Motown 25

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Directed by	Don Mischer
Produced by	Suzanne de Passe
Distributed by	MGM/UA Home Video (VHS/Laserdisc) Starvista Entertainment/Time Life (DVD)
Release date	March 25, 1983
Running time	130 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

MGM/UA Home Video (VHS/Laserdisc)

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special, produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to commemorate Motown's 25th year (Motown was founded in January 1959). The program was taped before a live studio audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California on March 25, 1983, and broadcast on NBC on May 16. Among its highlights were Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean", Smokey Robinson's long-awaited reunion with The Miracles, a Temptations / Four Tops "battle of the bands", Marvin Gaye's inspired speech about black music history and his memorable performance of "What's Going On", a Jackson 5 reunion, and an abbreviated reunion of Diana Ross & the Supremes, who performed their final #1 hit, "Someday We'll Be Together" from 1969. The show was co-written by de Passe with Ruth Adkins Robinson who would go on to write shows with de Passe for the next 25 years, including the follow-up label tributes—through "Motown 40," Buz Kohan was the head writer.

Junior Walker performed 30 seconds of his signature hit "Shotgun." It was performed as a solo; The All-Stars, his long-time group, did not participate.

Lionel Richie performed his hit "You Mean More To Me" in a pre-taped segment. Appearing with him was Lynette Butler, identified as a "Sickle Cell Poster Child." Richie did not appear with his former group the Commodores, who appeared without him on a separate live segment of the special, singing their smash hit Brick House, which was led, as on the original recording, by Commodore Walter "Clyde" Orange. The other original Commodores, William King, Ron LaPread, Milan Williams, and Thomas McCleary were present and performed on this segment.

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