Roots: The Next Generations (ABC 1979, James Earl Jones, Dorian Harewood)

Being the sequel to one of the most watched shows of all time is never easy. Back in 1977 Roots had been watched by half the population of America, an unprecedented audience for a drama series. Roots, based on the 12 years in the writing novel by Alex Haley, told the story of his ancestors starting in 1750 with the birth of Kunta Kinte who as a teenager is taken from Africa into slavery in America. Going across several generations the story ended with the great grandson of Kunta Kinte, Tom, starting a new life in Tennessee, finally free of slavery.

A mammoth production with a massive all star cast, obviously the ABC wanted more of this magical and two years later Haley obliged with The Next Generations which took up the story once more with Tom in 1882 and finished up with Alex Haley himself (played by James Earl Jones) as he prepares the writing of Roots.

The 8 hour drama manages to fit in lots of the major historical moments of the hundred years or so of its setting, the Klu Klux Klan, World Wars 1 and 2, the black power of Malcolm X during the late 1960’s are all touched upon. It’s another mammoth effort, superbly told, George Stanford Brown carries over both mini-series as Tom and this time out the cast also includes a cameo from Marlon Brando as the leader of the Nazi’s in George Lincoln Rockwell, there are also roles for Henry Fonda, Olivia De Havilland, Richard (John Boy) Thomas and Debbie Allen.

production details
USA | ABC – Warner – David L. Wolper | 6×120 minutes | 1979

Writer: Ernest Kinny
Executive Producer: David L. Wolper
Music: Gerald Freid
Books: Alex Haley
Director: John Erman

cast
James Earl Jones as Alex Haley
Dorian Harewood as Simon Haley
Debbi Morgan as Elizabeth Harvey
Lynn Hamilton as Cousin Georgia Anderson
Lynne Moody as Irene Harvey
Marc Singer as Andy Warner
Kristoff St. John as Alex Haley, Age 12
Debbie Allen as Branch Haley
Rosey Grier as
Roger E. Mosley as Lee Garnet
Damon Evans as Alex Haley, ages 17-25
Ruby Dee as la reine Victoria Haley
Harry Morgan as Bob Campbell
Henry Fonda as Colonel Frederick Warner
Olivia de Havilland as Mme Warner
Stan Shaw as Will Palmer
Richard Thomas as Jim Warner
Marlon Brando as George Lincoln Rockwell
Al Freeman, Jr. as Malcom X
Irene Cara as Bertha Palmer Haley
Paul Koslo as Earl Crowther
Beah Richards as Cynthia Palmer
Greg Morris as Beeman Jones
Ossie Davis as Jones
Robert Culp as Lyle Pettijohn
Avon Long as
Pam Grier as Francey
Georg Stanford Brown as Tom Harvey
Paul Winfield as Dr. Horace Huguley
Dina Merrill as
Kim Fields as
Diahann Carroll as Zeona Haley
Andy Griffith as Commander Robert Munroe
Brian Stokes Mitchell as
Fay Hauser as Carrie
Norman Fell as Bernie Raymond
Hal Williams as Aleck Haley
James Broderick as Dr. Lewis
Brock Peters as Ab Decker
John Rubinstein as Lieutenant Hamilton Ten Eyck
Barbara Barrie as Dodie Brattle
Gerald S. O’Loughlin as Capitaine Bowker
Percy Rodriguez as Boyd Moffatt
Bernie Casey as Bubba Haywood
Michael Constantine as Dr. Vansina
George Voskovec as M. Goldstein
Lee Chamberlin as Odile Richards