George Washington is a 1984 American biographical television miniseries directed by Buzz Kulik. The series, in three parts, chronicles the life of George Washington, the first President of the United States from the age of 11 to the age of 51.[1] George Washington is based on the biography by James Thomas Flexner.
The miniseries was shot mainly on location near Washington, DC and Philadelphia, and was aired on April 8, 10 and 11, 1984.[2] Washington's life in the French and Indian War, the second part shows the coming and commencement of the Revolutionary War and the final part describes the victory of the independence from Great Britain. It was nominated for six Primetime Emmys.
In 1986, a sequel, George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation, aired with Bostwick and Duke reprising their roles as George and Martha Washington, respectively.
Plot
The miniseries covers the life of George Washington, from being a young man to his experiences in the French and Indian War and his rise to lead the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It concludes shortly after the end of the war, with his return to his home in Mount Vernon.
Cast
- Barry Bostwick as George Washington – Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, and later first President of the United States, though his presidency is not depicted in the film
- Patty Duke Astin as Martha Washington – Wife of George Washington.
- David Dukes as George William Fairfax – Best friend of George Washington and husband of Sally Fairfax.
- Jaclyn Smith as Sally Fairfax – Wife of William George Fairfax.
- Lloyd Bridges as Caleb Quinn
- José Ferrer as Robert Dinwiddie – The lieutenant governor of colonial Virginia.
- Hal Holbrook as John Adams – Member of the Continental Congress and second President of the United States
- Trevor Howard as Lord Fairfax
- Jeremy Kemp as Horatio Gates – An American general.
- Richard Kiley as George Mason – An American patriot.
- Stephen Macht as Benedict Arnold – An American general, later defecting to the British Army.
- James Mason as Edward Braddock – A British general during start of the French and Indian War.
- Rosemary Murphy as Mary Ball Washington – George Washington's mother.
- Clive Revill as Lord Loudoun – A British nobleman and army officer.
- Robert Stack as John Stark – An American general.
- Anthony Zerbe as St. Pierre – A French Canadian military officer.
- J. Kenneth Campbell as Richard Henry Lee – An American statesman from Virginia.
- Philip Casnoff as Lafayette – A French aristocrat and military officer.
- Josh Clark as Tench Tilghman – An officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
- Kevin Conroy as John Laurens – An American soldier and statesman from South Carolina during the Revolutionary War.
- Peter Evans as Thomas Mifflin – An American merchant and politician.
- Megan Gallagher as Peggy Shippen – The second wife of General Benedict Arnold.
- John Glover as Charles Lee – A British soldier turned Virginia planter who was a general officer of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.
- Harry Groener as Patrick Henry – The first post-colonial Governor of Virginia.
- Patrick Horgan as William Howe – A British General who was Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American Revolutionary War.
- Robert Schenkkan as Alexander Hamilton
- Jon Matthews as John Parke Custis
- Christine Estabrook as Abigail Adams
- Tom Assalone as Augustine Washington
- William Prince as William Fairfax
- Richard Fancy as Sam Adams
- Scott Hylands as General Greene
- Kelsey Grammer as Lieutenant Stewart
- Farnham Scott as Henry Knox
- Tim Moyer as John Jay
- John Means as Brigadier General Charles O'Hara - The British Officer who surrendered in General Cornwallis' stead at Yorktown.
See also
- George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (1986 sequel miniseries)
- We Fight to Be Free (2006 film)
- Washington (2020 miniseries)
- List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution
- List of films about the American Revolution
