Lady Sings the Blues

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Lady Sings the Blues

The movie poster for the film Lady Sings the Blues
Directed by Sidney J. Furie
Produced by Brad Dexter
Jay Weston
James S. White
Written by Chris Clark
Suzanne De Passe
William Dufty
Billie Holiday
Terence McCloy
Starring Diana Ross
Billy Dee Williams
Richard Pryor
Music by Gil Askey
Michel Legrand
Cinematography John A. Alonzo
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 12, 1972
Running time 141 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Lady Sings the Blues is a 1972 biographical film which tells the story of jazz singer Billie Holiday. Produced by Motown Productions for Paramount Pictures, the film stars Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan and Scatman Crothers.

The movie was adapted by Chris Clark, Suzanne De Passe and Terence McCloy from the book by William Dufty and Billie Holiday. It was directed by Sidney J. Furie.

It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Diana Ross), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Music, Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced.

The same year, Motown released a successful soundtrack double-album of Ross' recordings of Billie Holiday songs from the film, also titled Lady Sings the Blues. The album went to No. 1 in the Billboard Hot 200 Album Charts.[citation needed]