Tammi Terrell Biopic in the Works

[sansradio]

Long overdue:

http://deadline.com/2015/10/tammi-terrell-movie-tamala-jones-producer-1201567409/

[arr&bee]

Well if this project sees the light of day,i hope they can get[taraji p.henson]as tammi.

[Methuselah2]

Thank you, Sansradio, for the news. And Arr&bee, that's a great casting suggestion of TPH. She's now older than Tammi but she could still pull it off, and then some. Depending when a film about Tammi would ever get made, I had always thought of Susaye Greene as Tammi.

[sansradio]

Yes, you guys, I've always dreamed of Taraji playing this role, age be damned. She'd knock it out of the park; the resemblance is beyond uncanny, to boot. Anytime, Methuselah2!

[midnightman]

Oh please. It ain't coming out. We'll be sitting here in 2020 seeing a new article about it the same way with Marvin's...

Maybe I'm just cynical. Lol :) But after the treatment she got on the Tempts movie, I definitely want one made.

[antceleb12]

Sorry, but until I see reputable, hard proof, I'm not buying it. Remember the Florence Ballard movie fiasco? We all know Tammi's voice, but her name is nowhere near commercial enough to be able to gross enough money or interest in a major film.

[StuBass1]

Could be a very good concept based on SD's Vickie Wright in collaboration with Tammi's sister...I know that Vickie put her blood, sweat, and tears into the book and I hope it becomes a production reality...Haven't spoken with Vickie in some time, but I know she's been well connected in the Hollywood television industry for several years, so she should have some cache going for her... Well deserved...

[sansradio]

Yes, antceleb, a major feature film seems unlikely. Stu seems to have the right idea; a BET or TVOne original telecast seems about the right fit.

[Bluebrock]

Sorry, but until I see reputable, hard proof, I'm not buying it. Remember the Florence Ballard movie fiasco? We all know Tammi's voice, but her name is nowhere near commercial enough to be able to gross enough money or interest in a major film.
I'm afraid I have to agree with you. Whilst Tammi is a legend in these here parts the best we could hope for would be a TV movie or mini series rather than a big screen epic. There have been rumours of this for many years along with the Florence movie so I don't think we are able to get too excited quite yet. I would cautiously welcome something like this. Other than the stuff with David Ruffin I am not aware of any major scandals in Tammi's all too brief life.

[reese]

At the risk of being a wet blanket, I'd have to say that aside from the great music Tammi made, for me, seeing her story on screen would be rather depressing. In her too short life, she had to deal with everything from rape to domestic violence to ultimately her losing battle with the brain tumor. I think the UNSUNG episode was the best thing.

[Bluebrock]

At the risk of being a wet blanket, I'd have to say that aside from the great music Tammi made, for me, seeing her story on screen would be rather depressing. In her too short life, she had to deal with everything from rape to domestic violence to ultimately her losing battle with the brain tumor. I think the UNSUNG episode was the best thing.

Reese - you are not a wet blanket. Sadly such lurid topics are what would attract the TV and Movie bigwigs. It doesn't sound like something that I would want to sit through aside from the music of course which remains wonderful.

[supremester]

Many-to-most people who went to Lady Sings The Blues never heard of Billie Holiday. Ditto Francis Farmer. They went cuz of word of mouth, reviews and Ross. A well done Tammi bio I think could be a killer motion picture. When Bette Davis wanted to do Dark Victory, Jack Warner said no one wants to see a young socialite die in her 20's of a brain tumor and it was huge. a great script, director and star will make most any story work,

[Methuselah2]

Here's the UNSUNG episode about Tammi for anyone who's missed it:

http://youtu.be/gYxzkZkU6hM

[Roberta75]

Long overdue:

http://deadline.com/2015/10/tammi-terrell-movie-tamala-jones-producer-1201567409/

I pray this movie gets made and made well.

Thank you sansradio.

fondly,

Roberta

[marv2]

Well if this project sees the light of day,i hope they can get[taraji p.henson]as tammi.

Taraji would be perfect, but they'd better hurry before she ages out of the role. I believe Tammi only lived to age 24. Taraji is already 45 years old being born in the year that Tammi died.

[BigAl]

To us in here, Tammi's legacy looms large and imposing, but, sadly, to the general public, she's little more than a footnote in the history of pop/soul, and is generally remembered only as Marvin Gaye's singing partner on a handful of records which hit the airwaves for three years, 45 years ago. I fear this will make any effort at making a biopic pretty futile. Add to this the fact that securing the rights to the music [[whether original recordings or remakes) is nigh impossible and you have a recipe for failure. One only has to look at the hurdles which the proposed Florence Ballard film encountered before that was finally given up.

[sansradio]

You bet, Roberta.

[jobeterob]

To us in here, Tammi's legacy looms large and imposing, but, sadly, to the general public, she's little more than a footnote in the history of pop/soul, and is generally remembered only as Marvin Gaye's singing partner on a handful of records which hit the airwaves for three years, 45 years ago. I fear this will make any effort at making a biopic pretty futile. Add to this the fact that securing the rights to the music [[whether original recordings or remakes) is nigh impossible and you have a recipe for failure. One only has to look at the hurdles which the proposed Florence Ballard film encountered before that was finally given up.

Good post! It's so easy to speak as a fan and for what we want and hope for, but that often clouds reality

[luke]

Tammi Terrell's life would be the perfect subject for a film. Notoriety or obscurity can have little to do with the subject of a film. Lots of movies get made of not famous people but their lives have been significant or exhibit the human condition dramatically. Tammi's certainly would fit that bill. Beauty and pain. Success and tragedy. Hope and despair. And from what I've seen a death met as gallantly as possible.

[sansradio]

Excellent post, Luke. Spot on.

[BigAl]

Tammi Terrell's life would be the perfect subject for a film. Notoriety or obscurity can have little to do with the subject of a film. Lots of movies get made of not famous people but their lives have been significant or exhibit the human condition dramatically. Tammi's certainly would fit that bill. Beauty and pain. Success and tragedy. Hope and despair. And from what I've seen a death met as gallantly as possible.

This is certainly true in a sense. With A Song in My Heart and I'll Cry Tomorrow, both Starring Susan Hayward, portraying Jane Froman and Lillian Roth respectively, come to mind. But there's a difference. Neither singer was terribly well known, granted, but the films were successful — the latter a blockbuster. Both dealt with huge life challenges which befell these women [[injury and alcoholism, respectively). Still, both singers were still living when the films were made and were involved in the filmings, and both films featured songs which they sang, re-recorded for the films. In the Froman biopic, Froman herself re-recorded all but three songs, which Hayward sang, and in the Roth film, Hayward sang all the songs. Of course, royalties had to be paid but permission had to be granted before that. It's unlikely, considering its history of not granting such permission except to Motown productions, that Jobete/Stone Agate would be willing to let those songs be used in any form. Without the music, a biopic of a singer would be rather pointless.

[jobeterob]

There has always been a theory or a suspicion that when Mr. Gordy sold Jobete Music, he retained the rights to veto the use of Jobete music in any film; or perhaps there is a prohibition against the music being used without permission from him or his estate in any film depicting him, his family, and Diana Ross. Or he may have required permission so long as he or any of his direct descendants are alive. There would create issues regarding Anna Gordy, Diana Ross, and Rhonda Ross ~ at a minimum.

The inability to use Motown music in such films has been devastating for potential films.

If I had been the lawyer in a sale of the magnitude of the Jobete sale, all of these things would have been nailed down the way Mr. Gordy wanted them nailed down.

[StuBass1]

Licensing fees can be quite costly when selecting music for film projects and those fees have in several instances quashed projects, particularly biopics of popular artists where songs were numerous and integral to the film. Projects like Standing In The Shadows of Motown which utilized so many Motown songs, and The Wrecking Crew film was held up for years due to the need to raise money largely to pay those fees. I do believe that when Berry Gordy started liquidating his music interests, he did hold on to some percentage of his interests, particularly Jobete. If the owners of the artistic property likes the project, they can lower or even waive some of the fees. If they don't like the project...they can pretty much put the kabosh on it...Otherwise, it's just a business proposition...

[captainjames]

This would be awesome if it was at least done right concerning her life and family. However, since I am aware of all the mystery surrounding Tammi and Marvin's final recordings I doubt this will transpire.