‘Harry Chapin: When In Doubt, Do Something’ Documentary Announced For October 2020

The ‘Harry Chapin: When In Doubt, Do Something’ documentary following the life of the legendary songwriter Harry Chapin has been announced for October 16, 2020. The film will premiere in theaters across the United States as well as on a virtual cinema platform. 

Harry Chapin

The documentary is a Greenwich Entertainment film and is being directed by Rick Korn. The film was produced by Korn, S.A. Baron, and Chapin’s son, Jason Chapin. It follows the GRAMMY-nominated folk singer starting in his childhood which he spent under the shadow of his father Jim Chapin who was known for his  jazz drumming and as an author of books about jazz drumming. It then moves on through his unfortunately short life and highlights all the ups and downs he experienced throughout his life.

Harry Chapin tragically died on July 16, 1981 in a car crash on interstate 495 in New York. Some of his most well known work includes “The Cat’s in the Cradle”, “Taxi,” and “A Better Place to Be.” The film focuses on his humanitarian efforts as well which is why the film is being released on World Food Day which fits perfectly as Jim Chapin was the co-founded of the influential hunger non-profit WhyHunger. A portion of the proceeds from the film will go to both WhyHunger and The Harry Chapin Foundation.

The documentary uses archival footage and new interviews to give the viewer a glimpse into Harry Chapin’s life. It focuses on how the singer-songwriter used his fame as a launching point to help others and influence politics. It features testimonials from Chapin’s family (including Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin), as well as peers including Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Kenny Rogers, Robert Lamm (Chicago), Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Pat Benatar, Bob Geldof, Ken Kragen, longtime bassist John Wallace, and WhyHunger co-founder Bill Ayres.

Harry Chapin sold over 16 million records during his short but unforgettable life. He also had 14 hit singles and two GRAMMY nominations. In 1977 he was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger. In 1986, he was posthumously awarded the GRAMMY President’s Merit Award. He was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2011. 

For more information on the documentary read the full press release here.

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