''Call Me Anna'' is a 1990 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Gilbert Cates Gilbert Cates (né Katz; June 6, 1934 – October 31, 2011) was an American film director and television producer, director of the Geffen Playhouse, a member of Cates/Doty Productions, and founding dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Te ...

and written by

John McGreevey John McGreevey (December 21, 1922 – November 24, 2010) was an American writer and screenwriter. He is the father of former Disney star and Emmy-nominated television writer Michael McGreevey. Filmography ;Films *1969: '' Hello Down There'' * ...

. It is based on the 1988 book ''Call Me Anna'' by

Patty Duke Anna Marie "Patty" Duke (December 14, 1946 – March 29, 2016) was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her acting career, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awa ...

and

Kenneth Turan Kenneth Turan (; born October 27, 1946) is an American retired film critic, author, and lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California. He was a film critic for the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1991 ...

. The film stars Patty Duke,

Timothy Carhart Timothy Carhart (born December 24, 1953) is an American actor. He starred in the CBS drama '' Island Son'' (1989–90) and has had recurring roles in '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (2000–03) and '' 24'' (2002). He also starred in the 19 ...

Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman (February 27, 1940 – January 29, 2022) was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on '' WKRP in Cincinnati'', and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on '' Head o ...

Deborah May Deborah May is an American actress and model. May won the Miss Indiana beauty pageant in 1970. Early life May was born in Remington, Indiana. Career May has appeared in a number of television shows during her career, include the major recu ...

Ari Meyers Ari Meyers (born April 6, 1969) is an American former actress. She played the role of Emma Jane McArdle in the television series ''Kate & Allie'' (1984). Early years Meyers (birth name: Ariadne Meyer) was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Jewis ...

and

Millie Perkins Millie Perkins (born May 12, 1938) is an American film and television actress known for her debut film role as Anne Frank in ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959), and for her supporting actress roles in two 1966 Westerns, ''The Shooting'' and ''R ...

. The film premiered on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

on November 11, 1990.

Plot

Cast

as Anna Marie Duke **

as Patty Duke (youth) **Jenny Robertson as Patty Duke (young adult) * Arthur Taxier as

John Astin John Allen Astin (born March 30, 1930) is an American actor and director who has appeared in numerous stage, television and film roles. He is best known for starring in '' The Addams Family'' (1964–1966), as patriarch Gomez Addams, reprising ...

as John Ross *

as Ethel Ross *

as Frances Duke *

as Harry Falk *

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom '' Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' ...

Desi Arnaz Jr. Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (born January 19, 1953), known professionally as Desi Arnaz Jr., is an American actor and musician. He is the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Early life Arnaz was born on January 19, 1953, at Cedars-Sinai Medical ...

* David Packer as Glenn Bell (pseudonym for Michael Tell) *

Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...

as Dr. Harold Arlen *Woody Eney as

Fred Coe Frederick Hayden Hughs Coe (December 23, 1914 – April 29, 1979) was an American television producer and director most famous for '' The Goodyear Television Playhouse''/''The Philco Television Playhouse'' in 1948-1955 and ''Playhouse 90'' from 1 ...

*Dana Gladstone as Fred Maxwell *François Giroday as Bob McLaren *Lora Staley as

Anne Bancroft Anne Bancroft (born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano; September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an American actress. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two ...

*Ray Duke as John Patrick Duke *

Glenn Quinn Glenn Martin Christopher Francis Quinn (28 May 1970 – 3 December 2002) was an Irish actor, best known for his portrayal of Mark Healy on the 1990s family sitcom '' Roseanne'' and his role as the half-demon Allen Francis Doyle on ''Angel'', a s ...

George Chakiris George Chakiris (born September 16, 1932) is an American actor. He is best known for his appearance in the 1961 film version of ''West Side Story'' as Bernardo Nunez, the leader of the Sharks gang, for which he won both the Academy Award for Bes ...

Cory Danziger Cory Danziger is an American actor, political activist, and conceptual artist. He is sometimes mis-credited as Cory Danzi''n''ger. Danziger was born in Los Angeles County, California. As an actor, his most notable role was as Dave Peterson, the ...

Sean Astin Sean Patrick Astin ( né Duke; February 25, 1971) is an American actor. His acting roles include Samwise Gamgee in ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003), Mikey Walsh in '' The Goonies'' (1985), Daniel Ruettiger in '' Rudy'' (1993), ...

**Zachary Benjamin as Sean Astin (young) *Ryan Francis as Mackie Astin *Matthew Linville as Mackie Astin (young) *Paige Gosney as Billy *Seth Isler as Game Show Producer *Nicholas Hormann as Game Show Host *

Richard Fancy Richard Ronald Fancy (born August 2, 1943) is an American actor and comedian known for his long recurring role on ''Seinfeld'' as publisher Mr. Lippman, Elaine Benes's employer. Early life Fancy was born August 2, 1943, in Evanston, Illinoi ...

as Contract Lawyer

References

External links

* {{Gilbert Cates 1990 television films 1990 films 1990 drama films 1990s biographical drama films American biographical drama films Biographical films about actors Films based on biographies Drama films based on actual events Biographical television films Films set in the 1950s Films set in the 1960s Films set in the 1970s Films set in the 1980s Films directed by Gilbert Cates Cultural depictions of actors 1990s English-language films 1990s American films