| Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted | |
|---|---|
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| |
| Genre | Biography Drama |
| Written by | Doris Silverton Peter Nelson Steve Lawson Dalene Young |
| Directed by | George Kaczender |
| Starring | JoBeth Williams Chris Burke |
| Music by | Misha Segal |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Marcy Gross |
| Producers | Doris Silverton Peter Nelson |
| Cinematography | Eric Van Haren Noman |
| Editor | Stephen Michael |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Production companies | Gross-Weston Productions Stephen J. Cannell Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | October 16, 1992 (1992-10-16) |
Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted is a 1992 American made-for-television biographical drama film starring JoBeth Williams and Chris Burke.[1] The film is directed by George Kaczender and inspired by a true story concerning a landmark legal decision for rights of the disabled.
Jonathan (Chris Burke), a youth with Down Syndrome, is institutionalized by his parents (Alley Mills and Tom Mason), who do not wish to be burdened with caring for him. Volunteer Ginny Moore (JoBeth Williams) spends time with Jonathan at the institution and eventually her own home, where he forges a bond with her and her family (Dana Barron, Chris Demetral, Jeffrey DeMunn). Jonathan's faculties improve with Ginny's care, but his heart problems become increasingly severe. His parents refuse to give consent for the medical procedure that would cure him, so Ginny sues to obtain guardianship of Jonathan so she can give permission for the treatment.
