The 1971 movie Brian's Song starred James Caan and Billy Dee Williams as they depicted the real-life friendship between NFL players Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. For men of a generation or two, it was the first movie that made them cry. It isn't as well known 46 years later, but younger folks should take any chance they have to see it for the framing of the era, if nothing else. Let's find out what went into the making of Brian's Song.
7. Sayers wanted to play his own role.
He really wanted to take part in the film as himself but the training camp schedule wouldn’t allow it.
5. It was a TV movie before it was released in theaters.
It’s not too often that you see films take this route. Unfortunately it didn’t do as well in the theater as it did on TV and it had to be pulled shortly after.