Roots (1977)

The Saga of an American Family.

The epic tale of celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors as portrayed in the acclaimed twelve hour mini-series Roots, was first told in his 1976 bestseller Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The docu-drama covers a period of history that begins in mid-1700s Gambia, West Africa and concludes during post-Civil War United States, over 100 years later. This 1977 miniseries eventually won 9 Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, and a Peabody award, and still stands as the most watched miniseries in U.S. history.

Roots

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Robert Reed
Robert Reed
as Dr. William Reynolds
Olivia Cole
Olivia Cole
as Mathilda
Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen
as Chicken George Moore
Louis Gossett Jr.
Louis Gossett Jr.
as Fiddler
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
as Kizzy Reynolds as Kizzy Reynolds Moore
Lynda Day George
Lynda Day George
as Mrs. Reynolds
John Amos
John Amos
as Kunta Kinte
Madge Sinclair
Madge Sinclair
as Bell Reynolds
LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
as Kunta Kinte
Ji-Tu Cumbuka
Ji-Tu Cumbuka
as Wrestler
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
as Tom Moore
Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene
as John Reynolds
Ralph Waite
Ralph Waite
as Slater
Ren Woods
Ren Woods
as Fanta
Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
as Missy Anne Reynolds
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
as Noah
Tanya Boyd
Tanya Boyd
as Genelva
Thayer David
Thayer David
as Harlan
Ed Asner
Ed Asner
as Capt. Thomas Davies
Vic Morrow
Vic Morrow
as Ames
Fred D. Scott
Fred D. Scott
as Luther
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
as Evan Brent
Georg Stanford Brown
Georg Stanford Brown
as Tom Harvey
Brad Davis
Brad Davis
as 'Old' George Johnson
Hilly Hicks
Hilly Hicks
as Lewis Harvey
Lynne Moody
Lynne Moody
as Irene Harvey
Lillian Randolph
Lillian Randolph
as Sister Sara
Richard McKenzie
Richard McKenzie
as Sam Harvey
Sally Kemp
Sally Kemp
as Lila Harvey
Austin Stoker
Austin Stoker
as Virgil Harvey
Lane Binkley
Lane Binkley
as Martha Johnson
Stan Haze
Stan Haze
as Field Singer
Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson
as Binta
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
as Mrs. Moore
O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
as Kadi Touray
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
as Nyo Boto
Moses Gunn
Moses Gunn
as Kintango
Thalmus Rasulala
Thalmus Rasulala
as Omoro
Hari Rhodes
Hari Rhodes
as Brima Cesay
William Watson
William Watson
as Gardner
Ernest Lee Thomas
Ernest Lee Thomas
as Kailuba
Paul Shenar
Paul Shenar
as John Carrington
Tina Andrews
Tina Andrews
as Aurelia
Richard Roundtree
Richard Roundtree
as Sam Bennett
Macdonald Carey
Macdonald Carey
as Squire James
Scatman Crothers
Scatman Crothers
as Mingo
George Hamilton
George Hamilton
as Stephen Bennett
Ian McShane
Ian McShane
as Sir Eric Russell
Pat Corley
Pat Corley
as Referee
Macon McCalman
Macon McCalman
as Poston
Robert Phalen
Robert Phalen
as Rufus Jackson
Wayne Heffley
Wayne Heffley
as Telegrapher
John Schuck
John Schuck
as Ordell
Brion James
Brion James
as Slaver
Richard Farnsworth
Richard Farnsworth
as Trumbull
Raymond St. Jacques
Raymond St. Jacques
as The Drummer
Lee de Broux
Lee de Broux
as Trumbull
Allen Williams
Allen Williams
as Robert Calvert
Charles Cyphers
Charles Cyphers
as Fred Drake
Todd Bridges
Todd Bridges
as Bud Harvey
Beverly Todd
Beverly Todd
as Maggie (Fanta)
Tajh Abdul-Samad
Tajh Abdul-Samad
as Baby Kunta Kinte
Doug McClure
Doug McClure
as Jimmy Brent
Burl Ives
Burl Ives
as Senator Arthur J. Justin
Gary Collins
Gary Collins
as Grill
Roxie Roker
Roxie Roker
as Malizy
Helen Martin
Helen Martin
as Aunt Sukey
Elma V. Jackson
Elma V. Jackson
as Mama Ada
Ann Weldon
Ann Weldon
as Mary
Wally Taylor
Wally Taylor
as Reverend
Lee Kessler
Lee Kessler
as Miss Constable
Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
as The Singer
John Quade
John Quade
as Sheriff Charlie Biggs
Davis Roberts
Davis Roberts
as Leonard
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
as Missy Anne Reynolds
Hank Rolike
Hank Rolike
as John
Fred Covington
Fred Covington
as Auctioneer
Maurice Hunt
Maurice Hunt
as The Doctor
John Dennis Johnston
John Dennis Johnston
as Man at Cockfight
Brooks Clift
Brooks Clift
as McAlmon
Kermit Echols
Kermit Echols
as Vilars
Joe Dorsey
Joe Dorsey
as Calvert
Ronnie Leggett
Ronnie Leggett
as Kalilu
Bill Gribble
Bill Gribble
as Seaman Grimes
Roosevelt Smith
Roosevelt Smith
as James
Cindy Henderson
Cindy Henderson
as Bess
Rachel Longaker
Rachel Longaker
as Caroline
Betty Cole
Betty Cole
as Sassy Woman
Sonny Jim Gaines
Sonny Jim Gaines
as Field Hand
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Seasons

Season 1

Miniseries

Episodes season 0

  • 0x1

    The phenomenon of roots

  • 0x2

    Crossing over: how roots captivated an entire nation

  • 0x3

    Roots: one year later

  • 0x4

    Remembering roots

  • 0x5

    The struggle to make roots

  • 0x6

    30th anniversary

  • 0x7

    Cast interviews

  • 0x8

    The gift

Episodes season 1

  • 1x1

    Part i

  • 1x2

    Part ii

  • 1x3

    Part iii

  • 1x4

    Part iv

  • 1x5

    Part v

  • 1x6

    Part vi

  • 1x7

    Part vii

  • 1x8

    Part viii

Recomendation Series

  • Roots
  • Roots: The Next Generations
  • The Book of Negroes
  • Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
  • Julia
  • The Slap
  • Underground
  • Parenthood
  • Alex Haley's Queen
  • Shaka Zulu
  • The Bible
  • The Blue and the Gray
  • The Long Song
  • Brothers and Sisters
  • Doctor Thorne
  • The Thorn Birds
  • Fosse/Verdon
  • Little House on the Prairie
  • Franklin
  • Pride and Prejudice

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