I Know My First Name Is Steven

I Know My First Name Is Steven
Genre	Docudrama
Written by	Mike Echols J.P. Miller Cynthia Whitcomb
Directed by	Larry Elikann
Starring	Corin Nemec Luke Edwards Arliss Howard Cindy Pickett John Ashton
Theme music composer	David Shire
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	2
Production
Producer	Kim C. Friese
Editors	David Ramirez Peter V. White
Running time	180 mins.
Production companies	Andrew Adelson Company Lorimar Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	May 21 – 22, 1989

I Know My First Name Is Steven is a 1989 American television miniseries about kidnap victim Steven Stayner. The two-part miniseries was first broadcast by NBC on May 21–22, 1989. Screening rights were sold to a number of international television companies including the BBC, which screened the miniseries in mid-July of the following year; later still, it was released as a feature-length movie. It was nominated as Best Miniseries or Television Film at the 47th Golden Globe Awards and received four Emmy Award nominations.

Plot

Steven Stayner, a seven year-old boy, is kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell, a man caught up in his isolation and loneliness who believes that the only solution to the problem is to claim a boy for his own. Once he, with the help of his partner in crime, Irving Murphy, manages to follow through with his plan, he immediately begins to "groom" and bribe Steven to desire to stay with him. Steven, however, despite protesting against Kenneth, saying that he wanted to go home, had no choice in the matter. As the sexual abuse happened for the first time, Steven moaned, "leave me alone," and Kenneth responded by continuing his acts saying, "Don't be afraid." These acts of molestation, child rape, and holding photos of Steven naked, continued for seven years.

It wasn't until Steven was fourteen, that the abuse was disclosed, and he was rescued from his perpetrator. Because Kenneth kidnapped another young child, a boy named Timmy, Steven built up the courage to prevent Timmy from going through the same thing that he went through when he was Timmy's age. He brought Timmy to the police, and when he did, he was questioned and pressed until he confessed that he was the victim of a kidnapping by his "dad," Kenneth.

Steven later testified in court on Timmy's behalf, and then later, in a hearing for accusations of the crimes that Kenneth committed against himself. After a painful testimony, Kenneth only received twenty months in prison for the kidnapping and sexual abuse against Steven.

Cast

• Cindy Pickett - Kay Stayner
• John Ashton - Del Stayner
• Corin Nemec - Steven Stayner / Dennis Parnell
• Luke Edwards - Steven Stayner (Age 7)
• Pruitt Taylor Vince - Irving Murphy
• Ray Walston - Bob Augustine
• Gregg Henry - Officer Kean
• Jim Haynie - Officer Scott
• Barbara Tarbuck - School Counselor
• Scott Curtis - Cary Stayner (Age 11)
• Arliss Howard - Kenneth Parnell (uncredited)
• Stephen Dorff - Pete
• Beth Grant - Mrs. Beta

External links

• I Know My First Name Is Steven at IMDb
• I Know My First Name Is Steven at Rotten Tomatoes