''George Wallace'' is a 1997 biographical two-part mini-series produced and directed by

John Frankenheimer John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films. Among his credits were ''Birdman of Alcatraz'' (1962), '' The Manchurian Candidate'' ( ...

and starring

Gary Sinise Gary Alan Sinise (; born March 17, 1955) is an American actor, humanitarian, and musician. Among other awards, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also received a sta ...

as the titular former Governor of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

. The mini-series's teleplay, written by Marshall Frady and Paul Monash, is based on the 1996 biography ''Wallace: The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace'' by Frady.

Mare Winningham A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

Clarence Williams III Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 – June 4, 2021) was an American actor. He played the character of Linc Hayes in the police television series ''The Mod Squad'' from 1968 to 1973. He also appeared in films such as '' Purple Rain'', '' 52 ...

, Joe Don Baker,

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

, Terry Kinney,

William Sanderson William Sanderson (born January 10, 1944) is an American retired actor. He played J. F. Sebastian in the feature film ''Blade Runner'' (1982), and had regular roles on several television series such as Larry on '' Newhart'' (1982–1990), E. ...

Mark Rolston Mark Rolston (born December 7, 1956) is an American character actor, known for his supporting roles in popular films such as ''Aliens'', '' Lethal Weapon 2'', '' The Shawshank Redemption'', ''The Departed'' and the '' Saw'' film series, as well a ...

, Tracy Fraim,

Skipp Sudduth Robert Lee "Skipp" Sudduth IV (born August 23, 1956) is an American theater, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1998 film '' Ronin'' and his lead in the TV drama ''Third Watch''. Early life and education Bor ...

Ron Perkins Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

, and

Mark Valley Mark Thomas Valley (born December 24, 1964) is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles as Brad Chase in the TV drama '' Boston Legal'', Oliver Richard in the NBC drama '' Harry's Law'', FBI Special Agent John Scott in t ...

also star. ''George Wallace'' was highly praised by critics and received various accolades: including

Emmy Award 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 ...

s for Outstanding Directing (Frankenheimer), Outstanding Lead Actor (Sinise), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Winningham), and

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

s for Best Television Film and Best Supporting Actress (Jolie).

Plot

''George Wallace'' portrays the political life of a complex man. Initially an ordinary Southern judge, Wallace transforms himself to achieve political success and glory, becoming one of the most reviled political figures in the U.S. Finally, a failed assassination attempt which leaves him paralyzed and in pain leads him to realize what he has become. The film follows the story of Wallace's life from the 1950s, when he was a circuit court

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

in Barbour County, to his tenure as the most powerful Governor in Alabama's history. The movie depicts his symbolic "

Stand in the Schoolhouse Door The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door took place at Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963. George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, in a symbolic attempt to keep his inaugural promise of " segregation now, segregation tom ...

", where Wallace attempted to block black students from entering the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publ ...

. It details his stance on

racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Intern ...

at the time, which proved popular with his

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

constituents, and also depicts Wallace's rise as a presidential hopeful. This eventually leads to his surprise victory in several states during the 1968 Presidential election, followed by his attempted assassination four years later.

Cast

George C. Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and ...

as Lurleen Wallace *

as Archie * Joe Don Baker as Jim "Big Jim" Folsom *

Cornelia Wallace Cornelia Wallace (née Ellis, formerly Snively; January 28, 1939January 8, 2009) was the First Lady of Alabama from 1971–1978 and the second wife of Democratic Governor George C. Wallace. Wallace attracted national attention on May 15, 1972, ...

* Terry Kinney as Billy Watson *

as T.Y. Odum *

as Ricky Brickle * Tracy Fraim as Gerald Wallace *

as Al Lingo *

Nicholas Katzenbach Nicholas deBelleville Katzenbach (January 17, 1922 – May 8, 2012) was an American lawyer who served as United States Attorney General during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. He previously served as United States Deputy Attorney General u ...

as US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy * Scott Brantley as Arthur Bremer *

Kathryn Erbe Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Alexandra Eames on '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', a spin-off of ''Law & Order'', and Shirley Bellinger in the HBO series '' Oz''. Early life Erbe was born in ...

as Mrs. Folsom * Steve Harris as Neal * Bobby Kirby as James Hood * Ketema Nelson as Vivian Malone

Reception

''The New York Times'' Caryn James, wrote that events were "recreated with startling veracity and tension in the two-part mini-series called simply ''George Wallace.''" James wrote that Sinise was "amazing" and Mare Winningham was "extraordinary." Sinise reprised his role as George Wallace in Frankenheimer's 2002 television film '' Path to War'', about the Johnson administration's entry into the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. The

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...

stated that the film's version of Cornelia Wallace was depicted as "a shallow sex kitten" and therefore Cornelia Wallace had criticism towards the portrayal.
Alternate version ("Cornelia Wallace, 69, First Lady of Alabama, Dies")
at ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', January 9, 2009
Version ("Cornelia Wallace, 69, second wife of Alabama Gov. George Wallace") at
'' The Hour'' (

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

), January 8, 2009
Alternate ("Former Alabama first lady Cornelia Wallace dies") at
''

The Columbus Dispatch ''The Columbus Dispatch'' is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and it has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since ''The Columbus Citizen-Journal'' ceased publication in 19 ...

'', January 8, 2009.

Awards and nominations

1998

American Cinema Editors Founded in 1950, American Cinema Editors (ACE) is an honorary society of film editors that are voted in based on the qualities of professional achievements, their education of others, and their dedication to editing. Members use the post-nominal ...

(Eddies) * Won - Best Edited Episode from a Television Mini-Series — Antony Gibbs (for part 2) 1998

American Society of Cinematographers The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of cinem ...

* Won - Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Mini-Series — Alan Caso 1998

Art Directors Guild The Art Directors Guild (ADG; IATSE Local 800) is a labor union and local of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) representing 2,979 motion picture and television professionals in the United States and Canada. T ...

* Won - Excellence in Production Design Award for a Television Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola, Arlan Jay Vetter 1997

CableACE Award The CableACE Award (earlier known as the ACE Awards; ACE was an acronym for "Award for Cable Excellence") is a defunct award that was given by what was then the National Cable Television Association from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in Am ...

* Won - Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries —

* Won - Best Directing a Movie or Miniseries —

* Won - Best Makeup — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman * Won - Best Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin,

Ethel Winant Ethel Winant ( Wald; August 5, 1922 – November 29, 2003) was the first woman executive in television when she became the vice-president of CBS in 1973. Winant was also a casting director for various shows including ''The Twilight Zone'' and ''Th ...

, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati * Nominated - Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries — Joe Don Baker * Nominated - Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries —

* Nominated - Best Art Direction in a Dramatic Special or Serires/Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola,

Douglas A. Mowat Doug Mowat is a set decorator. He was nominated for an Academy Award during the 83rd Academy Awards for the film ''Inception'' in the category of Best Art Direction. He shared his nomination with Guy Hendrix Dyas and Larry Dias. He graduated fr ...

* Nominated - Best Editing a Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries — Antony Gibbs * Nominated - Best Writing a Movie or Miniseries — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady 1998

Casting Society of America The Casting Society, formerly known as Casting Society of America (CSA), was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1982 as a professional society of about 1,200 casting directors and associate casting directors for film, television, theatre, and ...

(Artios) * Won - Best Casting for TV Miniseries — Iris Grossman 1998

Directors Guild of America The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of film director, film and television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dire ...

* Nominated - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials — John Frankenheimer 1998

s * Won - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie —

* Won - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie —

* Won - Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Movie —

* Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie —

* Nominated - Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special — Iris Grossman * Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie — Alan Caso * Nominated - Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman, Keith Sayer, Cheryl Nick * Nominated - Outstanding Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin,

, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati 1998

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

s * Won - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television —

* Won - Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television * Nominated - Best Actor - Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television —

* Nominated - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television —

1998

Humanitas Prize The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing, and is given to writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced and meaningful way. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser—also the founder of Paulist P ...

* Won - PBS/Cable Category — Marshall Frady, Paul Monash 1998 Motion Picture Sound Editors (Golden Reel Award) * Nominated - Best Sound Editing - Television Mini-Series - Effects and Foley — Brady Schwartz 1997

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

* Won - Peabody Award — Mark Carliner 1998

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to me ...

Awards * Won - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Gary Sinise * Nominated - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Mare Winningham 1998

Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility ...

s * Nominated - Best Screenplay Adapted Long Form — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady

References

External links