Thursday's Child (1983 film)
Encyclopedia
Thursday's Child is a 1983
television film directed by David Lowell Rich
, based on the book by Victoria Poole.
who seems to have it all. However, his family notices that he is often bothered with fits of coughing. Worried, his parents decide to take him to the hospital, where they are shocked to find out that he has a life threatening heart disease. Sam has trouble dealing with his illness, but he pretends to still be a joyful teenager to not have his parents worrying even more than they already do. His health is detoriating, though, and it is eventually revealed that he needs a heart transplantation
if he wants to survive. This is the beginning of a long and a both mental and physical exhausting journey including countless operations, tests, applies for donors. Even before the final operation, Sam is forced to deal with several setbacks in his life.
, this film meant his official introduction to the screen. The film was shot in 1982 and slated to premier in December 1982. However, it was postponed two times and it eventually premiered in February 1983.
The film was generally well received and was nominated for two Golden Globe Award
s. Lowe was nominated in the category Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV and Gena Rowlands
in the category Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV.
1983 in film
-Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of...
television film directed by David Lowell Rich
David Lowell Rich
David Lowell Rich is an American film director and producer. He has directed nearly 100 films and TV episodes between 1950 and 1987...
, based on the book by Victoria Poole.
Plot
Sam Alden is the 17-year-old high school star player in baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
who seems to have it all. However, his family notices that he is often bothered with fits of coughing. Worried, his parents decide to take him to the hospital, where they are shocked to find out that he has a life threatening heart disease. Sam has trouble dealing with his illness, but he pretends to still be a joyful teenager to not have his parents worrying even more than they already do. His health is detoriating, though, and it is eventually revealed that he needs a heart transplantation
Heart transplantation
A heart transplant, or a cardiac transplantation, is a surgical transplant procedure performed on patients with end-stage heart failure or severe coronary artery disease. As of 2007 the most common procedure was to take a working heart from a recently deceased organ donor and implant it into the...
if he wants to survive. This is the beginning of a long and a both mental and physical exhausting journey including countless operations, tests, applies for donors. Even before the final operation, Sam is forced to deal with several setbacks in his life.
Cast
- Rob LoweRob LoweRobert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
as Sam Alden - Gena RowlandsGena RowlandsGena Rowlands is an American actress of film, stage and television. The four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner is best known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, in two of which, Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence, she gave Academy...
as Victoria Alden - Don MurrayDon Murray (actor)Donald Patrick "Don" Murray is an American actor.-Early life and career:Murray was born in Hollywood, California on July 31, 1929, the only child of Dennis Aloisius, a Broadway dance director and stage manager and Ethel Murray, a former Ziegfeld performer...
as Parker Alden - Jessica WalterJessica WalterJessica Walter is an American actress, known for the films Play Misty for Me, Grand Prix, and for her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development...
as Roz Richardson - Tracey GoldTracey GoldTracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
as Alix - Glenn Morrissey as Pokie
- Ken Stovitz as Charlie
- Heidi BohayHeidi BohayHeidi Bohay is an American actress and television presenter.Born in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, Bohay is best known for her role as Megan Kendall from 1983 to 1987 on the prime-time ABC drama Hotel. She appeared as a celebrity guest on game shows, including The $25,000 and $100,000 Pyramid,...
as Ruthie - Elizabeth KeiferElizabeth KeiferElizabeth Keifer born is an American actress.Keifer played the role of Christina "Blake" Marler on Guiding Light. She was on the show from August 1992 until it went off the air in September 2009...
as Tina - Larry PoindexterLarry PoindexterLarry Poindexter is an American actor and singer born and raised in Dallas, Texas.-Life and career:Poindexter is currently best known for his role in 2003's S.W.A.T., where he played by the book LAPD Captain Tom Fuller who went head to head with Samuel Jackson's Hondo...
as Malcolm - Robin Gammell as Dr. Schroeder
- Alan FudgeAlan FudgeAlan Fudge , was an American actor known for being part of the cast of four television programs: Man from Atlantis, Eischied, Paper Dolls, and Bodies of Evidence, along with a recurring role on 7th Heaven.Fudge was born in Wichita, Kansas...
as Dr. Baumbartner - Thomas HillThomas Hill (actor)Thomas Hill was an actor and director on stage for decades before starting in film in the mid 1960s and on television in the 1980s....
as Dr. Owens - Stephen Keep as Dr. Reston
- Curt Lowens as Dr. Wakely
Release
For Rob LoweRob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
, this film meant his official introduction to the screen. The film was shot in 1982 and slated to premier in December 1982. However, it was postponed two times and it eventually premiered in February 1983.
The film was generally well received and was nominated for two Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
s. Lowe was nominated in the category Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV and Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands is an American actress of film, stage and television. The four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner is best known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, in two of which, Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence, she gave Academy...
in the category Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV.