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Miss Evers' Boys
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Wikipedia article
'Miss Evers' Boys' is an American made-for-television drama starring Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne that first aired on February 22, 1997, and is based on the true story of the four-decade-long Tuskegee Syphilis Study. It was directed by Joseph Sargent and adapted by Walter Bernstein from the 1992 stage play of the same name, written by David Feldshuh. It received twelve nominations for the 1997 Primetime Emmy Awards, ultimately winning five, including Outstanding Television Movie and the President's Award (awarded for programming that best explores social or educational issues).
Plot
The film tells the story of a medical study with covert goals organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, conducted on poor African American men in the years 19321972 at Tuskegee University, designed to study the effects of untreated syphilis. The story is told from the perspective of the small town nurse Eunice Evers (Alfre Woodard) who is well aware of the lack of treatment, but feels her role is to console the involved men, many of whom are her close friends.
In 1932 she is sent to help Dr. Brodus (Joe Morton) and Dr. Douglas (Craig Sheffer) to help them "treat" rural black men in the town of Tuskegee, Alabama. She is sent around town to tell the people that the government is funding their treatment for free, but unbeknownst to them the government will soon run a study that requires them to go without any form of real treatment. She then comes across three men in an abandoned schoolhouse: Willie Johnson (Obba Babatund), Bryan Hodman, and "Big" Ben Washington, who agree for treatment.
The study selected 412 men infected with the disease and promised them free medical treatment for what was called "bad blood". The movie shows Miss Evers suggesting the term as a strategy to withhold information about syphilis from the men. The men received fake long-term treatment, which involved giving them mercury and placebos even after penicillin was discovered as a cure. When Caleb Humphries (one of the test subjects who left the experiment) joins the Army during World War II and is treated and cured by penicillin, he returns to tell how he was cured and tries to get help for his friend. But none of the hospitals would help because the test subjects were placed on a list that stated they should not receive medical treatment because they were participants in the experiment. The survivors of the study did receive treatment and financial compensation after the US Senate investigated in the 1970s, and eventually a formal apology from President Bill Clinton.
Cast
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Accolades
|-
! scope="col" data-sort-tyle="text" | Event
Organizer
(Date)
! scope="col" style="width: 20em;" | Award
! scope="col" | Recipient
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | Outcome
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="4" data-sort-value="CableACE Awards" | CableACE Awards
The Internet & Television Association
(November 14, 1997)
| 'Movie'
|
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Actress in a Movie or Miniseries'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries'
| Obba Babatund (as Willie Johnson)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Costume Design'
| Susan Mickey
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Cinema Audio Society Awards" | Cinema Audio Society Awards
Cinema Audio Society
| 'Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television - Movie of the Week, Mini-Series or Specials'
|
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Directors Guild of America Awards" | Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America
(March 7, 1998)
| 'Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series'
| Joseph Sargent
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Eddie Awards" | Eddie Awards
American Cinema Editors
(March 14, 1998)
| 'Best Edited Two-Hour Movie for Non-Commercial Television'
| Michael Brown
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Golden Globe Awards" | Golden Globe Awards
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
(January 18, 1998)
| 'Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Best Television Motion Picture'
| Miss Evers' Boys
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Golden Laurel Awards" | Golden Laurel Awards
Producers Guild of America
(March 3, 1998)
| 'David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television'
|
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Golden Satellite Awards" | Golden Satellite Awards
International Press Academy
(February 22, 1998)
| 'Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="2" style="background-color: #cfc; font-weight: 500; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Co-Winner
|-
| 'Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television'
| Miss Evers' Boys
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television'
| Ossie Davis (as Mr. Evers)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Humanitas Prizes" | Humanitas Prizes
Human Family Educational & Cultural Institute
(July 10, 1998)
| '90 Minute or Longer PBS/Cable Television'
| Walter Bernstein (writer)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="International Monitor Awards" | International Monitor Awards
Association of Imaging Technology and Sound
| 'Film Originated Television Specials - Color Correction'
| Allan Rogers
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="NAACP Image Awards" | Image Awards
NAACP
(February 14, 1998)
| 'Outstanding Made for Television Movie'
| Miss Evers' Boys
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Online Film & Television Association Awards" | Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association
| 'Best Actress in a Television Motion Picture or Miniseries'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="6" data-sort-value="Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards" | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
(September 7, 1997)
| 'Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Special'
| Michael Brown
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special'
| Donald M. Morgan, A.S.C.
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Outstanding Choreography'
| Dianne McIntyre
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or a Special'
|
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special'
|
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Special'
| Walter Bernstein
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="6" data-sort-value="Primetime Emmy Awards" | Primetime Emmy Awards
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
(September 14, 1997)
| 'Outstanding Made for Television Movie'
|
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'The President's Award'
|
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
| 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special'
| Laurence Fishburne (as Caleb Humphries)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special'
| Obba Babatund (as Willie Johnson)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
| 'Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special'
| Ossie Davis (as Mr. Evers)
| class="no table-no2" data-sort-value="1" style="background-color: #ffe3e3; color: #000; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Nominated
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="San Francisco International Film Festival Awards" | San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco Film Society
(May 7, 1998)
| 'Silver Spire Award'
| Joseph Sargent
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Screen Actors Guild Awards" | Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild
(March 8, 1998)
| 'Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries'
| Alfre Woodard (as Nurse Eunice Evers)
| class="yes table-yes2" data-sort-value="3" style="background-color: #9eff9e; color: #000; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Won
|}
References
Buy Miss Evers' Boys now from Amazon
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