Bill (1981) (TV)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Anthony Page

Writers:

Barry Morrow (story)
Corey Blechman (teleplay)

Release Date:

22 December 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

A heartwarming true story.

Plot:

Bill a retarded man ventures out into the world for the first time. Having spent most of his life in a dreary inner city Institution...

Plot Keywords:

Iowa | Mental Retardation | Based On True Story | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mickey Rooney	...	Bill Sackter
Dennis Quaid	...	Barry Morrow
Largo Woodruff	...	Bev Morrow
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Ms. Marge Keating, County welfare worker
Harry Goz	...	Dr. Tom Walz
Kathleen Maguire	...	Mrs. Florence Archer, Preschool teacher
William J. Daprato	...	Ray, Granville Patient
Raymond Serra	...	Harry, Bill's boss at country club (as Ray Serra)
Jenny Rebecca Dweir	...	Amy Hill, Little girl befriended by Bill at Preschool (as Jenny Dweir)
Breon Gorman	...	Children's Teacher
George Hamlin	...	Mr. Robert Morrow
Katharine Balfour	...	Mrs. Morrow (as Katherine Balfour)
Cordis Heard	...	Arlene
Harriet Rogers	...	Mae, Bill's Landlady
Lotte Palfi Andor	...	Ida Miller (as Lotta Palfi-Andor)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Movie Connections:

Followed by Bill: On His Own (1983) (TV)

A special story and great acting scores this high.

Actually I think I should apologize to Micky Rooney for personally thinking of him as I first encountered him. Andy Hardy. Even with his rolls in Boy's Town, National Velvet and The Human Comedy, I could never take him as a serious actor. Watching his performance as "Bill" was one of the truly outstanding portrayals I ever saw. I now saw Mickey as a consummate artists of his trade. I'm sorry it took me fifty years to really see it. The story of Bill and the Bills' like him is happening all over the world. Just this year, the county I live in closed the County Home. There were two people who were just the type that "Bill" was. Thinking of this story makes be wonder what will become of them. I would like to see the movie replayed again to help folks to be more aware that our communities have this problem. Mickey Rooney played this with such warmth, skill and awareness that I say THANK YOU for your eye opening characterization of Bill.