A Dream for Christmas

• Director: Ralph Senensky
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Themes: Underdogs
• Release Year: 1973
• Country: US
• Run Time: 100 minutes

Plot

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, All Movie Guide

Cast

Ta-Ronce Allen - Emmarine Douglas; Zara Cully - Beth Rogers; Robert DoQui - George Briggs; Joel Fluellen - Arthur Rogers; Sarina Grant - Marge Fuller; Lynn Hamilton - Sarah Douglas; Dennis Hines - Cotter; Dorothy Meyer - Cousin Clara; Juanita Moore - Fannie Mitchell; Clarence Muse - Donald Freeland; Maide Norman - Jennie Dailey; Hari (Harry) Rhodes - Rev. Will Douglas; Beah Richards - Grandma Bessie; George Spell - Joey Douglas; Frances Williams - Cassie Thomas; Marlin Adams - Bradley Douglas; Bebe Redcross - Becky Douglas

Credit

Perry Ferguson - Art Director, Ralph Senensky - Director, Gene Fowler, Jr. - Editor, Bill Mosher - Editor, Anthony Wollner - Editor, Lee Rich - Executive Producer, David Rose - Composer (Music Score), Walter Coblenz - Producer, John McGreevey - Screenwriter, Max Hodge - Screenwriter, Earl Hamner - Short Story Author