The Burning Bed (TV) [1984] with Farrah Fawcett

The Burning Bed (1984) (TV)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087010/




THIS IS A VHS TRANSFER I FOUND ONTHE PICTURE AND SOUND QUALITY ARE MEDIOCRE BUT I AM UNABLE TO FIND A CLEANER COPY LOCALLY







The Burning Bed is a non-fiction book by Faith McNulty about battered Dansville, Michigan housewife, Francine Hughes. After thirteen years of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband James Berlin ("Mickey") Hughes, she set fire to the bed he was sleeping in on March 9, 1977. James Hughes was killed and the house destroyed in the resulting inferno.



On the night of the fire, Hughes told her children to put their coats on and wait for her in the car. She then started the fire with gasoline poured around the bed Mickey Hughes was sleeping in. After the house had caught fire, Hughes drove with her three children to the local police station in order to confess.



Hughes was tried in Lansing and found by a jury of her peers to be not guilty by reason of insanity.



Having turned the book into a made-for-television movie, McNulty's screenplay, "The Burning Bed" premiered on NBC on October 8, 1984. The movie, directed by Robert Greenwald, starred Farrah Fawcett as Francine Hughes and Paul LeMat as Mickey Hughes.



Farrah Fawcett ... Francine Hughes

Paul Le Mat ... Mickey Hughes

Richard Masur ... Aryon Greydanus

Grace Zabriskie ... Flossie Hughes

Penelope Milford ... Gaby

Christa Denton ... Christy age 12

James T. Callahan ... Berlin Hughes

Gary Grubbs ... District Attorney

David Friedman ... Jimmy age 10

David Andrews ... Wimpy Hughes

James Hampton ... Police Witness

Virgil Frye ... Virg

Dixie K. Wade ... Hazel Moran

Heather Rich ... Christy age 6

Justin Gocke ... Jimmy age 4



The film is structured as a series of flashbacks while Francine's character endures a murder trial after she poured gasoline on her sleeping spouse and burned him to death. Her husband Mickey (Paul Le Mat) drove her over the edge after years of physical and emotional abuse when he rapes her. Television regular Richard Masur has a prominent co-starring role. Fawcett parlayed her work in this film into a series of more serious movies, including Extremities and Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story.

American Cinema Editors, USA

1985 Nominated Eddie Best Edited Television Special Michael A. Stevenson Richard Fetterman



Casting Society of America, USA

1985 Nominated Artios Best Casting for TV Miniseries' or TV Movie of the Week Ross Brown Mary West





Directors Guild of America, USA

1985 Nominated DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials Robert Greenwald



Emmy Awards

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling Stephen Robinette

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Michael Hancock (makeup) Fred C. Blau Jr.

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special Robert Greenwald

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special Jon Avnet (executive producer) Steve Tisch (executive producer) Carol Schreder (producer) Rose Leiman Goldemberg (co-producer)

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special Richard Fetterman Michael A. Stevenson

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special Farrah Fawcett

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special Richard Masur

1985 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special Rose Leiman Goldemberg (writer)



Golden Globes, USA

1985 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV Paul Le Mat

1985 Nominated Golden Globe Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV

1985 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV Farrah Fawcett



Television Critics Association Awards

1985 Won TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials



Writers Guild of America, USA

1986 Won WGA Award (TV) Adapted Drama Anthology Rose Leiman Goldemberg