

03/07/1988
Docudrama about the debate surrounding New York State's ratification of the United States Constitution. Historical figures wear modern dress and use familiar language to help today's audience understand firsthand the forces that shaped this country two hundred years ago. The argument, characters, passions and debating points are historically accurate, but the language and the medium of the debate is modern in form. Present day newscasters and commentators play themselves, reporting on the events of the 1780s as though they were occurring now.

Cokie Roberts
as Self - Host

William F. Buckley Jr.
as Self

Walter Cronkite
as Self

John Chancellor
as Self

Phil Donahue
as Self

Robert MacNeil
as Self

Andrea Mitchell
as Self

Al Roker
as Self

Forrest Sawyer
as Self

Jamey Sheridan
as Daniel Shays

Ed Koch
as Mayor of New York City, 1788

James Rebhorn
as Jesse Woodhull

Mario Cuomo
as Self

Charlayne Hunter-Gault
as Self

François Giroday
as Alexander Hamilton

Christopher Curry
as John Lansing, Jr.

Nesbitt Blaisdell
as Gov. George Clinton

Sol Wachtler
as John Jay

Drew Snyder
as Demonstrator

Joseph Warren
as Robert Yates

John C. Vennema
as Robert R. Livingston

E.G. Marshall
as Federalist Spokesman

Rex Robbins
as Isaac Roosevelt

Edwin McDonough
as Donahue Audience Member

Richard Bright
as Donahue Audience Member

Richard Seff
as Donahue Audience Member

William Duell
as Donahue Audience Member

MacIntyre Dixon
as Donahue Audience Member

Patrick Clear
as Donahue Audience Member

Eli Wallach
as Anti-Federalist Spokesman

Roberts Blossom
as Melancton Smith

Guy Paul
as Convention Secretary

Jonathan Bolt
as Anti-Federalist Delegate

Stu Daly
as Voice-over Announcer
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