Strange Fruit - Cast

Strange Fruit (2002)
57 min | Documentary

Strange Fruit (2002)

57 min | Documentary

In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, Bronx-born high school teacher Abel Meeropol wrote a poem entitled "Strange Fruit" that begins with the words: "Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood ...See moreIn 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, Bronx-born high school teacher Abel Meeropol wrote a poem entitled "Strange Fruit" that begins with the words: "Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root." He set the poem to music and a few years later convinced Billie Holiday to record it in a legendary heartbreaking performance. Intertwining jazz genealogy, biography, performance footage, and the history of lynching, director Joel Katz fashions a fascinating discovery of the lost story behind a true American classic. Written by Excerpted from Coolidge Corner Theatre Program Update See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
29 cast members

Name	Known for
Dorothy Thigpen Narrator (voice) Narrator (voice) See fewer	Mute Love (1999)
Milton Gabler Self - Commodore Records (as Milt Gabler) Self - Commodore Records (as Milt Gabler) See fewer	Godzilla (I) (1998)
Farah Jasmine Griffin Self - writer and educator Self - writer and educator See fewer	Touré Show (2017)
C.T. Vivian Self - reverend and veteran civil rights activist Self - reverend and veteran civil rights activist See fewer	Being Mary Jane (2013)
E.M. 'Woody' Beck Self - sociologist Self - sociologist See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Abbey Lincoln Self - singer and composer Self - singer and composer See fewer	Nothing But a Man (1964)
Michael Denning Self - historian Self - historian See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Amina Baraka Self - poet and performer Self - poet and performer See fewer	Keep It Clean (2007)
Amiri Baraka Self - poet and playwright Self - poet and playwright See fewer	Bulworth (1998)
Bernie Kassoy Self - retired teacher and visual artist Self - retired teacher and visual artist See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Henry Foner Self - retired teacher and union activist Self - retired teacher and union activist See fewer	When Comedy Went to School (2013)
Honey Kassoy Self - retired teacher and visual artist Self - retired teacher and visual artist See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Michael Meeropol Self - adopted son of Abel Meeropol Self - adopted son of Abel Meeropol See fewer	The Unquiet Death of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg (1974)
Robert Meeropol Self - adopted son of Abel Meeropol (as Robby Meeropol) Self - adopted son of Abel Meeropol (as Robby Meeropol) See fewer	The Unquiet Death of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg (1974)
Jeffrey Melnick Self - historian (as Jeff Melnick) Self - historian (as Jeff Melnick) See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Don Byron Self - composer Self - composer See fewer	Serendipity (2001)
Pete Seeger Self Self See fewer	Just Cause (1995)
Josh White Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Remember the Titans (2000)
Rich Rusk Self (voice) Self (voice) See fewer	Murder in Black & White (2008)
Robert Howard Self - Moore's Ford Memorial Committee Self - Moore's Ford Memorial Committee See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Ethel Rosenberg Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Julius Rosenberg Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Emanuel Bloch Self - lawyer (archive footage) (as Emmanuel Bloch) Self - lawyer (archive footage) (as Emmanuel Bloch) See fewer
Lewis Allen Self (voice) (archive footage) (as Abel Meeropol) Self (voice) (archive footage) (as Abel Meeropol) See fewer	The 20th Century-Fox Hour (1955)
Abel Meeropol Self (voice) (archive footage) Self (voice) (archive footage) See fewer	What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Billie Holiday Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Minority Report (2002)
Hazel Carby Self - writer Self - writer See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Ray Pultinas Self - English teacher, DeWitt Clinton High School Self - English teacher, DeWitt Clinton High School See fewer	Strange Fruit (2002)
Cassandra Wilson Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Junior (1994)