And the Band Played On is a 1993 HBO network television film which aired on September 11, 1993.
The teleplay (written by Arnold Schulman) is based on Randy Shilts' best-selling 1987 non-fiction book, "And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic."
Plot[]
In 1981, epidemiologist Don Francis discovers that there's an increased rate of death among gay men in urban areas. The startling information leads him to begin investigating the outbreak, which is ultimately identified as AIDS. His journey finds mostly opposition from politicians and doctors, but several join him in his cause.
As it becomes apparent that people have personal reasons to turn the other cheek, Francis persists. Meanwhile, the number of deaths continues to grow.
Cast[]
- Matthew Modine as Dr. Don Francis
- Alan Alda as Dr. Robert Gallo
- Ian McKellen as Bill Kraus
- Glenne Headly as Dr. Mary Guinan
- Richard Masur as Dr. William Darrow
- Saul Rubinek as Dr. James Curran
- Lily Tomlin as Dr. Selma Dritz
- Jeffrey Nordling as Gaëtan Dugas
- Donal Logue as Bobbi Campbell
- B. D. Wong as Kico Govantes
- Patrick Bauchau as Dr. Luc Montagnier
- Nathalie Baye as Dr. Françoise Barre
- Phil Collins as Eddie Papasano
- Steve Martin as The Brother
- Richard Gere as The Choreographer
- David Marshall Grant as Dennis Seeley
- Ronald Guttman as Dr. Jean-Claude Chermann
- Anjelica Huston as Dr. Betsy Reisz
- Ken Jenkins as Dr. Dennis Donohue, an HIV researcher
- Richard Jenkins as Dr. Marcus Conant
- Tchéky Karyo as Dr. Willy Rozenbaum
- Peter McRobbie as Dr. Max Essex
- Charles Martin Smith as Dr. Harold Jaffe
- Christian Clemenson as Dr. Dale Lawrence