Little Gloria... Happy at Last
1982 television miniseries directed by Waris Hussein
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Little Gloria...Happy at Last is a 1982 American-British biographical drama television miniseries directed by Waris Hussein and written by William Hanley, based on the 1980 book of the same name by Barbara Goldsmith. It stars Lucy Gutteridge as socialite Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt and Angela Lansbury as her sister-in-law, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, with Bette Davis, Christopher Plummer, Maureen Stapleton, Martin Balsam, Barnard Hughes, Glynis Johns, John Hillerman, Michael Gross, and Joseph Maher in supporting roles.
by Barbara Goldsmith
| Little Gloria... Happy at Last | |
|---|---|
| Based on | Little Gloria...Happy at Last by Barbara Goldsmith |
| Written by | William Hanley |
| Directed by | Waris Hussein |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Berthold Carrière |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 2 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Tony Imi |
| Editor | Malcolm Cooke |
| Running time | 180 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | October 24 – October 25, 1982 |
The miniseries received generally positive reviews from critics and six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama Special and acting nods for Lansbury and Davis. It also earned Gutteridge a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film.
Plot
Based on the book by Barbara Goldsmith, it tells the story of the real-life heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and how her parents met and married. Gloria Vanderbilt was left a very rich girl at the age of eighteen months when her father died. When Gloria was ten, her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, contested the child's custody with little Gloria's aunt, launching one of the most notorious court cases of the last century.
Cast
- Lucy Gutteridge as Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt
- Angela Lansbury as Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
- Bette Davis as Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt
- Maureen Stapleton as Nurse Emma Kieslich
- Martin Balsam as Nathan Burkan
- Glynis Johns as Laura Fitzpatrick Morgan
- John Hillerman as Maury Paul
- Michael Gross as Gilchrist
- Jennifer Dundas as Little Gloria
- Rosalyn Landor as Thelma Morgan
- Leueen Willoughby as Consuelo Morgan
- Christopher Plummer as Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt
- Ken Pogue as Judge James Aloycious Foley
- Barnard Hughes as Judge John Francis Carew
- Joseph Maher as Smythe
Release
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 40th Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film | Lucy Gutteridge | Nominated | [2] |
| 35th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Special | Justine Héroux David Nicksay Scott Rudin Edgar Scherick |
Nominated | [3] | |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | Angela Lansbury | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | Bette Davis | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special | William Hanley | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special | Enrico Campana Guy J. Comtois Doug Kraner Maurice Leblanc Stuart Wurtzel |
Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Costume Design for a Limited Series or a Special | Julie Weiss | Nominated | |||
