''To Dance with the White Dog'' is a 1990 novel by Georgia author

Terry Kay Terry Winter Kay (February 10, 1938 – December 12, 2020) was an American author, whose novels examined life in the American South. His most well-known book, ''To Dance with the White Dog'', was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television mov ...

, based on the experiences of his father.

Plot summary

Sam Peek happily resides in Hart County, Georgia, as a pecan farmer and local celebrity featured in many gardening/horticultural magazines. His wife Cora and he are both in their 80s, and have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Cora dies of a heart attack. Sam and his family are deeply grieved over this, and his daughters begin to obsess over his safety and his life. Not long after Cora's death, a mysterious white dog that only Sam can see appears near the house. He thinks it is just a stray, but daughters Kate, Carrie, and his other children do not see it and think he is going crazy. Sam goes on a car trip in his weathered truck to a school reunion, keeping it a secret from the children. After a series of events, the family and other people begin to see the white dog, but never hear her bark. Shortly before Sam's death, the dog disappears, and the dog is thought to have been Cora in another form.

Film adaptation

The novel was adapted into a

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

television movie starring Hume Cronyn as Sam Peek and Jessica Tandy as Cora. It was directed by

Glenn Jordan Glenn Jordan (born April 5, 1936) is a retired American television director and producer. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Jordan directed multiple episodes of ''Family'' and helmed numerous television movies, several based on real persons as divers ...

and was filmed on location in Georgia. The movie premiered December 5, 1993, on CBS, and was nominated for many awards including seven Primetime Emmy Awards. Hume Cronyn won an

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

award for his performance.

Nominations Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to a public office, or the bestowing of an honor or award. A collection of nominees narrowed from the full list of candidates is a short list. Political office In th ...

were given to

lead actress A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

Jessica Tandy, directing (

), Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and Film Editing,

Cast

* Hume Cronyn as Sam Peek * Jessica Tandy as Cora *

Christine Baranski Christine Jane Baranski (born May 2, 1952) is an American actress. She is a 15-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom ''Cybill'' ...

as Kate * Amy Wright as Carrie * Frank Whaley as James *

Harley Cross Harley Cross (born March 10, 1978) is an American entrepreneur, film/television actor and producer. He is currently the Director of Strategy foLand Core a 501(c)3 non-profit that he co-founded in 2018 advancing soil health programs and policies ...

as Bobby * Esther Rolle as Neelie *

Lane Bradbury Janette Lane Bradbury (born June 17, 1938) is an American actress and writer. Biography Lane Bradbury was born in Buckhead, Morgan County, Georgia, near Atlanta. She studied ballet as a young girl. In the 1950s, she moved to New York City, and w ...

as Mildred Cook * Ed Grady as Herman Morris

References

External links

*
''To Dance With the White Dog''
on Amazon.com {{DEFAULTSORT:To Dance With The White Dog 1990 American novels 1993 drama films Films about dogs Hallmark Hall of Fame episodes 1993 television films 1993 films Novels set in Georgia (U.S. state) Hart County, Georgia 1990s English-language films

Plot summary

Film adaptation

Cast

See also

References

External links