Leadbelly
Brief Synopsis
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The life of Blues and folk singer Huddie Leadbetter, nicknamed Leadbelly is recounted. Covering the good times and bad from his 20s to 40s. Much of that time was spent on chain gangs in the south. Even in prison he became well known for the songs he had composed and sung during and before the time he spent there.
Cast & Crew
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Gordon Parks
Director
Roger E Mosley
Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter
Paul Benjamin
Wes Ledbetter
Madge Sinclair
Miss Eula
Alan Manson
Chief Prison Guard
Art Evans
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Biography
Music
Musical
Period
Release Date
1976
Production Company
Paramount Pictures
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Eastmancolor)
Synopsis
The life of famous blues singer Leadbelly from his 20s through his 40s is dramatized. The master guitarist had a turbulent life in the South. He was forced to work on chain gangs in the south and was put in prison several times, where he developed his style and wrote many of his songs. Songs that are performed in the film include "Rock Island Line" and "Goodnight Irene."
Director
Gordon Parks
Director
Cast
Roger E Mosley
Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter
Paul Benjamin
Wes Ledbetter
Madge Sinclair
Miss Eula
Alan Manson
Chief Prison Guard
Art Evans
Blind Lemon Jefferson
James E Brodhead
John Lomax
John Henry Faulk
Governor Neff
Vivian Bonnell
Old Lady
Dana Manno
Margaret Judd
Timothy Pickard
Gray Man
Lynn Hamilton
Sally Ledbetter
Loretta Greene
Lethe
Valerie Odell
Amy
Rozaa Jean
Sugar Tit
Albert Hall
Dicklikker
Crew
Robert Boyle
Production Designer
Gene S Cantamessa
Sound Recording Mixer
David Frost
Executive Producer
Jack Grossberg
Executive Producer
Harry Howard
Editor
Harold Jones
Stunt Coordinator
Fred Karlin
Music
Ernest Kinoy
Screenwriter
John Kuri
Set Decorator
Marc Merson
Producer
Bruce Surtees
Director Of Photography
Reuben Watt
Assistant Director
John Wilkinson
Sound Rerecording Mixer
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Biography
Music
Musical
Period
Release Date
1976
Production Company
Paramount Pictures
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Eastmancolor)
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1976
Released in United States 1976
