Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan

"In the earliest days of television, when the rules were still being written, one man dared to break them."

2023 1h 27m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 11

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Ed Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his Sunday night variety show. This documentary spotlights the TV pioneer's legacy of equality.

“In the earliest days of television, when the rules were still being written, one man dared to break them.”

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Where to watch · US

NetflixSubscription

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Cast

Ed Sullivan
Self (archive footage)
Harry Belafonte
Self
Dionne Warwick
Self
Berry Gordy
Self
Jackie Jackson
Self
Tito Jackson
Self
Smokey Robinson
Self
Otis Williams
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sacha Jenkins
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sacha Jenkins, shot by Jay Visit. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Billy McMillin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ed Sullivan and Harry Belafonte and Dionne Warwick carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "In the earliest days of television, when the rules were still being written, one man dared to break them.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt7264336 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sacha Jenkins directs. Jay Visit behind the camera. Ali Shaheed Muhammad scores. Billy McMillin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 3 years ago.
3Directed by Sacha Jenkins, shot by Jay Visit. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Billy McMillin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Ed Sullivan and Harry Belafonte and Dionne Warwick carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "In the earliest days of television, when the rules were still being written, one man dared to break them.".
8IMDB entry: tt7264336 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.