The Jacksons: An American Dream

The Jacksons: An American Dream
The DVD cover for the miniseries.
Written by	Joyce Eliason
Directed by	Karen Arthur
Starring	Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Angela Bassett Holly Robinson Peete Margaret Avery Alex Burrall Jermaine Jackson, Jr. Bumper Robinson Floyd Meyers Jr. Monica Calhoun Jason Weaver Angel Vargas Terrence Howard Vanessa L. Williams Billy Dee Williams Wylie Draper Colin Steele
Theme music composer	Harold Wheeler
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	2
Production
Producer(s)	Suzanne de Passe Joyce Eliason Jermaine Jackson Margaret Maldonado Stan Marguiles
Running time	240 min.
Distributor	The Stan Marguiles Company KJ Films de Passe Entertainment Motown Productions PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	November 15 – November 18, 1992

The Jacksons: An American Dream is a four-hour American miniseries broadcast in two halves on ABC and originally broadcast on November 15 through November 18, 1992. It is based upon the history of the Jackson family, one of the most successful musical families in show business, and the early and successful years of the popular Motown group The Jackson 5.

The miniseries was executive produced by Suzanne de Passe and Stan Marguiles, produced by Joyce Eliason, Jermaine Jackson and Margaret Maldonado and directed by Karen Arthur. The movie was filmed in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, where director Arthur had previously filmed her feature film Lady Beware.

The Jacksons: An American Dream is based on Katherine Jackson's My Family autobiography. A critical and commercial success, the program won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Choreography. The title alludes to the iconic concept of the 'American Dream'.

The miniseries stars Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as the Jacksons' patriarch Joseph Jackson, Angela Bassett as the family matriarch Katherine Jackson, Alex Burrall, Jason Weaver and Wylie Draper played Michael Jackson in different eras, while Bumper Robinson and Terrence Howard played Jackie Jackson in different eras, Shakiem Jamar Evans and Angel Vargas played Tito Jackson, Margaret Avery as Katherine's mother Martha Scruse, Holly Robinson Peete as Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams as Berry Gordy and Vanessa L. Williams as Suzanne de Passe. The opening titles of the film shows footage of the real Jacksons rehearsing, performing on stage, a few clips from the "Can You Feel It" music video, album covers, magazine covers and pictures of the family. The film is mostly based on the autobiography written by Katherine Jackson, who issued the 1990 autobiography, My Family. Part one of the film was based on how Joseph and Katherine managed to raise their children, first in Gary, Indiana, then later dealing with The Jackson 5's early fame and its consequences. Part two of the film is based on the struggles of young Michael Jackson as he deals with his brothers marrying early into The Jackson 5 success, his problems with acne as a teenager, his eventual solo superstardom based on the success of his albums Off the Wall and Thriller and his legendary Motown 25 performance of "Billie Jean" as well as his difficult relationship with his father.