Queen of the Stardust Ballroom

Queen of the Stardust Ballroom
Original broadcast poster
Screenplay by	Jerome Kass
Directed by	Sam O'Steen
Starring	Maureen Stapleton Charles Durning
Composer(s)	Billy Goldenberg
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
Production
Executive producer(s)	Roger Gimbel
Cinematography	David M. Walsh
Editor(s)	William H. Ziegler
Running time	98 minutes
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	February 13, 1975
Chronology
Related shows	Ballroom

Queen of the Stardust Ballroom is an American television movie directed by Sam O'Steen and executive-produced by Roger Gimbel, from the teleplay by Jerome Kass. It was broadcast by CBS on February 13, 1975. Maureen Stapleton, Charles Durning, and Charlotte Rae were nominated for an Emmy Award 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 and Marilyn Bergman wrote the lyrics for the songs used in the film, most of which were sung by the two leads, except for a solo by Martha Tilton. The dance sequences were choreographed by Marge Champion. and were filmed in Myron's Ballroom in Los Angeles with some 300 regular patrons, including Dean Collins, Skippy Blair, Larry Kern, and Laure' Haile appearing as extras.