text:
The Postman (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Not to be confused with Il Postino: The Postman.
The Postman
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Kevin Costner
Produced by
Kevin Costner
Steve Tisch
Jim Wilson
Screenplay by
Eric Roth
Brian Helgeland
Based on
The Postman
by David Brin
Starring
Kevin Costner
Will Patton
Larenz Tate
Olivia Williams
James Russo
Tom Petty
Music by
James Newton Howard
Cinematography
Stephen Windon
Edited by
Peter Boyle
Production
company
Tig Productions
Distributed by
Warner Bros.
Release date
December 25, 1997 (1997-12-25)
Running time
177 minutes[1]
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$80 million[2]
Box office
$17.6 million[2]
The Postman is a 1997 American epic post-apocalyptic adventure film. It is directed by, produced by, and stars Kevin Costner, with the screenplay written by Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland, based on David Brin's 1985 book of the same name. The film also features Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, and Tom Petty.
It is set in a post-apocalyptic and neo-Western version of the United States in the then near-future year of 2013, fifteen years after an unspecified apocalyptic event that left a huge impact on human civilization and erased most technology. Like the book, the film follows the story of a nomadic drifter (Costner) who stumbles across the uniform of an old United States Postal Service mail carrier, and unwittingly inspires hope through an empty promise of a "Restored United States of America."
Released on Christmas of 1997 from Warner Bros., The Postman was a major critical and commercial failure, grossing a total of $17 million worldwide.
Contents
[hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Soundtrack
4 Production
5 Reception
5.1 Critical response
5.2 Box office
5.3 Awards and nominations
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
In 2013, an unnamed nomad enters the Oregon flatlands, trading Shakespearean performances for food and water. In one of the towns, the nomad is forced into the ranks of the predominant militia, known as the Holnists and run by General Bethlehem. When he escapes, the nomad takes refuge in a dead postman's mail vehicle.
Wearing the postman's uniform and carrying the mail bag, he arrives in Pineview claiming to be a postman from the newly restored US government. The Postman inspires a teenager named Ford Lincoln Mercury and swears him into the postal service. The Postman also meets Abby. When the Postman leaves for the town of Benning, he carries a pile of mail left at the post office door by the townspeople.
During a raid of Pineview, General Bethlehem learns of the Postman’s tales of a restored government and becomes afraid of losing power if word spreads. He burns the American flag and post office, kills Abby’s husband, kidnaps Abby, and attacks the town of Benning. The Postman surrenders, but Abby saves him from execution, and the two escape into the surrounding mountains. A pregnant Abby and an injured Postman ride out the winter in an abandoned cabin.
When spring arrives, they cross the range and run into a girl, who claims to be a postal carrier. She reveals that Ford Lincoln Mercury organized a postal service based on the Postman's story. They have established communications with other settlements, creating a quasi-society and inadvertently spreading hope.
Bethlehem is still fighting to suppress the postal carriers, who are mostly teenagers pitted against a better-equipped enemy. In the face of mounting casualties, the Postman orders everyone to disband and writes a surrender letter to Bethlehem. However, Bethlehem learns to his dismay that the Postman's example has spread farther than he could have anticipated when his men capture a carrier from California, and redoubles his efforts to find the Postman. The Postman, Abby, and a small group of postal carriers travel to Bridge City. When Bethlehem's scouts catch up, the enclave leader, Tom Petty, helps the Postman to escape on a cable car to find volunteers for another army.
In a recitation of King Henry V's speech prior to the Siege of Harfleur, the Postman rallies himself and his troops to war. Bethlehem and his army meet the Postman's army across a field. Knowing the casualties will be great if the armies meet in battle, the Postman instead challenges Bethlehem for leadership, with their troops as witnesses. The Postman wins the fight with inspiration from the "Neither snow nor rain" inscription, and offers Bethlehem a chance to build a new, peaceful world. Bethlehem lunges to shoot the Postman but is shot by his former first officer. The officer surrenders, and the rest of the militia follows.
Thirty years later, in 2043, the Postman's grown daughter speaks at a ceremony unveiling a statue in tribute to her late father. The modern clothing and technology show that the Postman's actions have rebuilt the United States and possibly the other nations of the world.
Cast[edit]
Kevin Costner as The Postman
Will Patton as General Bethlehem
Larenz Tate as Ford Lincoln Mercury
Olivia Williams as Abby
James Russo as Captain Idaho
Tom Petty as Bridge City Mayor
Daniel von Bargen as Pineview Sheriff Briscoe
Scott Bairstow as Luke
Giovanni Ribisi as Bandit 20
Roberta Maxwell as Irene March
Joe Santos as Colonel Getty
Ron McLarty as Old George
Brian Anthony Wilson as Woody
Peggy Lipton as Ellen March
Rex Linn as Mercer
Shawn Hatosy as Billy
Ryan Hurst as Eddie March
Charles Esten as Michael
Ty O'Neal as Drew
Tom Bower as Larry
Soundtrack[edit]
The Postman (Music from the Motion Picture)
Film score by James Newton Howard
Released
December 23, 1997
Length
60:13:30
Label
Warner Sunset/Warner Bros.
[show]Track listing
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Length
1. "Main Titles" James Newton Howard 2:13
2. "Shelter in the Storm" James Newton Howard 6:23
3. "The Belly of the Beast" James Newton Howard 6:49
4. "General Bethlehem" James Newton Howard 6:55
5. "Abby Comes Calling" James Newton Howard 10:50
6. "The Restored United States" James Newton Howard 6:44
7. "The Postman" James Newton Howard 9:50
8. "Almost Home" Jono Manson Jono Manson 3:59
9. "It Will Happen Naturally" Jono Manson and Maria Machado Jono Manson 2:18
10. "The Next Big Thing" Jono Manson, Joe Flood and Jeffrey Barr Jono Manson 2:19
11. "This Perfect World" John Coinman and Glenn Burke John Coinman 3:38
12. "Once This Was The Promise Land" John Coinman John Coinman 2:06
13. "I Miss My Radio" John Coinman and Blair Forward John Coinman 2:42
14. "Come And Get Your Love" Lolly Vegas John Coinman 3:07
15. "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" Steve Boone and John Sebastian Amy Grant and Kevin Costner 3:39
Total length: 60:13:30
Production[edit]
On his personal website, author David Brin reveals that while studios were bidding for The Postman, his wife decided during a screening of Field of Dreams that Kevin Costner should portray The Postman.[3] Brin agreed that the emotions evoked by Field of Dreams matched the message he intended to deliver with his novel. A decade later, after learning Costner would be cast as the lead, Brin said he was "thrilled".[3] Costner discarded the old screenplay (in which the moral message of the novel had been reversed) and hired screenwriter Brian Helgeland; Brin says the two of them "rescued the 'soul' of the central character" and reverted the story's message back to one of hope.[3]
In an interview with Metro before filming began, Brin expressed his hope that The Postman would have the "pro-community feel" of Field of Dreams instead of the Mad Max feel of Costner's other post-apocalyptic film Waterworld. Brin said that, unlike typical post-apocalyptic movies that satisfy "little-boy wish fantasies about running amok in a world without rules", the intended moral of The Postman is that "if we lost our civilization, we'd all come to realize how much we missed it, and would realize what a miracle it is simply to get your mail every day."[4]
The Postman was filmed in Metaline Falls and Fidalgo Island, Washington; central Oregon; and southern Arizona around Tucson and Nogales.
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
The Postman received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics.
Stephan Holden of The New York Times criticized the movie for its "bogus sentimentality" and "mawkish jingoism".[5] Roger Ebert described The Postman as "good-hearted" yet "goofy... and pretentious". However, Ebert recognized the movie as a failed parable, for which he said the viewers "shouldn't blame them for trying".[6] On Siskel & Ebert, Ebert and Gene Siskel gave the film "two thumbs down", with Siskel calling it "Dances with Myself" (in reference to Costner's Oscar-winning film Dances with Wolves) while referring to the bronze statue scene.[7]
According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 3 out of 32 film critics gave the film a positive review, with a "Rotten" score of 9% and an average rating of 3.8/10.[8] Metacritic gives the film a metascore of 29 out of 100 based on 14 reviews.
Box office[edit]
The film was a notable failure at the box office. The first four days after opening brought in only $5.3 million on 2,207 screens.[9] Produced on an estimated $80 million budget, it returned less than $18 million.[10]
The film was subsequently released on VHS and DVD on June 9, 1998, and on Blu-ray Disc on September 8, 2009.
Awards and nominations[edit]
Award
Subject
Nominee
Result
Saturn Award Best Science Fiction Film Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Will Patton Nominated
Best Actor Kevin Costner Nominated
Razzie Award Worst Actor Won
Worst Director Won
Worst Picture Kevin Costner, Steve Tisch, and Jim Wilson Won
Worst Screenplay Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland, based on the book by David Brin Won
Worst Original Song The entire song selection Won
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "THE POSTMAN (15)". Warner Bros. British Board of Film Classification. January 16, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b The Postman at Box Office Mojo
^ Jump up to: a b c Brin, David (December 1998). "The Postman: the Movie". Worlds of David Brin. DavidBrin.com. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
Jump up ^ Stentz, Zack (June 12, 1997), "Brin on science fiction, society and Kevin Costner", Metro, retrieved August 3, 2007
Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen (December 24, 1997). "Movie Review: The Postman – Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Descent to Anarchy.." The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger (December 25, 1997). "The Postman". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
Jump up ^ "Week of December 27, 1997" (1997). Television: Siskel & Ebert. Burbank: Buena Vista Television.
Jump up ^ "The Postman review". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
Jump up ^ "'Titanic's' Voyage Is Steaming Ahead". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
Jump up ^ "The Postman (1997)". Box Office Mojo. January 23, 1998. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
Parish, James Robert (2006), Fiasco – A History of Hollywood’s Iconic Flops, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 359 pages, ISBN 978-0-471-69159-4
Turner, Barnard Edward (2005), Cultural Tropes of the Contemporary American West, Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen, pp. 267 pages, ISBN 0-7734-6219-8
External links[edit]
The Postman on IMDb
The Postman at Box Office Mojo
The Postman at Rotten Tomatoes
The Postman at Metacritic
Awards
Preceded by
Striptease Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture
18th Golden Raspberry Awards Succeeded by
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn
[show]
v
t
e
Films by Kevin Costner
As director
Dances with Wolves (1990)
The Postman (1997)
Open Range (2003)
As producer
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
The Bodyguard (1992)
Rapa Nui (1994)
Wyatt Earp (1994)
Waterworld (1995)
The Postman (1997)
Message in a Bottle (1999)
Thirteen Days (2000)
Open Range (2003)
Mr. Brooks (2007)
Swing Vote (2008)
Black or White (2014)
[show]
v
t
e
Films directed by Brian Helgeland
Payback (1999)
A Knight's Tale (2001)
The Order (2003)
42 (2013)
Legend (2015)
[show]
v
t
e
Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture
1980–2000
Can't Stop the Music (1980)
Mommie Dearest (1981)
Inchon (1982)
The Lonely Lady (1983)
Bolero (1984)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Howard the Duck / Under the Cherry Moon (1986)
Leonard Part 6 (1987)
Cocktail (1988)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane / Ghosts Can't Do It (1990)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Shining Through (1992)
Indecent Proposal (1993)
Color of Night (1994)
Showgirls (1995)
Striptease (1996)
The Postman (1997)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998)
Wild Wild West (1999)
Battlefield Earth (2000)
2001–present
Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
Swept Away (2002)
Gigli (2003)
Catwoman (2004)
Dirty Love (2005)
Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
I Know Who Killed Me (2007)
The Love Guru (2008)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
The Last Airbender (2010)
Jack and Jill (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)
Movie 43 (2013)
Saving Christmas (2014)
Fantastic Four / Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016)
Book
[show]
v
t
e
Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay
1980–2000
Can't Stop the Music – Bronte Woodard and Allan Carr (1980)
Mommie Dearest – Frank Yablans, Frank Perry, Tracy Hotchner and Robert Getchell (1981)
Inchon – Robin Moore and Laird Koenig (1982)
The Lonely Lady – John Kershaw, Shawn Randall and Ellen Shephard (1983)
Bolero – John Derek (1984)
Rambo: First Blood Part II – Sylvester Stallone, James Cameron and Kevin Jarre (1985)
Howard the Duck – Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz (1986)
Leonard Part 6 – Jonathan Reynolds and Bill Cosby (1987)
Cocktail – Heywood Gould (1988)
Harlem Nights – Eddie Murphy (1989)
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane – Daniel Waters, James Cappe & David Arnott (1990)
Hudson Hawk – Steven E. de Souza, Daniel Waters, Bruce Willis and Robert Kraft (1991)
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot – Blake Snyder, William Osborne and William Davies – (1992)
Indecent Proposal – Amy Holden Jones (1993)
The Flintstones – Jim Jennewein, Steven E. de Souza, Tom S. Parker and various others (1994)
Showgirls – Joe Eszterhas (1995)
Striptease – Andrew Bergman (1996)
The Postman – Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland (1997)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn – Joe Eszterhas (1998)
Wild Wild West – Jim Thomas, John Thomas, S. S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (1999)
Battlefield Earth – Corey Mandell and J. David Shapiro (2000)
2001–present
Freddy Got Fingered – Tom Green & Derek Harvie (2001)
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – George Lucas and Jonathan Hales (2002)
Gigli – Martin Brest (2003)
Catwoman – Theresa Rebeck, John Brancato, Michael Ferris and John Rogers (2004)
Dirty Love – Jenny McCarthy (2005)
Basic Instinct 2 – Leora Barish and Henry Bean (2006)
I Know Who Killed Me – Jeffrey Hammond (2007)
The Love Guru – Mike Myers & Graham Gordy (2008)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Ehren Kruger, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (2009)
The Last Airbender – M. Night Shyamalan (2010)
Jack and Jill – Steve Koren and Adam Sandler, story by Ben Zook (2011)
That's My Boy - David Caspe (2012)
Movie 43 - Steve Baker, Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham, James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda, Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy, Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo, Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro, Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken and Jonas Wittenmark (2013)
Saving Christmas - Darren Doane and Cheston Hervey (2014)
Fifty Shades of Grey - Kelly Marcel (2015)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer (2016)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Postman_(film)&oldid=803940553"
Categories:
1997 films
English-language films
1990s adventure films
1990s science fiction films
American action films
American romance films
American films
American science fiction action films
Films directed by Kevin Costner
Dystopian films
Films based on science fiction novels
Films set in Oregon
Films set in 2013
Films set in the 2040s
Films shot in Oregon
Films shot in Washington (state)
Films shot in Arizona
Post-apocalyptic films
Warner Bros. films
Film scores by James Newton Howard
Screenplays by Eric Roth
Science fiction adventure films
Films about postal system
Hidden categories:
Articles with hAudio microformats
Album infoboxes lacking a cover
Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters
Track listings with deprecated parameters
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
العربية
Български
Català
Čeština
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Galego
Hrvatski
Italiano
Lëtzebuergesch
Lietuvių
Македонски
Bahasa Melayu
日本語
Norsk
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
Українська
Edit links
This page was last edited on 5 October 2017, at 17:10.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: i

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

attrs: href title

attrs: role class

values:
note
hatnote navigation-not-searchable

attrs: colspan class style

attrs: scope style

value: li

values: Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction

values: List of stories set in a future now past

values:
/wiki/King_Henry_V_of_England
mw-redirect
King Henry V of England

values: div-col columns column-count column-count-2

values: -moz-column-count: 2; -webkit-column-count: 2; column-count: 2;

values: text-align:center;font-size:125%;font-weight:bold;font-style: italic; background-color: gainsboro

values:
tlheader mbox-text
5
text-align:left;background-color:#fff

values: display: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);

values: display: none; background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247);

values: padding:0 10px 0 0;text-align:right;background-color:#eee

values:
/wiki/Washington_(U.S._state)
mw-redirect
Washington (U.S. state)

values:
/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc
mw-redirect
Blu-ray Disc

values: Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film

values: background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;

values:
/wiki/Golden_Raspberry_Award
mw-redirect
Golden Raspberry Award

values: background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;

values: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director

values: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song

values:
/wiki/Siskel_%26_Ebert
mw-redirect
Siskel & Ebert

values:
/wiki/Buena_Vista_Television
mw-redirect
Buena Vista Television

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values:
nofollow
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119925/
external text

values: nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Template:Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture

values: Template talk:Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture

values:
row
navbox-group
background: #EEDD82;width:1%

values: Book:Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture

values:
navbox-abovebelow hlist
2
background: #EEDD82

values: Template:Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay

values: Template talk:Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay

values:
row
navbox-group
width:1%;background: #EEDD82

values: Category:American science fiction action films

values: Category:Films directed by Kevin Costner

values: Category:Films based on science fiction novels

values: Category:Films shot in Washington (state)

values: Category:Film scores by James Newton Howard

values: Category:Science fiction adventure films

values: Category:Articles with hAudio microformats

values: Category:Album infoboxes lacking a cover

values: Category:Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters

values: Category:Track listings with deprecated parameters

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/The_Postman_(film)
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values: ساعي البريد (فيلم) – Arabic

values: Месия на бъдещето – Bulgarian

values: The Postman (película de 1997) – Spanish

values: پستچی (فیلم ۱۹۹۷) – Persian

values:
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postman
Postman – French
fr
fr
interlanguage-link-target

values: Поштарот (филм) – Macedonian

values: Почтальон (фильм, 1997) – Russian

values: The Postman – tulevaisuuden sanansaattaja – Finnish

values: Листоноша (фільм) – Ukrainian

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-The_Postman_film rootpage-The_Postman_film vector-experimental-print-styles vector-nav-directionality skin-vector action-view


text:
Flowers for Algernon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the short story and novel. For the film adaptation, see Charly. For the West End musical starring Michael Crawford, see Charlie and Algernon. For the Kyosuke Himuro album, see Flowers for Algernon (album).
Flowers for Algernon
First edition cover
Author
Daniel Keyes
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Science fiction
Publisher
Harcourt, Brace & World
Publication date
April 1959 (short story)
March 1966 (novel)
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages
311 (novel)[1]
ISBN
0-15-131510-8
OCLC
232370
Flowers for Algernon is a science fiction short story and subsequent novel written by Daniel Keyes. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960.[2] The novel was published in 1966 and was joint winner of that year's Nebula Award for Best Novel (with Babel-17).[3]
Algernon is a laboratory mouse who has undergone surgery to increase his intelligence by artificial means. The story is told by a series of progress reports written by Charlie Gordon, the first human test subject for the surgery, and it touches upon many different ethical and moral themes such as the treatment of the mentally disabled.[4][5]
Although the book has often been challenged for removal from libraries in the United States and Canada,[6][7] sometimes successfully,[8] it is frequently taught in schools around the world[9] and has been adapted many times for television, theatre, radio, and as the Academy Award-winning film Charly.
Contents
[hide]
1 Background
2 Publication history
3 Synopsis
3.1 Short story
3.2 Novel
4 Style
5 Themes
6 Reception
6.1 Awards
6.2 Censorship
6.3 Inspiration
7 Film, television, and theatrical adaptations
8 See also
9 References
10 Sources
Background[edit]
The ideas for Flowers for Algernon developed over 14 years and were inspired by events in Keyes's life, starting in 1945 with Keyes's conflict with his parents who were pushing him through a pre-medical education despite his desire to pursue a writing career. Keyes felt that his education was driving a wedge between him and his parents, and this led him to wonder what would happen if it were possible to increase a person's intelligence.[5][9][10][11]
A pivotal moment occurred in 1957 while Keyes was teaching English to students with special needs; one of them asked him if it would be possible to be put into a regular class if he worked hard and became smart.[5][11][12] Keyes also witnessed the dramatic change in another learning-disabled student who regressed after he was removed from regular lessons. Keyes said that "When he came back to school, he had lost it all. He could not read. He reverted to what he had been. It was a heart-breaker."[5]
Characters in the book were based on people in Keyes's life. The character of Algernon was inspired by a university dissection class, and the name was inspired by the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne.[11] Nemur and Strauss, the scientists who develop the intelligence-enhancing surgery in the story, were based on professors Keyes met while studying psychoanalysis in graduate school.[11]
In 1958, Keyes was approached by Galaxy Science Fiction magazine to write a story, at which point the elements of Flowers for Algernon fell into place.[11] When the story was submitted to Galaxy, however, editor Horace Gold suggested changing the ending so that Charlie retained his intelligence, married Alice Kinnian, and lived happily ever after.[11][13] Keyes refused to make the change and sold the story to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction instead.[11]
Keyes worked on the expanded novel between 1962 and 1965[14] and first tried to sell it to Doubleday, but they also wanted to change the ending. Again, Keyes refused and gave Doubleday back their advance.[13] Five publishers rejected the story over the course of a year[13] until it was published by Harcourt in 1966.
Publication history[edit]
The short story "Flowers for Algernon" was first published as the lead story in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.[11] It was later reprinted in The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, 9th series (1960),[4][15] the Fifth Annual of the Year’s Best Science Fiction (1960),[4][16] Best Articles and Stories (1961),[4] Literary Cavalcade (1961),[4] The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964 (1970),[17] and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction: A 30-Year Retrospective (1980).[15]
The expanded novel was first published in 1966 by Harcourt Brace with the Bantam paperback following in 1968.[4] By 2004, it had been translated into 27 languages, published in 30 countries and sold more than 5 million copies.[18] Since its original publication, the novel has never been out of print.[13]
Synopsis[edit]
The short story and the novel share many similar plot points, but the novel expands significantly on Charlie's developing emotional state as well as his intelligence, his memories of childhood, and the relationship with his family.
Short story[edit]
The story is told through a series of journal entries written by the story's protagonist, Charlie Gordon, a man with a low IQ of 68 who works a menial job as a janitor in Donnegan's Plastic Box Company. He is selected to undergo an experimental surgical technique to increase his intelligence. The technique had already been successfully tested on Algernon, a laboratory mouse. The surgery on Charlie is also a success, and his IQ triples.
He realizes that his co-workers at the factory, who he thought were his friends, only liked him to be around so that they could make fun of him. His new intelligence scares his co-workers, and they start a petition to have him fired, but when Charlie finds out about the petition, he quits. As Charlie's intelligence peaks, Algernon's suddenly declines—he loses his increased intelligence and mental age, and dies shortly afterward, to be buried in the back yard of Charlie's home. Charlie discovers that his intelligence increase is also only temporary. He starts to experiment to find out the cause of the flaw in the experiment, which he calls the "Algernon–Gordon Effect". Just when he finishes his experiments, his intelligence begins to regress to its state prior to the operation. Charlie is aware of, and pained by what is happening to him as he loses his knowledge and his ability to read and write. He tries to get his old job as a janitor back, and tries to revert to normal, but he cannot stand the pity from his co-workers, landlady, and Ms. Kinnian. Charlie states he plans to "go away" from New York and move to a new place. His last wish is that someone put flowers on Algernon's grave.
Novel[edit]
The novel opens with an epigraph taken from Book VII of Plato's The Republic:
Anyone who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eye are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind's eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye.
Charlie Gordon, 32 years old, suffers from phenylketonuria and has an IQ of 68. He holds a menial job at a bakery which his uncle had secured for him so that Charlie would not have to be sent to a state institution. Wanting to improve himself, Charlie attends reading and writing classes at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults; his teacher is Miss Alice Kinnian. Two researchers at Beekman, Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss, are looking for a human test subject on whom to try a new surgical technique intended to increase intelligence. They had already performed the surgery on a mouse named Algernon, dramatically improving his mental performance. Based on Alice's recommendation and his motivation to improve, Charlie is chosen over smarter pupils to undergo the procedure.
The operation is a success, and within the next three months Charlie's IQ reaches 185. However, as his intelligence, education, and understanding of the world increase, his relationships with people deteriorate. His co-workers at the bakery, who used to amuse themselves at his expense, are now scared and resentful of his increased intelligence and persuade his boss to fire him. Later, Charlie angrily confronts his scientific mentors about their condescending attitude toward him, particularly Dr. Nemur because Charlie believed that more than anyone Dr. Nemur considered him nothing more than another laboratory subject and not fully human before the operation.
When not drinking at night, Charlie spends weeks continuing his mentors' research and writing reports which include observations of Algernon, whom he keeps at his apartment. Charlie's research discovers a flaw in the theory behind Nemur and Strauss's intelligence-enhancing procedure that could cause him to revert to his original mental state. His conclusions prove true when Algernon starts behaving erratically, loses his own enhanced intelligence, and dies.
Charlie tries to mend the long-broken relationships with his parents. He remembers that as a boy his mother insisted on his institutionalization, overruling his father's wish to keep him in the household. Charlie returns after many years to his family's Brooklyn home and finds that his mother now suffers from dementia. Although she recognizes him, she is mentally confused. Charlie's father, who had broken off contact with the family many years before, does not recognize him. Charlie is only able to reconnect with his now-friendly younger sister, Norma, who had hated him for his mental disability when they were growing up, and is now caring for their mother in their newly depressed neighborhood. When Norma asks Charlie to stay with his family, he refuses but promises to send her money.
Despite regressing to his former self, he remembers that he was once a genius. He cannot bear to have his friends and co-workers feel sorry for him. Consequently, he decides to go to live at the state-sponsored Warren Home School, where nobody knows about the operation. In a final postscript to his writings, ostensibly addressed to Alice Kinnian, he requests that she put some flowers on Algernon's grave in Charlie's former backyard.
Style[edit]
Both the novel and the short story are written in an epistolary style collecting together Charlie's personal "progress reports" from a few days before the operation until his final regression. Initially, the reports are filled with spelling errors and awkwardly constructed sentences.[19] Following the operation, however, the first signs of Charlie's increased intelligence are his improved accuracy in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice.[20][21] Charlie's regression is conveyed by the loss of these skills.[20]
Themes[edit]
Important themes in Flowers for Algernon include the treatment of the mentally disabled,[4][5][22] the impact on happiness of the conflict between intellect and emotion,[21][23][24] and how events in the past can influence a person later in life.[24]
Reception[edit]
Awards[edit]
The original short story won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960.[2] The expanded novel was joint winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1966, tied with Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany,[3] and was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1967, losing out to The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein.[25]
In the late 1960s, the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) decided to give Nebula Awards retroactively and voted for their favourite science fiction stories of the era ending December 31, 1964 (before the Nebula Award was conceived). The short story version of Flowers for Algernon was voted third out of 132 nominees and was published in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964 in 1970.[26] Keyes was elected the SFWA Author Emeritus in 2000 for making a significant contribution to science fiction and fantasy, primarily as a result of Flowers for Algernon.[27]
Censorship[edit]
Flowers for Algernon is on the American Library Association's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999 at number 43.[6] The reasons for the challenges vary, but usually center on those parts of the novel in which Charlie struggles to understand and express his sexual desires.[8] Many of the challenges have proved unsuccessful, but the book has occasionally been removed from school libraries, including some in Pennsylvania and Texas.[8][28]
In January 1970, the school board of Cranbrook, British Columbia, as well as Calgary, Alberta, removed the Flowers for Algernon novel from the local age 14-15 curriculum and the school library, after a parent complained that it was "filthy and immoral". The president of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation criticized the action. Flowers for Algernon was part of the British Columbia Department of Education list of approved books for grade nine and was recommended by the British Columbia Secondary Association of Teachers of English. A month later, the board reconsidered and returned the book to the library; they did not, however, lift its ban from the curriculum.[29][30]
Inspiration[edit]
Flowers for Algernon has been the inspiration for works that include the album A Curious Feeling by Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks.[31] It also inspired the 2006 modern dance work Holeulone by Karine Pontiès, which won the Prix de la Critique de la Communauté française de Belgique for best dance piece.[32] A 2001 episode of the TV series The Simpsons titled "HOMR" has a plot similar to that of the novel.[33]
Film, television, and theatrical adaptations[edit]
Mona Freeman (Alice) and Cliff Robertson (Charlie Gordon) in "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon", a 1961 presentation of The United States Steel Hour. Robertson reprised his role in the film Charly.
Flowers for Algernon has been adapted many times for different media including stage, screen and radio. These adaptations include:
A 1961 television drama, The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon, starring Cliff Robertson.[34][35]
A 1968 film, Charly, also starring Cliff Robertson, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.[34][36]
A 1969 stage play, Flowers for Algernon by David Rogers.[34][37]
A 1978 stage musical, Charlie and Algernon by David Rogers and Charles Strouse.[34][38][39]
A 1991 radio play, Flowers for Algernon, for BBC Radio 4 starring Tom Courtenay[40]
A 2000 television movie, Flowers for Algernon, starring Matthew Modine.
A 2002 Japanese drama, Algernon ni Hanataba wo for Fuji Television, starring Yūsuke Santamaria.
A 2006 French television movie, Des fleurs pour Algernon.
A 2015 Japanese drama, Algernon ni Hanataba wo for Tokyo Broadcasting System, starring Yamashita Tomohisa and Chiaki Kuriyama.
Further stage and radio adaptations have been produced in France (1982), Ireland (1983), Australia (1984), Poland (1985), Japan (1987, 1990), and Czechoslovakia (1988).[34]
See also[edit]
Literature portal
Unreliable narrator
References[edit]
Jump up ^ World Cat, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, New York, Harcourt, Brace & World [1966], 1st Edition details
^ Jump up to: a b 1960 Hugo Awards, TheHugoAwards.org, retrieved April 23, 2008
^ Jump up to: a b "Past Winners of SWFA Nebula Awards". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Hill 2004, p. 4
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Emily Langer (June 18, 2014). "Daniel Keyes, author of the classic book 'Flowers for Algernon,' dies at 86". The Washington Post.
^ Jump up to: a b The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999 -ALA.org
Jump up ^ Kyle Munley (October 3, 2008). "Challenged and Banned: Flowers for Algernon". Suvudu.
^ Jump up to: a b c Hill 2004, pp. 7–9
^ Jump up to: a b "Frequently Asked Questions and Updates". Daniel Keyes. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
Jump up ^ Keyes 1999, p. 16
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Hill 2004, p. 3
Jump up ^ Keyes 1999, p. 97
^ Jump up to: a b c d "Daniel Keyes: 40 Years of Algernon". Locus Magazine. June 1997. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
Jump up ^ Bujalski 2002, p. 52
^ Jump up to: a b "Fantasy & Science Fiction: Anthology Stories (by author)". sfsite.com. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
Jump up ^ "The Fifth Annual of the Year's Best SF. Judith Merril. Simon & Schuster 1960". bestsf.net. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
Jump up ^ Silverberg 1970
Jump up ^ Hill 2004, p. 9
Jump up ^ Bujalski 2002, p. 21
^ Jump up to: a b Bujalski 2002, p. 15
^ Jump up to: a b Hill 2004, p. 2
Jump up ^ Bujalski 2002, p. 13
Jump up ^ Coules 1991, p. ix
^ Jump up to: a b Bujalski 2002, p. 14
Jump up ^ "1967 Hugo Awards". TheHugoAwards.org. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
Jump up ^ Silverberg 1970, p. xii
Jump up ^ "Daniel Keyes to be Author Emeritus". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
Jump up ^ Jodi Mathews (June 22, 1999). "Controversial book removed from Texas middle school after one parent complains". firstamendmentcenter.org. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
Jump up ^ Birdsall, Peter (1978). Mind War: Book Censorship in English Canada. CANLIT. p. 37. ISBN 0-920566-01-4.
Jump up ^ Dick, Judith (1982). Not in Our Schools? School Book Censorship in Canada: A Discussion Guide. Canadian Library Assn. p. 8. ISBN 0-88802-162-3.
Jump up ^ Tony Banks Biography, tonybanks-online.com
Jump up ^ "Agenda / Holeulone". La Terrasse. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
Jump up ^ Beck, Marilyn; Smith, Stacy Jenel. "A Talk with 'The Simpsons' Al Jean on the Show's 25th Anniversary". creators.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Flowers for Algernon". Daniel Keyes. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
Jump up ^ The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon on IMDb
Jump up ^ Charly on IMDb
Jump up ^ "Flowers for Algernon by David Rogers". Dramatic Publishing. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
Jump up ^ "Charlie and Algernon: book and lyrics by David Rogers, music by Charles Strouse". Dramatic Publishing. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
Jump up ^ "Charlie and Algernon". Musical Notes. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
Jump up ^ Coules 1991, p. xxiv.
Sources[edit]
Bujalski, Andrew (2002). Aglietti, Boomie; Quinio, Dennis, eds. Flowers for Algernon: Daniel Keyes. Spark. ISBN 1-58663-514-X.
Coules, Bert (1991). The Play of Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon (including notes by Robert Chambers). Heinemann (published 1993). ISBN 0-435-23293-2.
Hill, Cheryl (2004). "A History of Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon" (PDF). LIBR 548F: History of the Book. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2007.
Keyes, Daniel (1999). Algernon, Charlie and I: A Writer’s Journey. Boca Raton, FL: Challcrest Press Books. ISBN 1-929519-00-1.
Scholes, Robert (1975). Structural Fabulation: An Essay on Fiction of the Future. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 0-268-00570-2.
Silverberg, Robert, ed. (1970). The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964. Tom Doherty Associates. ISBN 0-7653-0537-2.
"Flowers For Algernon". Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.
[show]
v
t
e
Daniel Keyes
Novels
Flowers for Algernon
The Minds of Billy Milligan
Adaptations
Charly (1968 film)
Charlie and Algernon (1978 musical)
[show]
v
t
e
Hugo Award for Best Short Story (1955–1960)
"Allamagoosa" by Eric Frank Russell (1955)
"The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke (1956)
"Or All the Seas with Oysters" by Avram Davidson (1958)
"That Hell-Bound Train" by Robert Bloch (1959)
"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes (1960)
Complete list
Retro
1955–1960
1961–1980
1981–2000
2001–present
[show]
v
t
e
Nebula Award for Best Novel
Dune (1965)
Babel-17 and Flowers for Algernon (1966)
The Einstein Intersection (1967)
Rite of Passage (1968)
The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
Ringworld (1970)
A Time of Changes (1971)
The Gods Themselves (1972)
Rendezvous with Rama (1973)
The Dispossessed (1974)
The Forever War (1975)
Man Plus (1976)
Gateway (1977)
Dreamsnake (1978)
The Fountains of Paradise (1979)
Timescape (1980)
The Claw of the Conciliator (1981)
No Enemy But Time (1982)
Startide Rising (1983)
Neuromancer (1984)
Ender's Game (1985)
Speaker for the Dead (1986)
The Falling Woman (1987)
Falling Free (1988)
The Healer's War (1989)
Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea (1990)
Stations of the Tide (1991)
Doomsday Book (1992)
Red Mars (1993)
Moving Mars (1994)
The Terminal Experiment (1995)
Slow River (1996)
The Moon and the Sun (1997)
Forever Peace (1998)
Parable of the Talents (1999)
Darwin's Radio (2000)
The Quantum Rose (2001)
American Gods (2002)
Speed of Dark (2003)
Paladin of Souls (2004)
Camouflage (2005)
Seeker (2006)
The Yiddish Policemen's Union (2007)
Powers (2008)
The Windup Girl (2009)
Blackout/All Clear (2010)
Among Others (2011)
2312 (2012)
Ancillary Justice (2013)
Annihilation (2014)
Uprooted (2015)
All the Birds in the Sky (2016)
Authority control
BNF: cb165311318 (data)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flowers_for_Algernon&oldid=805684555"
Categories:
1959 short stories
1966 American novels
1960s science fiction novels
American novels adapted into films
American science fiction novels
Censorship in Canada
Epistolary novels
Fiction with unreliable narrators
Fictional diaries
Hugo Award for Best Short Story winning works
Nebula Award for Best Novel-winning works
Science fiction short stories
Works originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
Dystopian novels
Hidden categories:
Use mdy dates from June 2015
Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Azərbaycanca
Čeština
Español
Français
한국어
Հայերեն
Hrvatski
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Қазақша
Кыргызча
Magyar
Nederlands
日本語
Polski
Русский
Simple English
Slovenščina
Suomi
Svenska
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 16 October 2017, at 23:54.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

key: html

type: local

value: div

attrs: id class

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: a

attrs: id class lang

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

values:
note
hatnote navigation-not-searchable

value: caption

value: img

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

attrs: href class

value: td

attrs: colspan style

value: tr

value: th

values:
nofollow
external text
https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/232370

values:
/wiki/Academy_Award
mw-redirect
Academy Award

values:
/wiki/Horace_Gold
mw-redirect
Horace Gold

values:
/wiki/Harcourt_Trade_Publishers
mw-redirect
Harcourt Trade Publishers

values:
/wiki/Harcourt_Brace
mw-redirect
Harcourt Brace

values:
/wiki/Intelligence_Quotient
mw-redirect
Intelligence Quotient

values:
/wiki/The_Republic_(Plato)
mw-redirect
The Republic (Plato)

values:
/wiki/School_board
mw-redirect
School board

values:
/wiki/Calgary,_Alberta
mw-redirect
Calgary, Alberta

values: Edit section: Film, television, and theatrical adaptations

attrs: alt src width height class srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
/wiki/Yamashita_Tomohisa
mw-redirect
Yamashita Tomohisa

values: display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle

values: margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;border:solid #aaa 1px

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.sfwa.org/news/keyes.htm

values:
nofollow
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0737194/
external text

values:
nofollow
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/
external text

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values:
/wiki/Encyclopedia_of_Science_Fiction
mw-redirect
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

values: nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Template:Hugo Award Best Short Story 1955–1960

values: Template talk:Hugo Award Best Short Story 1955–1960

values: Template:Retro Hugo Award Best Short Story

values: Template:Hugo Award Best Short Story 1961–1980

values: Template:Hugo Award Best Short Story 1981–2000

values: Template:Hugo Award Best Short Story 2001–2020

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible collapsed navbox-inner

values: nowraplinks collapsible collapsed navbox-inner

values: Category:American novels adapted into films

values: Category:American science fiction novels

values: Category:Fiction with unreliable narrators

values: Category:Hugo Award for Best Short Story winning works

values: Category:Nebula Award for Best Novel-winning works

values: Category:Works originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

values: Category:Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Flowers_for_Algernon
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: 앨저넌에게 꽃을 – Korean

values: Ծաղիկներ Էլջերնոնի համար – Armenian

values: Algernon ni Hanataba wo (serial TV 2015) – Indonesian

values: פרחים לאלג'רנון – Hebrew

values: Алджернонға арналған гүл – Kazakh

values: Элжернонго арналан гүлдөр – Kyrgyz

values: アルジャーノンに花束を – Japanese

values: Цветы для Элджернона – Russian

values: ดอกไม้สำหรับอัลเจอนอน – Thai

values: Квіти для Елджернона – Ukrainian

values: 獻給阿爾吉儂的花束 – Chinese

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Flowers_for_Algernon rootpage-Flowers_for_Algernon vector-experimental-print-styles vector-nav-directionality skin-vector action-view


text:
Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
"Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)"
Single by Patti LaBelle
from the album Burnin'
Released
January 14, 1992
Format
Single
Recorded
1991
Genre
Soul, pop
Label
MCA Records
Songwriter(s)
Bunny Sigler
Eugene "Lambchops" Curry
Producer(s)
Bunny Sigler
Patti LaBelle singles chronology
"Feels Like Another One"
(1991) "Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)"
(1992) "When You've Been Blessed (Feels Like Heaven)"
(1992)
"Feels Like Another One"
(1991) "Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)"
(1991) "When You've Been Blessed (Feels Like Heaven)"
(1992)
Music video
"Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)" on YouTube
"Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)" is one of Patti LaBelle's signature songs released as a single in 1991 on the MCA Records label. The song was the second single to be released from LaBelle's acclaimed gold-selling CD, Burnin'. The song was co-written by LaBelle's friend and former Philadelphia International artist Bunny Sigler, who also produced the song. The song reached number two on the Hot R&B Singles chart in early 1992. Like her previous single, "Somebody Loves You..." was also shot at the Apollo. Rapper Plies later sampled the song for his track, "Somebody (Loves You)" off his second release, Definition of Real.
hide
v
t
e
Patti LaBelle
Studio albums
Patti LaBelle
Tasty
It's Alright with Me
Released
The Spirit's in It
I'm in Love Again
Patti
Winner in You
Be Yourself
Burnin'
Gems
Flame
When a Woman Loves
Timeless Journey
Classic Moments
The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle
Christmas albums
This Christmas
Miss Patti's Christmas
Live albums
Live! One Night Only
Singles
"You Are My Friend"
"Release (The Tension)"
"I Don't Go Shopping"
"The Best Is Yet To Come" (with Grover Washington Jr.)
"If Only You Knew"
"Love Has Finally Come at Last" (with Bobby Womack)
"Love, Need and Want You"
"New Attitude"
"Stir It Up"
"If You Don't Know Me by Now (Part 1)"
"On My Own" (with Michael McDonald)
"Oh, People"
"Kiss Away the Pain"
"If You Asked Me To"
"Yo Mister"
"Feels Like Another One"
"Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)"
"When You've Been Blessed (Feels Like Heaven)"
"The Right Kinda Lover"
"All This Love"
"When You Talk About Love"
"New Day"
Related articles
Discography
Labelle
Labelle discography
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Somebody_Loves_You_Baby_(You_Know_Who_It_Is)&oldid=838449930"
Categories:
1991 singles
Patti LaBelle songs
Soul ballads
Songs written by Bunny Sigler
Pop ballads
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Add links
This page was last edited on 27 April 2018, at 02:39 (UTC).
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

attrs: class href

values: mw-jump-link #mw-head

values: mw-jump-link #p-search

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em .1em .2em 0;

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding:.2em .1em;

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em 0 .2em .1em;

values: background: transparent; width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em .1em .2em 0; text-align: center;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em .1em; text-align: center;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em 0 .2em .1em; text-align: center;

values:
Patti_LaBelle
fn
font-size:114%;margin:0 4em

values:
row
navbox-group
width:1%;background: #EEEEEE;

values: The Best Is Yet To Come (Grover Washington Jr. song)

values: On My Own (Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald song)

values:
/wiki/Michael_McDonald_(singer)
mw-redirect
Michael McDonald (singer)

values: nowraplinks vcard collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner mw-collapsible mw-made-collapsible

values:
catlinks mw-normal-catlinks
catlinks mw-normal-catlinks
interface

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Somebody_Loves_You_Baby_You_Know_Who_It_Is rootpage-Somebody_Loves_You_Baby_You_Know_Who_It_Is skin-vector action-view