Bird
“"There are no second acts in American lives."”
Synopsis
Saxophone player Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker comes to New York in 1940 and is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. He becomes a drug addict but his loving wife Chan tries to help him.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-12-19
Top Cast
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Forest Whitaker
Charlie 'Bird' Parker
Diane Venora
Chan Parker
Michael Zelniker
Red Rodney
Samuel E. Wright
Dizzy Gillespie
Keith David
Buster Franklin
Michael McGuire
Brewster
James Handy
Esteves
Damon Whitaker
Young Bird
Morgan Nagler
Kim
Arlen Dean Snyder
Dr. Heath
Sam Robards
Moscowitz
Glenn Wright
Alcoholic Patient
George Orrison
Patient with Checkers
Bill Cobbs
Dr. Caulfield
Hamilton Camp
Mayor of 52nd Street
Chris Bosley
First Doorman
George T. Bruce
Second Doorman
Joey Green
Gene
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 30, 1988
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 6, 2006
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$9M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.22x
-$7M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Clint Eastwood
- Screenplay & Story
- Joel Oliansky
- Original Score
- Lennie Niehaus
- Original Title
- Bird
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 41m
- Production Budget
- $9M
- Worldwide Gross
- $2M
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures, Malpaso Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Clint Eastwood
Joel Oliansky
Lennie Niehaus
Jack N. Green
Joel Cox
Clint Eastwood, David Valdes
Department Leadership Roster
Clint Eastwood
Director
Clint Eastwood
Producer
Lennie Niehaus
Original Music Composer
Joel Cox
Editor
Edward C. Carfagno
Production Design
Jack N. Green
Director of Photography
Joel Oliansky
Writer
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
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bird.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Bird.
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Forest Whitaker Portfolio - Movies
Curated master portfolio of movies starring Forest Whitaker Portfolio - Movies. Updated frequently. Last updated September 26, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bird
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Bird about?
Saxophone player Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker comes to New York in 1940 and is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. He becomes a drug addict but his loving wife Chan tries to help him.
Who directed Bird?
Bird was directed by Clint Eastwood.
Who stars in Bird?
The principal cast of Bird includes Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker, Samuel E. Wright, Keith David.
When was Bird released and how long is it?
Bird was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 2h 41m.
What was the box office and production budget of Bird?
Bird had a reported production budget of $9M and grossed $2M at the worldwide box office (0.22 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Bird?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Bird was composed by Lennie Niehaus.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Bird?
Bird holds official age classifications: FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).