The Spook Who Sat by the Door
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Ivan Dixon
Lawrence Cook
Paula Kelly
Janet League
J A Preston
Paul Butler
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Dan Freeman is a seemingly mild-mannered social worker who is recruited by the CIA as the agency's token African-American. After Dan quietly absorbs all the CIA has to offer, he leaves for Chicago to put his knowledge of guerilla warfare to use overthrowing a repressive government.
Director
Ivan Dixon
Cast
Lawrence Cook
Paula Kelly
Janet League
J A Preston
Paul Butler
Don Blakley
David Lemieux
Byron Morrow
Jack Aaron
Joseph Mascolo
Beverly Gill
Robert Hill
Martin Golar
Jeff Hamilton
Margaret Kromogols
Tom Alderman
Stephen Ferry
Kathy Berk
Stephan Ferry
Frank Lesley
Frank Johnson
Harold Johnson
Anthony Ray
Audrey Stevenson
John Charles
Ponciano Olayta Jr.
Sidney Eden
Colostine Boatwright
Johnny Williams
Cora Williams
Bobby Geen Williams
Ernest Robinson
Doug Johnson
Robert Franklia
Jim Heard
Lenard Norris
Walter Lowe
Harold Harris
Kenneth Lee Orme
Don Greenlee
Johnnie Johnson
Maurice Wicks
Clinton Malcome
Larry Lawrence
Tyrone Livingston
James Mitchell
Frank E Ford
Perry Thomas
Orlanders Thomas
Rodney Mcgrader
Ramon Livingston
Virgie Johnson
Johnny Williams
Crew
Melvin Clay
Ivan Dixon
Sam Greenlee
Sam Greenlee
Sam Greenlee
Herbie Hancock
Michel Hugo
Michel Hugo
Michael Kahn
Cheryal Kearney
John Speak
Les Thomas
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
All the yellow nigga's, right?- Pretty Willie
Man, I am TIRED of that! I am not passing! I am BLACK! Do you hear me, man? I am BLACK! I am a NIGGA', you understand me? I was BORN Black, I -LIVE- Black, and I'm gonna die, prob'ly -BECAUSE- I'm Black, because some Cracker who -KNOWS- I'm Black, better than -YOU-, Nigga', is prob'ly gonna put a BULLET in the back of my head!- Pretty Willie
You have just played out the American dream...and now, we're gonna turn it into a nightmare.- Dan Freeman
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Directorial debut of Ivan Dixon.
Though much of the action takes place in Chicago, Illinois, the film was shot in Gary, Indiana.
After the movie premiered in 1973, the FBI seized all the prints, but director Ivan Dixon archived the negative under a different title.
Released in United States 1973
Released in United States August 1997
Based on the novel "The Spook Who Sat by the Door," written by Sam Greenlee and published in the UK in 1969 by Allison and Busby.
Released in United States 1973
Released in United States August 1997 (Shown in New York City (Adam Clayton Powell Gallery) as part of program "Harlem Week 1997" August 1-15, 1997.)
