On the Road to Desolation

50 minutes

10/11/1997

Overview

Andrew O'Hagan looks at a critical point in the life of Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac. In 1956 he spent spent 63 soul-searching days as a fire-watcher on Washington state's Desolation Peak. After this stint he was never the same creative force again.

Cast List

John Suiter
as Self
Maxine Franklin
as Self
Tom Clark
as Self
Joyce Johnson
as Self
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
as Self
Robert Giroux
as Self
John Sampas
as Self
Adele Mailer
as Self
Ann Douglas
as Self
Carolyn Cassady
as Self
Jack Kerouac
as Self (archive footage)
Allen Ginsberg
as Self (archive footage)
Steve Allen
as Self