The Ballad of Billie Blue

The Ballad of Billie Blue aka Jailbreakin' is a Christian-themed film that stars Jason Ledger, Renny Roker, Ray Danton, and Sherry Bain. It also features Erik Estrada. A country singer who has a problem with alcohol is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The Ballad of Billie Blue
Directed byKen Osborne
Produced byRobert Plekker
Screenplay byRobert Dix
William Kerwin
Ralph Luce
Story byRobert Dix
William Kerwin
Ralph Luce
StarringJason Ledger
Renny Roker
Sherry Bain
Ray Danton
Sherry Miles
Bob Plekker
Erik Estrada
Johnny Green
Bruce Kimball
Music byRichard Wess
CinematographyRalph Waldo
Edited byRenn Reynolds
Running time
107 mins
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Story

A country music singer played by Jason Ledger is wrongly convicted of a crime and as a result ends up being on a Southern chain gang.[1] Marty Allen in a serious role plays a reporter for a scandal newspaper who reports on the singer.[2]

Background

Screenings

The film premiered in Grand Rapids, Michigan in February, 1972.[3] The film opened Thursday April 20, 1972 at the Holland Theatre and was showing for a week.[4] It was scheduled for screening at the Peoria Christian Center on Saturday, July 19, 1975.[5] The film was showing at the Grand Theatre in July 1976.[6] An organization called Christian Young People had the film showing at the Ottawa Technical High School at 8PM, April 26, 1979.[7]

Awards

The film was nominated for two Image Awards.[8]

Releases

The film was released on video with the title Jailbreakin. It has also been released as Star-Crossed Roads. The video release is 78 minutes. A review by HR in 1972 running time as 107 minutes. Another source noted that a release of the film through Gateway Films had it 90 minutes.[9]

Reviews

Hanko Herman of The Reformed Free Publishing Association referred to it as "a filthy piece of pornography" in his article "The Christian And Movies" that appeared in Issue: 11, 3/1/1972. This was due to some of the content in the film.[10]

Cast

Johnny Green of Johnny Green and the Greenmen appears in the film. He band also contributed to the music.[11]

Cast list (listed alphabetically)

References
  1. The Terre Haute Tribune, Saturday, July 10, 1976 - Page 16
  2. The Journal Gazette, Thursday, July 15, 1971 - Page 20
  3. Turner Classic Movies - The Ballad of Billie Blue(1972)
  4. The Holland Evening Sentinel, Friday, April 21, 1972 - Page 15 'Billie Blue' in Holland
  5. The Pantagraph, Wednesday, July 16, 1975 - Page 12 Peoria center to show film
  6. The Terre Haute Tribune, Saturday, July 10, 1976 - Page 16
  7. The Ottawa Journal, April 26, 1979 - THE WEEK AHEAD, TONIGHT, FILMS
  8. The Holland Evening Sentinel, Friday, April 21, 1972 - Page 15 'Billie Blue' in Holland
  9. American Film Institute - The Ballad of Billie Blue (1972)
  10. The Reformed Free Publishing Association, Volume 48/, Issue: 11, 3/1/1972 - The Christian And Movies By Hanko Herman
  11. Beloit Daily News, February 15, 2007 - Famous band to play for Crime Stoppers fund-raiser in Beloit By Holly Myers
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