The Acorn People (1981)

Genres - Drama  |   Sub-Genres - Melodrama, Message Movie  |   Release Date - Mar 2, 1981 (USA - Unknown)  |   Run Time - 100 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

First telecast March 2, 1981, The Acorn People was adapted by director Joan Tewksbury from the book by Ron Jones. Ted Bessell plays a no-nonsense children's counselor who takes a job at a summer camp for severely handicapped children. The kids jokingly refer to themselves as "the acorn people"--a reference to the acorn necklaces that they've made for themselves, and to the fact that they'd never blossomed into full-grown "trees." Bessell is determined to remain detached from his charges, but with the help of nurse Cloris Leachman and assitant LeVar Burton, Bessell emerges from the two-week camp a compassionate, caring person, as fully concerned with the lives of the Acorns as the year-round staff. The Acorn People was filmed on location in Dallas, with several of the area's genuine handicapped children playing supporting roles.

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Keywords

child, camp, counselor, handicap, sensitivity, Summer, summer-camp, teacher