I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an American television film based on the autobiography of the same name by Maya Angelou, first aired April 28, 1979, on CBS. Angelou and Leonora Thuna wrote the screenplay, and the movie was directed by Fielder Cook. Constance Good played the young Maya Angelou. Also appearing were Esther Rolle, Roger E. Mosley, Diahann Carroll, Ruby Dee, and Madge Sinclair. Filming took place in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
The movie traces Maya's life from when she and her brother move in with their grandmother to the trauma of being raped as a young girl by one of her mother's boyfriends and the several years of silence that came after the attack.
Two scenes in the movie differed from events described in the book. Angelou added a scene between Maya and Uncle Willie after the Joe Louis fight. In it, he expresses his feelings of redemption after Louis defeats a white opponent. Angelou also presents her eighth-grade graduation differently in the film. In the book, Henry Reed delivers the valedictory speech and leads the black audience in the Negro national anthem. In the movie, Maya conducts these activities.
Cast
(in credits order)
Paul Benjamin as Freeman
Diahann Carroll as Vivian
Ruby Dee as Grandmother Baxter
Roger E. Mosley as Bailey Sr.
Esther Rolle as Momma
Madge Sinclair as Miss Flowers
Constance Good as Maya Angelou
John Driver as Bailey Jr. (as John M. Driver II)
Sonny Jim Gaines as Uncle Willie
Art Evans as Principal
J. Don Ferguson as Mr. Donleavy
Georgia Allen as Mrs. Gurney
Darryl Antony Williams as Tommy Valdon (as Darryl Williams)
Tonea Stewart as Lillie (as Tommie Stewart)
Monica Kyles as Julie
Rick Salassi as Parmenian (as Richard Salassi)
Lewis Liddell as Tommy
Sammy Liddell as Ira
Sylvester Spann as Tutti
Myra Jo Arvin as Red
Mose Lee Williams as 1st Mrs. Fletcher
Frankie Mitchell as 2nd Mrs. Fletcher
M.L. Breeland as Mr. Peters
Angela Brown as Kitty
Abbie Burns as Mary