Heidi (1968 film)
Encyclopedia
Heidi was a 1968
NBC
made-for-TV film version of the original 1880 novel of the same name
which debuted on November 17, 1968. It starred actress Jennifer Edwards
, stepdaughter of Julie Andrews
and daughter of Blake Edwards
, in the title role, alongside Maximillian Schell, Jean Simmons
, and Michael Redgrave
. The score was composed by John Williams
. The film was sponsored by Timex.
It also added a subplot in which Heidi's grandfather, a church organist in this version, has long been unable to play because of a family tragedy. At the very end of the film, he regains his confidence, mounts the steps to the organ, and begins to play.
Different from the book, the scene in which Clara walks for the first time after her accident does not take place in the Sessemann house but on the Swiss Alps. Clara, Fraulein Rottenmeier, and Herr Sessemann have come to Heidi's cottage to visit her and her grandfather. Clara is deliberately left alone on the mountains by Heidi's grandfather. She struggles to get out of her wheelchair, knocking it over and falling down in the process. As she tries to get up, she sees her father, Herr Sessemann, looking at her encouragingly, and haltingly walks towards him.
regular-season game between the Oakland Raiders
and the New York Jets
, which became known as "The Heidi Game
." During these last few moments, Oakland suddenly scored two touchdown
s and won the game 43-32, causing a tremendous upset that television viewers were denied seeing. Since then, sports leagues require all televised broadcasts of their games to be aired to completion, regardless of score. NBC installed a special red phone, known as the "Heidi Phone" to prevent an incident like this from happening again.
1968 in television
The year 1968 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1968.For the American TV schedule, see: 1968-69 American network television schedule.-Events:...
NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
made-for-TV film version of the original 1880 novel of the same name
Heidi
Heidi is a Swiss work of fiction, published in two parts as Heidi's years of learning and travel and Heidi makes use of what she has learned.It is a novel about the events in the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care, in the Swiss Alps...
which debuted on November 17, 1968. It starred actress Jennifer Edwards
Jennifer Edwards
Jennifer Edwards is an American actress best known for playing the title role in the NBC made-for-television movie Heidi , which aired on November 17, 1968...
, stepdaughter of Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
and daughter of Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards was an American film director, screenwriter and producer.Edwards' career began in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon turned to writing radio scripts at Columbia Pictures...
, in the title role, alongside Maximillian Schell, Jean Simmons
Jean Simmons
Jean Merilyn Simmons, OBE was an English actress. She appeared predominantly in motion pictures, beginning with films made in Great Britain during and after World War II – she was one of J...
, and Michael Redgrave
Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave, CBE was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author.-Youth and education:...
. The score was composed by John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
. The film was sponsored by Timex.
Storyline
The film altered the plot of the novel somewhat by casting Simmons as Fraulein Rottenmeier, the governess, making the character far more sympathetic (thus eliminating the antagonism between her and Heidi), and introducing a romance between the governess and Schell's Herr Sesemann.It also added a subplot in which Heidi's grandfather, a church organist in this version, has long been unable to play because of a family tragedy. At the very end of the film, he regains his confidence, mounts the steps to the organ, and begins to play.
Different from the book, the scene in which Clara walks for the first time after her accident does not take place in the Sessemann house but on the Swiss Alps. Clara, Fraulein Rottenmeier, and Herr Sessemann have come to Heidi's cottage to visit her and her grandfather. Clara is deliberately left alone on the mountains by Heidi's grandfather. She struggles to get out of her wheelchair, knocking it over and falling down in the process. As she tries to get up, she sees her father, Herr Sessemann, looking at her encouragingly, and haltingly walks towards him.
The Heidi Game controversy
The film acquired notoriety since its airing in the United States cut off the final minute of a 1968 American Football LeagueAmerican Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
regular-season game between the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, which became known as "The Heidi Game
Heidi Game
The Heidi Game or Heidi Bowl was an American football game played on November 17, 1968. The home team, the Oakland Raiders, defeated the New York Jets, 43–32. The game is remembered for its exciting finish, as Oakland scored two touchdowns in the final minute to overcome a 32–29 New York lead...
." During these last few moments, Oakland suddenly scored two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and won the game 43-32, causing a tremendous upset that television viewers were denied seeing. Since then, sports leagues require all televised broadcasts of their games to be aired to completion, regardless of score. NBC installed a special red phone, known as the "Heidi Phone" to prevent an incident like this from happening again.