The Phantom of the Open Hearth

Name: The Phantom of the Open Hearth
Genre: Family
Released: 1976-12-23
Duration: 1 h 17 min
Rating: 7.1
Cast: David Elliott, Barbara Bolton, James Bonnell

TV Movie
1976
1h 17m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

126

YOUR RATING

Family

Teenager Ralph Parker faces his junior prom while fantasizing about his dream date Daphne Bigelow, and dealing with the ups and downs of life as a teen in a working-class neighborhood in the... Read allTeenager Ralph Parker faces his junior prom while fantasizing about his dream date Daphne Bigelow, and dealing with the ups and downs of life as a teen in a working-class neighborhood in the early-1950's Midwest.Teenager Ralph Parker faces his junior prom while fantasizing about his dream date Daphne Bigelow, and dealing with the ups and downs of life as a teen in a working-class neighborhood in the early-1950's Midwest.

Directors
- Fred Barzyk
- David R. Loxton
Writer
- Jean Shepherd
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

126

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Fred Barzyk
- David R. Loxton
Writer
- Jean Shepherd
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Coffey's Market was a real store in Newton Corner. John Coffey, the owner, died from burns suffered in an accidental store fire in the early-1980s.

Connections
Followed by American Playhouse: The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)

User reviews9

Review

Featured review

10/10

Beats A Christmas Story in spades!

I saw PHANTOM when first broadcast and many times since. For my money it tops all adaptations of Shep's stories, including A Christmas Story. James Broderick is THE Old Man, playing him without the broad strokes Darren McGavin slathered on him in ACS. Barbara Bolton's spot-on on Ralph's mom, too. And watch Flick! The slightly sardonic, anti-nostalgia edge Shep favored on radio and in print holds sway here--it's as if Shep knew this might be his best (and only) shot at a film version of his stories, and he and all connected hit the notes. Yes, the complete 76-minute version (not the edited hour version played years ago on Disney) can be found with a little online searching. Don't miss it! Excelsior, you fatheads, and FLICK LIVES!