Movie about gale sayers

A drama about the deep friendship between gale sayers, black halfback for the chicago bears, and his white teammate, brian piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970 addeddate 20170504 18. Gale sayers traveling to bears100 ceremony despite severe. Throughout the movie, gale sayers becomes a wonderful person because of his great traits, such as his loyalty, being shy, and others trust him. Javon williams aka bruce lee aka gale sayers week 322 carries for 2174 caught for 60 yards by. In the remake of brians song, the television movie that makes. Family of gale sayers, former bears player, talks about. Few expected the football film to be so loaded, but the story of the heartbreaking friendship between pro football players gale sayers and brian. Sayers asks him where head coach george halas office is, and piccolo tells him. Gale sayers, one of the greatest running backs who ever lived, has been battling dementia for years. It was an inspiring account, partly of gale sayers, a hall of fame football player for the chicago bears. After piccolo was passed over in the 14team, 20round nfl draft, the bears signed him as a. Sayers career and new battle are just another symbol of the tragic football condition.

Gale sayers is the biggest what if story in nfl history. I first read this autobiography and memoir when i was in high school. He is an actor and writer, known for brians song 1971, brians song 2001 and reggies prayer 1996. He has been married to ardythe bullard since december 1, 1973. Gale sayers is known for his agility and completely different playing style. The movie, in which sayers was portrayed by billy dee williams in the 1971 original and by mekhi phifer in the 2001 remake, was adapted from sayers account of this story in his 1970 autobiography, i am third. This highlyacclaimed winner of five emmy awards is one of the bestloved movies ever made for television. Abc will debut a remake of the popular tv movie on december 2.

Gale was inducted into the hall of fame when he was only 34yearsold the. After a punt lands at his feet as he gets out of the taxi cab, sayers meets fellow rookie back brian piccolo. He played for the university of kansas before being drafted by. They are the movie, in which sayers was portrayed by billy dee williams in 1971 original and by mekhi phifer in the 2001 remake, was adapted from sayers account of this story in his 1970 autobiography. Brians song is not just a film about football, or the chicago bears. The true story of a special relationship between two pro football players, gale sayers billy dee williams and brian piccolo james caan, who first made news as the nfls first interracial roommates. Nicholas sparks and theresa park have acquired gale sayers life rights and his memoirs i am third and sayers. He has been married to ardythe bullard since december. I had seen the movie, brians song, and as i often do with impactful movies, i sought out the book upon which the movie was based. Based on the reallife relationship between teammates brian piccolo and gale sayers and the bond established when piccolo discovers that he is dying. Its the true story of a special relationship between two professional football players, gale sayers billy dee williams and brian piccolo james caan. Piccolo then tells sayers that halas cant hear in his left ear, and. The university of kansas product also known for the movie brians song is. His relationship with friend gale sayers billy dee williams is the stuff of archetypal male camaraderie, and sayers s speech about his friend is one of the movies alltime fourhankie moments.

This biopic about the chicago bears brian piccolo and gale sayers is no mere sports film. Brians song while women shed more than a few tears over love story back in 1970, men had their equivalent with brians song on tv. Brian piccolo and gale sayers are teammates on the chicago bears. Brian piccolo james caan and gale sayers billy dee williams are teammates on the mid1960s chicago bears. Sayers serves on the board of directors at american century mutual funds, located in kansas city, missouri.

The new movie touches on the relationship of sayers former wife, linda, with oconnell. Ernest hemingway once said every true story ends in death. In addition, his 1971 autobiography, i am third, was produced into an awardwinning television movie, brians song, starring james caan and billy dee williams. It is difficult to imagine a more dynamic debut than the one he enjoyed as a rookie. The story of professional football players gale sayers and brian piccolo, and how their friendship on and off the field was affected when piccolo contracted a fatal. The movie starts during training camp 1965, as rookie running back gale sayers reports to camp for the chicago bears. The movie s real turn takes place when sayers suffers his knee injury in the 1968 season in a week 9 win over the 49ers who he also had his best day against when he was leading the league in. In the national football league, players get injured all of the time, but few are more of a what if story than halfback gale sayers one of the most explosive and talented football players in professional football history, sayers was limited to just seven seasons with the chicago bears due to injuries and barely even played in the final two. He played college football for the university of kansas, and was twice recognized as an allamerican. In an interview with the kansas city star, his wife ardie sayers. Nicholas sparks to produce gale sayersbrian piccolo movie. This sports movie is based on the book, i am third, the autobiography written by gayle sayres.

Based on the reallife relationship between teammates brian piccolo and gale sayers. The original movie was so short at 70 minutes that no mention was made of the three young piccolo daughters. Penguin books has reissued i am third and what follows is an excerpt from the new edition. Rent brians song 1971 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. The story deals with the friendship of future hall of fame running back, gayle sayres and his roommate, brian piccolo and how they cope. Wednesday marks the 45th anniversary of the madefortv movie brian s song.

Both star players for the chicago bears, sayers and piccolo soon became roommates and best friends. The interview took place october 19, 1980, nine years after piccolo died of. He is one of the most successful halfbacks till date. Brians song is a 1971 abc movie of the week that recounts the details of the life of brian piccolo played by james caan, a chicago bears football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro in 1965, told through his friendship with bears teammate gale sayers billy dee williams. Al silverman is a noted sports writer and the author of ten books and numerous essays published in playboy, saga, and sport magazines. Piccolos and sayers sharply differing temperaments and racial backgrounds made them unlikely to become as close friends as they did, including becoming the first interracial roommates in the history of the national football league, and the film ch. Rent brians song 1971 starring james caan and billy dee williams on dvd and bluray. Brians song is a 1971 abc movie of the week that recounts the details of the life of brian piccolo, a football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro, told through his friendship with chicago bears running back teammate and pro football hall of famer gale sayers, who helps him in his difficult struggle directed by buzz kulik. Gale sayers pro football hall of fame official site. They are the movie, in which sayers was portrayed by billy dee williams in 1971 original and by mekhi phifer in the 2001 remake, was adapted from sayers account of. Brians song dvd vision video christian videos, movies. Brians song 1971 g 1h min biography, drama, sport tv movie 30 november 1971. This is a film about the respect, friendship, and love that is demonstrated in teammates.

Gale sayers, bio, wife, age, salary, net worth, numbers. Brians song is a 1971 abc movie of the week that recounts the details of the life of brian piccolo, a chicago bears football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro in 1965, told through his friendship with bears teammate gale sayers. The family of gale sayers, a former chicago bears hall of famer, opened up for the first time about his battle with dementia. My life and times and have partnered with michael costigan to produce a. Piccolos heroic fight against cancer and the constant support and friendship of sayers make this a moving and unforgettable film. American football player gale sayers was born on may 30, 1943, in wichita, kansas. Brians song is a made for television movie made for abc in 1971, that features james caan and billy d. Sayers was a monster on the field during his 7 years in the nfl rushing for more than 4,956 yards in just 68 games. The iconic film about the iconic friendship between pro football hall of fame running back.

Gale sayers was born on may 30, 1943 in wichita, kansas, usa as gale eugene sayers. Brian piccolo and gale sayers rubbed each other the wrong way and never. Pro football hall of fame member gale sayers is honored at halftime during the game between the minnesota vikings and the chicago bears at soldier field on october 31, 2016 in chicago, illinois. Gale eugene sayers born may 30, 1943, also known as the kansas comet, is a former american college and professional football player who was a running back in the national football league nfl for seven seasons during the 1960s and early 1970s. Gale sayers had a short nfl career, however, he is the man of the match. Find gale sayers movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. Full text and audio mp3 and video of movie brians song gale sayers accepts halas courage award. Brians song is about respect, friendship, and love just. Gale eugene sayers was born on the 30th may 1943, in wichita, kansas usa, and is a former american football player, who spent his entire career playing for the chicago bears of the national football league nfl, in. What a baby max mcferren edm detection mode kevin macleod at the game. The bears signed him the same year they drafted gale sayers. In 2007, he released a new book, gale sayers, my life and times.