

BEFORE MADONNA. BEFORE MARILYN. THERE WAS JOSEPHINE.
Biography of the African-American who became a major performer in the Paris cabarets of the 1920s and 1930s. The film follows her life beginning as a struggling performer in 1917 St. Louis, her frustrations leading to her move to France, and follows to her death in 1975. Written by John Sacksteder
Ratings
3.5
Cast

Lynn Whitfield
Josephine Baker

Rubén Blades
Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino

David Dukes
Jo Bouillon

Louis Gossett Jr.
Sidney Williams

Craig T. Nelson
Walter Winchell

Kene Holliday
Sidney Bechet

Vivian Bonnell
Josephine's Mother
Mayah McCoy
Josephine - Age 8
Ainslie Currie
Josephine - Age 13
Pierre Magny
Paul Colin
Franco Britt
Victor
George Faison
Emcee in Harlem Club / Male Singer

Robert Lesser
Copa City Manager
Luis Reyes
Josephine's Father
Vivienne Eytle
Josephine's Sister

Eartha Robinson
Female Singer / Dancer
Paula Brown
Amateur Female Singer / Dancer
Ann Harrington
Cruel Woman

Zoltán Gera
Folies Bergeres Producer
Gábor Csíkos
French Cab Driver
Noel Weekes Jr.
Soldier from St. Louis

Péter Kertész
Casablanca Doctor
Gregory Orr
New York Hotel Manager
János Gosztonyi
Bobino Theatre Manager
Tibor Kenderesi
Priest
Steven R. McGlothen
American Reporter in Press Conference
Richard Rothenstein
American Reporter in Press Conference
Sherry Baumgart
American Reporter in Press Conference

Debbie Javor
American Woman at Party
Angelus Iván
Dance Teacher

András Márton
Pepito's Doctor
Dean Tschetter
New York Critic
Richard Battagna
White Racist

Gábor Ferenczi
Reporter at Stork Club
András Monory Mész
Reporter at Stork Club

Jimmy Smith
Bell Boy
Laszlo Dozsa Jr.
Stork Club Waiter
Fajer Khaled
Casablanca Nurse
János Vészi
Lover in New York

Attila Lőte
Court Official
Crew
Director
Teleplay
Executive Producer
Associate Producer
Producer
Original Music Composer
Director of Photography
Editor
Local Casting
Casting
Production Design
Costume Design
Details
Release Date
1991-03-16
Runtime
130 min
Original Language
English
Languages
English
Production Companies
HBO Films
Countries
United States of America
Genres
Drama
History
Music
TV Movie