TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, THE (TV)
Summary
This Peabody Award-winning drama is based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American fighter pilots to serve in the Army Air Corps in World War II. The story begins with the arrival of Hannibal Lee, Walter Peoples, and Billy "A-Train" Roberts at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, where the men are to be trained as combat pilots. At Tuskegee, Lee, Peoples, Roberts, and the rest of the African Americans chosen to participate in the Army's "experimental" training of black soldiers for combat, must overcome the obstacles placed before them, including the prejudice of Major Joy, who, though assigned to train them, is determined to thwart their efforts at every turn. Though dogged by the demoralizing death of Peoples and the determination of the racist Senator Conyers to prove them biologically incapable of achievement, Cadets Lee, Train, Leroy, Cappy, and others graduate, are given the rank of Lieutenant, and sent to an air base in Morocco to serve in the war. In Morocco, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin O. Davis -- the first African-American West Point graduate -- Lee, Train, and Cappy fly their first missions, but are frustrated by the lack of air combat caused by their distance from the war front and the continuing racism they face from the white pilots with whom they are stationed. When Cappy accidentally dies while on a mission, Sen. Conyers uses his death as proof of the Tuskegee program's flaws; through a stirring testimonial before a Senate committee hearing, Davis puts the Tuskegee men in the position to prove their worth in combat situations. Though faced with even more deaths and prejudice, the men prove their bravery and skill, and are honored with medals, promotions, and prize assignments in recognition of their achievements.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: August 26, 1995 Saturday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:46:20
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:42738
- GENRE: Docudrama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Docudrama; African Americans (See also: Blacks); World War II - Drama; African-American Collection; African-American Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1995
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frank Price … Executive Producer
- Robert Williams … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
- Bill Carraro … Producer
- Carol Bahoric … Co-Producer
- Robert Markowitz … Director
- T. S. Cook … Writer
- Trey Ellis … Writer
- Ron Hutchinson … Writer
- Paris Qualles … Writer
- Lee Holdridge … Music by
- Laurence Fishburn … Cast, Hannibal Lee
- Allen Payne … Cast, Walter Peoples
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner … Cast, Leroy Cappy
- Courtney Vance … Cast, Lt. Glenn
- Andre Braugher … Cast, Benjamin O. Davis
- Chris McDonald … Cast, Major Joy
- Daniel Hugh Kelly … Cast, Col. Rogers
- Mekhi Phifer … Cast, Lewis Johns
- John Lithgow … Cast, Senator Conyers
- Cuba Gooding … Cast, Billy Roberts