantation owner John Reynolds (Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
) and is given the slave name of Toby. An older slave named Fiddler (Louis Gossett Jr) is charged with teaching Toby the ways of being a chattel slave, including learning English. In a desperate struggle to be free and to preserve his Mandinka heritage, he makes several unsuccessful attempts to escape. Kunta doesn't want to give up his Mandinka roots and is reluctant to change his name to Toby and give up his Muslim faith. An overseer named Ames (Vic Morrow
Vic Morrow
Victor "Vic" Morrow was an American actor whose credits include a starring role in the 1960s TV series Combat!, prominent roles in a handful of other television and cinema dramas, and numerous guest roles on television...
) has Kunta Kinte severely whipped, until he submits to his slave name.
The adult Kunta Kinte/Toby (John Amos
John Amos
John Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
) eventually learns what it means to be a chattel slave but is haunted by his Mandinka roots and his memories of being free. He submits to the harsh life, but only after having half of his foot severed to keep him from attempting further escapes. He is sold to John Reynolds' brother William (Robert Reed
Robert Reed
Robert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
), eventually marrying another slave named Belle (Madge Sinclair
Madge Sinclair
Madge Dorita Sinclair was a Jamaican American character actress.-Early years:Sinclair was born Madge Dorita Walters in Kingston, Jamaica, to Herbert and Jemima Walters. She was a teacher in Jamaica until 1968 when she left for New York to pursue her career in acting.-Career:In 1978, she starred in...
), who treats his severed foot. Toby and Belle have a daughter named Kizzy (Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
). Kizzy is secretly taught to read and write by Missy Anne (Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
), the product of an adulterous affair between John Reynold's wife and Dr. Reynolds. When Kizzy is in her late teens, she is caught writing a fake travel pass for a boy she is in love with, Noah (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in a number of films and television programs, including Claudine , Cooley High , Roots , Welcome Back, Kotter , Bangers and Mash , and The Jacksons: An American Dream .Lawrence's name, at least as shown in the credits of Welcome...
). Missy Anne turns her back on Kizzy when Kizzy needs her the most, which makes Kizzy think white people aren't to be trusted. She is then sold away to Tom Moore (Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. His best known role from his forty-year film career was Lucas McCain in the 1960s ABC hit Western series The Rifleman....
) in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Kizzy is raped by Moore when she arrives at his plantation and, as a result, gives birth to a son named George.
The adult George (Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen is an American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.- Early years :...
) becomes an expert in cockfight
Cockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
ing, earning him the moniker "Chicken George", which eventually gives him the opportunity in the 1840s to be sent into servitude in England. He returns to America a free man 14 years later in 1861. George's son Tom Harvey (Georg Stanford Brown
Georg Stanford Brown
Georg Stanford Brown is an Afro-Cuban-American actor and director, perhaps best known as one of the stars of the ABC police television series The Rookies from 1972–76...
) becomes a blacksmith - and a slave for George Harvey - whose slave labor is used by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the war, racists led by Evan Brent (Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
) give birth to an early form of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, and begin to frequently harass Tom, his family and other blacks — exploiting them economically by day and terrorizing them by night wearing the infamous white hoods. The problem escalates when Tom reports the issues to authorities and Brent finds out about it. However, Chicken George returns after the news of blacks being freed, and tells his family of land he bought that they may live in. Afraid of the Ku Klux Klan, especially after receiving a whipping from one of them, Tom and his family move to George's land in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
to begin a new life. And as the series ends in 1867, Chicken George tells his grandson about his grandfather, the African who went to find some wood for a drum, and was captured by a contentious tribe of Africans and sold to the slave traders.
Alex Haley narrates the last few minutes of the miniseries: a montage of photos of family members connecting Tom's daughter Cynthia, the great-great-granddaughter of Kunta Kinte, to Haley himself.
Production
The miniseries was directed by Marvin J. Chomsky, John Erman, David Greene and Gilbert Moses. It was produced by Stan Margulies. David L. WolperDavid L. Wolper
David Lloyd Wolper was an American television and film producer, responsible for shows such as Roots, The Thorn Birds, North & South, L.A. Confidential, and the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory...
was executive producer. The score was composed by Gerald Fried
Gerald Fried
Gerald Fried is an American musician, well known for his compositions in film and television.Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Fried attended Juilliard School of Music...
and Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications recounts the apprehensions that Roots would flop, and how this made ABC prepare the format:
Cast
- LeVar BurtonLeVar BurtonLevardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
– Young Kunta KinteKunta KinteKunta Kinte is the central character of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley, and of the television miniseries Roots, based on the book. Haley described his book as faction - a mixture of fact and fiction...
(4 episodes) - Olivia ColeOlivia ColeOlivia Cole is an American actress.-Biography:Cole was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Arvelia and William Cole. She was the first African-American actress to be nominated for and subsequently win an Emmy Award...
– Mathilda (5 episodes) - Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
– Fiddler (4 episodes) - Ben VereenBen VereenBen Vereen is an American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.- Early years :...
– Chicken George Moore (4 episodes) - Vic MorrowVic MorrowVictor "Vic" Morrow was an American actor whose credits include a starring role in the 1960s TV series Combat!, prominent roles in a handful of other television and cinema dramas, and numerous guest roles on television...
– Ames (4 episodes) - John AmosJohn AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
– Kunta Kinte/Toby (3 episodes) - Ji-Tu CumbukaJi-Tu CumbukaJi-Tu Cumbuka is an American veteran stage and screen actor.-Career Biography:...
– Wrestler (3 episodes) - Edward Asner – Capt. Davies (3 episodes)
- Lynda Day GeorgeLynda Day GeorgeFor other entertainers with similar names, see Linda George .Lynda Day George is an American television and film actress whose career spanned three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s...
– Mrs. Reynolds (3 episodes) - Robert ReedRobert ReedRobert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
– Dr. William Reynolds (3 episodes) - Madge SinclairMadge SinclairMadge Dorita Sinclair was a Jamaican American character actress.-Early years:Sinclair was born Madge Dorita Walters in Kingston, Jamaica, to Herbert and Jemima Walters. She was a teacher in Jamaica until 1968 when she left for New York to pursue her career in acting.-Career:In 1978, she starred in...
– Belle Reynolds (3 episodes) - Chuck ConnorsChuck ConnorsChuck Connors was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. His best known role from his forty-year film career was Lucas McCain in the 1960s ABC hit Western series The Rifleman....
– Tom Moore (3 episodes) - Sandy DuncanSandy DuncanSandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
– Missy Anne Reynolds (3 episodes) - Leslie UggamsLeslie UggamsLeslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
– Kizzy Reynolds (3 episodes) - Carolyn JonesCarolyn JonesCarolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
– Mrs. Moore (3 episodes) - Lloyd BridgesLloyd BridgesLloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
– Evan Brent (3 episodes) - Georg Stanford BrownGeorg Stanford BrownGeorg Stanford Brown is an Afro-Cuban-American actor and director, perhaps best known as one of the stars of the ABC police television series The Rookies from 1972–76...
– Tom Harvey (3 episodes) - Brad DavisBrad Davis (actor)Robert Creel "Brad" Davis was an American actor, known for starring in the 1978 film Midnight Express.-Early life:...
– Ol' George Johnson (3 episodes) - Lane Binkley – Martha Johnson (3 episodes)
- Tracey GoldTracey GoldTracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
– Young Missy Reynolds (3 episodes) - 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...
– Lewis (3 episodes) - Lynne MoodyLynne MoodyLynne Moody is an American actress who has made many appearances in television.Her most prominent roles include Tracy Curtis Taylor in That's My Mama from 1974–1975 and was replaced by Joan Pringle in the second season; she also played Irene Harvey in Roots, Polly Dawson in Soap, Nurse Julie...
– Irene Harvey (3 episodes) - Austin StokerAustin StokerAustin Stoker is an American actor known for his role as Lt. Ethan Bishop, the police officer in charge of the besieged Precinct 9, Division 13, in John Carpenter's Howard Hawks-inspired, 1976 film, Assault on Precinct 13...
– Virgil (3 episodes) - Ralph WaiteRalph WaiteRalph Waite is an American actor, whose most notable role was playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he also occasionally directed...
– Third mate Slater (3 episodes) - Cicely TysonCicely TysonCicely Tyson is an American actress. A successful stage actress, Tyson is also known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film Sounder and the television movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots....
– Binta (2 episodes) - Thalmus RasulalaThalmus RasulalaThalmus Rasulala was an African American actor who was an original cast member of ABC's soap opera One Life to Live from its inception in 1968 until he left the show in 1970....
– Omoro (2 episodes) - Moses Gunn – Kintango (2 episodes)
- Hari RhodesHari RhodesHari Rhodes was an American author and actor whose career spanned three decades beginning around 1960....
– Brima Cesay (2 episodes) - Renn Woods – Fanta (2 episodes)
- Ernest Lee ThomasErnest Lee ThomasErnest Lee Thomas is an American actor. He was born in Gary, Indiana. He is most famous for his role as aspiring writer Roger "Rog" Thomas on the 1970s ABC sitcom What's Happening!!, and its 1980s syndicated sequel, What's Happening Now!!-Early career and What's Happening!!:Thomas began his...
– Kailuba (2 episodes) - Lorne GreeneLorne GreeneLorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
– John Reynolds (2 episodes) - Scatman CrothersScatman CrothersBenjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
– Mingo (2 episodes) - George HamiltonGeorge Hamilton (actor)George Stevens Hamilton is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Hamilton was the youngest son of bandleader George "Spike" Hamilton and his first wife, Ann Stevens . He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in Blytheville, Arkansas...
– Stephen Bennett (2 episodes) - Lillian RandolphLillian RandolphLillian Randolph was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. An African American, she worked in entertainment from the 1930s well into the 1970s, appearing in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows.-Early years:Born...
– Sister Sara (2 episodes) - Richard RoundtreeRichard RoundtreeRichard Roundtree is an American actor and former fashion model. He is best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and in its two sequels, Shaft's Big Score and Shaft in Africa .-Personal life:Born in New Rochelle, New York, Richard Roundtree graduated from...
– Sam Bennett (2 episodes) - Thayer DavidThayer DavidThayer David was a film, stage and television actor. He was best known for his work on the cult ABC serial Dark Shadows and as the fight promoter George Jergens in the Oscar-winning movie Rocky . He also appeared as Count Arne Saknussemm in the film Journey to the Center of the Earth in 1959...
– Harlan (2 episodes) - John QuadeJohn QuadeJohn William Saunders , better known by the stage name John Quade, was an American character actor who starred in film and in television...
– Sheriff Biggs (2 episodes) - Maya AngelouMaya AngelouMaya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
– Nyo Boto (1 episode) - O. J. SimpsonO. J. SimpsonOrenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
– Kadi Touray (1 episode) - Beverly ToddBeverly ToddBeverly Todd is an American actress, producer and writer. Todd gained major work during the 1970s, appearing in notable films such as The Lost Man , They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! , Brother John and A Piece of the Action . This eventually led to other distinguished and more important work...
– Fanta as an adult (1 episode) - Paul ShenarPaul ShenarPaul Shenar was an American actor.-Career:Shenar became involved in theater at an early age, partaking in the local Milwaukee playhouse productions. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Following his military career he began acting again...
– John Carrington (1 episode) - Gary CollinsGary Collins (actor)Gary Ennis Collins is an American film and television performer.-Early life and career:Collins was born in Venice, California, to a waitress/factory worker mother. After attending Santa Monica City College, he enlisted in the U.S...
– Grill (1 episode) - Raymond St. JacquesRaymond St. JacquesRaymond St. Jacques was an American actor.-Career:St. Jacques was born James Arthur Johnson in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Vivienne Johnson, a medical technician...
– The drummer (1 episode) - Lawrence Hilton-JacobsLawrence Hilton-JacobsLawrence Hilton-Jacobs is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in a number of films and television programs, including Claudine , Cooley High , Roots , Welcome Back, Kotter , Bangers and Mash , and The Jacksons: An American Dream .Lawrence's name, at least as shown in the credits of Welcome...
– Noah (1 episode) - John SchuckJohn SchuckConrad John Schuck Jr. is an American actor, primarily in stage, movies and television. He is best-known for his roles as police commissioner Rock Hudson's mildly slow-witted assistant, Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife, and as Lee Meriwether's husband, Herman Munster...
– Ordell (1 episode) - Macdonald CareyMacdonald CareyEdward Macdonald Carey was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera Days of our Lives...
– Squire James (1 episode) - Ian McShaneIan McShaneIan David McShane is an English actor, director, producer, voice artist, and comedian.Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly the BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's Western drama Deadwood...
– Sir Eric Russell (1 episode) - Doug McClureDoug McClureDouglas Osborne "Doug" McClure was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s...
– Jemmy Brent (1 episode) - Burl IvesBurl IvesBurl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
– Sen. Arthur Johnson (1 episode) - Roxie RokerRoxie RokerRoxie Albertha Roker was an American actress, best known for her groundbreaking role as Helen Willis on the sitcom The Jeffersons, half of the first interracial couple to be shown on regular prime time television...
– Melissa (1 episode) - Charles CyphersCharles CyphersCharles Cyphers is an American actor who has starred in many films and on television. He is known in the horror movie community for his work in the films of John Carpenter, especially his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in Carpenter's 1978 hit horror movie Halloween. He reprised this role in the...
– Drake (1 episode) - Todd BridgesTodd BridgesTodd Anthony Bridges is an American actor. He is best known for his childhood role as Willis Jackson on the NBC/ABC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, and for his recurring role as Monk on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris...
– Bud (1 episode) - Ross Chapman – Sergeant Williams (1 episode)
- Grand L. BushGrand L. BushGrand Lee Bush is an American actor of stage, television and major motion pictures.-Personal life:Bush was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Essie and Robert Bush, who was an actor...
– Captured runaway slave (1 episode) - Yvonne De CarloYvonne De CarloYvonne De Carlo was a Canadian-born American actress of film and television. During her six-decade career, her most frequent appearances in film came in the 1940s and 1950s and included her best-known film roles, such as of Anna Marie in Salome Where She Danced ; Anna in Criss Cross ; Sephora the...
– Slave owner's wife (1 episode)
Episode list
Roots originally aired on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
for eight consecutive nights from January 23 to January 30, 1977. In the United Kingdom, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
screened the miniseries from April 8 to April 20, 1977.
| Original run # | Re-edited version # | Approximate time period | Featured Kinte descendant(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunta Kinte | Kizzy | Chicken George | Tom Harvey | |||
| Part I (90m) | 1750 – 1767 | |||||
| Part II (90m) | 1767 | |||||
| Part III (45m) | Part III (90m) | 1776 | ||||
| Part IV (45m) | 1780 – 1790 | |||||
| Part V (45m) | Part IV (90m) | 1806 | ||||
| Part VI (90m) | 1824 | |||||
| Part V (90m) | 1841 – 1847 | |||||
| Part VII (45m) | 1861 – 1865 | |||||
| Part VIII (90m) | Part VI (90m) | 1865 – 1870 | ||||
Ratings and viewers
The miniseries was watched by an estimated 130 and 140 million viewers total and averaged a 44.9 rating 66% share of the audience. The final episode was watched by 100 million viewers and an average of 80 million viewers watched each of the last seven episodes. 85% of all television homes saw all or part of the mini-series.The ratings for all episodes were found here. All episodes rank within the top 100 rated TV shows of all time.
| Episode | All-time Ratings Ranking | Number of Households | Rating | Share | Date | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roots Part I | #82 | 28.84 million | 40.5% | 61% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part II | #32 | 31.40 million | 44.1% | 62% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part III | #27 | 31.90 million | 44.8% | 68% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part IV | #35 | 31.19 million | 43.8% | 66% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part V | #21 | 32.54 million | 45.7% | 71% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part VI | #18 | 32.68 million | 45.9% | 66% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part VII | #50 | 30.12 million | 42.3% | 65% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
|
| Roots Part VIII | #3 | 36.38 million | 51.1% | 71% | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
DVD release
Warner Home Video, which released a 25th-anniversary 3-disc DVD edition of the series in 2002, released a four-disc (three double-sided, one single-sided) 30th-anniversary set on May 22, 2007. Bonus features include a new audio commentary by LeVar Burton, Cicely TysonCicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson is an American actress. A successful stage actress, Tyson is also known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film Sounder and the television movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots....
and Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Edward Asner , commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Lou Grant on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant...
among other key cast members, "Remembering Roots" behind-the-scenes documentary, "Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated an Entire Nation" featurette, new interviews with key cast members and the DVD-ROM "Roots Family Tree" feature.
Awards won
Emmy Awards:- Best Director in a Drama Series – David GreeneDavid Greene (director)L. David Syms-Greene , born Lucius David Syms Brian Lederman, was a British television director from Manchester, England, who emigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1953, where he trained in television production with the CBC, and then moved on to Hollywood, California.Greene's career began as a stage...
for "Part I" - Best Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
- Best Editing in a Drama Series Neil Travis for "Part I"
- Best Limited Series
- Best Music Composition for a Series – Dramatic Underscore – Gerald FriedGerald FriedGerald Fried is an American musician, well known for his compositions in film and television.Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Fried attended Juilliard School of Music...
and Quincy JonesQuincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
for "Part I" - Best Sound Editing in a Series
- Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series, Single Appearance – Edward Asner for "Part I"
- Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series, Single Appearance – Olivia ColeOlivia ColeOlivia Cole is an American actress.-Biography:Cole was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Arvelia and William Cole. She was the first African-American actress to be nominated for and subsequently win an Emmy Award...
for "Part VIII" - Best Writing in a Drama Series – Ernest KinoyErnest Kinoy-Early life:Kinoy was born in New York City on April 1, 1925; his father and mother were both high-school teachers. His older brother Arthur Kinoy later became a leading constitutional lawyer. Kinoy attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School and later Columbia University, although his studies...
and William BlinnWilliam BlinnWilliam Frederick Blinn is an American screenwriter and television producer.-Career:Born in Toledo, Ohio, Blinn began his career in television in the 1960s. As a screenwriter, Blinn has written episodes of Rawhide, Here Come the Brides, Gunsmoke, The Rookies, and Fame...
for "Part II"
Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
:
- Best TV Series – Drama
Nominations
Emmy Awards:- Best Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – LeVar BurtonLeVar BurtonLevardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
for "Part I" - Best Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – John AmosJohn AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
for "Part V" - Best Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – Ben VereenBen VereenBen Vereen is an American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.- Early years :...
for "Part VI" - Best Actress in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – Madge SinclairMadge SinclairMadge Dorita Sinclair was a Jamaican American character actress.-Early years:Sinclair was born Madge Dorita Walters in Kingston, Jamaica, to Herbert and Jemima Walters. She was a teacher in Jamaica until 1968 when she left for New York to pursue her career in acting.-Career:In 1978, she starred in...
for "Part IV" - Best Actress in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Appearance – Leslie UggamsLeslie UggamsLeslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
for "Part VI" - Best Art Direction or Scenic Design in a Drama Series ("Part II")
- Best Art Direction or Scenic Design in a Drama Series ("Part VI")
- Best Costume Design in a Drama or Comedy Series – Jack Martell for "Part I"
- Best Cinematography in Entertainment Programming in a Series – Stevan Larner for "Part II"
- Best Cinematography in Entertainment Programming in a Series – Joseph M. Wilcots for "Part VII"
- Best Director in a Drama Series – John ErmanJohn ErmanJohn Erman is an American television and film director, actor and producer.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Erman spent the early years of his career, after a few small roles in films such as The Cosmic Man , directing episodes of such primetime series as Peyton Place, The Fugitive, The Outer Limits,...
for "Part II" - Best Director in a Drama Series – Marvin J. ChomskyMarvin J. ChomskyMarvin J. Chomsky is an American television and film director. He has also worked as a producer. He is a cousin of academic Noam Chomsky....
for "Part III" - Best Director in a Drama Series – Gilbert MosesGilbert MosesGilbert Moses III was an American stage, screen, and television director.-Early life and career:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Moses was the co-founder of the Free Southern Theater company, an important pioneer of African-American theatre...
for "Part VI" - Best Editing in a Drama Series – James T. Heckert and Neil Travis for "Part II"
- Best Editing in a Drama Series – (Peter Kirby for "Part III"
- Best Editing in a Drama Series – James T. Heckert for "Part VIII"
- Best Music Composition for a Series in a Dramatic Underscore – Gerald Fried for "Part VIII"
- Best Sound Mixing ("Part I")
- Best Sound Mixing ("Part IV")
- Best Sound Mixing ("Part VII")
- Best Sound Mixing ("Part VIII")
- Best Supporting Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series, Single Performance – Moses Gunn for "Part I"
- Best Supporting Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series – Ralph WaiteRalph WaiteRalph Waite is an American actor, whose most notable role was playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he also occasionally directed...
for "Part I" - Best Supporting Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series – Robert ReedRobert ReedRobert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
for "Part V" - Best Supporting Actress in a Drama or Comedy Series – Cicely Tyson for "Part I"
- Best Supporting Actress in a Drama or Comedy Series – Sandy Duncan for "Part V"
- Best Writing in a Drama Series – M. Charles Cohen for "Part VIII"
- Best Writing in a Drama Series – James Lee for "Part V"
Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
:
- Best TV Actress in a Drama – Leslie Uggams