Sunday, March 28, 2021

Sunday Fun: The White Shadow Opening (Repeat)




Not only did I enjoy watching The White Shadow almost every week from 1978 to 1981, but it ended up the last dramatic television series that I made a point to catch.

Ken Howard played high school basketball coach Ken Reeves, a Caucasian lead to a supporting cast of mostly black and Hispanic actors. This mix helped make for some outstanding television. No hollow praise, no "best show ever!" rubbish, none needed, the episodes ran proof week-to-week of how the box can supply not just entertainment but social commentary.

The character interplay was part of the fun of The White Shadow. Understandably there was no profanity, but the subject manner was often bold; especially for the time.

Sunday Fun fact: three of the basketball-playing actors went on to have successful careers as directors: Thomas Carter (Swing Kids); Kevin Hooks (Prison Break); and Timothy Van Patten (Boardwalk Empire).

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