Lady Sings the Blues
“Diana Ross is Billie Holiday. Diana Ross sings Billie Holiday. And a superstar is born.”
Synopsis
Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
LADY SINGS THE BLUES Trailer 1972 music by MICHEL LEGRAND
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-06-24
Top Cast
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Diana Ross
Billie Holiday
Billy Dee Williams
Louis McKay
Richard Pryor
Piano Man
James T. Callahan
Reg Hanley
Paul Hampton
Harry
Sid Melton
Jerry
Virginia Capers
Mama Holiday
Yvonne Fair
Yvonne
Isabel Sanford
The Madame
Tracee Lyles
The Prostitute
Ned Glass
The Agent
Milton Selzer
The Doctor
Norman Bartold
The Detective #1
Clay Tanner
The Detective #2
Jester Hairston
The Butler
Bert Kramer
The Policeman
Paul Micale
The Maitre d'
Michele Aller
The Singer
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 12, 1972
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$19.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
9.86x
+$17.7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sidney J. Furie
- Screenplay & Story
- Terence McCloy, Suzanne de Passe, Chris Clark
- Original Score
- Michel Legrand
- Original Title
- Lady Sings the Blues
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 24m
- Production Budget
- $2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $19.7M
- Production Studios
- Weston Productions, Jobete Productions, Motown Productions, Paramount Pictures, Sidney J. Furie Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sidney J. Furie
Terence McCloy, Suzanne de Passe, Chris Clark, William Dufty, Billie Holiday
Michel Legrand
John A. Alonzo
Argyle Nelson Jr.
Jay Weston, Berry Gordy, Brad Dexter, James S. White
Department Leadership Roster
Sidney J. Furie
Director
Jay Weston
Producer
Terence McCloy
Screenplay
Suzanne de Passe
Screenplay
Chris Clark
Screenplay
Norma Koch
Costume Design
Michel Legrand
Original Music Composer
Bob Mackie
Costume Design
Brad Dexter
Producer
John A. Alonzo
Director of Photography
Argyle Nelson Jr.
Editor
Carl Anderson
Production Design
James S. White
Producer
Ray Aghayan
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Lady Sings the Blues.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Lady Sings the Blues.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Lady Sings the Blues
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Lady Sings the Blues about?
Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.
Who directed Lady Sings the Blues?
Lady Sings the Blues was directed by Sidney J. Furie.
Who stars in Lady Sings the Blues?
The principal cast of Lady Sings the Blues includes Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan, Paul Hampton.
When was Lady Sings the Blues released and how long is it?
Lady Sings the Blues was released in 1972 with a total runtime of 2h 24m.
What was the box office and production budget of Lady Sings the Blues?
Lady Sings the Blues had a reported production budget of $2M and grossed $19.7M at the worldwide box office (9.86 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Lady Sings the Blues?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Lady Sings the Blues was composed by Michel Legrand.
Is Lady Sings the Blues based on a book or true story?
Lady Sings the Blues is adapted from the following source material: Book: "William Dufty", Book: "Billie Holiday".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Lady Sings the Blues?
Lady Sings the Blues holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).