The Loneliest Runner
The Loneliest Runner is an autobiographical made-for-television film written, and directed by Bonanza star Michael Landon. It first aired in 1976 on NBC and starred Lance Kerwin, Brian Keith, DeAnn Mears, and Landon's television daughter, Melissa Sue Anderson. Landon also made a cameo appearance in the show. The film was nominated for two Emmys.
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[edit] Synopsis
The Loneliest Runner follows the story of Michael Landon's alter-ego, 13 year-old John Curtis (played by Kerwin), who still wets his bed although already into his teens. The problem is publicized, by his mother, Alice Curtis (Mears), not only at home but also in public. She even goes so far as to hang her son’s stained bed sheets up in the window for all to see.
For fear of having his friends see the yellow sheets, the embarrassed John runs home from school every day and takes them down to avoid further humiliation. Soon, however, the running becomes more than a race home but an ambition. Partly because he loves it, and also to help him forget his shame and hurt of his unhappy home life, John starts running with the Junior track team in order to channel his anger.
The show continues on ten years later when the now adult John Curtis (played by Landon himself) is an Olympic marathon runner and a gold-medal-winner.
[edit] Creation of film
Michael Landon was the real-life version of the loneliest runner. As a child, he wet his bed until he was 14 and his mother, Peggy O'Neill, really did hang his sheets to dry outside of his bedroom window as punishment. The dysfunctional family life that Landon experienced during his early life were also similar to the ones in this autobiographical film.
The character of John Curtis is modeled after Landon himself, as are his parents and other supporting characters. He reused actor Walker Edmiston of Bonanza to play Doctor Claymore (who coincidentally later took two jobs on Little House guest starring as different Doctors in seasons five and nine, as well as an appearance in season three). Landon also asked his on-screen daughter, Melissa Sue Anderson to play Nancy Rizzi, saying the part was perfect for her. Melissa says she was both honoured and thrilled to have been included.
Prior to acting, Landon also had Olympic ambitions as a javelin thrower. Due to an injury in his shoulder ligaments during university, Landon was unable to pursue a career in sports and started acting, which eventually led to three very successful television series, in addition to other acting, directing, and writing jobs on other shows.
[edit] Cast
- Lance Kerwin, of James at 15 as the teenaged John Curtis
- Brian Keith, TV’s “Uncle Bill” of Family Affair as Arnold Curtis
- DeAnn Mears, from Law And Order as Alice Curtis
- Landon’s television daughter of Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Sue Anderson as Nancy Rizzi.
- Former Olympic champion, Rafer Johnson as himself
- Landon as the adult John Curtis
- Randy Faustino of TV’s Exo-Man as Tony
- CSI’s Dermott Downs as Donnie
- The versatile and talented voice and character actor, Walker Edmiston who occasionally appeared on Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie as Doctor Claymore
- Herb Vigran as the Security Guard
- Clifford A. Pellow (credited Cliff Pellow) as George Sanders
- Bing Russell as Fred Dawkins
- Robert Hackman as Mr. Rizzi
- Barbara Collentine as Miss King
