The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (film) - Wikipedia

Cicely Tyson as Jane Pittman, 1974.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is a 1974 American television film based on the novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines. The film was broadcast on CBS.

The film was directed by John Korty; the screenplay was written by Tracy Keenan Wynn and executive produced by Roger Gimbel.[1][2] It stars Cicely Tyson in the lead role, as well as Michael Murphy, Richard Dysart, Katherine Helmond, and Odetta. The film was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana[3] and was notable for its use of very realistic special effects makeup by Stan Winston and Rick Baker for the lead character, who is shown from ages 23 to 110.[4] The film is distributed through Classic Media.

Synopsis [ edit ]

The time is the early 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Jane, a former slave, is celebrating her 110th birthday. Two men tell her that a little girl is going to a segregated water fountain; she gets arrested because she's black. The next day Jane is interviewed by a journalist and she tells the story of her life. The climax of the story shows Jane going to the water fountain to desegregate it; her lifespan has bridged the time of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement.

Cast [ edit ]

• Cicely Tyson as Jane Pittman
• Richard Dysart as Master Bryant
• Odetta as Big Laura
• Michael Murphy as Quentin Lerner
• Rod Perry as Joe Pittman
• Arnold Wilkerson as Jimmy
• Will Hare as Albert Cluveau
• Katherine Helmond as Lady at House
• Thalmus Rasulala as Ned Douglas
• Barbara Chaney as Amma Dean

Awards [ edit ]

• Directors Guild of America Award
• Nine Emmy Awards[5]
  • Actress of the Year (Cicely Tyson)
  • Best Directing in Drama
  • Best Lead Actress in a Drama
  • Best Music Composition for a Special Program (Fred Karlin)
  • Best Writing in Drama (Tracy Keenan Wynn)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design (Bruce Walkup and Sandra Stewart)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Makeup (Stan Winston and Rick Baker)
  • Outstanding Special - Comedy or Drama
  • Outstanding Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts (Lynda Gurasich, hairstylist)
• Nominated for a BAFTA award

See also [ edit ]

• Mama Flora's Family, 1998 historical fiction film in which Tyson also leads the cast

References [ edit ]

1. ^ "Passings: Roger Gimbel, 86, producer of made-for-TV movies; John Cossette, 54, longtime Grammy Awards' executive producer; W. Barclay Kamb, 79, Caltech professor specialized in glacial sciences". Los Angeles Times. April 29, 2011 . Retrieved May 1, 2011 .
2. ^ "Roger Gimbel, Emmy-winning TV producer, dies at 86; worked with Bing Crosby, Sophia Loren". Newser. Associated Press. April 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011 . Retrieved May 1, 2011 .
3. ^ The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, New York Times.
4. ^ Timpone, Anthony (1996). Men, makeup, and monsters: Hollywood's masters of illusion and FX. Macmillan. p. 40. ISBN 0-312-14678-7.
5. ^ IMDB Awards

External links [ edit ]

• The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman at IMDb