LIBERTY WEEKEND {OPENING CEREMONIES} (TV)
Summary
Coverage of the opening ceremonies of Liberty Weekend, a celebration of the July 4th holiday and the centennial of the Statue of Liberty. Hosts Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters make introductory remarks. Walters interviews actor Gregory Peck, who narrates a historical account of the Statue; Stone Phillips profiles dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov; Sander Vanocur provides background information about poet Emma Lazarus, whose poem is inscribed on the Statue's pedestal; John Williams conducts the Liberty Orchestra in a performance of "Liberty Fanfare"; the French and American national anthems are played; and President Francois Mitterrand of France delivers an address. This part also includes appearances by U.S. President Ronald Reagan; former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger; Lee Iacocca, chairman of the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation Inc.; Gov. Mario M. Cuomo of New York; performers Kenneth Mack, Jr., and Kenny Rogers; and violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Kenny Rogers introduces performers; Andy Williams and a French singer perform a tribute to the Statue; Robert DeNiro narrates a tour of Ellis Island; and Chief Justice Warren Burger and Attorney General Edwin Meese swear in hundreds of new American citizens. Also included are performances by singers Neil Diamond, Diane Schuur, Larry Gatlin, and Jose Feliciano, who are introduced by actress Shirley MacLaine; and appearances by Pres. Ronald Reagan, David Wolper, chairman and executive producer of Liberty Weekend, Sec. of the Interior Donald Hodel, and Lee Iacocca, chairman of the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation Inc.
The next part begins with a dance tribute performed by Debbie Allen. Ted Koppel introduces the Medal of Liberty winners: former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger; astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz; psychologist Kenneth Clark; Dr. Albert Sabin; Dr. An Wang, CEO of Wang Labs Inc.; Hannah Holborn Gray, president of the University of Chicago; architect I.M. Pei; violinist Itzhak Perlman; journalist James Reston; author Elie Wiesel; entertainer Bob Hope; and composer Irving Berlin (with film clips). Singers Jose Feliciano and Diane Schuur perform, and dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Leslie Browne are introduced by Helen Hayes. In other highlights, Hue Cao, student essay winner and Vietnamese immigrant, is introduced by Henry Winkler; Elizabeth Taylor reviews the symbolic history of the Statue, and introduces Frank Sinatra, who performs; and Emil Mosbacher, Jr., chairman of Operation Sail, appears. Also includes appearances by Emil Mosbacher, Jr., chairman of Operation Sail; U.S. Sec. of the Navy John Lehman; Pres. Ronald Reagan; and others. The lighting of the Statue's torch by Pres. Ronald Reagan is followed by fireworks. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: July 3, 1986 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 3:13:07
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T86:0398
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Anthems; Ballet; Dance; France - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Liberty Weekend, 1986; Orchestral music; Poetry; Poets; Statue of Liberty (New York, N.Y.) - Centennial celebrations, etc.
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1986
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Avon cosmetics
- TV - Commercials - Chrysler automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Dodge automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Dole
- TV - Commercials - IBM
- TV - Commercials - K-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - Lipton Tea
- TV - Commercials - Prudential insurance
- TV - Commercials - Stroh's beer
- TV - Commercials - Texaco
- TV - Commercials - Tylenol pain medication
- TV - Commercials - Wrangler Jeans
- TV - Promos - "ABC World News Tonight"
- TV - Promos - "Psycho III"
- TV – Promos – “ABC’s Wide World of Sports”
CREDITS
- Roone Arledge … Executive Producer
- David L. Wolper … Executive Producer
- Justin Friedland … Coordinating Producer
- David Bohrman … Coordinating Producer
- Bob Roy … Coordinating Producer
- Stephanie Swafford … Coordinating Producer
- Ed Hersh … Coordinating Producer
- Bob Murphy … Coordinating Producer
- Ray Nunn … Coordinating Producer
- Jeff Gralnick … Producer
- Gary Smith … Producer
- Dwight Hemion … Producer, Director
- William Kronick … Producer, Writer
- David J. Nash … Associate Producer
- Roger Goodman … Director
- Buz Kohan … Writer, Lyrics
- Larry Grossman … Music by
- John Williams … Conductor
- Scott Salmon … Choreographer
- Pierre Salinger … Reporter
- Stone Phillips … Reporter
- Sander Vanocur … Reporter
- Peter Jennings … Host
- Barbara Walters … Host
- Kenny Rogers … Singer
- Kenneth Mack … Singer
- Neil Diamond … Singer
- Jose Feliciano … Singer
- Larry Gatlin … Singer
- Diane Schuur … Singer
- Andy Williams … Singer
- Frank Sinatra … Singer
- Debbie Allen … Dancer
- Mikhail Baryshnikov … Dancer
- Leslie Browne … Dancer
- Itzhak Perlman … Instrumentalist, Violinist
- Henry Kissinger … Guest
- Mario M. Cuomo … Guest
- Lee Iacocca … Guest
- Francois Mitterrand … Guest
- Gregory Peck … Guest
- Shirley MacLaine … Guest
- Robert DeNiro … Guest
- Donald Hodel … Guest
- Irving Berlin … Guest
- Hue Cao … Guest
- Franklin Chang-Diaz … Guest
- Kenneth Clark … Guest
- Hannah Holborn Gray … Guest
- Bob Hope … Guest
- Helen Hayes … Guest
- Ted Koppel … Guest
- Emil Mosbacher … Guest
- I.M. Pei … Guest
- James Reston … Guest
- Albert Saldin … Guest
- Elizabeth Taylor … Guest
- An Wang … Guest
- Elie Wiesel … Guest
- Henry Winkler … Guest
- Warren Burger
- Emma Lazarus
- John Lehman
- Edwin Meese
- Emil Mosbacher
- Ronald Reagan