And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

David Burton Morris

Writers (WGA):

Sonny Bono (book)
Ellen Weston (teleplay)

Release Date:

22 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on the autobiography of Sonny Bono, this film focuses on the volatile relationship between Sonny (Jay Underwood) and Cher (Renee Faia) during the early 60's to their divorce in the late 70's. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Book

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins

Cast

Jay Underwood	...	Sonny Bono
Renee Faia	...	Cher
Jim Pirri	...	Buddy Black
Laura Johnson	...	Georgia LaPierre
Christian Leffler	...	Phil Spector
Walter Franks	...	Little Richard
Bruce Nozick	...	Art Rupe
Marie Wilson	...	Mary Bono
Tom Frykman	...	David Letterman
Matthew Chaffee	...	Brian Stone
Thomas Tofel	...	Charlie Green
Carl Gilliard	...	Bumps Blackwell
Susan Ilene Johnson	...	Miriam
Christine Brent	...	Melissa
Shaun Duke	...	Enzo (as Duke Moosekian)
Vinny Argiro	...	Tony
Larry Milburn	...	Beefy Guy
Perris Knight	...	Sandy
Phill Miller	...	Abe Lastfogel
Mahryah Shain	...	David Geffen
Maurice Chasse	...	Chastity Director
Jess Harnell	...	Sonny Bono (singing voice)
Kelly van Hoose Smith	...	Cher (singing voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sonny Bono	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Chris Guzzi	...	Mob guy at bar (uncredited)
David E. Harshbarger	...	Studio Employee (uncredited)
Doug Lacy	...	Conductor, Pianist (uncredited)
Bear McCreary	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Directed by
David Burton Morris

Writing credits (WGA)
Sonny Bono		(book "And the Beat Goes On")
Ellen Weston		(teleplay)

Produced by
Mary Bono	....	co-executive producer
Daniel Schneider	....	producer
Larry A. Thompson	....	executive producer (as Larry Thompson)
Ellen Weston	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Robert F. Mann		(as Bob Mann)
Steve Tyrell

Cinematography by
Anthony B. Richmond

Film Editing by
Michael S. Murphy

Casting by
Donna Ekholdt

Production Design by
James J. Agazzi		(as James Agazzi)

Set Decoration by
Alexander Carle

Costume Design by
Van Broughton Ramsey

Makeup Department
Stuart Artingstall	....	wig designer
Susan A. Cabral	....	key makeup artist (as Susan Cabral)
Joe Hailey	....	makeup artist
Tim Jones	....	hair stylist (as Timothy Jones)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	prosthetic makeup artist (as Matthew Mungle)
Marlene D. Williams	....	key hair stylist (as Marlene Williams)

Production Management
Daniel Schneider	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jorge L. Baron	....	second second assistant director (as Jorge Baron)
Jules Kovisars	....	second assistant director
Jerram A. Swartz	....	first assistant director (as Jerram Swartz)

Art Department
David E. Harshbarger	....	propmaker (as David Harshbarger)
Jim Weda	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Robert J. Anderson Jr.	....	sound mixer (as Robert Anderson)
Collin Campbell	....	sound utility
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Kristi Johns	....	adr editor
Kenneth C. Mantlo	....	boom operator (as Kenneth Mantlo)
Joseph Melody	....	sound supervisor (as Joe Melody)

Special Effects by
John Roth	....	special effects (uncredited)
Eddie Surkin	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Alarian	....	gaffer
Tyger Belton	....	first assistant camera
David Berryman	....	second assistant camera (as Dave Berryman)
Chris Cuevas	....	camera loader
Jerry Day	....	key grip
Kenji Luster	....	Steadicam operator
Daniel L. Turrett	....	camera operator (as Dan Turrett)

Casting Department
Janet Cunningham	....	extras casting
Caroline Freeman	....	casting assistant
Burton Sharp	....	voice casting
Orly Sitowitz	....	casting associate
Marcia Turner	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Henrikson	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Scott Arundale	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bobby Ginsburg	....	music editor
Evan Greenspan	....	music clearances (as Evan M. Greenspan)
Robert F. Mann	....	musical arrangement (as Bob Mann)
Steve Tyrell	....	supervising music producer

Transportation Department
Wayne Flowers Jr.	....	driver: production van
Mario Simon	....	transportation coordinator
Gil Talamantes	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Michael Aldy	....	production assistant
Edward Cass	....	assistant production coordinator (as Ted Cass)
Tami Cassell	....	adr loop group
Joy Ellison	....	dialect coach
Robert G. Endara II	....	production coordinator
Dianne Ketchum Friedgen	....	location manager (as Dianne Ketchum)
Miranda Garrison	....	choreographer
Larry K. Johnson	....	script supervisor (as Larry Johnson)
Kelly LeBlanc	....	assistant to executive producers
Andrea Scharf	....	stock footage
Kelly Thompson	....	assistant to executive producer (as Kelly Le Blanc)

Production Companies

• Larry Thompson Organization

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Echo Sound Services  sound editing
• F-Stop Film & Video  titles and opticals
• Laser Pacific  color & electronics laboratory
• Otto Nemenz International  moviecam cameras supplied by

Also Known As:

The Sonny and Cher Story (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

120 min | UK:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Larry Thompson Organization

Quotes:

Sonny Bono: [narrating] Life was grey, music was technicolor.

Movie Connections:

References Moonstruck (1987)

Soundtrack:

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Not Bad

I thought it would be really cheesier than it was. I like the fact that Renee who played Cher did an excellent job and Jay who played Sonny did an interesting job, though I had never thought of who would ever play him. Sonny seemed like an interesting man himself so to rekindle that seemed hard. I thought that the screen version of The Beat Goes On was pretty good. The lip singing was horrible, but unless you actually were the one who sang it, it would be hard to recreate. I especially like the end of the movie - I thought that was pretty classic. It was nice to show some footage of the real Sonny. I thought that it could use some footage of Cher too, but I guess since it was Sonny's book than it's ok. Last but not least for those who missed it, it was something worth watching for the two hours.