Roots (1977): Cast
Roots is a 1977 drama directed by John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky, starring LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte, John Amos and Madge Sinclair. It runs 9 hours 48 minutes.
- Runtime
- 9h 48m (588 min)
- Directors
- John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- David L. Wolper Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Roots About?
The premise of Roots without spoilers.
Based on Alex Haley’s 1976 Pulitzer‑winning bestseller, this acclaimed twelve‑hour 1977 miniseries chronicles his ancestors from mid‑1700s Gambia through slavery to the post‑Civil War United States. The docu‑drama earned nine Emmys, a Golden Globe and a Peabody, and remains the most‑watched miniseries in U.S. history. Its cultural impact endures.
Roots Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- escape attempt
- slavery
- tv mini series
- father son relationship
- one word series title
- biracial
- biracial child
- black protagonist
- slaver has sex with slave
- 1750s
- 1820s
- 1860s
+38 more Show fewer
- cigarette smoking
- rebellion
- all star cast
- family relationships
- racial tension
- live action
- freedom
- civil war
- slave
- family history
- african american
- female frontal nudity
- master servant relationship
- interracial rape
- womanhood
- tennessee
- rape
- racism
- nudity
- lust
- cruelty
- blacksmith
- army
- 19th century
- 18th century
- reconstruction era
- submission
- flogging
- corporal punishment
- beating
- social injustice
- servant
- rural setting
- roots
- race relations
- post war
- parenthood
- generation gap
Roots Cast & Characters
LeVar Burton leads the cast as Kunta Kinte, with John Amos as Older Kunta Kinte and Madge Sinclair as Bell Reynolds. Directed by John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky; 6 actors are credited in all.
- Co-director John Erman
- Co-director Marvin J. Chomsky
-
LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte -
John Amos as Older Kunta Kinte -
Madge Sinclair as Bell Reynolds - Ben Vereen as Chicken George Moore
Also Starring in Roots
· 2 more- Robert Reed Dr. William Reynolds
- Olivia Cole Mathilda
More from John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky
More films directed by John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky, best-rated first: Stella, Tank, Candles on Bay Street and The Blackwater Lightship.
Roots Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 featurette.
- Trailer ROOTS (1977)
- Featurette 45th Anniversary
Roots Also Known As
15 alternative titles, including “Racines” and “Radici”.
- Also known as
-
- Racines
- Radici
- Korzenie
- Rădăcini
- Raíces
- 뿌리
- Gyökerek
- Kořeny
- Rötter
- ریشه ها
- 根
- Raízes
+3 more Show fewer
- שורשים
- Корни
- Rødder
Seen Roots?
Movies Like Roots
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Roots: The Next Generations, Roots: The Gift and Showing Roots.
-
Roots: The Next Generations 1979 -
Roots: The Gift 1988 -
Showing Roots 2016 -
Roots 1987 -
Africans in America: America’s Journey Through Slavery 1998 -
The Underground Railroad 2021 -
Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad 1994 -
Alex Haley’s Queen 1993 -
Harriet 2019 -
North and South 1985 -
Slavers 1978 -
The Roots of Heaven 1958
Roots FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Director
Runtime, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Roots, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Roots?
Roots runs 9 hours 48 minutes (588 minutes).
Who directed Roots?
Roots was directed by John Erman and Marvin J. Chomsky.
More films by John Erman Who is in the cast of Roots?
Roots stars LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte, John Amos as Older Kunta Kinte and Madge Sinclair as Bell Reynolds, among 6 credited actors.
Does Roots have a post-credit scene?
No. Roots has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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