“Farewell to Manzanar” is an excellent NBC television movie from 1976. The film is based on an autobiography written by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston. The movie tells the story of seven-year-old Jeanne Wakasuki and her family’s internment at Manzanar in 1942 following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

On February 19, 1942 President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. That order authorized the creation of the War Relocation Authority and subsequently many internment camps and other facilities located in several parts of the country. One such internment camp was Manzanar. Under the direction of John Korty the cast of Yuki Shimoda as Ko Wakatsuki, Nobu McCarthy as Misa/Jeanne Wakatsuki, Young Jeanne played by Dori Takeshita, Mako as Fukimoto, Zenahiro played by Pat Morita and many other fine actors bring to life the dramatic and tragic story of Manzanar.

Here's a link to "Farewell to Manzanar" on YouTube (may be inactive so just search for the movie title if that's the case)

Here's a link to an interview with Pat Morita on YouTube

Check us out on Patreon at www.patreon.com/classicmoviereviews for even more content and bonus shows.