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Lady Sings the Blues
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Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

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User Rating: 6.9/10 (975 votes)
Photos (see all 11 | slideshow)

Overview

Director:
Sidney J. Furie
Writers:
Chris Clark (screenplay)
Suzanne De Passe (screenplay)
(more)
Release Date:
12 October 1972 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Music more
Tagline:
Diana Ross IS Billie Holiday more
Plot:
The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Lost Ross Album To Be Released (From WENN. 8 May 2006)
Richard Pryor: 1940-2005 (From IMDb News. 10 December 2005)
User Comments:
Ross Fantastic but "Lady" coulda, shoulda... more

Cast

  (in credits order)

Diana Ross ... Billie Holiday

Billy Dee Williams ... Louis McKay

Richard Pryor ... Piano Man
James T. Callahan ... Reg Hanley (as James Callahan)
Paul Hampton ... Harry
Sid Melton ... Jerry
Virginia Capers ... Mama Holiday
Yvonne Fair ... Yvonne

Isabel Sanford ... The Madame
Tracee Lyles ... The Prostitute
Ned Glass ... The Agent
Milton Selzer ... The Doctor
Norman Bartold ... The Detective #1
Clay Tanner ... The Detective #2
Jester Hairston ... The Butler
Bert Kramer ... The Policeman
Paul Micale ... The Maitre d'
Michelle Aller ... The Singer
Byron Kane ... The Announcer
Barbara Minkus ... Radio Actress
Kay Lewis ... Angela DeMarco
Helen Lewis ... Debbie McGee
George Wyner ... The M.C.
Shirley Melline ... The Policewoman
Toby Russ ... The Jail Guard
Larry Duran ... Hood #1
Ernest Robinson ... Hood #2 (as Ernie Robinson)
Don McGovern ... Reporter #1
Dick Poston ... Reporter #2
Charles Woolf ... Reporter #3
Denise Denise ... Denise

Lynn Hamilton ... Aunt Ida
Victor Morosco ... Vic
Robert L. Gordy ... The Hawk
Harry Caesar ... The Rapist
Paulene Myers ... Mrs. Edson
Scatman Crothers ... Big Ben
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Darlene Conley
Jayne Kennedy ... Louis's date (uncredited)
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Directed by
Sidney J. Furie 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Chris Clark  screenplay
Suzanne De Passe  screenplay (as Suzanne de Passe)
William Dufty  book
Billie Holiday  book
Terence McCloy  screenplay

Produced by
Brad Dexter .... producer
Berry Gordy .... executive producer
Eddie Saeta .... associate producer
Jay Weston .... producer
James S. White .... producer
 
Original Music by
Michel Legrand 
 
Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo  (as John Alonzo)
 
Film Editing by
Argyle Nelson Jr.  (as Argyle Nelson)
 
Casting by
Joe Scully 
 
Production Design by
Carl Anderson 
 
Set Decoration by
Reg Allen 
 
Costume Design by
Ray Aghayan 
Bob Mackie 
 
Makeup Department
Cherie .... hair stylist
Don Schoenfeld .... makeup supervisor
 
Production Management
Millie Moore .... post-production supervisor
Eddie Saeta .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Washburn .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Gene Lauritzen .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
David Dockendorf .... sound re-recording mixer
Bill Ford .... sound mixer
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Hart .... gaffer
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Courtney .... costumes executed by
Norma Koch .... costumes
Frank Somper .... furs
 
Editorial Department
Roberta Adye .... associate editor
Paul LaMastra .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Gil Askey .... music supervisor
 
Other crew
Janet Hubbard .... researcher
Louis McKay .... technical advisor
Lawrence Schiller .... montages
Lawrence Schiller .... title designer
Judy St. Gerard .... creative consultant
 


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
144 min | West Germany:125 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 13% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Dorothy Dandridge was to star in the role of Billie Holiday in an earlier proposed film version of the singer's autobiography, but died before the film was made. more
Quotes:
The Rapist: I see what I want.
[motioning to Billie]
The Rapist: And this is it.
First Madame: Well, you can't always get what you see.
[Pulling him to the door]
First Madame: And since you don't want what you CAN get, you know where you can go. And this is it!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Growing Pains: Jason Sings the Blues (#7.6)" (1991) more
Soundtrack:
Tain't Nobody's Business more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 9 people found the following comment useful:-
Ross Fantastic but "Lady" coulda, shoulda..., 20 August 2001
7/10
Author: a_verruso from New York City

There is no question that no matter how extreme in the past or future Miss. Ross has been or will be (tantrums, bad albums, phoniness, bad publicity, touch me, don't touch me), she will always have this performance to look back on as a moment where everything worked perfectly.

The film is imperfect. Flawed. It could have been more realistic, more harrowing, and less hollywood-fied. Had it been, and had Motown not been so intent on proving itself as a major film force, she would have won the Oscar without question. The rumor had always been that in terms of voting it was "this close" as they say.

Even though she did not win, we are still left with a performance of depth, passion and layers that could only be described as magnificent in an experienced actress. In a neophyte, as Miss. Ross was at the time, it is stunning.

As a singer, She never before or since has sounded as good. The voice, while not really like Billie Holiday, just glows. Her musicality, intonation and idiomatic phrasing indicated a whole type of music she could have sung had she chosen too.

Watch it for her. It will make you think more kindly towards her the next time she, well, acts like Miss. Ross!

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Message Boards

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dorothy dandridge or diana rosss gonewiththewindlove
question about a certain scene chalik360-1
Best choice in a remake of new bio GreenEggandHams
Have not seen it. Why the R rating? jhudfan1
hot shot chalik360-1
Regina Spektor Tiffy70103
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