The Temptations (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Allan Arkush

Writers (WGA):

Robert Johnson (teleplay) and
Kevin Arkadie (teleplay)

Release Date:

1 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

The unforgettable story of one of Motown's hottest acts.

Plot:

Biography of the singers who formed the hit Motown muisical act, The Temptations.

Plot Keywords:

Motown | Singer | 1960s | Soul Music | Record Producer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Charles Malik Whitfield	...	Otis Williams
D.B. Woodside	...	Melvin Franklin
Terron Brooks	...	Eddie Kendricks
Christian Payton	...	Paul Williams
Leon	...	David Ruffin
Alan Rosenberg	...	Shelly Berger
Tina Lifford	...	Haze
Jenifer Lewis	...	Mama Rose
Gina Ravera	...	Josephine
Obba Babatundé	...	Berry Gordy
Erik Michael Tristan	...	Smokey Robinson
J. August Richards	...	Richard Street
Harold Surratt	...	Edgar
Charles Ley	...	Dennis Edwards
Vanessa Bell Calloway	...	Johnnie Mae Matthews
Mel Jackson	...	Norman Whitfield
Rhonda Ross Kendrick	...	Maxine
Vincent A. Ponder	...	James 'Pee-Wee' Crawford
Chaz Lamar Shepherd	...	Elbridge 'Al' Bryant
Stevland Parks	...	Lamont, age 12
Christopher Reid	...	Joltin' Joe
Chrystal Bates	...	Mrs. Rogers
Bianca Lawson	...	Diana Ross
Melissa Mercedes Cardello	...	Florence Ballard
Taifa Harris	...	Mary Wilson
N'Tasha A. Pierre	...	Martha Reeves
Ricky Fante	...	Marvin Gaye
Russell Clark	...	Cholly Atkins
Adam Lazarre-White	...	Flynn
Benjamin J. Cain Jr.	...	Glenn Leonard
Peter Anthony
Tommy Lafitte	...	Drug Dealer
Lamman Rucker	...	Jimmy Ruffin
Nyjah Moore	...	Tammi Terrell
Danni Vasser
Jonnie Brown	...	Damon Harris
Charles Brown
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ronnie Beasley	...	The Voice Masters
Stephanie Bertoni	...	Various characters
Thomas Martell Brimm	...	Barber
Albridge Bryant	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Ezra S. Coles	...	The Voice Masters
Marcel Curges	...	The Cadillacs
Anthony Dixon	...	The Cadillacs
Dennis Edwards	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Melvin Franklin	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Michael Fullmer
Shelly Hall	...	Grocery Lady
Shelton Hall	...	Allan age 8
Tony Haris	...	Principal Dancer
Eric Hersh	...	Concert Member
Amanda Iwanonkiw	...	Family friend
Jesse Iwanonkiw	...	FAMILY FRIEND
Eddie Kendricks	...	(archive sound)
Robert Knowles	...	The Cadillacs
Mandell Loman	...	The Voice Masters
Larry John Meyers	...	Dr. Klein
Martha Reeves	...	(archive sound)
Smokey Robinson	...	Himself
Thomas Ross	...	The Cadillacs
David Ruffin	...	Man in Coppa Cabana (archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Tim Stevens	...	Hall of Fame Presenter
Richard Street	...	(archive sound) (also as The Temptations)
Maurice Walker	...	The Voice Masters
James R. Whittington	...	The Cadillacs
Otis Williams	...	(archive sound)
Paul Williams	...	(archive sound)
Carl Clemons	...	Motown family member (uncredited)
John W. Iwanonkiw	...	Singing cop (uncredited)
Diondre Jones	...	Lamont - age 18 (uncredited)
Jason David McFadden	...	Student On Sidewalk (uncredited)
Aisha Renée Moore	...	School girl (uncredited)
Franklin Westbrooks	...	Trumpet player (uncredited)
John Yost	...	Visiting Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Arkush

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Johnson		(teleplay) and
Kevin Arkadie		(teleplay)

Produced by
Jay Benson	....	producer
Shelly Berger	....	co-producer
Suzanne Coston	....	executive producer
Suzanne De Passe	....	executive producer
David V. Picker	....	executive producer
Helen Robin	....	associate producer
Deborah Edell Underwood	....	associate producer
Otis Williams	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Jamie Anderson

Film Editing by
John Duffy
Neil Mandelberg

Casting by
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Canice Kennedy
Robyn M. Mitchell

Production Design by
Cary White

Art Direction by
Ed Vega

Set Decoration by
Diana Stoughton

Costume Design by
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

Makeup Department
Sterfon Demings	....	key hair stylist
Rachel Geary	....	additional makeup
Rachel Kick	....	additional makeup artist
Wynona Price	....	makeup supervisor
Julia L. Walker	....	key hair stylist
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker
Patty Bell	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Frederic B. Blankfein	....	unit production manager
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Estelle Collins	....	second assistant director
Deborah A. Dell'Amico	....	additional first assistant director
Carol Green	....	first assistant director
Kristina M. Peterson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Chuck Askerneese	....	assistant property master
Robert Buncher	....	construction foreman
Darien N. D'Alfonso	....	scenic artist
Bill Dalzell	....	second on-set dresser
Thomas J. Garrigan	....	assistant property master
Jim Heastings	....	set dresser
Eva Kamienska-Carter	....	set designer
Kenneth J. Kellers	....	lead man
Dick Kyker	....	property master
Travis Gale Lewis	....	swing gang
Mary O'Brien	....	on-set dresser
Buster Pile	....	construction coordinator
Gregory Puchalski	....	scenic artist
Gregory Puchalski	....	signwriter
Diane Sunderlin	....	art department coordinator
Casey Brown	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Richard Alexander)
Suzanne Angel	....	sound editor
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kristi Johns	....	adr supervisor
Michael A. Patillo	....	boom operator
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Rich Rogers)
Russell Williams II	....	sound mixer
Ronald L. Wright	....	cable person
Lou Thomas	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Trey Freeman	....	digital compositor: Anderson Video

Stunts
David Sanders	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Alexander Andres	....	camera loader
Kevin C. Brady	....	electrician
Kevin Brady	....	rigging electrics
Jarrett Buba	....	electrician
Daniel Casey	....	video assistant
Gregory L. Edwards	....	dolly grip
Michael S. Endler	....	first assistant camera
John Evans	....	electrician
Jimmy Ferguson	....	second assistant camera
Bart Flaherty	....	key grip
Michael Ginsburg	....	still photographer
Russell McElhatton	....	camera operator (as Russ McElhatton)
Frank McGough	....	best boy electric
Brian Powers	....	rigging grip
Keith Seymour	....	grip
Doug Stanczak	....	additional grip
Harry Greenberger	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Noah Harlan	....	casting associate
Megan Taylor	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe Diaz	....	costumer
Lillian Lanette Little	....	key costumer (as Lanette Little)
Catherine Peña	....	wardrobe production assistant
Gregory B. Peña	....	key costumer
Hugo Peña	....	costume supervisor
Ron Recio	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Anthony Atamanuik	....	post-production
Wade Felker	....	film-to-tape colorist
Frank Morgenstern	....	post-production coordinator
Lauren A. Schaffer	....	additional editor
Howard Scott Stein	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Mark Agostino	....	music playback operator
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	conductor
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	music supervisor
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	musical director
Kevin Crehan	....	music editor
Tanya Noel Hill	....	assistant music editor
Eddie Kendricks	....	composer: songs "The Girl's Alright With Me", "Keep On Truckin'"
Joseph Magee	....	scoring mixer
Tom Villano	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Mario Simon	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Anthony Atamanuik	....	production assistant
Angela M. Da Costa	....	stand-in
Amy D'Alessandro	....	titles
Cindy French	....	assistant to producers
Ellen Gannon	....	production coordinator
Larry Geyer	....	key set production assistant
Paula Gregg	....	key craft services
Keith Harris	....	production assistant
Stephen Hough	....	location assistant
David 'Yoko' Jose	....	production assistant
Bruce Lawhead	....	location manager
Lynn Lewis Lovett	....	script supervisor (as Lynn Lewis)
James A. Mahathey	....	assistant location manager
Hope Anne Nathan	....	assistant location manager
Jan Nizen	....	production accountant
Steve Parys	....	location scout
Christopher Sararo	....	assistant to director
Chris Stavrakis	....	location production assistant
Jeffrey R. Stimmel	....	location manager (as Jeff Stimmel)
April Weitzel	....	assistant location manager

Production Companies

• De Passe Entertainment
• Hallmark Entertainment

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1998) (USA) (TV)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Polyband (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Runtime:

USA:150 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

De Passe Entertainment

Trivia:

Otis Williams' ex-wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose, and David Ruffin's family, filed suit against Williams, Motown, De Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for use of their likenesses in the film, defamation of character, and emotional distress. The plaintiffs claimed that they and/or their relatives and certain events were portrayed inaccurately. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants. The plaintiffs appealed but the original ruling was upheld. Otis Williams later stated that while his book was the source material for the film, he did not have control over the making of the film.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During the scene when the Temptations were recording "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - the actor playing Dennis Edwards is shown singing parts of the song that were actually sung by Richard Street. In the actual song, Richard Street sings the part toward the end of the 2nd verse, "Heard some talk about Papa doing some store front preaching / Talkin' about saving souls and all the time leeching / Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord." Richard also sings lead during the 2nd chorus - and sings these lines during the 3rd verse, "Hey Mama, folk say that Papa was never much on thinking / Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking." Yet, in the movie, the actor playing Dennis Edwards is shown singing all of these parts.

Quotes:

David Ruffin: I sang "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and look what they did to me. Pretty soon, Paul's gonna be gone and that's your boy. Just wait till the next hit, they'll come after you next. You better quit while you still have some dignity, Corn.
Eddie Kendricks: You don't know what you're talking about, Ruff.
David Ruffin: You better leave before you get fired.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

Fantastic doesn't even begin to describe this movie!!!

"The Temptations" mini-series was an excellent film!! Terron Brooks(Eddie Kendricks), DB Woodside(Melvin Franklin), Charles Malik Whitfield(Otis Williams), Christian Payton(Paul Williams), and Leon(David Ruffin) do a fantastic job of portraying the fabulous five! This movie is based on Otis Williams' book and the storyline is incredible. Once I saw it for the first time, I was definitely hooked on it. Now I watch it at least once a week. I can't get the songs out of my head, and I am now an even bigger fan of The Temptations. The cool thing about it is that Brooks, Payton, and Woodside are actually singing the parts! I would recommend this movie to any music lover!!