Roots

Roots

Roots is an American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, which aired on ABC in 1977. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still standing as the third-highest rated U.S. television program ever. It was shot on a budget of $6.6 million. The series introduced LeVar Burton in the role of Kunta Kinte. A sequel, Roots: The Next Generations, was broadcast in 1979, and a second sequel, Roots: The Gift, was produced as a...
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quick facts
On the air:January 23, 1977-January 30, 1977
Network:American Broadcasting Company
Producer:David L. Wolper

Honors and awards

YearAward Won
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series, Louis Gossett, Jr.
1977 Primetime Emmy Award For Outstanding Single Performance By A Supporting Actor In A Comedy Or Drama Series, Ed Asner
1977 Primetime Emmy Award For Outstanding Single Performance By A Supporting Actress In A Comedy Or Drama Series, Olivia Cole
1978 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, David L. Wolper
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YearAward Nomination
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series, Ben Vereen
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series, LeVar Burton
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series, John Amos
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series, Louis Gossett, Jr.
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series, Madge Sinclair
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series, Leslie Uggams
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Perfomance by a Supporting Actor in a comedy or drama series, Robert Reed
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Perfomance by a Supporting Actor in a comedy or drama series, Ralph Waite
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Perfomance by a Supporting Actor in a comedy or drama series, Moses Gunn
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Perfomance by a Supporting Actor in a comedy or drama series, Ed Asner
1977 Primetime Emmy Award For Outstanding Single Performance By A Supporting Actress In A Comedy Or Drama Series, Sandy Duncan
1977 Primetime Emmy Award For Outstanding Single Performance By A Supporting Actress In A Comedy Or Drama Series, Cicely Tyson
1977 Primetime Emmy Award For Outstanding Single Performance By A Supporting Actress In A Comedy Or Drama Series, Olivia Cole
1978 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama, Leslie Uggams
1978 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, David L. Wolper
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction or Scenic Design for a Drama Series, Jan Scott
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction or Scenic Design for a Drama Series, Solomon Brewer
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Award-winners from Roots

Olivia Cole
Olivia Cole
Character:Mathilda
Born:November 26, 1942

Olivia Cole is an American actress. 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. Her television credits include The Guiding Light, Roots, Backstairs at the White...
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Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Character:Fiddler
Born:May 27, 1936

Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, and his Emmy Award-winning role as Fiddler in the 1977 ABC television miniseries Roots. Gossett has also starred...
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Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Born:November 15, 1929

Edward Asner , commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Lou Grant on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant. In 2009, he starred...
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Cast of Roots

Ian McShane
Ian McShane
Character:Sir Eric Russell
Born:Sept. 29, 1942
Age:69
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Character:Evan Brent
Born:Jan. 15, 1913
Died:Mar. 10, 1998
LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Character:Kunta Kinte
Born:Feb. 16, 1957
Age:55
Scatman Crothers
Scatman Crothers
Character:Mingo
Born:May 23, 1910
Died:Nov. 22, 1986
Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Character:Missy Anne Reynolds
Born:Feb. 20, 1946
Age:66
John Amos
John Amos
Character:Toby
Born:Dec. 27, 1939
Age:72
Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen
Character:Chicken George Moore
Born:Oct. 10, 1946
Age:65
Robert Reed
Robert Reed
Born:Oct. 19, 1932
Died:May 12, 1992
Todd Bridges
Todd Bridges
Born:May 27, 1965
Age:47
Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene
Born:Feb. 12, 1915
Died:Sept. 11, 1987
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
Born:Apr. 10, 1921
Died:Nov. 10, 1992
Doug McClure
Doug McClure
Born:May 11, 1935
Died:Feb. 5, 1995

Roots seasons

Season
Roots (US) - Season 1
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