LAST BRICKMAKER IN AMERICA, THE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television drama film tells the story of an elderly widower's unlikely friendship with a teenage troublemaker. The story begins as Henry Cobb visits the grave of his wife, Dorothy, who died three months earlier, while elsewhere young Danny Potter vandalizes his middle school. Henry's doctor advises him to "find a reason to get up in the morning," and Danny is suspended for several months. His father, Mike, hurries to meet his boss Carl Douglass at the school library, which is being rebuilt, and Bank Chairman Charlie Redden notes that he would rather use Henry's handmade bricks, rather than Carl's company's machine-made ones, to preserve the school's "historical aspect," though Henry has not made any progress on the job so far. Mike visits Henry and offers to release him from his contract for the school job, though Henry refuses to sign the form right away. He visits his friend Ruth Anne at the flower shop, and when he states that he is no longer interested in making bricks, she reminds him that he personally helped to construct the entire town, including the library at which his beloved Dorothy worked for many years before her retirement.
Henry announces to Mike that he intends to do the library job after all, even though he has only eight weeks to make 22,000 bricks. He spots Danny digging in the earth nearby and informs him that the clay is perfect for making bricks, suggesting that he can help with the process, and a curious Danny arrives at Henry's home as he begins the enormous project. Henry tells Danny about bricks' remarkable longevity, and Danny eventually explains that he was kicked out of the same school and that his father works for Henry's competition, the Douglass company. Mike arrives and angrily sends Danny home despite his protests that he is helping, and Henry refuses Mike's offer to buy him out. Back at home, Mike argues with his estranged wife Karen about Danny's behavior and about their faltering relationship, firmly stating that Danny is to work for him while suspended. Mike assures Carl that Henry cannot possibly finish the job in time, and Danny soon runs away from home and asks to live with Henry. Henry tells the parents that the boy is welcome to stay for the time being, and Mike and Karen, caught up in their own dispute, grudgingly agree.
Henry awakens Danny early and immediately puts him to work, explaining that he himself started in the brickmaking business as a young teen. When Karen tries to convince Danny to come home, he points out that he is caught in the middle of his parents' separation, and Henry offers Karen some marital advice, speaking from several decades' experience. A sudden nighttime storm ruins many of Henry's bricks, and Danny is surprised to see him determinedly starting over in the morning. Mike refuses Henry's request for a few extra days to finish the job, though Henry also clues him in to the fact that Danny resents his father's busy work life and recent decision to move out of the house. Henry observes Danny's graffiti and notes that he himself never attended school but taught himself through books given to him by Dorothy, and he takes Danny to her grave, explaining that he still talks to her regularly. Danny visits Karen at her choir practice and begs her to talk to the superintendent about the library job, and she is startled to see how much the issue means to him. She soon arrives at Henry's home, explaining that she has lightened her workload so that she can help with the bricks.
Henry invites Karen to stay for dinner, cooked by Danny at Henry's instruction, and Mike "coincidentally" arrives for the meal as well. The couple ends up fondly recalling their first meeting and early days together, though Mike points out to Karen that he stands to lose his raise and possibly his job if Henry successfully completes the bricks with their help. Henry's friend Lewis arrives to aid with the kiln, and Danny soon heads to his hearing with the school board members, who seems doubtful that his bad behavior has improved. Karen and Henry defend him, however, explaining that he has proven himself through his hard work, and Henry reminds the teachers that they too were once mischievous teens. After some serious thought, Mike requests some time off to help Henry and the others with the bricks, much to Carl's exasperation. As they prepare to fire the bricks, Lewis surprises Danny by revealing that Henry too ran away from home as a teen because of disputes with his father and has long regretted not making amends before his death. Danny is elated when Mike arrives, though Henry is mildly injured when the kiln overheats and the Potters carefully climb atop the structure to open the necessary vents, saving the day through Henry's instructions.
Henry and the others arrive at the job site with the finished bricks just in time, and though Carl fires Mike, Redden eagerly asks Henry to provide bricks for several other local jobs. Danny is accepted back to his school, and Mike decides to work for himself as a contractor, using Henry as his brickmaker. Henry happily notes that Mike and Karen have reunited thanks to their time spent working together, and Danny promises to visit his new friend often. Henry stops by the flower shop again, where Ruth Anne observes that he has returned to work after all, and Henry spends a quiet moment alone at Dorothy's grave. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 23, 2001 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:24:21
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:84558
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection; Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sharon Cicero … Executive Producer
- Ronnie D. Clemmer … Executive Producer
- Richard P. Kughn … Executive Producer
- Bill Pace … Executive Producer
- Jack Nasser … Executive Producer
- Joseph Nasser … Executive Producer
- Gregg Champion … Executive Producer, Director
- Richard Leder … Executive Producer, Writer
- Derek Kavanagh … Producer
- James Nasser … Co-Producer
- Marla White … Co-Producer
- Joseph Conlan … Music by
- Sidney Poitier … Cast, Henry Cobb
- Wendy Crewson … Cast, Karen Potter
- Jay O. Sanders … Cast, Mike Potter
- Mary Alice … Cast, Dorothy Cobb
- Bernie Casey … Cast, Lewis
- Cody Newton … Cast, Danny Potter
- Piper Laurie … Cast, Ruth Anne
- Duke Ernsberger … Cast, Principal Robert Keenan
- Tom Nowicki … Cast, Carl Douglass
- Mert Hatfield … Cast, Bank Chairman Charlie Redden
- Terry Loughlin … Cast, Dr. Hayward
- Rebecca Koon … Cast, Ms. Abbott
- Bill Roberson … Cast, Dr. Quinn
- Terry Norman … Cast, Ms. Walters