Themes: Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and Sons, Infidelity
Main Cast: Edward Herrmann, Jane Alexander, Linda Kelsey, Rosemary Murphy, Linda Purl
Release Year: 1976
Country: US
Run Time: 208 minutes
Plot
The winner of 11 Emmy awards, the made-for-TV Eleanor and Franklin stars Edward Herrmann as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jane Alexander as Eleanor Roosevelt. The film traces the first four decades of the lives of cousins Franklin and Eleanor, beginning with their marriage in 1905. Conflicts loom in the form of FDR's domineering mother (Rosemary Murphy) and Eleanor's discovery of an affair between her husband and artist Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey). After Franklin is stricken by polio in 1921, Eleanor emerges as a formidable and influential public figure. James Costigan wrote the teleplay for Eleanor and Franklin, which first aired as a two-parter on January 11 and 12, 1976. The film was followed several months later by a multipart sequel, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Lynn H. Guthrie - First Assistant Director, Daniel Petrie - Director, David Susskind - Executive Producer, John Barry - Composer (Music Score), Jan Scott - Production Designer, Harry Sherman - Producer, James Costigan - Screenwriter, Joseph P. Lash - Book Author
