▁a ▁close ▁Irish - C atholic ▁family . ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁veter an ▁John ▁" Jack " ▁P ry or ▁own s ▁a ▁television ▁and ▁radio ▁store . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁hom em aker ▁wife ▁Helen ▁have ▁five ▁children : ▁High ▁school ▁senior ▁and ▁football ▁player ▁" J J ", ▁younger ▁sister s ▁Meg ▁and ▁Pat ty , ▁and ▁younger ▁brother ▁Will , ▁who ▁is ▁l ame ▁from ▁pol io . ▁Jack ▁emp lo ys ▁Henry ▁Walker , ▁whose ▁son ▁Sam ▁is ▁among ▁the ▁few ▁black ▁students ▁at ▁East ▁Catholic ▁High ▁School . ▁Meg ▁and ▁best ▁friend ▁Ro x anne ▁pass ▁the ▁aud ition ▁to ▁dance ▁on ▁camera ▁for ▁Dick ▁Clark ' s ▁American ▁Band stand , ▁fil med ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁while ▁J J ▁hopes ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁football ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁Fight ing ▁Irish . ▁The ▁show ▁dep ict s ▁historical ▁events , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁assass ination ▁of ▁John ▁F . ▁Kennedy , ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Philadelphia ▁race ▁ri ot , ▁and ▁American ▁invol vement ▁in — and ▁opposition ▁to — the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁ ▁Cast ▁and ▁characters ▁ ▁Main ▁ ▁Brit t any ▁Snow ▁as ▁Margaret ▁" M eg " ▁P ry or : ▁The ▁show ' s ▁protagon ist . ▁In ▁her ▁spare ▁time , ▁she ▁d ances ▁on ▁Dick ▁Clark ' s ▁American ▁Band stand . ▁Her ▁family ▁is ▁Catholic . ▁ ▁Tom ▁Ver ica ▁as ▁John ▁J . ▁" Jack " ▁P ry or : ▁Meg