Playing with Fire (TV 1985)

Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late.

Director:

Ivan Nagy

Stars:

Gary Coleman, Cicely Tyson, Ron O'Neal

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Coleman	...	David Phillips
Cicely Tyson	...	Carol Phillips
Ron O'Neal	...	Steve Phillips
Yaphet Kotto	...	Fire Chief Walker
Tammy Lauren	...	Pamela Fredericks
Tom Fridley	...	Mike Harris
Salome Jens	...	Dr. Becker
Richard McKenzie	...	Principal Sweeney
Arthur Burghardt	...	Harry
Jacque Lynn Colton	...	Miss Somerhalter
Rance Howard	...	Fireman Goodwin
Ron Jackson	...	Fireman Wilson
Cherie Johnson	...	Eileen Phillips
Wesley Pfenning	...	Mrs. Williams
Brad Savage	...	Paul

Storyline

Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late.

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Plot Keywords:

arsonist | marital problem | family relationships | african american | husband wife relationship | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 April 1985 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New World Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Gary Coleman?

People have said that this film is unintentionally hilarious and preachy, just another "disease of the week" tv film this one with Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. There is nothing funny about pyromania. A few years ago, Malcom X's widow Betty Shabazz was burned to death in an apartment fire that her young grandson set. Its just that Gary Coleman was such a sucky actor! I wish there was a nice way to say this but there is not. I am sorry about the terrible health problems that he has had to live with all his life. (His kidney condition and treatments stunted his growth). Its just a little bit of him goes a very long way. I admit I liked to watch Diffrent Strokes as a kid, but what is that the poet says, "As a man I put away childish things". What I remember about this film is how stupid Coleman's parents were they didn't even realize what an evil little s#$t he was! Its like he could have burned the house down and they wouldn't have said boo. Cicley Tyson and Yaphet Kotto as a fire chief who tries to help Coleman give able support and Coleman makes a nice PSA at the end about arson, but this film is really unintentionally funny in a lot of ways. I remember when it was first shown on NBC, they had one of those "parental discretion advised" warnings at the beginning and I couldn't understand why after seeing it.