ABC Won’t Revisit Its ‘Roots’

As the 25th anniversary of “Roots” approaches, a documentary commemorating this television landmark remains, for now, rootless.

Its initial airing over eight consecutive nights in January 1977 on ABC drew such a massive audience that restaurants and theaters were empty, and entertainers ended their shows early. Estimates indicate that half the U.S. population watched it, and that approximately 100 million viewers tuned in to the final chapter. It remains the third highest-rated telecast in U.S. history.

ABC executives had initially feared that “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” would be a ratings disaster, and that few would tune in to see an epic miniseries based on author Alex Haley tracing his ancestry back to Africa and the slaves of the American South. But when “Roots” became a phenomenon, the network, which zoomed to No. 1 due to its success, basked in the ratings glow. ABC subsequently programmed a sequel and a spinoff Christmas movie.

As the “Roots” anniversary approached, documentary filmmaker Judith Leonard wanted to examine its impact on society, as well as its television legacy. She pulled together a producing team that included “Roots” producers David L. Wolper and the late Stan Margulies, and in association with Quincy Jones, who wrote some music for an episode of the miniseries.

Leonard first went to ABC in May to shop the show, a logical first stop she thought, as the network was home of “Roots.” But ABC’s senior vice president of alternative series and specials Andrea Wong passed on the project, saying that few viewers would watch the special.

The filmmaker is now in final negotiations with NBC for the broadcast of the documentary in January.

“I really thought it would be a slam dunk [at ABC], a given that they would want it,” Leonard said, adding that she has already lined up major corporate sponsorship for the special. Leonard also says she has lined up “Roots” cast members such as LeVar Burton and Maya Angelou, as well as other celebrities such as Michael Jordan, to participate.

NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker believed the project would attract viewers because it is expected to include several top celebrities and has the prospect of an A-list host. “It is an interesting milestone in TV history,” said Zucker, “and I want the special to look at ‘Roots’ not only from the point of view of a TV program, but as a piece of American history.”

Despite NBC’s interest, ABC’s decision “was like someone hit me in the stomach,” Leonard said. “I was told that no one would watch it, that the audience would be much older. I didn’t fight it, because for once in my life, I am doing a show that I feel should sell itself. I would want someone to embrace this and be in my corner.”

Said Wolper: “I find it fascinating that ABC turned it down, and I am disappointed. I am annoyed. I can’t imagine why. Isn’t there pride in ownership? ‘Roots’ affected a lot of people, and we would like to celebrate it.”

Explaining the network’s decision, Wong said in a statement, “ABC is proud of the fact that 25 years ago we made television history with the original broadcast of ‘Roots.’ However, we felt the proposed documentary on this miniseries that was presented to us last May was neither creatively nor commercially strong enough.” ABC currently has no formal plans to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the “Roots” broadcast, according to executives there.

Leonard’s other projects have included the 1989 documentary “Super Chief: The Life and Legacy of Earl Warren” which was nominated for an Academy Award. Leonard has also produced two prior specials for ABC--the 1999 documentary “The Story of Fathers & Sons” and “The Story of Mothers & Daughters” in 1997.

As far as how the proposed special will handle ABC’s original telecast of “Roots,” Zucker said, “We’re not going to hide from it. We have to acknowledge it.”

That original telecast was significant by most measures. In the 1999 edition of “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present,” author Tim Brooks wrote that the eight-night special had a “profound” effect on television.

“No one, not even ABC, was prepared for anything this big,” reads the “Roots” entry. “In fact, one of the reasons given for scheduling ‘Roots’ on eight consecutive nights was that if it were a flop, it would be over with quickly.”

Brooks said in an interview that he found ABC’s decision to pass on the documentary surprising.

“TV is nothing if not exploitive of its own hits,” he said. “The people who watched ‘Roots’ were practically the whole population of Americans in 1977, and 25 years later, those viewers who were in their teens and early 20s are still in a critical demographic of their 40s.”

But Brooks said every minute of prime time is now seen as risky in terms of programming.

“The ‘D’ word-for documentary-is a dangerous word for executives,” he said. “Viewers come to TV for entertainment, and if you package it as educational rather than entertainment, there could be problems.”

Wolper still remembers how joyful network executives were when “Roots” proved such an overwhelming success.

“I was out about a million dollars after ‘Roots’ aired,” Wolper recalled. “I got a call from [ABC chief] Leonard [Goldenson] to come to his office. He said, ‘You shouldn’t be out that much money after a success like this,’ and he sent me a check for $1 million.”

He added that ABC honchos gave him the first “We’re No. 1” button--hundreds were made after the broadcast to celebrate the network’s ascent to the top.

“But no one is there now who was there when ‘Roots’ aired,” he said. “There’s no one I can call.”

Still, Wolper conceded that ABC’s passing on the special would be significant only in television.

“Ask 10 people on the street what network ‘Roots’ aired on, and only one could tell you it was ABC,” he said. “When the special airs on NBC, people will just think ‘Roots’ first aired on NBC.”

Said one NBC executive, who requested their name not appear in print: “I still can’t understand why ABC passed on this. But I think they will be embarrassed when the special airs on NBC.”