''Adam'' is a 1983 American

made-for-television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

starring

Daniel J. Travanti Daniel J. Travanti (born Danielo Giovanni Travanti; March 7, 1940) is an American actor. He is best known for playing police captain List of Hill Street Blues characters#Main characters, Frank Furillo in the television drama series ''Hill Stree ...

and

JoBeth Williams Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an American actress and television director. Her directorial debut with the 1994 short film ''On Hope'' earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. In 2009 she began ...

. It aired on October 10, 1983, on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

. On its original air date, it was seen by an audience of 38 million people. It was rebroadcast on April 30, 1984, and it was rebroadcast again on April 29, 1985. At the end of each broadcast of the film, a series of missing children's photographs and descriptions were displayed on the screen for viewers, and a telephone number was also given for viewers to call if they had any information about them. The 1985 photograph series was introduced by President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

in a pre-recorded message, "...maybe your eyes can help bring them home." A

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

, ''Adam: His Song Continues'' followed on September 29, 1986, also starring Travanti and Williams. The first part of the film portrays the story of the kidnapping and

murder of Adam Walsh Adam John Walsh (November 14, 1974 – July 27, 1981) was an American child who was abducted from a Sears department store at the Hollywood Mall in Hollywood, Florida on July 27, 1981. His severed head was found two weeks later in a drainage can ...

on July 27, 1981, along with the effects of this event on the marriage of

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

and Revé Walsh. The second part of the movie focuses on the Walsh's attempts to pass national child protection laws in the wake of Adam's murder, and the formation of awareness groups surrounding child disappearances. The film was written by Allan Leicht and directed by

Michael Tuchner Michael John Tuchner (24 June 1932 – 17 February 2017) was a British film and theatre director. Born in Berlin, to German-Jewish parents, he was seven years old when his family moved to Britain with the rise of the Nazis. He eventually re ...

Production

Filming of the movie was conducted both in and around

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

. The scenes portrayed at the Hollywood Mall of

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now ...

, were filmed at the now-defunct Westwood Mall in Houston, at the Sears which was one of its former anchor stores. The mall closed in 1998 and was converted to offices. The Sears store where some scenes were filmed closed in 2017 and was converted to an automobile dealership service center. The three broadcasts of ''Adam'' were followed by pictures and descriptions of missing children as of each of the respective broadcasts. A hotline was also active, to take calls regarding the children. This was ultimately credited with finding 13 of 55 children from the 1983 broadcast, including future rapper

Bizzy Bone Bryon Anthony McCane II (born September 12, 1976),Whitburn, Joel (2008) ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2006'', Record Research, , p. 97 better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper, singer and the youngest member o ...

, and 19 of 51 children shown in the 1984 broadcast. As of two days after the 1985 showing, 3,522 calls had been made to the hotline, and 5 of 54 featured missing children had already been found.

Cast

as John Walsh *

as Revé Walsh * Martha Scott as Gram Jean Walsh * Richard Masur as Jay Howell * Paul Regina as Joe Walsh * Mason Adams as Ray Mellette * Tony Frank as Lt. Richard Hynds * John M. Jackson as Det. Jim Gibbons * Alex Harvey as Det. Jack Hoffman

Awards

1984 Primetime Emmy Award nominations: * Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special (

Alan Landsburg Alan William Landsburg (May 10, 1933 – August 13, 2014) was an American television writer, producer, and director. He was the founder and CEO of Alan Landsburg Productions and the Landsburg Company and was involved in producing over fifty mo ...

Joan Barnett Joan Barnett (November 19, 1945 – October 15, 2020) was an American casting director and television executive producer. She was best known for producing many television films, notably ''Adam'' (1983), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nom ...

, executive producers;

Linda Otto Linda Otto (April 4, 1940 – June 27, 2004) was a producer and casting director as well as a director. She was active from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Biography Early life Linda Otto was born on April 4, 1940. Career As a casting director ...

, producer) * Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (

) * Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (

) * Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special (Allan Leicht)

References

External links

* * {{Michael Tuchner Films directed by Michael Tuchner 1983 television films 1983 films American films based on actual events Films set in Florida Drama films based on actual events 1983 drama films Films shot in Houston NBC network original films Crime films based on actual events Films about child abduction in the United States Alan Landsburg Productions films Films set in 1981