United States / Apr 07, 1976 / USA Film Festival
You can't bury a black legend like Leadbelly!
2h 6min
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer
Videos
Plot
The life of Blues and folk singer Huddie Leadbetter, nicknamed Leadbelly is recounted. Covering the good times and bad from his 20s to 40s. Much of that time was spent on chain gangs in the south. Even in prison he became well known for the songs he had composed and sung during and before the time he spent there.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Benjamin | Wes Ledbetter |
| Lynn Hamilton | Sally Ledbetter |
| Carole Lamond | Laura May |
| Melba Englander | Evaline |
| Pamela Singleton | Fat Bessie |
| Rozaa Jean | Sugar Tit |
| Nat Williams | Albert |
| Madge Sinclair | Miss Eula |
| George Williams | Shorty |
| Timothy Pickard | Gray Man |
| Rhetta Greene | Lethe |
| Art Evans | Blind Lemon Jefferson |
| William Creamer | Conductor |
| Dearl Croft | Frank |
| John C. Johnson | Will |
| Bill Woodard | Alex |
| Robert C. Farrow | Blacksmith |
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| Albert Hall | Dicklicker |
| Peter Harrell | Ally George |
| B.T. Henderson | Boss #1 |
| Denny Arnold | Boss #2 |
| James Taylor | Dog Boy |
| Vivian Bonnell | Old Lady |
| Alan Manson | Captain Freeman |
| John Henry Faulk | Gov. Pat Neff |
| Valerie Odell | Amy |
| Drew Thomas | Sharecropper |
| John Keith | Guard |
| Hitide Harris | Leadbelly (singing) |
Genres
Drama
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | Leadbelly |
| Original language | English (EN) |
| Spoken languages | English |
| Production countries | United States of America |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | David Paradine Productions, Brownstone Productions, Zeeuwse Maatschappij N.V. |
| Release date | 28 maggio 1976 |
| Executive producer | David Frost, Jack Grossberg |
| Production | Marc Merson |
| Writer | Ernest Kinoy |
| Editing | Moe Howard, Thomas Penick |
| Cinematography | Bruce Surtees, Oscar Barber, William D. Barber, Timothy E. Wade, Robert West Sr. |
| Assistant directors | Reuben Watt, Richard Alexander Wells, Gordon Parks |
| Lighting | Charles Holmes |
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| Camera operators | Oscar Barber, Bruce Surtees, William D. Barber, Timothy E. Wade, Robert West Sr. |
| Additional photography | Bruce Surtees, Oscar Barber, William D. Barber, Timothy E. Wade, Robert West Sr. |
| Production design | Robert F. Boyle, John A. Kuri, Jack M. Marino |
| Art direction | Robert F. Boyle, John A. Kuri, Jack M. Marino |
| Set decoration | John A. Kuri, Robert F. Boyle, Jack M. Marino |
| Stunts | Denny Arnold, Jim Burk, Harold Jones |
| Music | Fred Karlin, Howard Beals, Gene S. Cantamessa, John Wilkinson, David H. Cohen, June Edgerton, Brownie McGhee, Dick Rosmini, Sonny Terry |
| Sound | Fred Karlin, Howard Beals, Gene S. Cantamessa, John Wilkinson, David H. Cohen, June Edgerton, Brownie McGhee, Dick Rosmini, Sonny Terry |
| Costume design | Bernadine M. Anderson, Eddie M. Barron, Robert Dawn |
| Makeup | Bernadine M. Anderson, Robert Dawn, Eddie M. Barron |
| Hairstyling | Bernadine M. Anderson, Eddie M. Barron, Robert Dawn |
Release dates
Premiere
Limited release
Brazil / Dec 11, 2025 / 14 / IMS Paulista (Gordon Parks: A América Sou Eu)
Theatrical release
United States / May 28, 1976 / PG / New York City, New York
TV
Italy / Jun 04, 1983 / Rete A
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