"Something for Joey," about Penn State running back and Heisman winner John Capeletti and his little brother, who had leukemia.

It had even more schmaltz, which was the fashion for tee vee movies of the '70s and early '80s.

Not quite at the level of Brian's Song, but still pretty good in it's own right.

Later a series.

A bit of trivia: In the Mr. R.I.N.G. episode, the robot is developed by the Tyrell Institute. Tyrell Corporation created the replicants in Blade Runner.

I read the book in seveh grade and saw the movie a few years later. I imagine it was excruciating for Gunther to write, yet he had to.

Finally read it about 8 or 10 years ago, when I was around 50.

Like John Boy says to Mary Ellen.

or my assessment of her bosom?

It really did happen.

but Ms. McDonough says she used a body double for those scenes. She (Mary McDonough) did have a boob job, though.

Michael Learned played a prostitute on Gunsmoke, and another character she played was the only woman Matt Dillon kissed on the show.

Olympic Gold Medal winning speed skater Dan Jansen was also born the same day.

the monster was really just a light behind a mason jar full of red jello, but it kept me up for a week when I was 8!

Another early Spielberg gem.

Was later released in theaters with added footage.

We all became Spielberg fans, really early.

Tea Leoni is a hoot. In fact, the whole cast is good.

Duel 1971

and every so often, that movie pops in my head and I wonder what I would do if a huge truck was chasing me.

Hi Niagara. I hope tomorrow is better for you and that your computer sorts itself out.

I was just searching for that a couple nights ago. I was thinking about lesser known Jennifer Jason Leigh movies and remembered watching that when it was originally on.

My favorite made for tv movie is probably Special Bulletin

One thing about it that I didn't notice when I watched it as an 8 year old: There are a bunch of scenes where Susan Clark has her face partially hidden. Maybe a cold sore or something? It's pretty funny because it's so obvious that they're hiding something.

And Dennis Weaver's near-solo performance was outstanding. It's one of precious few films I think lived up to the short story it came from.

But I'll go with this:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086350/?ref_=ext_shr]

on National TV early November of last year! Scared a whole country of people! The sequel looks even worse!

The 2000 election and the recount in Florida. Duh - it was RECOUNT

Holy shit did that ever do a number on 13-year-old me!

Gave me an embarrassing fondness for bodice rippers and life-long crushes on Jane Seymour and Ian McKellen.

On edit: Found the trailer!!

I've never gotten the chance to see this version.

In fact, I own it on DVD, whereas I do not own the Jane Seymour version!

I remember a friend and his mom telling me about it after it first aired, and I was so bummed I missed it. Then it took decades for me to finally see it.

This is a fun, humorous movie from Hallmark.

From IMDB:
In 1945, a young boy arrives in a small Georgia town on a bus from which his mother was abducted and murdered. Alone he sits quietly and everyone becomes convinced that he is deaf and mute. Deciding that silence offers some power and protection, the boy decides to remain mute and just listens to all that is being said around him by people who think that he cannot hear. —John Sacksteder

Twenty years later, he's the local handyman who everyone thinks is deaf and mute. What they don't know is his hearing is just fine and he can speak which is fine because he overhears the townspeople's secrets. How do the townspeople react when they find out he isn't deaf or mute.

This movie has a good cast including:
Mathew Modine
James Earl Jones
Jerry O'Connell
Bernadette Peters
Tom Skerritt
Frankie Muniz

I haven’t seen it since it aired but I remember how poignant it was. I had not thought about “Duel” in a long time. That was realistically intense!

I've seen it two or three times, and I cry every time.

However, I have to add one that may be cheesy, but I loved it and still do.

(Warning: The movie is a bit dated in its... social depictions...)

It starts at 45:50

And the Band Played On: 1993 HBO movie about the 1980's outbreak of the Aids epidemic. An amazing cast and so well done.

Some were written by Spielberg, many of their music themes by Mancini.

The pilot:

John D. McDonald's

"The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything"