Grambling's White Tiger

Grambling's White Tiger
Based onMy Little Brother's Coming Tomorrow
by Bruce Bahrenburg[1]
Written byWilliam A. Attaway
Directed byGeorg Stanford Brown
Starring
Music by
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Bert Gold
  • Micheline H. Keller
CinematographyJoseph M. Wilcots
EditorDavid Rosenbloom
Production companyInter Planetary Pictures
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 4, 1981 (1981-10-04)

Grambling's White Tiger (also released as White Tiger in Europe) is a 1981 TV movie[2] about the true story of Jim Gregory (played by Caitlyn Jenner, credited as Bruce Jenner) the first white quarterback of the Grambling Tigers at Grambling College, a historically black college, in 1968. The movie covers Gregory's freshman year. Harry Belafonte stars as coach Eddie Robinson and LeVar Burton (already famous from Roots and later to be known for Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation) appears as Charles 'Tank' Smith, the first friend Jim Gregory makes on the team. The film is directed by Georg Stanford Brown.[3]

Plot

The movie starts with the recruitment of Gregory as a talented recruit, keen to have the opportunity to go to a school with real NFL credentials, who also opens avenues for funding and recognition for the college. The story deals with issues of race, culture and integration at a critical time in America's history. It ends with grudging acceptance and a positive message — although Gregory only actually plays for less than a minute in the final game of the team's division winning season.

Outside the USA

The movie has enjoyed popularity outside the USA under different titles, usually some version of simply White Tiger. This is because Grambling would be unknown to other audiences and would not be understood in the title. It has been released in Finland under the names Team Tiger and White Tiger. It is particularly well known in Germany under the title Der Kampf der weißen Tiger (which translates as, The Struggle of The White Tiger).[dead link‍][4] Movies featuring American Football have a very specific following in Germany.[5]

All the releases are identical to the US release with various different covers for Video and DVD releases.

Production

Director: Georg Stanford Brown (also from Roots)

Writers: William A. Attaway; based on a book called My Little Brother's Coming Tomorrow by Bruce Bahrenburg[6]

Cast

  • Caitlyn Jenner (credited as Bruce Jenner) as Jim Gregory
  • Dennis Haysbert as James 'Shack' Harris
  • Bill Overton as Slick
  • Deborah Pratt as Jennifer
  • Byron Stewart as Sandman
  • Ray Vitte as Rags
  • LeVar Burton as Charles 'Tank' Smith
  • Harry Belafonte as Coach Eddie Robinson
  • Vance Davis as Coach Porter
  • Fred Pinkard as Dr. Ford
  • Daniel Joseph Bernard as Gibbons
  • Mark Chavis as Chris
  • Betsy Corley as Coed Clerk
  • Gilbert Culpepper as Holmes
  • Rick Frederick as Male Clerk
  • Marlene Leeper as Janey
  • Alex Marshall as Wiley Coach
  • Herb Nelson as Slob
  • Glarence Odum as Potts
  • Robert Parham as 'JJ' Johnson
  • Anita Parrott as Mrs. Johnson
  • John K. Price as Man at Counter
  • Dorsey R. Richard as Rhino
  • Katie Robinson as Waitress
  • Tammy L. Staten as Ruby
  • John Tellis as Guard
  • Michael Jerome Williams as Pow Wow Samuels

Release

The film was released on DVD on June 3, 1998.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bahrenburg, Bruce (1971). My Little Brother's Coming Tomorrow. New York City: G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 978-0399105647.
  2. ^ Hal Erickson (2009). "Grambling's White Tiger (1981)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 16, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  3. ^ "Grambling's White Tiger". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  4. ^ "Kampf der weißen Tiger, De". KI Media GbR. September 20, 2003. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  5. ^ "Der Kampf der weissen Tiger (orig.: Gramblings White Tiger)". www.footballforum.de. May 5, 2006. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  6. ^ "Grambling's White Tiger". New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  7. ^ Grambling's White Tiger. ASIN 6305004064.