| Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | |
|---|---|
 Original broadcast poster | |
| Genre | Drama Romance |
| Screenplay by | Jerome Kass |
| Directed by | Sam O'Steen |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Billy Goldenberg |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Roger Gimbel |
| Production locations | Elmhurst, Queens, New York City Hollywood, Los Angeles, California Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City Myron's Ballroom - 1024 South Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles Pasadena, California South Pasadena, California San Pedro, Los Angeles, California Woodhaven, Queens, New York City Woodside, Queens, New York City |
| Cinematography | David M. Walsh |
| Editor | William H. Ziegler |
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Production company | Tomorrow Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | February 13, 1975 (1975-02-13) |
| Related | |
| Ballroom | |
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom is an American musical television movie directed bySam O'Steen and produced byRoger Gimbel,[1] from the teleplay byJerome Kass.[2] It was broadcast byCBS on February 13, 1975.Maureen Stapleton,Charles Durning, andCharlotte Rae were nominated forEmmy Awards for their performances.
Bea Asher (Stapleton) is a lonely widow who is told by a waitress named Angie to get out and enjoy life. Angie takes a nervous Bea to the Stardust Ballroom, a local dance hall, for ballroom dancing. Despite Bea stating it has been years since she has danced, Al Green (Durning) asks her to dance. When Bea returns home late, her worried sister Helen (Rae) arrives, having already disturbed Bea's daughter. Bea decides to be her own person now, takes on a more youthful appearance, and frequents the Stardust to dance with Al. This starts a romance. Bea also learns of Al's life off the dance floor. He is married, albeit unhappily, but she so enjoys their time together that it doesn't bother her. Bea's new lifestyle leads her to become the annual queen at the Stardust.
Billy Goldenberg composed the music for the film.Alan andMarilyn Bergman wrote the lyrics for the songs used in the film, most of which were sung by the two leads, except for a solo byMartha Tilton. The dance sequences were choreographed byMarge Champion[2] and were filmed in Myron's Ballroom in Los Angeles with some 300 regular patrons, includingDean Collins,Skippy Blair, Larry Kern, and Laure Haile appearing as extras.[3][4]
O'Steen won theDirectors Guild of America award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Specials, and theWriters Guild of America honored Kass for his original teleplay. The program received twoEmmys, forOutstanding Achievement in Choreography andOutstanding Achievement in Cinematography for a Special.
The program, which has been released in VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray formats, served as the basis for the 1978 Broadway musicalBallroom.