Return to Earth (film)

*Return to Earth*
Return to Earth
	VHS cover art
Genre	Biography; Drama
Based on	Return to Earth; by Buzz Aldrin with Wayne Warga
Directed by	Jud Taylor
Starring	Cliff Robertson; Shirley Knight; Charles Cioffi; Ralph Bellamy; Stefanie Powers;
Music by	Billy Goldenberg
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Rupert Hitzig; Alan King
Producer	Jud Taylor
Cinematography	Frank Stanley
Editor	Ronald J. Fagan
Running time	74 minutes
Production company	King-Hitzig Productions
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	May 14, 1976

Return to Earth is an American biopic television film that originally aired on May 14, 1976 on ABC.^[1] The film stars Cliff Robertson as astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Shirley Knight as Joan Aldrin. Based upon Aldrin's 1973 book of the same name,^[2] the film dramatizes the emotional difficulties of Aldrin's life following his 1969 trip to the Moon on Apollo 11. The film was directed by Jud Taylor, and Aldrin served as a consultant.^[3]^[4]

Plot[edit]

Based upon his own book of his ordeals, the film is the story of Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, and the problems he had after the mission and his return to Earth, including the breakup of his marriage, his struggles with clinical depression and alcoholism, and his hospitalization for psychiatric problems.

Cast[edit]

Cliff Robertson as Col. Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin Jr.
Shirley Knight as Joan Aldrin
Charles Cioffi as Dr. Sam Mayhill
Ralph Bellamy as Col. Edwin E. Aldrin
Stefanie Powers as Marianne
Kraig Metzinger as Andy Aldrin
Alexandra Taylor as Jan Aldrin
Tony Marks as Mike Aldrin
Stephen Pearlman as Dr. Hotfield
Stefan Gierasch as Al Davis
Mark Roberts
Lance Henriksen
Conard Fowkes
George D. Wallace
Robert Karnes
Davis Roberts
Robert Williams
Shelley Mitchell

Production[edit]

Robertson's casting was announced in September 1975.^[5]

Reception[edit]

The Los Angeles Times called it "decent, well acted, uninspired."^[6]

References[edit]

^ O'Connor, John (May 14, 1976). "TV Weekend". The New York Times.
^ Goble, Alan (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 928. ISBN 9783110951943.
^ Davidson, Bill (April 26, 1976). "Fact or Fiction?". New York.
^ Buzz Aldrin--in search of another moon?: Not the same Broadway Space-fiction venture Impact on Russia By Arthur Unger. The Christian Science Monitor 13 May 1976: 22.
^ Billie Jean King on Como Special Los Angeles Times 3 Sep 1975: g20.
^ TV MOVIE REVIEW: 'Return to Earth' on ABC Tonight Adler, Dick. Los Angeles Times 14 May 1976: f24.

External links[edit]

Return to Earth at IMDb

[1] O'Connor, John (May 14, 1976). "TV Weekend". The New York Times.

[2] Goble, Alan (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 928. ISBN 9783110951943.

[3] Davidson, Bill (April 26, 1976). "Fact or Fiction?". New York.

[4] Buzz Aldrin--in search of another moon?: Not the same Broadway Space-fiction venture Impact on Russia By Arthur Unger. The Christian Science Monitor 13 May 1976: 22.

[5] Billie Jean King on Como Special Los Angeles Times 3 Sep 1975: g20.

[6] TV MOVIE REVIEW: 'Return to Earth' on ABC Tonight Adler, Dick. Los Angeles Times 14 May 1976: f24.

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