My Name Is Bill W.
| My Name Is Bill W. | |
|---|---|
|
My Name Is Bill W. video cover | |
| Written by | William G. Borchert |
| Directed by | Daniel Petrie |
| Starring |
James Woods James Garner JoBeth Williams |
| Theme music composer | Laurence Rosenthal |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Paul Rubell |
| Cinematography | Neil Roach |
| Editor(s) |
Paul Rubell John Wright |
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television |
| Release | |
| Original release | April 30, 1989 |
My Name Is Bill W. is a 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie directed by Daniel Petrie, starring James Woods, JoBeth Williams and James Garner. William G. Borchert, who wrote the film for television, based it on the true story of William Griffith Wilson and Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith, M.D. (the men respectively called "Bill W." and "Dr. Bob"), the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. James Woods won an Emmy for his portrayal of Wilson.
Plot
The true story of stockbroker William Griffith Wilson, a World War I veteran whose small drinking problem becomes a serious addiction after he loses his fortune in the stock market collapse of 1929. Wilson's career and his domestic life are in tatters when he meets Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith, also struggling with a drinking problem. The two form a support group that becomes the basis for the organization Alcoholics Anonymous.
Featured cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| George Coe | Frank Shaw |
| James Garner | Robert Holbrook "Dr. Bob" Smith, M.D. |
| Robert Harper | Dr. Jeremy Partlin |
| Joe Inscoe | Fred |
| Mark Joy | Guy Kolb |
| Gary Sinise | Ebby Thacher |
| Rick Warner | Bill Dotson |
| Fritz Weaver | Dr. Burnham |
| JoBeth Williams | Lois 'Lo' Wilson |
| James Woods | William Griffith "Bill W." Wilson |
Awards and nominations
1990 American Cinema Editors Awards (Eddies)
- Nominated – Best Edited Television Special: Paul Rubell, John Wright
1990 American Society of Cinematographers
- Nominated – Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Pilots: Neil Roach
1990 Directors Guild of America
- Nominated – Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials: Daniel Petrie
1989 Emmy Awards
- Won – Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie: James Woods
- Nominated – Outstanding Costumes For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: April Ferry
- Nominated – Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special: Daniel Petrie
- Nominated – Outstanding Made For Television Movie: Peter K. Duchow, James Garner, Daniel Petrie
- Nominated – Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries Or A Movie: Paul Rubell, John Wright
- Nominated – Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie: James Garner
- Nominated – Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special: William G. Borchert
1990 Golden Globe Awards
- Nominated – Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Nominated – Best Actor - Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: James Woods
See also
External links
- My Name Is Bill W. at the Internet Movie Database
- Bill's Story, from Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book