| Purlie is a musical based on Ossie Davis' 1961 play Purlie Victorious. In the early days of the civil rights movement, a Southern plantation owner holds his sharecroppers in virtual slavery. Purlie comes home as a preacher who will shake things up and bring freedom to his people. This 1981 television adaptation won a CableACE Award. | |
| Release Date: | Oct 12, 1981 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Rudi Goldman |
| Writer: | |
| Genres: | Music, Drama |
| Keywords | filmed theater |
| Production Companies | CBS Productions, Showtime Networks |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jan 29, 2026 Entered: Apr 26, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Robert Guillaume | Purlie |
| Melba Moore | Lutiebelle |
| Sherman Hemsley | Gitlow |
| Linda Hopkins | Sister Hopkins |
| Rhetta Hughes | Missy |
| Brandon Maggart | Ol' Cap'n |
| Don Scardino | Charlie |
| Clarice Taylor | Idella |
| Loretta Abbott | Ensemble |
| Brenda Braxton | Ensemble |
| P.L. Brown | Ensemble |
| Olivia Detante | Ensemble |
| Suzzanne Douglas | Ensemble |
| Cisco Drayton | Ensemble |
| Tanya Gibson | Ensemble |
| Michael Goring | Ensemble |
| Milt Grayson | Ensemble |
| Lawrence Hamilton | Ensemble |
| Clinton King Keen | Ensemble |
| Mildred Lane | Ensemble |
| Judy Leak | Ensemble |
| Eugene Little | Ensemble |
| Pauletta Washington | Ensemble |
| Lou Ann Pickett | Ensemble |
| Herbert Rawlings | Ensemble |
| Renee Rose | Ensemble |
| Ted Ross | Ensemble |
| Otis Sallid | Ensemble |
| Henry Shaw | Ensemble |
| Valerie Smith | Ensemble |
| Jeffery V. Thompson | Ensemble |
| Denessa Tobin | Ensemble |
| David Weatherspoon | Ensemble |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Rudi Goldman | Director |
| Peter Udell | Lyricist, Musical |
| Philip Rose | Stage Director, Musical |
| Al Perryman | Choreographer |
| James Tilton | Set Designer |
| Alan Adelman | Lighting Director |
| Randy Nordstrom | Lighting Director |
| Gail Cooper-Hecht | Costume Design |
| Gary Geld | Music Supervisor, Songs, Musical |
| Kirk Nurock | Music Director |
| Garry Sherman | Orchestrator |
| Ray Wright | Orchestrator |
| Lester Lessuk | Production Manager |
| Les Liebowitz | Camera Operator |
| Jake Ostroff | Camera Operator |
| Steve Zinn | Camera Operator |
| Manny Gutierrez | Camera Operator |
| Bob Camitta | Camera Operator |
| Blake Norton | Sound |
| John R. Tierney | Editor |
| Peter Liveris | Assistant Editor |
| Bill Seesselberg | Assistant Editor |
| Bob Soond | Assistant Editor |
| Linda Considine | Casting |
| Joe Cranzano | Makeup Artist |
| Michael Robinson | Assistant Editor |
| Teddy Jenkins | Hairstylist |
| David Stahlberg | Title Graphics |
| Louis Johnson | Choreographer |
| Ossie Davis | Musical |
| Luther Henderson | Orchestrator |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Bruno B. Saudino | Associate Producer |
| Robert R. Thiel | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 3 |
| 2024 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
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