The Women of Brewster Place (1989 television)
Encyclopedia
The Women of Brewster Place is a TV miniseries
that aired on March 19,1989 & March 20,1989 on ABC
. The miniseries
is based upon the 1982 novel
by Gloria Naylor
. It was produced by Oprah Winfrey
's Harpo Productions
with a teleplay by Karen Hall
. The miniseries
stars TV icon Oprah Winfrey
, Jackée Harry
, Robin Givens
, Lynn Whitfield
, Larenz Tate
, Moses Gunn and Leon
.
The miniseries received such a good reception that it led to a weekly series entitled Brewster Place
. However, it was axed after just four episodes due to low ratings.
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
that aired on March 19,1989 & March 20,1989 on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
is based upon the 1982 novel
The Women of Brewster Place (novel)
The Women of Brewster Place, is the first novel by American author Gloria Naylor. It was adapted into the 1989 miniseries The Women of Brewster Place and the 1990 ongoing series Brewster Place by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions; it won the National Book Award in 1983...
by Gloria Naylor
Gloria Naylor
Gloria Naylor is an African American novelist and educator.-Early life:Born in New York, she was the first child to Roosevelt Naylor and Alberta McAlpin. As Naylor grew up, her father was a transit worker and her mother was a telephone operator. When Naylor was young, her mother encouraged her to...
. It was produced by Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
's Harpo Productions
Harpo Productions
Harpo Productions, Inc. is an incorporated US-based multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey . It also includes Harpo Films & Harpo Radio, Inc....
with a teleplay by Karen Hall
Karen Hall
Karen L. Hall is an American television writer best known for her work on the television series Judging Amy and M*A*S*H.Hall was born in Chatham, Virginia. She is the daughter of Ervis Hall and Flo Hall, and is the sister of Barbara Hall. She graduated from Chatham High School in 1974 and from the...
. The miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
stars TV icon Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, Jackée Harry
Jackée Harry
Jacqueline Yvonne "Jackée" Harry , better known by her professional name Jackée, is an American actress and television personality, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms and other types of television shows...
, Robin Givens
Robin Givens
Robin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
, Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield is an American actress.Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the...
, Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
, Moses Gunn and Leon
Leon Robinson
Leon Preston Robinson IV usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.-Personal life:...
.
The miniseries received such a good reception that it led to a weekly series entitled Brewster Place
Brewster Place
Brewster Place is a short lived American drama series which aired on ABC in May 1990. The series was a spinoff of the 1989 miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, which was based upon Gloria Naylor's novel of the same name...
. However, it was axed after just four episodes due to low ratings.
Cast and crew
- Oprah WinfreyOprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
- Mattie Michael - Robin GivensRobin GivensRobin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
- Melanie "Kiswana" Browne - Jackée HarryJackée HarryJacqueline Yvonne "Jackée" Harry , better known by her professional name Jackée, is an American actress and television personality, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms and other types of television shows...
- Etta Mae Johnson - Lynn WhitfieldLynn WhitfieldLynn Whitfield is an American actress.Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the...
- Lucielia "Ciel" Turner - Paula KellyPaula Kelly (actress/dancer)Paula Kelly is a dancer and actress in motion pictures, television and theatre.-Early life and career:...
- Theresa - Lonette McKeeLonette McKeeLonette McKee is an American film and television actress, music composer/producer/songwriter, screenwriter and director.-Biography:...
- Lorraine - Olivia ColeOlivia ColeOlivia Cole is an American actress.-Biography:Cole was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Arvelia and William Cole. She was the first African-American actress to be nominated for and subsequently win an Emmy Award...
- Miss Sophie - Phyllis Yvonne Stickney - Cora Lee
- Moses Gunn - Ben, the concierge
- William Allen YoungWilliam Allen YoungWilliam Allen Young is an American actor best known for playing a role of Frank Mitchell on UPN's Moesha in 1996 and directing a few episodes of the show, and made a guest appearance on UPN's The Parkers as Frank Mitchell...
- Eugene, Ciel's husband - LeonLeon RobinsonLeon Preston Robinson IV usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.-Personal life:...
- Abshu, Kiswana's boyfriend - Douglas Turner WardDouglas Turner WardDouglas Turner Ward is an American playwright, actor, director and theatrical producer best known as a founder and artistic director of the Negro Ensemble Company .-Biography:Turner was born in Burnside, Louisiana...
- Reverend Woods - Glenn PlummerGlenn PlummerGlenn E. Plummer is an American film and television actor.Plummer was born in Richmond, California. He has appeared in numerous films and television series, primarily in supporting roles or small bit parts, such as High Top in Colors. His prominent roles came in the films Menace II Society, Speed,...
- C.C. Baker - Barbara MontgomeryBarbara MontgomeryBarbara Montgomery is an American television and film actress. Montgomery is best known for her role as Cassietta Hetebrink on the sitcom, Amen, Montgomery played the role for four years, and left in 1990...
- Miss Eva Turner, Ciel's mother - Eugene LeeEugene LeeEugene Lee may refer to:* Eugene Gordon Lee , U.S. child actor* Eugene Lee , U.S. radio deejay, actor, and cable television host* Eugene Lee , Tony-Award winning designer*Eugene Lee -See also:...
- Basil, Mattie's son - Paul WinfieldPaul WinfieldPaul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
- Sam Michael, Mattie's father - Mary AliceMary AliceMary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences...
- Fannie Michael, Mattie's mother - Cicely TysonCicely TysonCicely Tyson is an American actress. A successful stage actress, Tyson is also known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film Sounder and the television movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots....
- Mrs. Browne, Kiswana's mother