Michael
2026 · Music · Drama
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Film / 1991
The Five Heartbeats
Directed by
Robert Townsend
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.
The story
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.
Cast
Robert TownsendDuck
Michael WrightEddie
LeonJ.T.
Harry LennixDresser
Tico WellsChoirboy
Diahann CarrollEleanor Potter
Harold NicholasSarge
Hawthorne JamesBig Red
Roy FeganBird
Troy ByerBaby Doll
Carla BrothersTanya Sawyer
Deborah LaceyRose
See more cast
Theresa RandleBrenda
John WitherspoonWild Rudy
Bobby McGeeLeon
O.L. DukeMonroe
Kasi LemmonsCookie
Eugene Robert GlazerDavid Green
Timmie RogersBuddy Lewis
Tommy Redmond HicksPastor Blake
Donnie SimpsonDonnie Simpson
Norma DonaldsonMrs. Sawyer
Roger RoseThe Five Horsemen
James AndersonBig Red's Guys
Arnold JohnsonMr. Matthews
Monique MannenSandra Tillman
Paul BenjaminMr. King
Phyllis ApplegateMyra Stone
David McKnightPastor Stone
Veronica ReddMrs. Matthews
Chuck PattersonJimmy Potter
Tressa ThomasDuck's Baby Sister
John PittmanHitman
Tammy TownsendMatthew's Kids
Bobby MardisThe Midnight Falcons
Lamont JohnsonBobby Cassanova
Marilyn ColemanMrs. King
Suzanne SuterThe Crystals
Gigi BoldenThe Crystals
Recoe WalkerThe Ebony Sparks
Wayne 'Crescendo' WardThe Ebony Sparks
Gregory 'Popeye' AlexanderThe Midnight Falcons
Jimmy WoodardThe Midnight Falcons
Randy HarrisBig Red's Guys
Harry StanbackSpeakeasy Guy
Tiffanique WebbSpeakeasy Girl
Vincent J. IsaacHitman
Mayuto CorreaDancer
Robin Ray EllerHeartbeat Dancer (uncredited)
Coffee WrightMrs. king's friend (uncredited)
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