Dennis Hines Movies
- 1973
Created by Earl Hamner, A Dream for Christmas is set in the 1950s. African-American minister Will Douglas (Hari Rhodes) moves his family from Arkansas to the Watts section of Los Angeles to take charge of an impoverished church. The attendance, at least at first, is as poor as the congregation. Worse still, the church is slated to be demolished. But it's close to Christmas, a time when miracles have been known to happen. Featured in the all-black cast are Beah Richards, Lynn Hamilton, Robert Do'Qui, Juanita Moore, and Clarence Muse. Appropriately enough, A Dream for Christmas originally aired on December 24, 1973. It was originally designed as the pilot for a never-sold TV series titled The Douglas Family. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Sidney Poitier makes his directorial debut with the 1972 Western Buck and the Preacher, set during the end of the Civil War. Poitier stars as Buck, an ex-Army soldier who is scouting sites for the former slaves that want to settle out West. The villainous Deshay (Cameron Mitchell) rounds up his gang to try to stop Buck because he wants to keep the slaves working down in Louisiana. Buck meets up with the Preacher (Poitier's real-life good friend Harry Belafonte), who is really a con man in disguise. Although they don't get along at first, they eventually team up against Deshay and his murderous gang of outlaws. Also starring Ruby Dee. Jazz bandleader Benny Carter composed the soundtrack. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, (more)
- 1972
In the months just prior to the Civil War, a Yankee boy named Benjy (Chris Valentine) befriends a slave boy named David (Dennis Hines). Sympathetic to Dave's plight, Benjy vows to help his young friend escape to the North. To do this, the boys must navigate the long and sometimes treacherous "Underground Railroad" -- and along the way, they meet no less than Harriet Tubman (Louise Stubbs), herself a former slave who has shepherded thousands of her brethren to freedom. Filmed in and around Toronto, Follow the North Star was the first live-action offering of the ABC Afterschool Special series. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Valentine, Dennis Hines, (more)
- 1971
Originally telecast February 25, 1972, To All My Friends on Shore stars Bill Cosby as a middle-aged airport redcap. Frustrated by his job and his ghetto existence, Cosby vows to seek out a better life for himself and his loved ones. But his stubborn efforts to do so succeed only in turning his family against him. Already burdened with enough problems for three men, Cosby must face a new crisis when his son develops sickle-cell anemia. Filmed on location in Connecticut, To All My Friends on Shore not only starred Bill Cosby, but was produced, scored and written by him as well. Allan Sloane was honored with an Emmy for his adaptation of Cosby's original story. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Cosby
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