The original 1977 ABC intro promo:

Lonette is also in another great miniseries, The Women of Brewster Place. Perhaps you've heard me mention it? She and Paula Kelly play a lesbian couple and they have some of the most powerful scenes in the piece.

So I'm watching Roots now, have been off and on all day. SO DAMN GOOD. What a hell of a soap this would have made, stretching out the stories for years. Such a great cast and I get so sad when a character passes away and we no longer see the great actor.

The Kizzy/Missy Anne stuff was great and I'm sorry that I missed them as kids (Missy Gold). Their final scene was so satisfying, though I wish Kizzy hadn't stopped at the spit and yanked her out of that carriage and mollywhopped her. Leslie Uggams is so radiant and strong. And Sandy Duncan's voice is just out of this world, it rings like a bell. Would have been perfect for cartoons. "You're not my little nigger baby doll anymore! "

I had no idea Brad Davis was so short.

Edited December 23, 201212 yr by SFK

Lonette is also in another great miniseries, The Women of Brewster Place. Perhaps you've heard me mention it?

Oh gosh... is that the one where the baby tries to kill a cockroach crawling into an electric outlet with scissors and gets eletrocuted and dies? I remember Oprah and the other women tearing down that brick wall in the rainstorm. There was some stellar acting in that.

Oh gosh... is that the one where the baby tries to kill a cockroach crawling into an electric outlet with scissors and gets eletrocuted and dies? I remember Oprah and the other women tearing down that brick wall in the rainstorm. There was some stellar acting in that.

That is correct!

It was a 3 part mini series starring Halle Berry. Queen was Alex Haley's paternal grandmother. Her mother was half black/half native american and her father was the slave master. It tells her story, she tries passing for white for a little while and ends up being diagnosed as a schizophrenic later in life. It was really good, it first aired on CBS in the early 90's.

Yes, I remember now. It was something I had blocked out until now. Sigh...

The Kizzy/Missy Anne stuff was great and I'm sorry that I missed them as kids (Missy Gold). Their final scene was so satisfying, though I wish Kizzy hadn't stopped at the spit and yanked her out of that carriage and mollywhopped her. Leslie Uggams is so radiant and strong. And Sandy Duncan's voice is just out of this world, it rings like a bell. Would have been perfect for cartoons. "You're not my little nigger baby doll anymore! "

I had no idea Brad Davis was so short.

Watching again! Absolutely epic, and some of the strongest acting ever!

Watching this at 45 is so much different than watching as a teen. While a magnificent production, I can't remember the last time I cringed so much! Yes, there were many vile characters, but if I had to choose which character to bury alive, it would have been Missy Ann - one of the most vapid self absorbed demonic bitches I've ever seen on a show (Sandy Duncan was great). Even her uncle looked sick at the sight of her!

There were some good performers, great actors (LeVar Burton, Sandy Duncan, Robert Reed, Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, Louis Gossett JR, etc), and then the person who stole the show, Madge Sinclair! She gave some of the most powerful performances I'd ever seen. Absolutely broke my heart when Kizzy was sold, a performance for the golden vault!

Have to add this to my collection...

So I'm watching Roots now, have been off and on all day. SO DAMN GOOD. What a hell of a soap this would have made, stretching out the stories for years. Such a great cast and I get so sad when a character passes away and we no longer see the great actor.

I actually had never seen Roots before. I had just never got around to watching it. But I watched some of it yesterday and a lot of it today and it is stellar. Very good miniseries and a lot of very talented actors. A lot of great black actors and some pretty good actors that had starred in Westerns (Chuck Connors, Lorne Green, etc.) There is not a character from Kunta Kinte's family that I don't care about/sympathizie with/root for. I care about him, his wife, Kizzie, Chicken George, his wife (Matlida), Tom, his wife Irene (Lynne Moody is lovely) etc... It's nice to see how each episode gives you another character to root for. It's sad when one passes away, but it's nice to see how their children/family members from another generation continue on.

I remember watching Queen but that was a long time ago. I will probably try and catch what I can of that tomorrow.

Edited December 24, 201212 yr by xtr

Oh gosh... is that the one where the baby tries to kill a cockroach crawling into an electric outlet with scissors and gets eletrocuted and dies? I remember Oprah and the other women tearing down that brick wall in the rainstorm. There was some stellar acting in that.

Baby Serena, that was SO sad. The scene where Mattie rocks Ciele back to life after the death of the baby is so touching.

God bless the many famous white actors in Roots who played their parts so unappologetically.

BTW. Robert Reed and Sandy Duncan looked straight out of Dark Shadows.

I actually had never seen Roots before. I had just never got around to watching it. But I watched some of it yesterday and a lot of it today and it is stellar. Very good miniseries and a lot of very talented actors. A lot of great black actors and some pretty good actors that had starred in Westerns (Chuck Connors, Lorne Green, etc.) There is not a character from Kunta Kinte's family that I don't care about/sympathizie with/root for. I care about him, his wife, Kizzie, Chicken George, his wife (Matlida), Tom, his wife Irene (Lynne Moody is lovely) etc... It's nice to see how each episode gives you another character to root for. It's sad when one passes away, but it's nice to see how their children/family members from another generation continue on.

Exactly how I feel. Tom's was actually the one I was most interested in. In The Next Generation mini series, it was so sad to see him go try and vote for the very first time and then they told him he had to read a passage as one of the requirements. It was so sad seeing him struggle to read

Wasn't Debbi Morgan in The Next Generations? I think she played Tom's daughter, she wanted to marry someone but he wouldn't let her because the boy was too light-skinned.

God bless the many famous white actors in Roots who played their parts so unappologetically.

BTW. Robert Reed and Sandy Duncan looked straight out of Dark Shadows.

My dad was telling me today how a lot of those white actors at that time, really wanted to be apart of Roots. They really did play their parts well and believably. I thought that Chuck Connors in particular was very convincing in his role as Chicken George's father Tom. It's interesting to see watch the characters these actors played in Roots. I usually watch a lot of them on their old Western TV shows. My dad has always loved Western movies and tv shows, and I've gotten into them as well.

Exactly how I feel. Tom's was actually the one I was most interested in. In The Next Generation mini series, it was so sad to see him go try and vote for the very first time and then they told him he had to read a passage as one of the requirements. It was so sad seeing him struggle to read

Wasn't Debbi Morgan in The Next Generations? I think she played Tom's daughter, she wanted to marry someone but he wouldn't let her because the boy was too light-skinned.

I'm not sure if Debbi Morgan was in the Next Generations. I actually haven't seen that mini series yet either, but I will try and catch at least some of it on Christmas Day. It wouldn't surprise me if she was in it though. They did have a whole lot of good black actors in the mini series. In addition to some of the black actors already mentioned, I also spotted Todd Bridges as one of Tom's children, Maya Angelou as Kunta Kinte's grandmother and also I think the actor that played Raj's dad on "What's Happening". ( I think he might have been Kunta's dad?)

Edited December 24, 201212 yr by xtr

Yeah Debbi was in it, I just checked.

I actually had never seen Roots before. I had just never got around to watching it. But I watched some of it yesterday and a lot of it today and it is stellar. Very good miniseries and a lot of very talented actors. A lot of great black actors and some pretty good actors that had starred in Westerns (Chuck Connors, Lorne Green, etc.) There is not a character from Kunta Kinte's family that I don't care about/sympathizie with/root for. I care about him, his wife, Kizzie, Chicken George, his wife (Matlida), Tom, his wife Irene (Lynne Moody is lovely) etc... It's nice to see how each episode gives you another character to root for. It's sad when one passes away, but it's nice to see how their children/family members from another generation continue on.

I remember watching Queen but that was a long time ago. I will probably try and catch what I can of that tomorrow.

Is Queen coming on tomorrow? I remember when that came out but I never watched it. In what world did Halle pass??

Does anyone remember the TV movie "The Liberators"? It was a Disney Sunday night movie about the underground railroad. It was really good but I haven't seen it since it aired in '87.

I'm not sure if Debbi Morgan was in the Next Generations. I actually haven't seen that mini series yet either, but I will try and catch at least some of it on Christmas Day. It wouldn't surprise me if she was in it though. They did have a whole lot of good black actors in the mini series. In addition to some of the black actors already mentioned, I also spotted Todd Bridges as one of Tom's children, Maya Angelou as Kunta Kinte's grandmother and also I think the actor that played Raj's dad on "What's Happening". ( I think he might have been Kunta's dad?)

Yes, Thalmus Rasula was in it.

Chuck Connors' character was pretty darn despicable. I don't know how he and Leslie Uggams made a Ben Vereen, though.

Edited December 24, 201212 yr by SFK

Baby Serena, that was SO sad. The scene where Mattie rocks Ciele back to life after the death of the baby is so touching.

God bless the many famous white actors in Roots who played their parts so unappologetically.

BTW. Robert Reed and Sandy Duncan looked straight out of Dark Shadows.

Sigh...there was some superior acting. Robert Reed especially! When his character talked about the slaves and how they were treated by bounty hunters, he had in his corner. Then he'd follow up a compassionate statement with how a broken slave would harm the economy. He was dead serious. I thought he did such a wonderful job with not liking the savagery while reminding the slaves they were property. I have to admit that his line to Fiddler about how his brother paid his debt with subpar slaves gave me a bit of a chuckle. It was heinous but RR's delivery was really on poiint. Lorne Greene and Chuck Connors were great as well. Exceptional cast!

Yeah Debbi was in it, I just checked.

Debbi is also in Mandingo (nude, too).

Is Queen coming on tomorrow? I remember when that came out but I never watched it. In what world did Halle pass??

Does anyone remember the TV movie "The Liberators"? It was a Disney Sunday night movie about the underground railroad. It was really good but I haven't seen it since it aired in '87.

Yes, Thalmus Rasula was in it.

Chuck Connors' character was pretty darn despicable. I don't know how he and Leslie Uggams made a Ben Vereen, though.

Queen comes on December 26.

I always did question Ben Vereen being casted a bi-racial person.

And LMAO about Halle. When I saw it for the first on Lifetime about 10 years ago, it was so clear she was had African American in her with makeup to lighten her skin. Like I said earlier Lonette McKee should've played her, but it is what it is.

Edited December 24, 201212 yr by Eric83