Showtime has acquired the rights to The One and Only Dick Gregory, a documentary chronicling the life of the late comedian and activist.
The One and Only Dick Gregory premieres July 4 on the network and examines the life of the activist, pop-culture icon and thought leader who changed the lives of millions across the world through constant disruption and awareness, said network officials. The documentary serves as the directorial debut of Andre Gaines (The Lady and the Dale) and is executive produced by Kevin Hart and Lena Waithe.
The One and Only Dick Gregory will initially debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 19 before airing on the network.
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“There is no more important time than now to revisit the life of Dick Gregory,” said Showtime EVP, nonfiction programming Vinnie Malhotra in a statement. “His fearless voice rose to the challenges of his time, calling upon Americans to question their beliefs, in an era where you risked your livelihood – maybe even your life – to speak out. Though a comedic genius of his generation, comedy turned out just to be the beginning of one of the most unique and impactful journeys of any person we’ve seen. Andre and team have done a remarkable job in showing just how Gregory walked the walk and talked the talk in a way we have rarely seen anyone else do.”
