And The Band Played On
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And the Band Played On: People, Politics, and the AIDS Epidemic is a book written by San Francisco Chronicle journalist Randy Shilts (original copyright 1987) chronicling the discovery and spread of HIV and AIDS, with a special emphasis on alleged government indifference to what was initially perceived as a "gay disease." The title of the book appears to play on [that of a popular song from the 1890s] having indifference to imminent danger as one of its lyric themes.
The book is an extensive work of investigatory journalism, written in the form of an extended timeline, with the events that shaped the epidemic presented as sequential matter-of-fact summaries. It includes extensive discussion of Gaetan Dugas (who died in 1984 [link]), who was labelled "Patient Zero" of AIDS (a claim which, in real life, was debunked and withdrawn). Randy Shilts himself died of AIDS in 1994.
And the Band Played On was used as the basis for a 1993 HBO movie of the same name, starring Matthew Modine as Don Francis and Richard Masur as Bill Darrow, doctors at the Centers for Disease Control, and Alan Alda as real-life controversial viral researcher Robert Gallo. The movie also starred B.D. Wong, Glenne Headly, Swoosie Kurtz, and Ian McKellen as Bill Kraus. The movie featured a plethora of other big stars in supporting and cameo roles who agreed to appear in the film for scale pay, such as Richard Gere, Phil Collins, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, and Anjelica Huston.
Elton John's The Last Song was heard at the end of the film, appearing during a closing montage featuring many celebrities who died of AIDS, such as musician Freddie Mercury, who also had a song (Play The Game) featured in the film, actors Rock Hudson, Anthony Perkins and Robert Reed, tennis player Arthur Ashe, nurse and AIDS poster boy Bobbi Campbell and fashion designer Willi Smith. [link]
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