A Piece of the Action (1977): Cast & Plot
A Piece of the Action is a 1977 crime comedy starring James Earl Jones as Joshua Burke, Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. It runs 2 hours 15 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 15m (135 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- First Artists
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is A Piece of the Action About?
The premise of A Piece of the Action without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Retired police officer Joshua Burke (James Earl Jones) devises a risky plan to reform wayward youth by forcing two career criminals—Manny Durrell (Sidney Poitier) and Dave Anderson (Bill Cosby)—to work for him. Though he has never caught them, Burke uses his knowledge of their shady pasts to blackmail the pair into volunteering, hoping they’ll guide the juveniles onto a straight‑and‑narrow path.
A Piece of the Action Themes & Keywords
· 32 tags- year 1975
- scene before opening credits
- opening action scene
- scene during opening credits
- year 1976
- august 9 1975
- july 3 1976
- theft
- black american
- poitier and cosby
- wealth
- detective
+20 more Show fewer
- urban setting
- blaxploitation
- money cut in pieces
- chicago illinois
- mafia
- limousine
- sequel
- disco
- organized crime
- african american
- con artist
- burglar
- el train
- low motivation skills
- ghetto
- false alarm
- unemployment
- substandard education
- corrupt cop
- independent film
A Piece of the Action Cast & Characters
James Earl Jones leads the cast as Joshua Burke, with Sidney Poitier as Manny Durrell and Bill Cosby as Dave Anderson.
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James Earl Jones as Joshua Burke -
Sidney Poitier as Manny Durrell - Bill Cosby as Dave Anderson
- Titos Vandis as Bruno
Also Starring in A Piece of the Action
· 15 more- Denise Nicholas Lila French
- Hope Clarke Sarah Thomas
- Jason Evers Ty Shorter
- Tracy Reed Nikki McLean
- Marc Lawrence Louie
- Sheryl Lee Ralph Barbara Hanley
- Bill Walker Clair Hurst
- Angus Scrimm Monk
- Eric Laneuville Gerald
- Ja'net DuBois Nellie Bond
- Frances Foster Bea Quitman
- Estelle Evans Alberta Ballard
- Tamu Blackwell Cheryl
- Ernest Lee Thomas John
- James Wheaton Voisin Waiter
A Piece of the Action Plot Summary
What happens in A Piece of the Action from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In Chicago, two high-class criminals, Sidney Poitier as Manny Durrell and Bill Cosby as Dave Anderson, have built flawless reputations for daring thefts, pulling off separate heists that set them apart from the ordinary street grift. Manny shows his skill with a flawless safecrack and a dramatic escape from a high window into the back of a waiting van, while Dave runs a parallel game, using charm and nerve to stay one step ahead of the law. Their paths briefly intersect in the shadows of the city’s glittering nightclubs and smoky back rooms, but the real twist comes when a calculate-and-control voice from an unseen source starts binding their fates together in an escalating, high-stakes test.
Full summary
The whole story of A Piece of the Action, scene by scene
A Piece of the Action Trailers & Videos
The trailer of A Piece of the Action.
How Well Do You Know A Piece of the Action?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays Manny Durrell in the film?
Cars in A Piece of the Action
60 cars on screen, including the 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine and the 1976 Ford Granada.
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1977 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine Important role -
1976 Ford Granada Important role -
1977 Ford Thunderbird Important role -
1977 Cadillac Eldorado Minor role
A Piece of the Action Also Known As
7 alternative titles, including “Un morceau de l'action” and “Ausgetrickst”.
- Also known as
-
- Un morceau de l'action
- Ausgetrickst
- Wyrównane rachunki
- De profesión estafadores
- Akce
- 피스 오브 더 액션
- Внеси свою лепту
Seen A Piece of the Action?
Movies Like A Piece of the Action
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Cotton Comes to Harlem, Uptown Saturday Night and The Big Score.
A Piece of the Action FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, cast and post-credit scenes of A Piece of the Action, each answered in a sentence.
How long is A Piece of the Action?
A Piece of the Action runs 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes).
When was A Piece of the Action released?
A Piece of the Action was released on October 7, 1977.
Who is in the cast of A Piece of the Action?
A Piece of the Action stars James Earl Jones as Joshua Burke, Sidney Poitier as Manny Durrell and Bill Cosby as Dave Anderson, among 19 credited actors.
Does A Piece of the Action have a post-credit scene?
No. A Piece of the Action has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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