In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.

Where to watch it in Canada

For rent

Amazon Video

To buy

YouTube

Cast

Robert Townsend

Duck

Michael Wright

Eddie

Leon

J.T.

Harry Lennix

Dresser

Tico Wells

Choirboy

Diahann Carroll

Eleanor Potter

Harold Nicholas

Sarge

John Canada Terrell

Michael 'Flash' Turner

Hawthorne James

Big Red

🎭

Roy Fegan

Bird

Robert Townsend — Duck

Robert Townsend (born February 6, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Townsend is best known for directing the films Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), The Meteor Man (1993), The Five Heartbeats (1991) and various other films and stand-up specials. He is especially known for his eponymous self-titled character, Robert Peterson as the starring role as on The WB sitc

Michael Wright — Eddie

Michael Wright (April 6, 1956 – August 21, 2026) was an American film and television actor, who is best known for his role as Eddie Kane, Jr. in the 1991 Robert Townsend film The Five Heartbeats. Wright's body of work in television includes the 1983 NBC science fiction miniseries V, the 1984 sequel "V: The Final Battle" and on "V: The Series" as Elias Taylor, TV series "Miami Vice" 1987 episode "T

Leon — J.T.

Leon Preston Robinson IV (usually credited as simply "Leon") is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.