AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE: FIFTH OF JULY (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic anthology series. This program presents a television adaptation of Lanford Wilson's Broadway play about the reunion of two college friends, Gwen and Kenneth. After growing up in the Vietnam era, both are faced with adulthood as they try to find a way to revive their dreams of a better world. On the day of the funeral of a mutual friend, Gwen and her husband visit Kenneth, who is now a handicapped Vietnam veteran living with his family and his lover, Jed. At the reunion, several facets of the relationship between Gwen and Kenneth emerge, and, through their recollections an entire era is revived.
(Actress Swoosie Kurtz recreates her role from the Broadway original, for which she received the 1981 Tony Award in the category of Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play. This program received the Media Award from the Alliance of Gay Artists in Entertainment.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Blake Byrne.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: May 10, 1983 Friday
- RUNNING TIME: 1:57:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:21343
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Gays - Drama; Vietnam veterans - Drama; LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1982 -
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Lindsay Law … Executive Producer
- Roger Downey … Coordinating Producer
- Sam Paul … Producer
- Susie Fasbinder … Associate Producer
- Marshall W. Mason … Director
- Kirk Browning … Director
- Lanford Wilson … Writer
- Michael Small … Theme Music by
- Richard Kiley … Announcer
- Jonathan Hogan … Music by
- Richard Thomas … Cast, Kenneth Talley, Jr.
- Jeff Daniels … Cast, Jed Jenkins
- Swoosie Kurtz … Cast, Gwen Landis
- Jonathan Hogan … Cast, John Landis
- Joyce Reehling Christopher … Cast, June Talley
- Helen Stenborg … Cast, Sally Friedman
- Danton Stone … Cast, Weston Hurley
- Cynthia Nixon … Cast, Shirley Talley