“Roots” is a television miniseries based on the novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” by Alex Haley. The series was first broadcast on ABC in 1977 and became a cultural phenomenon, drawing record-breaking ratings and earning numerous awards.
“Roots” tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an African man who is taken from his village in Gambia and sold into slavery in America. The series follows Kunta and his descendants over several generations as they struggle to survive and maintain their cultural identity in the face of slavery, racism, and oppression.
“Roots” series features an ensemble cast of well-known actors, including LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte, Ben Vereen as Chicken George, and John Amos as Kunta’s father, Toby. The series was praised for its historical accuracy and emotional impact, and it helped to raise awareness of the African American experience and the legacy of slavery in America.
“Roots” was followed by a sequel, “Roots: The Next Generations,” which aired in 1979 and continued the story of Kunta Kinte’s descendants through the Civil War and into the 20th century.
| Genre | Historical drama |
|---|---|
| Based on | Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley |
| Written by | Alex Haley |
| Screenplay by | Alex Haley James Lee |
| Directed by | Marvin J. Chomsky John Erman David Greene Gilbert Moses |
| Starring | John Amos Ben Vereen LeVar Burton Louis Gossett Jr. Leslie Uggams Georg Stanford Brown |
| Theme music composer | Gerald Fried Quincy Jones (episode 1) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 (re-edited to 6 for video) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | David L. Wolper |
| Producer | Stan Margulies |
| Cinematography | Stevan Larner, ASC |
| Running time | 45/90 minutes per episode |
| Production company | Wolper Productions |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television |
| Budget | US$6.6 million |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | SDTV 480p (original broadcast) HDTV 1080i (remastered version) |
| Original release | January 23 – January 30, 1977 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Roots: The Next Generations |
