Gideon's Trumpet (1980)

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(290 ratings)

In the tradition of his earlier work in Grapes of Wrath and Twelve Angry Men, Henry Fonda played another social-protest role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV presentation Gideon's Trumpet. Clarence Earl Gideon (Fonda) is a poor, ill-tempered Florida handyman who is arrested for petty larceny in 1961.… More In the tradition of his earlier work in Grapes of Wrath and Twelve Angry Men, Henry Fonda played another social-protest role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV presentation Gideon's Trumpet. Clarence Earl Gideon (Fonda) is a poor, ill-tempered Florida handyman who is arrested for petty larceny in 1961. Unable to afford a lawyer, Gideon is sentenced to five years in prison. His treatment by the Florida judicial system, a clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, is brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. As a result, a landmark decision is reached, assuring free legal representation for anyone accused of a crime in the United States. Also appearing are Jose Ferrer as Gideon's attorney Abe Fortas, John Houseman (who also produced) as the Chief Justice, and Fay Wray as the owner of the lodging establishment where Gideon lived. Gideon's Trumpet premiered on April 30, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Robert E. Collins
Genres: Drama, Television

In Theaters: Apr 30, 1980 Wide
On DVD: Sep 11, 2007
Studio: Acorn Media

Critic Reviews

David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
Nearly three decades since its initial broadcast, it still holds a place as a triumph of televised storytelling.

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Cast

            Henry Fonda as Clarence Earl Gideon

            John Houseman as Chief Justice

            José Ferrer as Abe Fortas

            Fay Wray as Edna Curtis

            Paul Benjamin as Artis

            James Brodhead as Court Crier

            David Clennon as James Fitzpatrick

            Frederic Cook as Leo Stafford

            Seamon Glass as Prison Guard

            Malcolm Groome as John Ely

            Gary Grubbs as Deputy Hamilton

            Jerry Hardin as Mel Cobb

            Dean Jagger as 6th Supreme Court Justice

            Les Lannom as Bobby Earle

            Richard Lineback as Lester Wade

            J. Patrick McNamara as Harris

            Clifford A. Pellow as Justin Pike

            William Prince as 5th Supreme Court Justice

            Nicholas Pryor as Jacob

            Ford Rainey as 2nd Supreme Court Justice

            Timothy Scott as Toby

            David Sheiner as Abe Krash

            Lane Smith as Fred Turner

            Dolph Sweet as Charlie

            Gwen Van Dam as Mrs. Lawrence

            Michael Cavanaugh as Stocker

            Sam Jaffe as 1st Sumpreme Court Justice

            Edmund H. North as Supreme Court Justice

            Liam O'Brien as Supreme Court Justice

            Allan Rich as Tobias Simon

            John Miller as Judge Robert McCrary

            Jon Locke as Supervisor

            Don Draper as Bailiff

            James O'Connell as Warden

            Henry Proach as Guard
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