The Five Heartbeats

Overview

In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.

Directed by Robert Townsend

Top cast

Robert Townsend

Duck

Michael Wright

Eddie

Leon

J.T.

Harry Lennix

Dresser

Tico Wells

Choirboy

Diahann Carroll

Eleanor Potter

Harold Nicholas

Sarge

John Canada Terrell

Michael 'Flash' Turner

C

Chuck Patterson

Jimmy Potter

Hawthorne James

Big Red

R

Roy Fegan

Bird

T

Troy Byer

Baby Doll

Carla Brothers

Tanya Sawyer

Deborah Lacey

Rose

Theresa Randle

Brenda

John Witherspoon

Wild Rudy

Bobby McGee

Leon

O.L. Duke

Monroe

Kasi Lemmons

Cookie

Eugene Robert Glazer

David Green

Details