The Boy Who Drank Too Much (TV 1980)

Scott Baio plays a high school hockey player. He is well liked and well respected among his coach and teammates. What they don't know is that he is an alcoholic. His background comes from ... See full summary »

Director:

Jerrold Freedman

Writers:

Shep Greene (novel), Edward DeBlasio (teleplay)

Stars:

Scott Baio, Lance Kerwin, Ed Lauter

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scott Baio	...	Buff Saunders
Lance Kerwin	...	Billy Carpenter
Ed Lauter	...	Gus Carpenter
Mariclare Costello	...	Mrs. Carpenter
Stephen Davies	...	Alan
Toni Kalem	...	Tina
Katherine Pass	...	Donna Watson
Dan Shor	...	Art Collins
Michele Tobin	...	Julie
Don Murray	...	Ken Saunders
Ron Max	...	Coach Anderson
Marla Frumkin	...	Lucy
Jerry McNeely	...	Spanish Teacher
Dan Spector	...	Murph
John Roselius	...	Paul Watson

Storyline

Scott Baio plays a high school hockey player. He is well liked and well respected among his coach and teammates. What they don't know is that he is an alcoholic. His background comes from his father, who is also an alcoholic. Baio must work to stay clean and sober so he doesn't lose his position on the hockey team or the respect from his friends.

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Plot Keywords:

teen | widower | temper | loner | bartender | 

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Taglines:

He's 15. A star athlete. And an alcoholic.

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Sport

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 February 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

El chico que bebía demasiado

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Company Four, MTM Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Billy goes to a treatment center that is in another city, it's actually one block away from the High School they shot the film at.

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Quotes

Gus Carpenter: Put that down!
Buff Saunders: What for?
Gus Carpenter: 'Cause you're not old enough!
Buff Saunders: How old do you have to be to be a stinking drunk like you?

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Rebel Set (1992)

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Soundtracks

"Lonely Street, Winter Day"
Music by Michael Small
Lyrics by Jerry McNeely
Sung by Robert Jason

User Reviews

One of the best-loved Afterschool Specials

sorry,tricky...but the plotline you speak of is STONED, another Scott Baio Afetrschool Special, where he smokes pot and then accidently hits his swimming brother with an oar. THE BOY WHO DRANK TOO MUCH has Scott as a hockey player. His father is an alcoholic, and he starts drinking too. At first he tells Lance kerwin that its "no big deal" then lance starts noticing that Scott drinks so often and to such extremes that it IS a problem. A memorable part is where they go to a friends party and Scott breaks out the booze. He starts hitting on his friends girlfriend and then ends up wetting his pants. the girl at the party starts screaming that "He wet his pants on my mothers rug!!!!" (a comical moment,weather they intended it to be or not) from there on it just gets worse for scott and he eventually ends up in rehab. I made my two young nieces watch this because I feel that kids should see movies like this one way or another. I know I learned more than one lesson from AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS.