''Fatal Vision'' is a 1984 American

true crime True crime is a genre of non-fiction work in which an author examines a crime, including detailing the actions of people associated with and affected by the crime, and investigating the perpetrator's Motive (law), motives. True crime works often ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

television miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

directed by David Greene from a teleplay by

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for ''The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peach ...

, based on the 1983 book of the same name by

Joe McGinniss Joseph Ralph McGinniss Sr. (December 9, 1942 – March 10, 2014) was an American non-fiction writer and novelist. He was the author of twelve books. McGinniss first came to prominence with the best-selling '' The Selling of the President 1968' ...

. The miniseries stars

Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American stage, movie and television actor who first achieved acclaim in the original Broadway productions of Arthur Miller's '' All My Sons'' and Tennessee Will ...

Eva Marie Saint Eva Marie Saint (born July 4, 1924) is an American retired actress. In a career that spanned nearly 80 years, she won an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two British Academy Film Awa ...

Barry Newman Barry Foster Newman (November 7, 1930 – May 11, 2023) was an American actor of stage, screen, and television known for his portrayal of Kowalski in ''Vanishing Point'', and for his title role in the 1970s television series '' Petrocelli''. He ...

Gary Cole Gary Michael Cole (born September 20, 1956) is an American actor. He began his professional acting career on stage at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1985. His breakout role was playing Jack 'Nighthawk' Killian in the NBC series '' M ...

, and

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer, and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characters with a folksy ...

. It recounts the celebrated case of Jeffrey R. MacDonald, the former

Green Beret The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos, a special-forces unit active during World War II. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Roy ...

physician who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and their two small children. The miniseries received five

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...

nominations, including Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special, with Malden winning Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his performance as MacDonald's father-in-law, Freddy Kassab.

Cast

;Starring *

as Freddy Kassab *

as Mildred Kassab *

as Bernie Segal *

as Jeffrey R. MacDonald ;Special guest star *

as Victor Worheide ;Also starring *

Gary Grubbs Jon Gary Grubbs (born November 14, 1949) is an American character actor who has appeared in 178 credited shows and films since the 1970s and is still working steadily. He is best known as Captain Steven Wiecek in ''For Love and Honor'' (1983-19 ...

as James Blackburn *

Joel Polis Joel Polis (born October 3, 1951) is an American television, film and stage actor. Polis has appeared in over one hundred television programs and films during his career. Career Polis' first film role was the character Fuchs in the 1982 scien ...

as Brian Murtagh *

Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American actor. His six decades of television credits, he is best known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic subculture, gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', and later for his co- ...

as Paul Strombaugh *

Wendy Schaal Wendy Schaal (born July 2, 1954) is an American actress known for her work in Joe Dante films, such as '' Innerspace'', '' The 'Burbs'', and '' Small Soldiers''. Her other film credits include starring in '' Where the Boys Are '84'', '' Creatur ...

as Colette MacDonald *

Scott Paulin Robert Scott Paulin (born February 13, 1950) is an American actor and director. He is known for playing Deke Slayton in the film '' The Right Stuff'' (1983). He has also acted in films including '' Cat People'' (1982), ''Teen Wolf'' (1985), '' ...

as William Ivory *

Barry Corbin Leonard Barrie Corbin (born October 16, 1940) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Maurice Minnifield on the television series ''Northern Exposure'' (1990–1995), which earned him two consecutive Primetime Emmy Award ...

as Franz Grebner *

Albert Salmi Albert Salmi (March 11, 1928 – April 22, 1990) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Best known for his work as a character actor, he appeared in over 150 film and television productions. Early life Salmi was born and raised ...

as Judge Dupree ;Co-starring * Alexandra Johnson as Helena Stoeckley * Paddi Edwards as Perry MacDonald * Frank Dent as

Carmen Argenziano Carmen Antimo Argenziano (October 27, 1943February 10, 2019) was an American actor who appeared in over 73 movies and around 100 television movies or episodes. He was best known for playing Jacob Carter on ''Stargate SG-1''. He had recurring role ...

as Col. Pruett * Andy Wood as Robert Shaw * Dennis Redfield as Peter Kearns * Joe Mays as William Posey * Rex Ryon as Jay MacDonald * J.P. Bumstead as Col. Rock * Brandy Gold as Kimberly MacDonald (age 5) *

Judith Barsi Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television series, as well as the 1987 film '' Jaws: The Revenge''. She also provided the ...

as Kimberly MacDonald (age 3) * Dylan Galer as Kristen MacDonald * Lance Rosen as Dennis Eisman *

Patricia Duff Patricia Duff (born Patricia Michelle Orr; April 12, 1954) is an American political activist, and a fundraiser for political and philanthropic causes. She has participated in campaigns involving politicians and business people. Early life and e ...

as Joy *

Nadine van der Velde Nadine van der Velde (born May 14, 1962) is a Canadian actress, writer, and producer. She is a three-time Emmy award winner, two-time Annie Award winner and a recipient of a Humanitas Award. Early life and career Nadine was born in Toronto. She ...

as Randi *

Laurence Haddon Laurence Haddon (1922 – May 10, 2013) was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Haddon appeared as a prolific actor in television, movies, and on the stage. He attended Friends' Central School and Syracuse University. He serve ...

as Gen. Flanagan * Jack Rader as Provost Marshal *

Kenneth Tigar Kenneth Tigar (born September 24, 1942) is an Americans, American actor, primarily on United States, American television, and translator. Life Kenneth Leslie Tigar was born into a Jewish family in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and raised in the Great ...

as Pathologist *

Roy London Roy London (March 3, 1943 – August 8, 1993) was an American actor, acting coach, director and teacher. Early life London was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. A math prodigy at age five, London was on the rad ...

as Dr. Thornton * Eugene Butler as Capt. Somers * Anne Betancourt as St. Mary's Sister

Production

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

paid $130,000 for the rights to the book, according to McGinniss, a transaction that was complicated by a prior contractual claim by

Dell Dell Inc. is an American technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports personal computers (PCs), Server (computing), servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, computer peripherals including printers and webcam ...

publishers. The miniseries was filmed in

Santa Clarita Santa Clarita (; Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-most populous city in Los Angeles County, the 17th-most populo ...

and

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

, as well as at NBC Studios in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Reception

Critical response

John J. O'Connor of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' called the story "chilling" and the miniseries "certainly compelling", but stated it was not "as overwhelming as Mr. McGinniss's book." O'Connor also praised the cast, writing that Cole, Malden, and Saint "contribute outstanding performances."

Howard Rosenberg Howard Anthony Rosenberg (born June 10, 1938) is an American television critic, author, and educator. He worked at '' The Louisville Times'' from 1968 through 1978 and then worked at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1978 to 2003, where he won a P ...

of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' lauded ''Fatal Vision'' for its "superb, meticulous storytelling that will have you on the edge of your seat, with Greene managing to convey the brutality of the crime in a surreal way without showing actual violence." Rosenberg also named it "the highest-rated miniseries of the 1984-85 season."

Accolades

References

External links