Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
Diana Ross is Billie Holiday. Diana Ross sings Billie Holiday. And a superstar is born.
144 min
Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.
- Release date
- October 12, 1972
- Country of origin
- United States
- Budget
- $2,000,000
- Box office
- $19,726,490
Where to watch
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Trailer
Cast
- Diana Ross as Billie Holiday
- Billy Dee Williams as Louis McKay
- Richard Pryor as Piano Man
- James T. Callahan as Reg Hanley
- Paul Hampton as Harry
- Sid Melton as Jerry
- Virginia Capers as Mama Holiday
- Yvonne Fair as Yvonne
- Isabel Sanford as The Madame
- Ned Glass as The Agent
- Milton Selzer as The Doctor
- Norman Bartold as The Detective #1
- Clay Tanner as The Detective #2
- Jester Hairston as The Butler
- Bert Kramer as The Policeman
- Paul Micale as The Maitre d'
- Barbara Minkus as Radio Actress
- Kay Lewis as Angela DeMarco
- George Wyner as The M.C.
- Larry Duran as Hood #1
- Ernest Robinson as Hood #2
- Don McGovern as Reporter #1
- Dick Poston as Reporter #2
- Charles Woolf as Reporter #3
- Tracee Lyles as The Prostitute
Crew
- Sidney J. Furie · Director
- Terence McCloy · Writer
- Chris Clark · Writer
- Suzanne De Passe · Writer
- Billie Holiday · Writer
- Jay Weston · Producer
- James S. White · Producer
- Michel Legrand · Composer
- John A. Alonzo · Cinematographer
- Argyle Nelson Jr. · Editor
- Joe Scully · Casting director
- Carl Anderson · Production designer