Kennedy is a 1983 five-hour television miniseries written by Reg Gadney and directed by Jim Goddard. The miniseries is a biography of the 1961âÂÂ1963 presidency of John F. Kennedy. It was co-produced by Alan Landsburg Productions and Central Independent Television and originally aired in the United States starting on November 20, 1983, and concluding on November 22, the twentieth anniversary of Kennedy's assassination.
The miniseries stars Martin Sheen as President John F. Kennedy, Blair Brown as Jacqueline Kennedy, John Shea as Robert F. Kennedy, E. G. Marshall as Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Geraldine Fitzgerald as Rose Kennedy, Vincent Gardenia as J. Edgar Hoover, and Kelsey Grammer as Stephen Smith amongst many others.
The series was originally broadcast on NBC, and was also sold to 50 countries, with 27 of them broadcasting the series simultaneously.
The series was nominated for three Golden Globes and four BAFTA Awards, and won the latter for Best Drama Series or Serial and Best Make Up.
Part 1 averaged a 12.0/17, against The Day After, and ranked 54th out of 64 programs the week of November 14âÂÂ20, 1983. However, Parts 2 and 3 both ranked in the Top 10 for the week, with Part 2 averaging a 22.3/34 and Part 3 averaging a 24.3/37. Out of 64 programs airing the week of November 21âÂÂ27, 1983, Part 2 ranked 6th for the week, and Part 3 ranked 4th for the week.