# David's Mother

David's Mother is a 1994 American drama television film directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and written by Bob Randall. It stars Kirstie Alley as a devoted mother trying to cope with her autistic teenage son David (Michael Goorjian). The film aired on CBS on April 10, 1994. It has also aired internationally. In the UK it can often be seen on television movie channels True Movies 1 and True Movies 2. It has also been released in home entertainment formats in countries including the United States, UK and Australia.
The film has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and received a Golden Globe Award nomination.

## Plot

Sally Goodson has always tried to do what is best for her autistic son David, always blaming herself for the way David is. Sally lives alone with David in a New York City apartment and is often visited by her sister Bea, who tries to help Sally turn her life around by getting out a little more and giving David some space, but Sally rarely lets him out of her sight. In the end, her husband Philip had an affair, left his family and re-married; and their daughter Susan chose to live with him. They couldn't handle Sally's devotion to David and didn't feel they were getting enough attention.
Sally, having enough to cope with in her life, is visited by a social worker, Gladys Johnson, who informs her that David must go into a care home, but Sally refuses to send him to a home because of the way he was treated as a child in his previous care home. Gladys then gives her some time with David before she has to make arrangements. Bea manages to talk Sally round and sets her up on a date with wallpaper salesman John Nils; they begin to see each other, and he even teaches David to work a VCR, something Sally thought he could never do. Things go well until Sally makes plans to move when she is forced to give up David to a care home; her plans cause an argument between her and John, as she didn't tell him of the move. Sally is finally forced to give up David, as he is permanently taken in by the care home.

## Cast

* Kirstie Alley as Sally Goodson
* Sam Waterston as John Nils
* Stockard Channing as Bea
* Michael A. Goorjian as David Goodson
* Chris Sarandon as Philip
* Phylicia Rashad as Gladys Johnson

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 1994 | Artios Awards | Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week | Reuben Cannon | Nominated |
| 1994 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special | Kirstie Alley | Won |
| 1994 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | Michael A. Goorjian | Won |
| 1994 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Miniseries or a Special | Bob Randall | Won |
| 1995 | Cinema Audio Society Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television – Movie of the Week or Mini-Series | Chaim Gilad, David E. Fluhr, John Asman, and Melissa Sherwood Hofmann | Nominated |
| 1995 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Kirstie Alley | Nominated |
| 1995 | Humanitas Prize | 90 Minute or Longer Network or Syndicated Television | Bob Randall | Won |

## Releases

David's Mother has been released on VHS and DVD format. In the United States, the film received its DVD release on May 4, 2004 by Trinity Home Entertainment. In the UK, the film has been released several times. The first VHS was released by Odyssey Entertainment It was also released on VHS as part of a "Tear Jerker Collection". On DVD it was released by Odyssey Entertainment on September 25, 2000, which includes the trailer and cast information. It was re-released on DVD by Infinity Entertainment on February 4, 2008. In Australia, the film was released on DVD by Payless Entertainment on January 24, 2008.