July 27 - Adam

Here is a film with a scene that happens today – July 27. I hope you enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

ADAM

On July 27, 1981, young Adam Walsh and his mom go to the Sears store in Hollywood, Florida to buy a lamp. She leaves him playing video games for a few minutes, but when she returns Adam is nowhere to be found. Many people search for Adam everywhere, but he isn’t found. His father eventually realizes that the police have no system for searching for missing children. Adam’s body is found and his parents are devastated. Adam’s disappearance causes problems between the Walshes. They start what eventually became the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They work to get the federal Missing Children’s Act of 1982 passed and later have a little girl. [00:19 to 23:28] 

A very sad and moving story. As tragic as Adam Walsh’s death was, it woke the country up to the fact that there was a problem. The changes that have been made to the system since then mean that, hopefully, his death wasn’t entirely in vain.

Tears of Rage by John Walsh (Pocket Books, New York, 1997) at pages 42-54 and the film at 00:17 give the date of his disappearance

Producer - Linda Otto

Director - Michael Tuchner

Screenplay - Allan Leicht

Awards - It was nominated for the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Travanti); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Williams) and Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special Emmys. 

Runtime   - 1 hour 40 minutes

Released - October 10, 1983

Starring -

Daniel J. Travanti as John Walsh

JoBeth Williams as Revé Walsh

Martha Scott as Gram Walsh

Richard Masur as Jay Howell

Paul Regina as Joe Walsh

Mason Adams as Ray Mellette

Tony Frank as Lt. Richard Hynds

John M. Jackson as Det. Jim Gibbons

Alex Harvey as Det. Jack Hoffman