Fatal Vision (miniseries)

*Fatal Vision*
Fatal Vision
	VHS cover
Based on	Fatal Vision; by Joe McGinniss
Screenplay by	John Gay
Directed by	David Greene
Starring	Karl Malden; Eva Marie Saint; Barry Newman; Gary Cole; Andy Griffith;
Composer	Gil Mellé
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	2
Production
Executive producers	Dan Wigutow; Mike Rosenfeld;
Producer	Richard L. O'Connor
Cinematography	Stevan Larner
Editors	Parkie L. Singh; William B. Stich;
Running time	181 minutes
Production company	NBC Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	November 18 –; November 19, 1984

Fatal Vision is a 1984 American true crime drama television miniseries directed by David Greene from a teleplay by John Gay, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Joe McGinniss. The miniseries stars Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint, Barry Newman, Gary Cole, and Andy Griffith. It recounts the celebrated case of Jeffrey R. MacDonald, the former Green Beret physician who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and their two small children.^[1]

The miniseries received five Primetime Emmy Award 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.^[2]

Cast

Starring

Karl Malden as Freddy Kassab
Eva Marie Saint as Mildred Kassab
Barry Newman as Bernie Segal
Gary Cole as Jeffrey R. MacDonald

Special guest star

Andy Griffith as Victor Worheide

Also starring

Gary Grubbs as James Blackburn
Joel Polis as Brian Murtagh
Mitchell Ryan as Paul Strombaugh
Wendy Schaal as Colette MacDonald
Scott Paulin as William Ivory
Barry Corbin as Franz Grebner
Albert Salmi as Judge Dupree

Co-starring

Alexandra Johnson as Helena Stoeckley
Paddi Edwards as Perry MacDonald
Frank Dent as Joe McGinniss
Carmen Argenziano 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 as Kimberly MacDonald (age 3)
Dylan Galer as Kristen MacDonald
Lance Rosen as Dennis Eisman
Patricia Duff as Joy
Nadine van der Velde as Randi
Laurence Haddon as Gen. Flanagan
Jack Rader as Provost Marshal
Kenneth Tigar as Pathologist
Roy London as Dr. Thornton
Eugene Butler as Capt. Somers
Anne Betancourt as St. Mary's Sister

Production

NBC paid $130,000 for the rights to the book, according to McGinniss, a transaction that was complicated by a prior contractual claim by Dell publishers.^[3] The miniseries was filmed in Santa Clarita and Pasadena, California, as well as at NBC Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Reception

Critical response

John J. O'Connor of The New York Times 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."^[4] Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times 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."^[5]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
1985	35th ACE Eddie Awards	Best Edited Episode for a Television Mini-Series	"Part II" Parkie L. Singh, William B. Stich	Won
	39th Edgar Awards	Best Television Feature or Miniseries	John Gay	Nominated
	1st TCA Awards	Program of the Year	Fatal Vision	Nominated
		Outstanding Achievement in Drama		Nominated
		Outstanding Achievement in Specials		Nominated
	37th Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special	Mike Rosenfeld, Dan Wigutow, Richard L. O'Connor	Nominated
		Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special	Karl Malden	Won
		Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special	David Greene	Nominated
		Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special	John Gay	Nominated
		Outstanding Achievement in Makeup	Stephen Abrums	Nominated
	1st Artios Awards	Mini-Series or Movie of the Week Casting	Karen Hendel	Won

References

^ "'FATAL VISION,' ON NBC, TOP PROGRAM OF WEEK". The New York Times. November 21, 1984. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ "Fatal Vision - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Television Academy. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ Hill, Michael E. (November 18, 1984). "FATAL VISION/ Did He Do It?". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ O'Connor, John J. (November 16, 1984). "TV WEEKEND; 'FATAL VISION,' STORY OF FORMER GREEN BERET". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ Rosenberg, Howard (January 12, 1986). ""FATAL VISION," 9-11 p.m. Sunday and Monday..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

External links

Fatal Vision at IMDb
Fatal Vision at Rotten Tomatoes

[1] "'FATAL VISION,' ON NBC, TOP PROGRAM OF WEEK". The New York Times. November 21, 1984. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

[2] "Fatal Vision - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Television Academy. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

[3] Hill, Michael E. (November 18, 1984). "FATAL VISION/ Did He Do It?". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

[4] O'Connor, John J. (November 16, 1984). "TV WEEKEND; 'FATAL VISION,' STORY OF FORMER GREEN BERET". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

[5] Rosenberg, Howard (January 12, 1986). ""FATAL VISION," 9-11 p.m. Sunday and Monday..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

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v t e Gil Mellé
Studio albums	Patterns in Jazz (1956) Primitive Modern (1956) Gil's Guests (1956) Quadrama (1957) Tome VI (1967)
Compilation albums	The Complete Blue Note Fifties Sessions (1955)