If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band (1972)
Life in a black ghetto isn't easy for 14-year-old Billie Jean Sims, who has a father in jail, a blind grandmother, and a brother with a drug habit. Growing up among drug pushers, prostitutes, and pimps, Billie Jean still has some things going for her: fierce pride, a loyal friend named Fish, and, at last, enough savings to visit her father 1200 miles away in prison.
GENRES:
Comedy • Drama • TV movie
DIRECTION:
Fred Coe
Same Director or Cast
Cast & Characters
| Donna M. Bryan | Billie Jean Sims |
| James Broderick | Trick |
| Georgia Burke | Grannie |
| Laurence Fishburne | Fish |
| Sonny Jim Gaines | Mr. Sims |
| Arthur French | Customer |
| Moses Gunn | Mr. Miller |
| Albert Hall | T-Bone Sims |
| Dots Johnson | Jim |
| John Marriott | Jessie |
| George Miles | Shake-a-Hand |
| Haywood Nelson | Ronnie |