Sada Thompson Movies
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Sada Thompson grew up in New Jersey, where her magazine-editor father had been transferred. Active in high school plays, she was all of 16 when she first appeared at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, playing Nick's Ma in a campus production of The Time of Your Life. Graduating from Carnegie with a BFA in 1949, Thompson launched her professional career, playing mature and sometimes elderly women at a time when she herself was barely old enough to vote. While working at New York's 92nd Street YMHA, a Jewish cultural center, she participated in the first-ever reading of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood, which led to her off-Broadway debut in the 1955 staging of that same piece. She spent the next decade in regional theatre, returning to New York for her first real breakthrough performance in the Lincoln Center's production of Tartuffe. A few years later, Thompson won an Obie Award for her work in Paul Zindel's The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, and in 1971 she copped the Tony award for her interpretation of four different women in the Broadway production Twigs. On the strength of this success, she was signed to play the Bunker Family's free-spirited neighbor Irene Lorenzo on All in the Family. After a single taping session, it was obvious that Thompson and producer Norman Lear would never see eye to eye, and she was replaced by Betty Garrett (one unnamed source close to both sides of the argument later claimed that "Sada had too much genuine class and didn't yell loud enough for a Norman Lear show"). While she continued appearing in television specials like Our Town and The Entertainer and miniseries like Sandburg's Lincoln, Thompson would not consider a weekly program until she was personally asked by executive producer Mike Nichols to play matriarch Kate Lawrence on his seriocomic series Family. She remained with Family from its debut in 1976 until its cancellation in 1980, winning a 1978 Emmy Award in the process. Thompson spent her later years occasionally co-starring in such made-for-TV films as 1985's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the controversial Indictment: The McMartin Trial (for HBO). Her last major assignment was a turn as Jackson Pollock's mother in Ed Harris's Pollock (2000). Thompson died 11 years later, of lung disease. She was 83. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2008
Known as much for her personal suffering as for her art, Frida Kahlo painted her passions. Her moving and self-reflective work is documented in this one-hour program. Kahlo was plagued her whole life with illness, including polio as a child, a horrific accident in her teens that broke her back, and a leg amputation a year before her death. Her struggles with her body translate into her painting, making her a memorable contributor to the Mexican Surrealist movement. Portrait of an Artist: Frida Kahlo takes viewers into her famous Blue House which has become a museum. It also sets the scene for the social and artistic climate that contributed to the start of her popularity all over the world. ~ Sarah Ing, Rovi
Though she has struggled to put her past behind her, a woman finds the task impossible. This drama chronicles the events that transpire after she must learn to let herself get close to the man who married her even though he was aware she was pregnant from another man. Instead of repeating her actions in that earlier relationship, she must learn to stay with a man who loves her. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Clancy Brown, (more)
- 1997
One of the most controversial (and widely-reported) stories of the early 1990s is vividly dramatized in this made-for-cable movie. In 1992, Allen Schindler, a navy sailor serving on the USS Belleau Wood, is savagely beaten to death while on leave in Japan. Allen's grieving mother Dorothy Hajdys-Holman (Bonnie Bedelia) becomes even more distraught when the representatives of the United States Navy refuse to provide her with full details on her son's murder. Then comes the ultimate shock: A newspaper reporter informs Dorothy that her son was gay, and that this might have been the reason he was killed. But if the Navy has anything to say about it, the entire matter will be swept under the rug, with Dorothy remaining as much in the dark as the rest of the world: A deal has already been cut with one of Allen's killers, who after a secret court-martial is given what amounts to a legal slap on the wrist. Radicalized by the incident and its aftermath, Dorothy joins forces with a crusading journalist to force the Navy to reveal the whole truth--and she isn't about to let the court-martial of Allen's other assailant to be conducted behind closed doors! The upshot of this high-profile case was the creation of the Service Members' Legal Defense Network, assuring that no branch of the armed services would ever again be able to conspire to cover up a major crime. Its title selected by the real-life Dorothy Hajdys-Holman, who served as the film's technical advisor (not surprisingly, the Navy refused to cooperate at all), Any Mother's Son made its Lifetime cable network debut on August 11, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1995
The office of a limited-circulation magazine is the scene of three murders. One of the victims, the magazine's editor, had been locked in a power struggle with his brother Peter Nichodos (Peter Frechette). As he prosecutes the cast, Assistant D.A. McCoy runs up against two formidable opponents: Nichodo's mother, Elaine (Sada Thompson), who is determined to save the family business at any cost, and the obstructive rulings of presiding judge Edgar Hynes (Louis Zorich), who happens to be an old friend of McCoy's boss, Adam Schiff (Steven Hill). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In 1977, Alex Haley's groundbreaking mini-series Roots became one of the most watched programs in television history, telling the story of seven generations of the author's mother's family, from their capture in Africa and enslavement in the United States to their eventual emancipation more than a century later. With 1992's Queen, Haley, who passed away before completing the source material, presents the story of his father's family, focusing on his paternal grandmother, a mulato. Halle Berry stars as the title character, the daughter of a slave and a plantation owner. Amidst the Civil War and up through the turn of the century, Queen finds herself struggling to find acceptance from blacks as well as whites. With an all-star cast that also features Martin Sheen, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Ossie Davis, and Ann-Margret, Queen was directed by John Erman and originally aired in February of 1993. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Halle Berry, Tim Daly, (more)
- 1991
Carla (Rhea Perlman) is dead set against honoring her dying mother's last request. After all, would you want to name one of your children after Benito Mussolini? Elsewhere, affable Woody (Woody Harrelson) inadvertently incurs the wrath of Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) when he arranges for Cheers to include a free-drink coupon in an Boston entertainment guide. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
After her son dies of AIDS, a woman must come to terms with his abbreviated life. Sada Thompson stars as the mother in this Emmy award-winning movie that aired on PBS. Thompson is joined in her grief by her dead son's lover played by Richard Thomas. As they learn to cope with their losses, the two begin to see how each person's choices affect those who love them. Terrence McNally authored the acclaimed play on which the film was based. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sada Thompson, Richard Thomas, (more)
In this drama, set in a small town in Georgia, a curmudgeonly, strongly opinionated local editor is upset by the changes wrought by the end of WW II. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1989
Alexandra Maynard's (Jill Clayburgh) nightmare begins when her wallet is stolen by a psycho. In possession of Alexandra's identification and credit cards, her tormentor is able to follow her all over town, anticipating her every move. Adding to Alexandra's agony are those mocking phone calls from her ubiquitous stalker. But then...then Alexandra's friends and family form a united front, and the stalker finds himself the stalkee. Made for television, Fear Stalk debuted December 17, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1987
The Reading Rainbow series explores the pleasures of reading for youngsters from preschool ages through fourth grade. In this episode, young viewers learn about the importance of lighthouses as they hear the true story of a girl who kept the lights bright, guiding ships as a furious storm occurred. Sada Thompson is the narrator for the story, and LeVar Burton later takes viewers on a trip to the coast of Maine to check the workings of a real lighthouse. The program concludes with a trip in a 100-foot schooner for a visit with a family of sailors. ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- Starring:
- LeVar Burton
- 1987
This TV pilot film was based on the "Father Dowling" character created (in the tradition of G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown) by Ralph McInery. Tom Bosley plays the good Father, who whiles away his off-hours by reading mystery novels. When a young millionaire entrepreneur turns up dead, the official verdict is suicide, but Father Dowling suspects murder. Dowling's allies include street-smart nun Tracy Nelson and dour housekeeper Mary Wickes; his antagonists include politician Leslie Nielsen and mob functionary Sada Thompson (Sada Thompson? The mob?) Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery was adapted from a McInery original by veteran mystery writer Donald Westlake; the pilot sold, and the resultant Father Dowling Mysteries series ran for two seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1986
Mariette Hartley stars in this groundbreaking TV movie as Gail Springer, a widowed mother on the horns of an outwardly familiar romantic dilemma. Equally in love with two different people, Gail has the devil's own time choosing between them. What made this film unique (at least when it initially aired over the ABC network on April 7, 1986) is that one of Gail's amours is her late husband's business partner Ben Taylor (Barry Newman)--while the other is Gail's female best friend, Marjorie Lloyd (Lynn Redgrave). Impeccably tasteful in its treatment of a potential volatile subject, and refreshingly honest and uncompromising at its conclusion, My Two Loves was filmed on location in San Antonio, Texas. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1985
1985's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the only filmed version of the Mark Twain classic to cover every episode in the original novel and not merely such familiar vignettes as the "King and the Duke" business. Presented in four parts, Finn opens in 1844, with young Huck (Patrick Day) being kidnapped from the home of the Widow Douglas (Sada Thompson) by his brutal, drink-sodden Pap (Frederic Forest). Huck escapes by faking his own death and rafting down the river in the company of escaped slave Jim (Samm-Art Williams). Part two offers the seldom-dramatized scene in the novel wherein an abolitionist is lynched; part three recounts the Shepardson/Grangerford feud; and part four culminates with the chicanery of the King (Barnard Hughes) and the Duke (Jim Dale) and the capture of Jim. Featured in the huge cast are Lillian Gish, Geraldine Page, Butterfly McQueen, Richard Kiley, and Eugene Oakes as Tom Sawyer. Originally clocking in at 240 minutes, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first telecast in February and March of 1986 on PBS' American Playhouse; it is currently available in a 105-minute videocassette version. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patrick Day, Frederic Forrest, (more)
This melodrama is the second of a two part story based on a novel by Judith Krantz. In this episode, Daisy, the daughter of a Russian prince and an American movie star, must leave college and begin looking for a job in New York so that she can pay her sister's enormous medical bills. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lindsay Wagner, Paul Michael Glaser, (more)
The cast of the Old Globe Theater's acclaimed early-'80s revival of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic reunited to re-create their roles for this made-for-TV production, taped for PBS's anthology series American Playhouse. The Skin of Our Teeth follows the often funny and occasionally tragic circumstances of the Antrobus family, who have learned to persevere and even thrive through any number of natural and personal crises, including war, flood, disease, and even a plague of locusts. The distinguished cast of The Skin of Our Teeth includes Blair Brown, Rue McClanahan, Harold Gould, Sada Thompson, Larry Drake, and John Houseman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1982
Thirteen months and ten million dollars were lavished upon this ten-hour, four-part TV miniseries about legendary globetrotter Marco Polo. Newcomer Ken Marshall played the title character, a 14th century Venetian explorer who, among other accomplishments, firmly established the "silk route" between Europe and the Orient, introducing such precious commodities as spaghetti and fireworks to the Occidental world. In addition to featuring the usual polyglot of major British and American stars in cameo roles (including Denholm Elliott, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Leonard Nimoy, and Burt Lancaster), the production represented the first Western production to be filmed on location in China since WWII -- not to mention the first English-language appearance of celebrated Chinese stage and film actor Ying Ruocheng, superbly cast as the mighty Kublai Khan. An American-Italian-Austrian-French-British co-production, Marco Polo received its first U.S. showing when it was telecast by NBC from May 16 through 19, 1982. A "condensed" version, running approximately 270 minutes, was later made available in Europe and South America. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ken Marshall, Denholm Elliott, (more)
- 1981
In this version of the Mark Twain classic, Huck dodges the drudgery of an eastern boys school by faking his own drowning. Unfortunately, his good friend Jim is blamed for his apparent earthly exit. So the two of them set off rafting the Mississippi in search of adventure. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- 1977
This videotaped version of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer-winning play Our Town stars Hal Holbrook as the Stage Manager. Acting as narrator and assuming several different interlocutory roles throughout the production, Holbrook shows us life in Grovers Corners, New Hampshire, in the first few years of the 20th century. The focus is on the romance and marriage of Emily Webb (Glynnis O'Connor) and George Gibbs (Robby Benson); the play ends at Emily's funeral, with the girl's spirit commenting detachedly on the miracle of life. In keeping with Wilder's stage directions, the play is enacted on a bare stage with minimal props, allowing the audience to fill in the rest with imagination. Also starring Ned Beatty, Sada Thompson, Ronny Cox and Barbara Bel Geddes, this TV adaptation of Our Town originally aired May 30, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hal Holbrook, Glynnis O'Connor, (more)
- 1975
This Americanized remake of John Osborne's play changes the locale from a seedy British amusement pier to an equally seedy burlesque house in Santa Cruz, California. Jack Lemmon assumes the Laurence Olivier role as Archie Rice, a third-rate entertainer who's a failure but won't admit it. Selfishly feeding his own ego, Archie destroys the lives of those around him, including his long-suffering wife (Sada Thompson), his formerly famous father (Ray Bolger) and his disenfranchised grown children. This made-for-TV film is set in the 1940s to allow for several period-flavor tunes by Marvin Hamlisch, the best of which is the jaunty "Honolulu Lulu". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Ray Bolger, (more)
Frank D. Gilroy's adaptation of Paula Fox's novel Desperate Characters stars Shirley MacLaine as Sophie, a freelance book translator who leads a comfortable life in Brooklyn with her lawyer husband Otto (Kenneth Mars). Because of their crumbling marriage and the threatening presence of urban dangers like crime and vandalism, the couple are living a paranoid, scared existence. The film chronicles their emotional and psychological state through a series of interactions with each other and like-minded friends. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 1970
William Popper (Michael Sarrazin) is the son of a stockbroker and is thoroughly disenchanted with "the system." So much so that even though he can prove that he ran over a woman in his car entirely by accident, he accepts a sentence for manslaughter. His participation in some prison violence motivates him to attempt to escape, though he has only a week to go on his sentence. Having escaped, he and his old girlfriend (Barbara Hershey) make a run for Canada. The story is adapted from the novel The Pursuit of Happiness by Thomas Rogers. As William's starchy grandmother, Ruth White, notable for her work in To Kill a Mockingbird and Midnight Cowboy makes her last film appearance. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.