Susan Ruttan Movies

In the first episode of a two-part story, the Night Court staff is cut off from their paychecks by a municipal budget crisis. This freeze could not have come at a worse time for Harry, who is trying to save a cleaning lady (Susan Ruttan) and her troubled son (Harold P. Pruett) from being tossed into the street by a nasty landlord (Charles Bouvier). Ultimately, tragedy strikes--and a frustrated Harry quits his job! This episode marks the first appearance of the Wheelers, a rambunctious family of indigents who claim to hail from West Virginia (future Star Trek: The Next Generation regular Brent Spiner is seen as Bob Wheeler). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A conservative Presbyterian mother reaches out to the gay community for support after driving her homosexual son to suicide in this made-for-television movie adapted from Leroy Aaron's 1995 novel. Bobby Griffith (Ryan Kelley) hails from a devoutly Christian family. Lately Bobby's been questioning his own sexuality, and upon confiding this information to his older brother, the news quickly circulates to their parents and other siblings. While Bobby's father and siblings resolve to stand by him despite their opposition to his startling revelation, his mother Mary (Sigourney Weaver) believes that her son is committing a sin, and encourages him to change his ways with the help of the church. Despondent over his experiences in the church, Bobby decides that his best option is to move out of the family home, all the while hoping that his mother will find a means of accepting him for who he is. But Mary is staunch in her position, and when Bobby realizes he'll never live up to his mother's expectations he takes his own life. Devastated, Mary seeks consolation from her pastor but fails to find the answers she's looking for. In time, Mary begins a dialogue with the gay community, and discovers that sometimes support can come from the places we least expect. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

If Elizabeth Montgomery must continue to play put-upon women in her TV movies, it cannot be denied that she possesses the superior talents to pull it off. In Second Sight: A Love Story, Ms. Montgomery portrays a woman who has been blind for 20 years. Worried that people will try to get close to her out of pity, she distances herself emotionally from everyone but her seeing-eye dog Emma. A romance with Barry Newman begins to pull Montgomery out of her shell. When the opportunity arises for a delicate operation that may restore her sight, Ms. Montgomery is alternately elated and perplexed: will the loss of her handicap also lose her the affections of Newman--not to mention Emma? Second Sight: A Love Story was inspired by Sheila Hocken's autobiographical novel Emma and I. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this touching family drama, a young girl's dreams of having an extra-special 15th birthday party are shattered when she discovers that her father is an illegal alien and may be deported back to Mexico. The movie was first shown as part of the Wonderworks family film series on PBS. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Initially titled Fighting Chance, the made-for-TV The Fighter stars Gregory Harrison in the title role. Unable to support himself or his wife Glynnis O'Connor when he's laid off from his job, Harrison decides to give boxing a try. Glynnis is dead-set against this decision; she takes a job at a beauty salon to make ends meet, which irritates her husband to no end. Working off his hostilities in the ring, Harrison becomes fairly adept with his fists-but the movie's not quite over yet. Featured in the cast of The Fighter is Ray Notaro Jr., a real-life pugilist who served as Gregory Harrison's trainer. The film first aired on February 19, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thursday's Child is full of woe in this made-for-TV drama. Rob Lowe was given "and introducing" billing in the role of a teenaged athlete in dire need of a heart transplant. As Rob's parents Gene Rowlands and Don Murray prepare to face the possibility that they may lose their son, his aunt Jessica Walter remains relentlessly optimistic and cheerful. For various reasons, the debut of Thursday's Child was twice postponed. The film finally aired February 1, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Singer Paula Abdul makes her acting debut in this tense ABC TV movie. Recovering from a vicious attack by a serial rapist, businesswoman Ellen Collier (Paula Abdul) finds comfort and security in her relationship with her loving and supporting new boyfriend, car salesman Jerry Braskin (Adrian Pasdar). But as Ellen slowly comes out of her self-imposed shell, events conspire to persuade her that Jerry is harboring an unsavory secret. By the time Ellen has been confronted with rock-solid evidence that Jerry is the very man who sexually assaulted her, it may be too late to save herself. Based on a true story, Touched by Evil was originally telecast on January 12, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Under the Influence is a TV movie about an alcoholic, scripted by recovered alcoholic Joyce Rebeta-Burdett. Andy Griffith plays the head of an outwardly respectable New England family. Griffith drinks heavily, but the rest of the family sweeps his addiction under the rug. When Griffith lands in the hospital, he must come to grips with his illness--and the rest of the family must stop lying to each other and to themselves. Under the Influence is remarkable not only for the intelligent, unsensational handling of its subject, must also for Andy Griffith's convincing portrayal of a New Englander. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide