Themes: Custody Battles, Death of a Partner, Single Parents
Main Cast: Mark Harmon, Donnelly Rhodes, Mark Hildreth
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
Plot
Mark Harmon plays an itinerant Depression-era carpenter in the made-for-TV After the Promise. When his wife dies, Harmon is declared an unsuitable parent purely on the basis of his financial situation, and his four children are made wards of the Court. Fighting against the seemingly invulnerable legal system of the era, Harmon struggles to regain custody of his children-a struggle that drags on for eight years. Robert W. Lenski's teleplay was inspired by a true story. Because of the time-span of the plotline, Harmon's four children are portrayed by 13 different juvenile actors. After the Promise debuted October 11, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Trey Ames - Ellis 3; Richard Billingsley - Wayne 3; Lillian Carlson - Mrs. Sykes; Chance Michael Corbitt - Wayne 1; Linda Darlow - Welfare Officer; Alex Diakun - Foreman; Rosemary Dunsmore; Ryan Francis - Wayne 2; David French - Richard 1; Michelle Goodger - Welfare Worker; Dwight Koss - Young Doctor; Blu Mankuma - Jack; Diana Scarwid; Dana Still - Supervisor; Janet Wright - Waitress; Stephen E. Miller - Ben; David Peterson - Administrator; Shirley Barclay - Mrs. Adams; Bill Buck - Chief of Staff; Lorraine Foreman - Older Nun; Donnie Jeffcoat - Richard 2; William Nunn - Superior Court Judge; P. Adrien Dorval - Sykes Attendant; Jennifer Griffin - Sitter; Pat Bermel - Patrolman; Alex Bruhanski - Hospital Cop
Credit
Maureen Hiscox - Costume Designer, Ron Talsky - Costume Designer, David Greene - Director, Parkie Singh - Editor, Ralph Burns - Composer (Music Score), René Verzier - Cinematographer, Harold Tichenor - Producer, Robert W. Lenski - Screenwriter
