Arthur Heinemann Movies

In this provocative made-for-television drama, an African American Chicago priest takes on the Catholic church during his fight to adopt a troubled teen and save him from life on the streets. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

One of the most famous of all ABC Afterschool Specials, The Woman Who Willed a Miracle is the true story of two remarkable people. Cloris Leachman stars as middle-aged Wisconsin nurse May Lemke, who adopts a six-month-old boy named Leslie and brings him into her family. Abandoned as an infant, Leslie is blind, severely retarded, and suffers from cerebral palsy. Against all odds, May raises Leslie in as "normal" a manner as possible, teaching him to dress and feed himself. Unfortunately, she is unable to get him to speak or respond to intellectual stimuli -- until, at age 16, Leslie (played as a teenager by Leif Green) listens to a televised classical-music concert, sits down at the family piano, and replays the entire concert from memory, every note to perfection! Remaining sightless, mentally challenged, and essentially nonverbal, Leslie gains worldwide fame as the quintessential "savant," flawlessly playing complicated piano compositions and singing along as he goes...with the recorded works of his musical idol Liberace as his primary inspiration. The winner of several Emmys and innumerable other industry awards, The Woman Who Willed a Miracle was executive produced by Dick Clark. ~ Rovi

Victor French returns to Little House on the Prairie in the role of Isaiah Edwards, now a successful logger. When he is crippled by a falling tree, Edwards loses his will to live. Though he appears to shake himself out of his doldrums when he renews his friendship with the Ingalls family, Edwards nonetheless continues to exhibit suicidal tendencies -- never more dramatically than during a hunting trip with Charles (Michael Landon). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this classic episode, Adam Kendall (Linwood Boomer) asks Laura Ingalls (Melissa Sue Anderson) to marry her. Though Laura loves Adam, she declines his proposal, worried that a blind couple could never properly care for a family. But a crisis during a devastating dust storm reveals that Laura and Adam are far more qualified for responsible parenthood than either of them could ever have imagined. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Panchito Gomez plays the title role in this compelling ABC Afterschool Special. When his older brother reneges on his promise to take their mother back to Puerto Rico, Gaucho vows to raise enough money for the trip by whatever means he can. Unfortunately, this results in Gaucho taking a job as an errand boy for a two-bit hoodlum. Filmed on location in Spanish Harlem, Gaucho is based on a novel by Gloria Gonzalez. ~ Rovi

On the day of Charles and Caroline Ingalls' wedding anniversary, Charles (Michael Landon) is unable to come home on schedule due to a broken wagon wheel. While everyone waits for the festivities to commence, Caroline (Karen Grassle) regales her children with a story about her youthful romance with Charles -- or, to be more specific, Charles' utter refusal to reveal his romantic inclinations. Nicolas Coster is seen as Charles' father, Lansford, a role originated by Arthur Hill in the third-season episode "Journey in the Spring," while Matthew Laborteaux, who would soon appear regularly on the series as the Ingalls' adopted son, Albert, is here cast as the young Charles. Katy Kurtzman, who played Anna Gillberg in the previous season's "The Music Box," appears as the young Caroline. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Oleson family is saddled with Mr. Oleson's obnoxious nephew Peter (Michael Sharrett), who has been sent to Walnut Grove in hopes that he will learn the proper values in life. Somehow or other, Peter ends up on the Ingalls farm, where he rapidly proceeds to rub everyone the wrong way. Even so, can there be any doubt that the troublesome youth will change his ways before the final fade-out? Guest star Nehemiah Persoff appears as Peter's father -- Scandanavian accent and all. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Young Joseph Stokes (Caesar Ramirez), the son of a Sioux Indian father and a white mother, arrives in Walnut Grove to live with his maternal grandfather, Jeremy (George Murdock). Unfortunately, Jeremy is still bitter over the fact that his daughter married an Indian, and treats his grandson with contempt. Things get worse for Joseph when he is subjected to the bigoted taunts of his schoolmates -- but the boy's integrity and inner strength prevails and wins the day. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Ingalls and the Olesons attend the fair at Mankato, MN (though the episode was actually filmed near Tucson, AZ). Losing her money in a crooked shell game, Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert) accepts a temporary sideshow job that requires her to be periodically dunked in a tub of water -- much to the delight of her perennial nemesis, Nellie Oleson (Alison Angrim). But this comic crisis pales into insignificance when little Carrie Ingalls (played by twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush) climbs into a hot-air balloon -- which is immediately set aloft. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The focus in this episode is on Dr. Baker (Kevin Hagen), Walnut Grove's unmarried, middle-aged general practitioner. Despite the considerable difference in their ages, Dr. Baker falls in love with Kate Thorvald (Anne Archer), the visiting niece of Mrs. Oleson (Katherine MacGregor). It takes a sudden shock of recognition for Baker to come to his senses -- but what about Kate? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Native American actor Chief Dan George, who had catapulted to stardom in the 1971 theatrical feature Little Big Man, appears in this Bonanza episode as Red Cloud, a dying Indian chieftan. Before being gathered to his fathers, Red Cloud wants to reclaim a precious warbonnet lost in battle, which now hangs on the wall of the saloon owned by former Indian fighter Frank Ryan (Forrest Tucker). Joe Cartwright, grateful to Red Cloud for saving his life, wants to help the old man fulfill his dying wish-but how can he do this without jeopardizing his long-standing friendship with Ryan? Also appearing are Linda Cristal as Teresa, M. Emmet Walsh as Mattheson, and Patrick Adiarte as Swift Eagle. Originally telecast on December 26, 1971, "Warbonnet" was written by Arthur Heinemann, Charles Goldwad, and actor Robert Biheller (using the alias "Robert Blood"). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Joining his fellow ranchers in a big cattle drive, Ben Cartwright chooses veteran cowboy Kelly James (Ben Johnson) as trail boss. This decision is staunchly opposed by rancher Weatherby (Walter Barnes), who once fired James for drunkenness. Meanwhile, Weatherby's cocksure young foreman Bert Yates (Roger Davis) ruthlessly lobbies for James' job. A pre-stardom Richard Farnsworth appears as Sourdough. Originally broadcast on January 17, 1971, "Top Hand" was written by John Hawkins and Arthur Heinemann. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A young James Caan heads the guest cast in this episode, wherein the heir to a plastics fortune is kidnapped. Investigating, the FBI finds blood stains at the suspected abduction site, but their labs are unable to determine whose blood it is. In order to solve this mystery--and by extension, save the kidnap victim's life--Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) breaks from established FBI proctocol by attempting to capture the kidnappers before the ransom is paid. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi