Family Album (film)
Encyclopedia
Family Album, also known as Danielle Steel's Family Album, is a 1994 television film directed by Jack Bender
. The film, which was released in two parts, is based upon the 1985 novel of the same name written by Danielle Steel
. The drama centers on the life chronology of a Hollywood actress who becomes a successful film director in an era where directing was dominated by men.
, falls in love with Ward Thayer, a rich heir. Seven years later, they are married, with four children. Ward loses his job and considers suicide
, but Faye offers to start acting again. Originally, this upsets Ward, because he wasn't fond of moving to Fairfax, California
. On the set of her new movie, the director and producer fight each other and the director eventually leaves the set. Faye offers to direct the scene herself. At first, nobody thinks she will be able to, but she turns out to direct the scene with a lot of success. She is soon offered directing jobs at television series, including Zane Grey Theater
. Meanwhile, her home life is less fortunate. Ward has been depressed since going bankrupt and he has started an affair. When Faye finds out, she immediately kicks him out of the house. However, she soon agrees to give him another chance and they decide to work together on films as director and producer. Their film debut becomes a blockbuster success with positive reviews and she is contracted by Universal
.
Years later, their children have grown up. Lionel is a student, hoping to be a photographer one day, Greg is still in school and wants to become a football
player, Valerie is an actress waiting for her big break and Anne is the quiet youngest sister. Greg admits his grades aren't good enough and that he dropped out of school to join the army. Lionel shocks his parents by admitting he is homosexual
. Faye is surprised, but accepts the news. Ward, however, is outraged and cuts him out of his life, with forbidding his other children to ever contact him again. Anne is furious and decides to run away
. Faye is devastated, but can't afford to quit her job and look for her. Soon, Greg announces he will serve for the army in Vietnam
. The entire family comes together to say goodbye, but Ward refuses to speak to Lionel. Later, Faye receives a phone call from the police, informing her that Anne has been arrested for drug possession. Faye picks her up and is shocked to find out she is pregnant. Ward convinces her to try to make her give up her child. Anne is in tears after giving birth, but reluctantly agrees to give up the baby for adoption
.
Tragedy reaches the Thayer family when it is announces that Greg died in Da Nang
, only a few days before peace was declared. At the funeral, Ward finally acknowledges his now only son Lionel, but still has trouble accepting that he is gay. Meanwhile, Faye is nominated for an Oscar. Valerie is jealous of her mother's success and they get into a fight when she announces she dropped out of UCLA
for the lead role in a cheap horror film, for which she is required to go nude. The Oscar nomination takes all of Faye's time. This makes Anne feel very neglected and she starts to hang out at her friend's place a lot. During this time, she bonds with the father of this family, Bill O'Hara. Faye finally decides to forgive Ward and they reunite. Soon, the Thayer family deal with a second tragedy, when Lionel and his boyfriend John get into a car accident. Lionel survives, but John dies. He has trouble dealing with his loss and spends all his time working as a photographer.
Later, Anne upsets her parents by admitting she is dating the much older Bill. Ward is furious and confronts Bill with the fact he is seeing a 17-year-old girl. However, Anne and Bill are still determined to marry and it doesn't take long before she gets pregnant again. Meanwhile, Valerie finally gets her big break, when she is given the second lead role in her mother's newest film project. The lead player, George Waterson, at first treats her badly, because he thinks she is a horrible actress. However, she eventually wins his heart and they start a secret relationship. Lionel finds love as well, with Paul Steel, a drug addicted actor who was recently fired. In the end, the movie directed by Faye and starring Valerie becomes a great success and Val enjoys her overnight stardom. Later, Anne gives birth to a son. The labor and baby reminds me of her first pregnancy and she blames her mother for having given up her first baby. Ten years later, Val makes Anne realize that Faye was actually a great mother, but didn't have a lot of time. Anne tries to apologize, but she is too afraid. Suddenly, Faye dies. Anne feels guilty for not having apologized, but Ward assures her that Faye knew how much she loved her.
Jack Bender
Jack Bender is an American television and film director, actor, television producer and also a screenwriter. Bender was an executive producer and lead director on the ABC television series, Lost. He directed the series finale of Lost. Bender has also directed on other popular shows such as The...
. The film, which was released in two parts, is based upon the 1985 novel of the same name written by Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel
Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel , better known as Danielle Steel, is an American romantic novelist and author of mainstream dramas....
. The drama centers on the life chronology of a Hollywood actress who becomes a successful film director in an era where directing was dominated by men.
Plot
Starting in 1951, Faye Price is a famous Hollywood actress who, while entertaining the troops during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, falls in love with Ward Thayer, a rich heir. Seven years later, they are married, with four children. Ward loses his job and considers suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, but Faye offers to start acting again. Originally, this upsets Ward, because he wasn't fond of moving to Fairfax, California
Fairfax, California
Fairfax is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Fairfax is located west-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet...
. On the set of her new movie, the director and producer fight each other and the director eventually leaves the set. Faye offers to direct the scene herself. At first, nobody thinks she will be able to, but she turns out to direct the scene with a lot of success. She is soon offered directing jobs at television series, including Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theatre, is an American Western anthology series which ran on CBS from 1956 to 1961.-Overview:Zane Grey Theatre was created by Luke Short and Charles A. Wallace...
. Meanwhile, her home life is less fortunate. Ward has been depressed since going bankrupt and he has started an affair. When Faye finds out, she immediately kicks him out of the house. However, she soon agrees to give him another chance and they decide to work together on films as director and producer. Their film debut becomes a blockbuster success with positive reviews and she is contracted by Universal
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
.
Years later, their children have grown up. Lionel is a student, hoping to be a photographer one day, Greg is still in school and wants to become a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, Valerie is an actress waiting for her big break and Anne is the quiet youngest sister. Greg admits his grades aren't good enough and that he dropped out of school to join the army. Lionel shocks his parents by admitting he is homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Faye is surprised, but accepts the news. Ward, however, is outraged and cuts him out of his life, with forbidding his other children to ever contact him again. Anne is furious and decides to run away
Runaway youth
A runaway is a minor or a person under an arbitrary age, depending upon the local jurisdiction, who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission, or has been thrown out by his or her parent and is considered by the local authorities to lack the capacity to live under...
. Faye is devastated, but can't afford to quit her job and look for her. Soon, Greg announces he will serve for the army in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The entire family comes together to say goodbye, but Ward refuses to speak to Lionel. Later, Faye receives a phone call from the police, informing her that Anne has been arrested for drug possession. Faye picks her up and is shocked to find out she is pregnant. Ward convinces her to try to make her give up her child. Anne is in tears after giving birth, but reluctantly agrees to give up the baby for adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
.
Tragedy reaches the Thayer family when it is announces that Greg died in Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, only a few days before peace was declared. At the funeral, Ward finally acknowledges his now only son Lionel, but still has trouble accepting that he is gay. Meanwhile, Faye is nominated for an Oscar. Valerie is jealous of her mother's success and they get into a fight when she announces she dropped out of UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
for the lead role in a cheap horror film, for which she is required to go nude. The Oscar nomination takes all of Faye's time. This makes Anne feel very neglected and she starts to hang out at her friend's place a lot. During this time, she bonds with the father of this family, Bill O'Hara. Faye finally decides to forgive Ward and they reunite. Soon, the Thayer family deal with a second tragedy, when Lionel and his boyfriend John get into a car accident. Lionel survives, but John dies. He has trouble dealing with his loss and spends all his time working as a photographer.
Later, Anne upsets her parents by admitting she is dating the much older Bill. Ward is furious and confronts Bill with the fact he is seeing a 17-year-old girl. However, Anne and Bill are still determined to marry and it doesn't take long before she gets pregnant again. Meanwhile, Valerie finally gets her big break, when she is given the second lead role in her mother's newest film project. The lead player, George Waterson, at first treats her badly, because he thinks she is a horrible actress. However, she eventually wins his heart and they start a secret relationship. Lionel finds love as well, with Paul Steel, a drug addicted actor who was recently fired. In the end, the movie directed by Faye and starring Valerie becomes a great success and Val enjoys her overnight stardom. Later, Anne gives birth to a son. The labor and baby reminds me of her first pregnancy and she blames her mother for having given up her first baby. Ten years later, Val makes Anne realize that Faye was actually a great mother, but didn't have a lot of time. Anne tries to apologize, but she is too afraid. Suddenly, Faye dies. Anne feels guilty for not having apologized, but Ward assures her that Faye knew how much she loved her.
Cast
- Jaclyn SmithJaclyn SmithJacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best-known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels, and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run...
as Faye Price Thayer - Michael OntkeanMichael OntkeanMichael Leonard Ontkean is a Canadian actor. He is best known for the 1970s crime drama The Rookies, the film Slap Shot , and the cult-favorite TV series Twin Peaks .-Life and career:...
as Ward Thayer - Joe FlaniganJoe FlaniganJoe Flanigan is an American television actor best known for his portrayal of the character Major/Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis.-Early life:Flanigan was born Joseph Dunnigan III in Los Angeles, California...
as Lionel Thayer - Kristin MinterKristin MinterKristin Minter is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Kathy Winslow in the Vanilla Ice vehicle Cool as Ice...
as Valerie 'Val' Thayer - Leslie Horan as Anne Thayer (later O'Hara)
- Brian KrauseBrian KrauseBrian Jeffrey Krause is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Leo Wyatt on the WB Network TV series Charmed from 1998 to 2006.-Background:...
as Greg Thayer - Tom MasonTom Mason (actor)Tom Mason is an American actor born in Brooklyn, New York. He began his television career in 1977, portraying Rex Stout's fictional detective Archie Goodwin in the ABC-TV movie Nero Wolfe...
as Bill O'Hara - Joel GretschJoel GretschJoel James Gretsch is an American actor. His roles include Tom Baldwin on the USA Network series The 4400, the monstruous Capt./Maj./Col. Owen Crawford in the Steven Spielberg produced 2002 sci-fi miniseries Taken and Father Jack Landry on V.-Early life:Gretsch was born in St...
as John - Paul SatterfieldPaul SatterfieldPaul Satterfield, Jr. is an American actor.Satterfield was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Paul Satterfield a Nashville firefighter who was killed in the line of duty and Singer Songwriter Priscilla Coolidge...
as Paul Steel - John WatersJohn Waters (filmmaker)John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
as Vincent