Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsHoliday Watch GuideGotham AwardsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Once an Eagle

  • TV Mini Series
  • 1976–1977
  • 9h
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
545
YOUR RATING
Once an Eagle (1976)
DramaWar

A story of the professional and private lives of two Army officers, Court Massengale an incompetent schemer who doesn't care about his men, and Sam Damon, a heroic and caring leader from Wor... Read allA story of the professional and private lives of two Army officers, Court Massengale an incompetent schemer who doesn't care about his men, and Sam Damon, a heroic and caring leader from World War I to the end of World War II.A story of the professional and private lives of two Army officers, Court Massengale an incompetent schemer who doesn't care about his men, and Sam Damon, a heroic and caring leader from World War I to the end of World War II.

  • Stars
    • Sam Elliott
    • Cliff Potts
    • Darleen Carr
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    545
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Sam Elliott
      • Cliff Potts
      • Darleen Carr
    • 45User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 2 nominations total

    Episodes9

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season

    Photos7

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast99+

    Edit
    Sam Elliott
    Sam Elliott
    • Sam Damon
    • 1976–1977
    Cliff Potts
    Cliff Potts
    • Courtenay Massengale
    • 1976–1977
    Darleen Carr
    Darleen Carr
    • Tommy Caldwell
    • 1976–1977
    Amy Irving
    Amy Irving
    • Emily Pawlfrey Massengale
    • 1976–1977
    Glenn Ford
    Glenn Ford
    • George Caldwell
    • 1976–1977
    Robert Hogan
    Robert Hogan
    • Ben Krisler
    • 1976–1977
    Lynda Day George
    Lynda Day George
    • Marge Krisler
    • 1976–1977
    Clu Gulager
    Clu Gulager
    • Alvin Merrick
    • 1976–1977
    Kario Salem
    Kario Salem
    • Joe Brand
    • 1976–1977
    Andrew Stevens
    Andrew Stevens
    • Donny Damon
    • 1976–1977
    Kip Niven
    Kip Niven
    • Ryetower
    • 1976–1977
    Melanie Griffith
    Melanie Griffith
    • Jinny Massengale
    • 1976–1977
    Andrew Duggan
    Andrew Duggan
    • Gen. McKelvey
    • 1976–1977
    Bert Kramer
    Bert Kramer
    • 1976–1977
    John Saxon
    John Saxon
    • Capt. Townshend
    • 1976
    Forrest Tucker
    Forrest Tucker
    • Col. Avery
    • 1976
    Kim Hunter
    Kim Hunter
    • Kitty Damon
    • 1976
    David Wayne
    David Wayne
    • Col. Terwilliger
    • 1976
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews45

    8.0545
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10jayandbutton2

    one of the best miniseries of all time

    sam elliott in the best role of his entire career. awesome supporting cast including amy irving, glenn ford, ralph bellamy. terrific adaptation of anton myror's classic book required at west point. also required reading at most war colleges. almost every exising vote a perfect ten. why would one person throw the lowest score, a one, just to skew a masterpiece? ranks up there with roots as one of the greatest miniseries of all time.
    brwhite

    A stunning movie of choices and consequences.

    Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf reviewed the book, Once an Eagle, on the NBC Today Show (7/4/00), and I had to research this film after not having seen it for over twenty years. It left that powerful an impression, a story of two career officers spanning almost four decades, and how their choices affected their careers and the lives of those around them. Can't say anymore other than Sam Elliot's character left a lasting impression concerning life choices, and how those principles are still so important in our lives today...

    Anyway, I have been unable to find a copy of the mini-series, so if anyone out there can provide any advice on how to obtain a copy, please e-mail me. It would be great to see it again sometime. Thanks...
    8btraven

    Still remember it so well after 27 years

    Shown in UK as part of best sellers series along with Captains and the Kings. Couldn't wait for each new part of the mini series still remember it after 27 years so it must have been good. Why doesn't someone show this series again?
    10overthemoon-2

    Fabulous Series----One of the first Mini-Series released!

    This series was really great. The cast was wonderful and acting superb! I'm surprised it hasn't already been released! I agree with the comment made by the other fan that this mini-series is better than the "Winds of War." It is better!!

    This was filmed back in the '70s when the T.V. mini-series first came about and is one of the reasons that mini-series are still popular. To the "powers that be"----please release this to DVD so that those of us who have seen this series can be entertained again. Those who have yet to see it have a nice surprise awaiting them!! Thanks!
    charlesemery

    The first mini-series I can remember seeing

    Quite possibly my favorite movie/mini-series. I can remember watching it in the dorm room at the University of Michigan my Freshman year. Later, after I had enlisted in the Army and been accepted to West Point, I purchased the book and read it several times. Later the book became required reading at the Military Academy (though I'm not sure to what effect). The Point wanted its cadets to become more like the character of Sam Damon and less like Cortney Masengale. I do wish that ABC (or NBC, I can't remember the network) would bring the series back or offer it in a DVD set for those of us who are rabid fans. The entire series was well filmed, well acted, and the interpretation of the novel was very accurate. It was sort of a shame that they couldn't finish the mini-series the same way the book ended, but that would have taken another couple of weeks and Vietnam was still a raw nerve.

    More like this

    Battle of Britain
    7.0
    Battle of Britain
    Bonanza
    7.3
    Bonanza
    The Drowning Pool
    6.5
    The Drowning Pool
    Rio Grande
    7.0
    Rio Grande
    Cat Ballou
    6.8
    Cat Ballou
    In Harm's Way
    7.3
    In Harm's Way
    Death Rides a Horse
    7.0
    Death Rides a Horse
    True Grit
    7.4
    True Grit
    The Shootist
    7.6
    The Shootist
    Good Night, and Good Luck.
    7.4
    Good Night, and Good Luck.
    The Yellow Rose
    7.5
    The Yellow Rose
    I Will Fight No More Forever
    7.2
    I Will Fight No More Forever

    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Band of Brothers (2001)
    War

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The novel on which this mini-series is based is used in leadership classes at West Point, the Army War College, and in the U.S. Marine Corps.
    • Goofs
      In the World War One scenes (set in 1918), the German soldiers are shown wearing the 1914-style uniforms with spiked helmets, which were phased out in 1916.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: John Davidson/Richard Pryor/Darleen Carr/Dr. Michael Fox (1976)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does Once an Eagle have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 2, 1976 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Una vez un águila
    • Filming locations
      • Little Europe, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA(France)
    • Production company
      • Universal Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 9h(540 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit pageAdd episode

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.