Lady, You Shot Me: The Life and Death of Sam Cooke

Overview

Sam Cooke died at the age of 33 on December 11, 1964, at the Hacienda Motel, at 9137 South Figueroa Street, in Los Angeles, California. Answering separate reports of a shooting and of a kidnapping at the motel, police found Cooke's body, clad only in a sports jacket and shoes but no shirt, pants or underwear. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest, which was later determined to have pierced his heart. The motel's manager, Bertha Franklin, said she had shot Cooke in self-defense after he broke into her office residence and attacked her. Her account was immediately questioned and disputed by acquaintances.

Directed by David Czarnetzki

Top cast

Sam Cooke

Self (archive footage)

Z

Zelda Sands

Self

A

Al Schmitt

Self

E

Eugene Jamison

Self

B

Bill Gardner

Self

Denise Dowse

Self

E

Erik Greene

Self

Cyril Wecht

Self - Forensic Pathologist

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Joe B. Kellum

Self

A

Anthony Samad

Self

Dick Clark

Self (archive footage)

J

John Antonelli

Self

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Daniel Wolff

Self

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Jamelle Dolphin

Self

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Donald Piper

Self

M

Mike McCormick

Self

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Toni Elliott Bell

Self

Details