''Pray TV'' is a 1982 American Christian

made-for-television 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 fo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

which aired on ABC starring

John Ritter Johnathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor. Ritter was a son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is known for playing Jack Tripper on the ...

and Ned Beatty. The project garnered controversy when Rev. Jerry Falwell, the prominent

televangelist Televangelism ( tele- "distance" and "evangelism," meaning " ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are ministers, whether official or self-pr ...

, undertook a public campaign in an attempt to keep the TV movie from airing.

Plot

A newly ordained minister accepts a summer job with a dynamic TV evangelist only to find deep conflicts between the latter's conventional activities servicing his community's spiritual needs and his power wielded as a TV celebrity.

Calls received to phone number

The telephone number advertised by Rev. Stone received 15,000 real calls.

Cast

as Tom McPherson * Ned Beatty as Rev. Freddy Stone *

Richard Kiley Richard Paul Kiley (March 31, 1922 – March 5, 1999) was an American stage, film and television actor and singer. He is best known for his distinguished theatrical career in which he twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor In A Musical. Kiley ...

as Rev. Gus Keiffer * Madolyn Smith as Liz Oakes *

Louise Latham Louise Latham (September 23, 1922 – February 12, 2018) was an American actress, perhaps best known for her portrayal of Bernice Edgar in Alfred Hitchcock's 1964 film ''Marnie''. Early years Latham came from Hamilton, Texas. She was from a fam ...

as Mrs. Oakes *

Jonathan Prince Jonathan Alexander Prince (born August 16, 1958) is an American actor, director, screenwriter and movie producer. Career Prince embarked on an acting career following graduation from Harvard University. His played Leo in the 1981 CBS series ''M ...

as Bill Oakes * Michael Currie as Artie Allman *

Kenneth Tigar Kenneth Tigar (born September 24, 1942) is an American actor, primarily on American television, and translator. Life Kenneth Leslie Tigar was born into a Jewish family in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and raised in the Greater Boston Area. He receiv ...

as Parker * Lois Hamilton as Bobbi Ellis *

Jason Bernard Jason Bernard (born Ronald Carl Johnson, May 17, 1938 – October 16, 1996) was an American actor. Life and career Bernard was born in Chicago, Illinois. His first starring role was in the pilot episode of the television series '' The White ...

as Everett *Frank Birney as Johnson *James Keane as Fats *Richard Kennedy as Announcer * Mel Tormé as himself * Devo as Dove, the Band of Love

References

External links

* * 1982 television films 1982 films 1982 drama films Films scored by Dennis McCarthy Films directed by Robert Markowitz Films about television people Films about evangelicalism Televangelism American drama television films 1980s American films {{1980s-drama-film-stub