''The Summer of Ben Tyler'' is an American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

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 ...

that premiered on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

on December 15, 1996, as part of the ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

'' anthology series. The film is directed by

Arthur Allan Seidelman Arthur Allan Seidelman is an American television, film, and theatre director and an occasional writer, producer, and actor. Career Born in New York City, he received his B.A. from Whittier College and an M.A. in Theatre from UCLA. He subsequently ...

and written by Robert Inman. It stars

James Woods James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off-Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in '' The Trial of the ...

as an up-and-coming lawyer, alongside

Elizabeth McGovern Elizabeth Lee McGovern (born July 18, 1961) is an American actress and musician. She has received many awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, three Golden Globe Award nominations, and one Academy Award nomination. Born in Evanston, Ill ...

Len Cariou Leonard Joseph Cariou (; born September 30, 1939) is a Canadian actor and Theatre director, stage director, best known for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in the original cast of ''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'', for which he wo ...

Julia McIlvaine Julia McIlvaine is an American character actress, perhaps best known for voicing June on ''KaBlam!''. She also has a career in singing, dance, and athletics. Acting career She has been in numerous theater plays, television advertisement, comme ...

, Charles Mattocks, Kevin Isola,

Clifton James George Clifton James (May 29, 1920 – April 15, 2017) was an American actor known for roles as a prison floorwalker in ''Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), Sheriff J.W. Pepper alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond films '' Live and Let Die'' (197 ...

, and

Anita Gillette Anita Gillette ( Luebben; born August 16, 1936) is an American actress. She had numerous roles on Broadway, American television, and in feature films. She also made many appearances as a celebrity guest on television game shows. Early life Gill ...

. Woods received a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

nomination for his performance.

Cast

as Temple Rayburn *

as Celia Rayburn *

as Spencer Maitland *

as Nell Rayburn * Charles Mattocks as Ben Tyler * Kevin Isola as Junius Maitland *

as Sam Thompkins *

as Suellen *

Millie Perkins Millie Perkins (born May 12, 1938) is an American film and television actress known for her debut film role as Anne Frank in ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959), and for her supporting actress roles in two 19 ...

as Doris *

Jack Gilpin John Mitchell "Jack" Gilpin (born May 31, 1951) is an American actor. He currently portrays Church the Butler in HBO's historical drama series '' The Gilded Age''. He is the father of actress Betty Gilpin. Early life Gilpin was born on May 31 ...

as Carter Glenn *

Novella Nelson Novella Christine Nelson (December 17, 1939 – August 31, 2017) was an American actress and singer. She established her career as a singer, both on the off-Broadway and Broadway stage and in cabaret-style locales. Career Starting in 1961, Nels ...

as Rosetta Tyler *

Ed Grady Edward Louis Grady (August 31, 1923 – December 10, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actor and teacher. Early life Grady was born to Eddie Jones Grady and Maude Clara (née Hodges) Grady on August 31, 1923, in Kinston, Nor ...

as Dr. Ringgold *

Ronn Carroll Ronn Carroll is an American actor known primarily for his work on Broadway, with over twenty credits to his name. Career highlights include ''Oklahoma!'', directed by Trevor Nunn, ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' with Matthew ...

as Judge Kragen * Gregory Perrelli as Scooter Maitland *

Judith Ivey Judith Lee Ivey (born September 4, 1951) is an American actress and theatre director. She has twice won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play: for ''Steaming'' (1981) and ''Hurlyburly'' (1984). She has also appeared in several films ...

as Narrator

Reception

Critical response

Ray Richmond Ray Richmond (born October 19, 1957, in Whittier, California) is a globally syndicated critic and entertainment/media columnist. Richmond has also worked variously as a feature and entertainment writer, beat reporter and TV critic for a variety ...

of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' gave the film a positive review, writing that "a sumptuously produced gem of a film with a refreshing message of moral heroism, ''The Summer of Ben Tyler'' is as poignant, heartwarming and superbly acted as any of the 189 previous ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' productions." John J. O'Connor of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' concluded his review by stating that the film "gets the familiar treatment: a fine cast and top-notch direction. If only the underlying story weren't so insufferably patronizing."

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Summer of Ben Tyler, The 1996 films 1996 drama films 1996 television films 1990s American films 1990s English-language films American drama television films CBS network films Hallmark Hall of Fame episodes Films about adoption Films about families Films about lawyers Films about intellectual disability Films about racism in the United States Films directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman Films scored by Van Dyke Parks Films set in 1942 Films shot in North Carolina Sonar Entertainment films