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Title: Brian's Song (TV Movie 1971)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| James Caan | ... | ||
| Billy Dee Williams | ... | ||
| Jack Warden | ... | ||
| Bernie Casey | ... |
J.C. Caroline
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| Shelley Fabares | ... | ||
| David Huddleston | ... | ||
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Judy Pace | ... | |
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Abe Gibron | ... |
Himself
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Jack Concannon | ... | |
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Ed O'Bradovich | ... |
Ed O'Bradovich
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The Chicago Bears Players | ... |
Themselves
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The Chicago Bears Coaches | ... |
Themselves
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The Chicago Bears Staff | ... |
Themselves
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Harold 'Happy' Hairston | ... |
Veteran Player #1
(as Happy Hairston)
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| Ron Feinberg | ... |
Veteran Player #2 (Doug Atkins)
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Gale Sayers joins the Chicago Bears and is befriended by Brian Piccolo, an over-achieving running back. Although they compete for the same spot on the team, and despite the fact that Sayers is black and Piccolo white, they become roommates on the road and very close friends, especially when Sayers is injured and Piccolo helps his recovery. Later, they and their wives must both deal with the harsh reality of Piccolo's cancer. Written by Jerry Milani <[email protected]>
I still remember sitting down with my family to watch "Brian's Song", the made for TV movie in 1971. I was 13 years of age, and my 3 brothers and I thought we were going to watch a sports movie. It's funny thinking back to that night, as all the brothers fought back tears during the final scenes. We jumped up at the end, and tried to act macho and pretended we all had colds and runny noses. Watching the movie today, it doesn't have quite the same impact, but it remains touching and dramatic. James Caan and Billy D Williams work well together. They act without any arrogance and tough-guy attributes they picked up later in their careers. The movie score wraps around the scenes to add to the poignancy without disrupting the mood. Shelly Fabarase is the perfect wife. It is a touching tribute to a ordinary football player, Brian Piccolo, who lead a extraordinary life. A updated version of "Brian's Song" attempted to capture the magic of 1971's version, but as is usually the case, the attempt falls short of the goal. The original does the best at mourning Piccolo's death, but most importantly, celebrating his life. It is a touchdown!