"Miss Lonelyhearts" with Eric Roberts - American Playhouse (1983)

MISS LONELYHEARTS
American Playhouse, Season 2, Episode 2; broadcast January 25, 1983
Directed by Michael Dinner
Photography by Juan Ruiz-Anchia
Novel by Nathanael West (uncredited)
55:00 minutes
CAST
Miss Lonelyhearts ERIC ROBERTS
Willy Shrike ARTHUR HILL
Faye Doyle CONCHATA FERRELL
Peter Doyle JOHN P. RYAN
Mary Shrike SALLY KEMP
Betty MARTINA DEIGNAN
Goldsmith GREGORY ITZIN
Miss Farkis RITA TAGGART
Sick-of-It-All VINCENT SCHIAVELLI
Reverend Walker JOHN KARLEN
Female Impersonator KENNY SACHA

[@drunkgal08]

Eric Roberts was so beautiful ❤

[@brianlester4494]

He and Julia look Soooo much alike here!

[@MilSar-hb1jh]

​@@brianlester4494ahora sí se parece pero cuando Eric era hermoso no tenía comparación.

[@alvinsuemnicht788]

Eric Roberts ... one of America's finest actors.

[@Prinzesskaykaybeauty]

Oooooh damn Eric was super fine I never realized he was this fine in the 80s 😍😩😩😩

[@shel724]

I have been looking for this film for YEARS!!! I saw it when it came on and it apparently struck a nerve because it has stuck with me ever since. It was the first time I ever saw Eric Roberts and I always associate him with this. Thank you so much!!!

[@archieleechjb]

I saw half of it in film criticism class over 30 years ago and have looked for it since.

[@aaronstielstra6055]

This and Paul's Case two superb examples of stark, uncompromising early Roberts movies. Both are bleak but excellent literary classics that highlight his talent. And pre-broken nose.

[@lapacesiaconvoi]

is that what changed? it was so believable how irresistible he was to women in 'lonely hearts. damn. after forty years i still can't take my eyes off of him watching this.

[@aaronstielstra6055]

@@lapacesiaconvoi pretty much supernatural beauty.

[@krabbykat9918]

His beauty doesn't suit that era of hyper-masculine dudes, he's more modern day Instagram beautiful

[@MilSar-hb1jh]

Eric se ve muy masculino, sin tener esa cara cuadrada con implantes mandibulares y no necesita ni tatuajes ni músculos productos de esteroides

[@TBROOKSHOLLYWOOD]

This was my first acting job and that was it for me. I was hooked. This is a great piece. Everyone on it went on to be extremely successful. Greg Itzen and Conchata Ferrell (Went on to play The Unsinkable Molly Brown in Titanic) Vincent Schiavelli, John P. Ryan and Director Michael Dinner went on to create The Wonder Years. Walter Hill and Eric Roberts would go on to win an Oscar a year later for Runaway Train. Watch closely his subtle use of nervous stuttering and quiet confidence.

[@jeremysimmonds6284]

Eric didn't win unfortunately - Don Ameche got the Oscar. What was it like working with him?

[@CarTa3]

1 of only 4 films pre-car accident that disfigured him and caused him to have reconstructive surgery. For that reason, I'd consider those 4 films rare gems that should be safe in a museum. He was absolutely stunning.

[@valentinabasso1724]

King of the gypsies, Raggedy man, this one , Wich is the other one ? Thanxs !

[@CarTa3]

@@valentinabasso1724 Paul's Case

[@PSLGODSEdits9775]

​@@CarTa3do u know where can i find Paul case and this movie in better quality I make edits on Eric Robert and it does very well but i am tired of making edits using king of gypsies only

[@CarTa3]

@@PSLGODSEdits9775 both on youtube. But I don't know about better quality.

[@valentinabasso1724]

@@CarTa3where can I find it? Thank u so much

[@gforceeatingcorrect]

This film was Amazing ..... saw it on PBS !! First time scene it since .....

[@grasdaddy]

Man....I too would like to thank you for posting this....I worked on it as well. I was the Make-up dept head (my first as head of the department) and loved working on this show. I haven't seen it since the screening for the crew. Even though I was in the business, my favorites are period pieces about Los Angeles in the early days....and this one was right on time. The final scene was shot in Nathaniel West's actually Hollywood apartment. Every department on this crew was top notch. From the Director Michael Dinner, all the way to craft services, all pros who most went on to have very productive careers. It was also on of Eric's first films, and not without some drama during shooting. In fact, somehow I was held responsible and the production did not give me proper credit at the end of the film. A bush league move by the producer, after I did the hiring and created the look of all the actors involved. This will forever be one of my favs.....and was thrilled to see it posted. If anyone comes across a pristine copy....pls let me know, its an honor regardless (of the cheap move) to have this on the resume !

[@TBROOKSHOLLYWOOD]

I'm going to attempt to upscale this version and I'll let you know if it's successful.

[@grasdaddy]

@user-am5pw0sh1d The accident happened during production but we had shot 95 percent of principal photography...we were on hiatus with only a couple shots to go....Eric took a brief trip back to the east coast and the accident happened....

[@grasdaddy]

@TBROOKSHOLLYWOOD any luck ?

[@susanrsmith3701]

Thank you for posting this film! I have been looking for it for ages!! I am a fan of Eric Roberts and I have wanted to see this. Eric’s performance is excellent.

[@douglascollier7767]

Amazing 👏 😊

[@MilSar-hb1jh]

Eric que hermoso ❤😘😍🥰

[@jmichaelbaran9724]

Oh my God... I have no idea where you found this copy of Miss lonelyhearts from 1983 but I am one of the Congregation cast members and the chapel scene at the 31 minute mark of the movie. I am the kid in the Hat sitting next to the lady at the 31:15 mark. I also had a line at the 32:15 mark, which should have gotten me membership either in the Screen Extras Guild or SAG. My name is J. Michael Baran and this was my first film performance in Hollywood after 18 months of going to auditions, taking film acting classes, and being in a bunch of Equity-Waiver plays in the city. I was working at a phone messaging service that catered to members of the film industry, ActorFone West. One of the casting director for the background actor was a client of the service and when he asked me if I was interested in being in this movie I said yes. 2 days before my shoot I went to the costume place and they told me that I just needed a hat so I used my cap that I had bought from a irish theme shop located in Helen Georgia back in the summer of 1976. I arrived at the set which was located at the chapel on the grounds of the Los Angeles National Military Cemetery in West LA. My call time was 5 a.m. And this scene which lasted only about 5 minutes in film time took all day and night to shoot, mainly because this was in reality a highly specialized student film produced by the film School at AFI. Michael Dinner, who later on went on to produce The Wonder Years TV show, was the student director of this film... And was able to get Eric Roberts in the lead based on his friendship with the actor. The film scene was shot on Wednesday May 13th 1981. I remember this date because it was the same day that Pope John Paul II was shot in Rome. The crew had a small black and white television set outside the chapel watching the news all day. This scene finally wrapped at 1 a.m. on Thursday, the 14th. While I was chilling out in the green room and having a cigarette....back when I smoked... Eric Roberts came up to me and asked me if I could give him a cigarette to smoke too.. Pretty awesome!! We talked about Atlanta theater because he and his family had a theater School located in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta during the 1960's.... And my mother was an actress and the Atlanta theater and television scene back in the 50s... It's also where I began my acting career in the community theaters and film schools in Atlanta.. His advice to me was "J. Michael.... I hate this town... I hate Hollywood... If you really want to learn how to act... Then you need to go to New York City... Take lessons... Take workshops... And learn from the ground up!" That was 40 years ago this month.... And 40 years later, I am still acting.... But now living in NJ but working and studying in New York City. Time is a strange river!! It took two years for this film to be completed.... And finally shown on PBS's American Playhouse. But it's never been shown since... For reasons that are still unknown to me... The last 25 years i've written to AFI, PBS, even to Michael Dinner without any response. There is a copy of this film located at the Paley Media Center in NYC and LA.. But it's not available for sale. To this day, Eric considers is it one of his finest films.. J Michael Baran, Actor www.jmichaelbaran.com www.imdb.com/name/nm0052943/

[@PokeyCody]

J. Michael -- What a surprising and lovingly-detailed response to your seeing this movie after long last, a movie you yourself were in! I have checked the time-marks where you noted you appeared on screen -- hey, you looked good and even said a couple of words. Glad to know that you are still in the business, and may you have the good luck in the future to get a much bigger part in a movie as good as "Miss Lonelyhearts."

[@susanrsmith3701]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us and once again, thank you for sharing this film!

[@lapacesiaconvoi]

do you know what is in the background at 14:21

[@grasdaddy]

​@@lapacesiaconvoithe oil derricks or the Long Beach bridge?

[@Marcel_Audubon]

American Playhouse was my favorite show in those years. Why did you kill it, Lindsay Law? Why?

[@homeyginomolly]

The accident ruined his nose. Probably his career too.

[@heatherchandler1184]

Men ten times less attractive have had stars on the walk of fame and won Oscars. Apparently it was the drugs and etc.

[@christinemartin63]

You can never be too cynical -- a perfect parable for our time 😉

[@pamwiggins8908]

eric was a good looking man , the only way i can tell this is him is when you hear him talking ,, lol ,, he's one of those actors that didn't age well ,,, lol ,, i love him in any movie he does

[@anthonydileonardo8156]

Eric Roberts, like Mickey Rourke, came along a decade too late.....in the 1970's they would've been HUGE and right up there with DeNiro, Pacino etc....in the 1980's they were trying to find their niche in show biz awash in steroid and machine gun pumped action crap

[@kidmack3556]

Roberts was around in the 70's. I think I remember first seeing his name as the star of "King Of The Gypsies" (1978-79) I think Rourke was just starting around that time too.

[@anthonydileonardo8156]

@@kidmack3556 Roberts was the alternate to John Travolta for Michael's son in Godfather III which was being discussed around 78-79.....King of the Gypsies was around that time also

[@SMtWalkerS]

Eric Roberts is such a fine actor and always interesting. A rather dated play, but quite fascinating. The editor certainly is a jaded, nasty character.

[@shannonmiller1129]

Could you please show Mrs. Cage from American Playhouse or please tell me where to find it.

[@DinoLondis]

Read the book.

[@DinoLondis]

Faye Doyle was in Two and a Half Men.

[@LilySandoval-f6h]

Eric was in a movie , about , when the Germans invaded a Russian village ; where the children were taken for transfusions , in case a German soldier needed it; because of Their injuries . Anyone know the Name of this movie ?

[@brookieclose]

@@LilySandoval-f6h I rem one of his films being about Russian scientists...Bunker Project 12.

[@lms2932]

This movie couldn't have come out in 1983. He had his accident in 1981.

[@PokeyCody]

Many online sources give the date of this broadcast of "Miss Lonelyhearts" with Eric Roberts as January 25, 1983.

[@lms2932]

So it must have been filmed pre-accident with the initial broadcast in 1983. He still has his beautiful pre-accident features here.​@@PokeyCody

[@priyankadey2620]

Thats what i thought too because in star 80 he looked a bit different than in this movie and also after his accident he has one crooked finger as well in this movie his fingers are fine.

[@gmisa306]

​@@priyankadey2620starc80 es después de su accidente y su nariz rostro, perfil se ve hermoso❤ apesar del bigote, la ropa y el personaje sórdido que representa... no entiendo porque cambio su rostro tal vez lo aconsejaron mal y las drogas y algunas malas cirugias pero que no fueron producto del accidente del año 81😢