What was the name of that remake?
BY DAVID INMAN The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Q.Years ago, probably during the late 1970s, I
saw a made-for-TV movie that was a remake of
“It’s a Wonderful Life.” Never having seen the
original, I enjoyed it. Can you tell me the title
and if it’s on DVD?
A. That’s the 1977 TV movie “It Happened
One Christmas,” with Marlo Thomas as the
George Bailey character, Wayne Rogers as her
husband and Orson Welles as the town bad guy,
Mr. Potter. Cloris Leachman plays the Guardian
Angel who helps Thomas. Alas, “It Happened
One Christmas” isn’t officially on DVD but
there are bootleg copies out there.
Q. I seem to a remember a TV movie from the
mid to late 1970s or very early ’80s, with
Elizabeth Taylor as a stuffy yet very lonely
teacher or professor. She gets a roommate, a
young guy, who she of course hates at first then
grows to really enjoy his company and care
about him and when the guy moves out at the
end, she’s totally devastated. Could you please
help me with the title of this movie, and who
else starred?
A. That’s a 1978 production of “Hallmark Hall
of Fame” called “Return Engagement,” with
Joseph Bottoms as the boarder. The cast also
includes Allyn Ann McLerie and Peter Donat
and it was a live stage production. The show
was on VHS but is now out of print.
Q. Some time back I watched a movie on TV
about a girl in Nashville hoping to become a
country music star. I think Sandra Bullock
appeared in a supporting role. Can you tell me
the title and if it’s on DVD?
A. That’s the 1993 film “The Thing Called
Love,” with River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis,
Dermot Mulroney, K.T. Oslin, Pam Tillis and a
bunch more folks. It’s on DVD.
Q. I’m trying to find out the name of the father
on “Dennis the Menace.
A. Dennis Mitchell’s father is named Henry,
and his mom is named Alice. Herbert Anderson
played Henry on the sitcom version, which ran
on CBS from 1959 to 1963. Robert Stanton
played Henry in the 1993 film.
Write David Inman in care of The
(Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal, 525 W.
Broadway, P.O. Box 740031, Louisville, Ky.
40201-7431; or email him at incredibleinman@yahoo.com. No personal replies
