MOVIES ON ABC, THE: AND THE BEAT GOES ON: THE SONNY AND CHER STORY (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television movie, based on Sonny Bono's autobiography, chronicles the personal and working relationship of the musical duo Sonny and Cher. The movie begins as Sonny reflects on his life with Cher during an interview on "Late Night With David Letterman." In a flashback to 1961, Sonny is working as a meat delivery man, hanging around record companies, and trying to break into the business on his off-hours. Although he has little musical talent or knowledge, he has a passion for music and for the industry. Once he gets his first position at a small record company, he spends all his time working, but his friend Buddy feels he is too focused on work and takes him on a blind double date. Sonny is attracted to Buddy's date, Cher, and since she has just lost her job and apartment, Sonny invites her to live with him, never imagining that she will become romantically involved with him. Initially, Cher and Sonny share a purely platonic friendship, particularly since Cher's mother is unaware that her underage daughter is living with a man. But the bond between the roommates grows as they share their dreams of success in entertainment. Sonny gets a job with his role model, producer Phil Spector, and soon Sonny brings Cher into the studio and they record their first song together. The two find they make a good duo, and when Sonny and Cher become musical partners, they also become romantic partners.
They perform together first as "Caesar and Cleo," then as Sonny and Cher, and by 1965, they are performing hit songs such as "I've Got You Babe" on "Shindig!" and other television shows. They also move into a Bel Air mansion, and Cher feels that she has earned her mother's approval. Their fame is followed by a failed film career, and they become discouraged and depressed, especially when Cher catches Sonny cheating on her and finds she is pregnant. But by 1968, Sonny arranges for the duo to perform in Las Vegas, where they also celebrate a secret marriage. He soon gets a contract for a television variety show, "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour." With the birth of their child, Chastity, and the success of their variety show, Sonny and Cher achieve fame and happiness once more. But soon the relationship unravels: Cher is dissatisfied with their music and feels their marriage has been swallowed up in the entity of "Sonny and Cher." Soon their personal and business relationships come to an end. Fourteen years later, Sonny receives an invitation to appear on David Letterman's show with Cher, and he recalls moments from their lives as they sing together on "Late Night With David Letterman." The movie concludes with archival footage of Rep. Sonny Bono's political career, his funeral, and Cher's recollections of him, with a clip of an inspirational speech by Bono. Includes commercials, promos, and public service announcements. Commercials include Paul Reiser for AT&T, Marla Gibbs and Reginald VelJohnson for Telecom USA, Fabio for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, and Jon Lovitz for the Bell Yellow Pages.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 22, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:59:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:56648
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Musicians; Biography; Romance
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "The Deep End of the Ocean" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - "The Other Sister" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - 1-800-Contact contact lense service
- TV - Commercials - AT&T directory assistance
- TV - Commercials - Angel Soft bathroom tissue
- TV - Commercials - Audi automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Burger King fast food
- TV - Commercials - Clairol Herbal Essences hair care products
- TV - Commercials - Colgate Total toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Cotton
- TV - Commercials - Die Hard car batteries
- TV - Commercials - Doritos snacks
- TV - Commercials - Dove soap
- TV - Commercials - Downy Care fabric softener
- TV - Commercials - GMC trucks
- TV - Commercials - General Foods Internations Coffees flavored coffee
- TV - Commercials - Glade air fresheners
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spread
- TV - Commercials - Janus mutual funds
- TV - Commercials - Land Rover automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Lubriderm lotion
- TV - Commercials - Lucky Dog 10-10-345 phone service
- TV - Commercials - LÕOreal Color Vive shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Mentadent toothbrushes
- TV - Commercials - Milkfuls candies
- TV - Commercials - Mylanta antacid
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobile automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Ortho Tri-Cyclen contraceptive
- TV - Commercials - Pacific Bell telecommunications
- TV - Commercials - Palmolive dishwashing detergent
- TV - Commercials - Pepperidge Farm cookies
- TV - Commercials - Petsmart pet supply store
- TV - Commercials - Pontiac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Pop Secret microwave popcorn
- TV - Commercials - Sav-on drug stores
- TV - Commercials - Scope mouthwash
- TV - Commercials - Sparkle paper towels
- TV - Commercials - Sprint PCS mobile phone service
- TV - Commercials - Telecom USA 10-10-321 telecommunications
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - V8 Splash fruit beverage
- TV - Commercials - Yellow Pages
- TV - PSA - Disney's American Teacher Awards
- TV - PSA - Partnership for a Drug-Free America
- TV - Promos - "20/20"
- TV - Promos - "Dharma & Greg"
- TV - Promos - "Eyewitness News"
- TV - Promos - "Home Improvement"
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "Oprah"
- TV - Promos - "Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher"
- TV - Promos - "Spin City"
- TV - Promos - "Sports Night"
- TV - Promos - "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Hughleys"
- TV - Promos - "The Practice"
- TV - Promos - "Tin Cup" (telecast of a feature film)
- TV - Promos - "Up Close & Personal" (telecast of a feature film)
- TV - Promos - "Waiting to Exhale" (telecast of a feature film)
- TV - Promos - "Whose Line Is It Anyway"
CREDITS
- Larry Thompson … Executive Producer
- Mary Bono … Co-Executive Producer
- Daniel Schneider … Producer
- Ellen Weston … Co-Producer, Writer
- David Burton Morris … Director
- Sonny Bono … Writer, Based on the autobiography by
- Steve Tyrell … Music by
- Miranda Garrison … Choreographer
- Jay Underwood … Cast, Sonny Bono
- Renee Faia … Cast, Cher
- Jim Pirri … Cast, Buddy Black
- Laura Johnson … Cast, Georgia LaPierre
- Christian Leffler … Cast, Phil Spector
- Walter Franks … Cast, Little Richard
- Bruce Nozick … Cast, Art Rupe
- Marie Wilson … Cast, Mary Bono
- Tom Frykman … Cast, David Letterman
- Matthew Chaffee … Cast, Brian Stone
- Thomas Tofel … Cast, Charlie Green
- Carl Gilliard … Cast, Bumps Blackwell
- Susan Ilene Johnson … Cast, Miriam
- Christine Brent … Cast, Melissa
- Duke Moosekian … Cast, Enzo
- Vinny Argiro … Cast, Tony
- Larry Milburn … Cast, the Beefy Guy
- Perris Knight … Cast, Sandy
- Phill Miller … Cast, Abe Lastfogel
- Mahryah Shain … Cast, David Geffen
- Maurice Chasse … Cast, the 'Chastity' director
- Jess Harnell … Cast, Sonny Bono's Singing Voice
- Kelly VanHoose-Smith … Cast, Cher's Singing Voice