Brian's Song
54 years ago today-On November 30, 1971 the ABC Movie of the Week “Brian's Song” aired at 8:30 PM.
Brian's Song recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo who was stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro in 1965, told through his friendship with Bears teammate Gale Sayers.
Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) are teammates on the mid-1960s Chicago Bears. At a time when professional football still bears a certain amount of race-based segregation, the growing friendship between the white Piccolo and the black Sayers, as well as their wives, Joy (Shelley Fabares) and Linda (Judy Pace), becomes a symbol of harmony during the civil rights era. That bond grows stronger still when Piccolo receives some shattering and unexpected news.
Brian's Song recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo who was stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro in 1965, told through his friendship with Bears teammate Gale Sayers.
Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) are teammates on the mid-1960s Chicago Bears. At a time when professional football still bears a certain amount of race-based segregation, the growing friendship between the white Piccolo and the black Sayers, as well as their wives, Joy (Shelley Fabares) and Linda (Judy Pace), becomes a symbol of harmony during the civil rights era. That bond grows stronger still when Piccolo receives some shattering and unexpected news.



