A Family Upside Down

*A Family Upside Down*
A Family Upside Down
Written by	Gerald Di Pego
Directed by	David Lowell Rich
Starring	Helen Hayes; Fred Astaire; Efrem Zimbalist Jr.; Pat Crowley; Patty Duke;
Composer	Henry Mancini
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Ross Hunter; Jacques Mapes;
Cinematography	Joseph Biroc
Editor	Richard Bracken
Running time	98 minutes
Production company	Ross Hunter Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	April 9, 1978

A Family Upside Down is a 1978 American drama television film directed by David Lowell Rich and written by Gerald Di Pego. It stars Helen Hayes and Fred Astaire as an elderly married couple, with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Pat Crowley, and Patty Duke in supporting roles.

The film was praised for the performances of the cast, earning Astaire a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special. It also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Film.

Plot

Ted Long (Fred Astaire) is a retiree who suffers a debilitating heart attack that leaves him incapable of caring for himself. Unable to rely on his wife Emma (Helen Hayes), herself suffering from deteriorating health, Ted grows increasingly dependent on his adult children for his basic needs. Familial bonds are tested when Ted and Emma decide to move in with their son Mike (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and daughter-in-law Carol (Pat Crowley) rather than face the prospect of living in a retirement home.

Cast

Helen Hayes as Emma Long
Fred Astaire as Ted Long
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Mike Long
Pat Crowley as Carol Long
Patty Duke as Wendy
Brad Rearden as Scott Long
Ford Rainey as Mr. Case
Kim Hamilton as Paula
Phillip R. Allen as Dr. Russo
Carl Held as Al
Lanna Saunders as Mrs. Lovell
Belinda Palmer as Rhonda
Miiko Taka as Mrs. Taka
David Haskell as House Painter
R. Norwood Smith as Wes Allen
Charles Walker as Aide
Gary Swanson as Instructor
Gail Landry as Candy Striper
Matthew Tobin as Dr. Chisholm
Nolan Leary as Mr. Willy
Ernestine Barrier as Mrs. Willy

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
1978	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special	Fred Astaire	Won	^[1]
		Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special	Helen Hayes	Nominated
		Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special	Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	Nominated
		Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special	Patty Duke	Nominated
		Outstanding Cinematography in Entertainment Programming for a Special	Joseph Biroc	Nominated
1979	Golden Globe Awards	Best Television Movie	A Family Upside Down	Won	^[2]

References

^ "A Family Upside Down". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
^ "A Family Upside Down – Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

External links

[1] "A Family Upside Down". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

[2] "A Family Upside Down – Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

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v t e Henry Mancini
Awards and nominations
Albums	The Blues and the Beat (1960) Uniquely Mancini (1963) Our Man In Hollywood (1963) A Merry Mancini Christmas (1966) A Warm Shade of Ivory (1969)
Soundtrack albums	Peter Gunn (1959) Mr. Lucky (1960) Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) Hatari! (1962) Experiment in Terror (1963) Charade (1963) The Pink Panther (1964)
Collaboration albums	In the Pink (1984)
Songs	"Peter Gunn" "Moon River" "Baby Elephant Walk" "Charade" "Days of Wine and Roses" "The Pink Panther Theme" "Dear Heart" "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" "All His Children"
Related	Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini Sarah Vaughan Sings the Mancini Songbook Two for the Road (Dave Grusin album)
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