The Execution of Raymond Graham is a Canadian-American television film, directed by Daniel Petrie and broadcast in 1985.Carole Gault, "A close-up on 'an eye for an eye'". The Globe and Mail, November 16, 1985. The film stars Jeff Fahey and co-stars Laurie Metcalf as Raymond Graham's sister Carol, Graham Beckel as his brother Vic, Kate Reid as their mother, Josef Sommer and Lois Smith as the parents of Graham's victim, and Morgan Freeman as Warden Pratt,Howard Rosenberg, "Show of the Week: The Execution of Raymond Graham". Los Angeles Times, November 17, 1985. as well as George Dzundza, Alan Scarfe, Linda Griffiths, Philip Sterling, Linda Goranson, Michael Dolan, Walker Boone, Hartford Courant. 17 November 1985. Page 1237. Ken Pogue and Doug Lennox in supporting roles.
Plot Raymond Graham is a prisoner on death row after committing murder. He is in the final hours of his life before his scheduled execution as his lawyer pursues a last-ditch hope of having his execution stayed by the governor.Sue Johnston, "Execution of Raymond Graham: Reid plays mother in tense, emotional drama; A live broadcast on Sunday". Montreal Gazette, November 16, 1985.
Production The film was conceived as a live broadcast that would unfold in real time, building in suspense as it was not revealed in advance whether or not his lawyer's final plea for clemency would succeed prior to the moment of execution at 10:58 p.m.Greg Burliuk, "Moving execution drama wins the case for live TV". Kingston Whig-Standard, November 18, 1985. A dress rehearsal was recorded as a backup, and was "broadcast" in the network control centre in tandem with the live feed, so that the network could rapidly switch to the backup tape in the event of a technical failure,Jim Bawden, "Live TV . . . it's so old it's new again". Toronto Star, October 122, 1985. but this precaution was ultimately not needed.
The film was not intended to either support or oppose capital punishment, but simply to ask people to reflect on the issue. As research for the role, Fahey met with death row inmate Charles Rumbaugh, who was executed a few months before the broadcast.Kirk LaPointe, "Actor visits Death Row for role". Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1985.
It was broadcast live on November 17, 1985, from the Toronto studios of CFTO-TV, by both CTV Television Network in Canada and ABC in the United States. Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter making it less appropriate for the early evening time slot, however, viewers in the Pacific Time Zone saw a tape-delayed rebroadcast rather than the live production.Morgan Gendel, "Raymond Graham: Live drama from Death Row". Los Angeles Times, November 15, 1985.
Awards Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Gemini Awards December 4, 1986 Best TV Movie Julian Marks, David W. Rintels Sid Adilman, "Anne leads field in Geminis race". Toronto Star, October 16, 1986. Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Single Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Jeff Fahey Primetime Emmy Awards September 21, 1986 Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Daniel Petrie "Cagney cops top Emmys". Toronto Star, September 22, 1986. Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special John Botelho, Fred "Red" McKinnon, Barney Stewart Writers Guild of America 1987 Television: Long Form – Original Mel Frohman "Hannah earns Allen more kudos from Writers Guild of America". Waterloo Region Record, March 27, 1987.
References
External links