Old Warrior

WGBH | 1994

In the late sixties, Frank Manning, a 66-year-old retired union organizer, began stirring up the previously silent masses of Massachusetts’ elderly. Within three years, the unlikely leader had ignited the entire state, creating a social movement that demanded senior rights. Almost single-handedly, Manning transformed Massachusetts into a beacon for the nation, boasting the country’s largest budget and most progressive programs for the elderly. Filmmaker Joshua Seftel documents an important, yet forgotten chapter in history and features appearances by political luminaries including Ted Kennedy, Dapper O’Neil, Michael Dukakis, and a final television interview with Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill.

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