After their child is abducted, John and Reve Walsh are trying to find him. But, shortly after that, Adam is found dead.After their child is abducted, John and Reve Walsh are trying to find him. But, shortly after that, Adam is found dead.After their child is abducted, John and Reve Walsh are trying to find him. But, shortly after that, Adam is found dead.
- Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys
- 4 nominations total
John Edson
- Congressman Clay Shaw
- (as John Perry Edson Jr.)
Robert Shaw
- Father Mike Conboy
- (as Robert Gottschall)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This is a somber, dramatic and heartfelt true story of the abduction of Adam Walsh, eldest son of future America's Most Wanted host John Walsh. After Adam is kidnapped and later found murdered, John and his wife Reve become advocates for missing children.
The events surrounding Adam were heartbreaking and traumatic, making you feel for the pain his death has caused his parents and relatives and making you cringe at the thought of Adam going through such a terrible ordeal. I'll always remember watching this TV movie as a kid, eager to see how everything unfolded at the end.
The story definitely leaves you sad, but also leaves your yearning for justice and stronger laws to protect our young children. The Walshes definitely made a lasting impact in America in their continued advocacy and mission to protect children.
Grade A-
The events surrounding Adam were heartbreaking and traumatic, making you feel for the pain his death has caused his parents and relatives and making you cringe at the thought of Adam going through such a terrible ordeal. I'll always remember watching this TV movie as a kid, eager to see how everything unfolded at the end.
The story definitely leaves you sad, but also leaves your yearning for justice and stronger laws to protect our young children. The Walshes definitely made a lasting impact in America in their continued advocacy and mission to protect children.
Grade A-
This fall will mark 20 years since the first airing of 'Adam'. While John Walsh now hosts 'America's Most Wanted' as well as his own talk show, in my opinion, he has become 'America's Most Admired'. I will take a show like 'AMW' over any reality show airing today. I believe that society can become more educated from this show than from a show depicting marrying a total stranger of eating raw flora on some deserted island.
Huzzah for 'Adam', John Walsh, and 'America's Most Wanted'.
Huzzah for 'Adam', John Walsh, and 'America's Most Wanted'.
8emm
It's a shame these made-for-TV movies are hardly getting a second chance nowadays, but a few have one thing in common: inspiration through willpower. ADAM is one such movie, and to this very day, it remains as powerful as it gets! This chronicles the movement of awareness from a fictional John Walsh to deliver the message to America about lost children following a true-life situation that shatters our hearts. It is a struggle for hope and accomplishment that results into a winningly emotional, and lesson-filled drama for all parents who raise young children. Walsh, as many of us know, hosts the long running and highly acclaimed AMERICA'S MOST WANTED. Here, he's the important role in the care of this film, making him (and this film) a benchmark example of support for the nationwide communities, and to the federal government. This one is so compelling, and so inspirational that it would be way too difficult not to recommend it. And the fact that ADAM is vital to the importance of our society would require a mandatory family viewing. Keep it up, John!
I remember when this TV movie aired I was in kindergarten and in fact my teacher even suggested that all of us small children watch this movie with our parents. Every parent with a small child feared that this tragedy would happen and what a nightmare it would have been to have a child abducted and murdered. The whole country was at this time bringing the missing children issue to the attention of people. All of this panic and awareness because of the abduction and murder of a little boy named Adam Walsh in Broward County, Florida. Thankful that this boys father John Walsh brought this case so much attention and awareness that a movie titled Adam was made for TV to expand the concern for children all across America. This movie is sad due to the death of a small child but brings a good message of awareness and concern for our children and any victim of crime for that matter. I wish some network would show Adam again I would like to see it over.
THe movie of Adam based on the tragic tale of Adam Walsh is heartbreaking. It chronicles the tragedy of a young boy's life who was snuffed out from under us. His death was not in vain because his parents became advocates for missing children in real life. The movie ends with photos of missing children. The tragedy of missing child is often worse than knowing their fate. This film is faithful to the story. Daniel J. Travanti and JoBeth Williams play Adam's parents and they could not have done a better job. THe film may be over 20 years old but it is still very effective in bring human emotion to a story like Adam Walsh. He became the symbol for missing children. When Reve is reading those letters from people who have been through the hell that the Walshes have been through, it is heartbreaking. Rather than wallow in self-pity, they pursue justice for others who have been through the same. THey realize that they are not the only ones. The Walshes lives changed forever when Reve went to inquire about a lamp at the mall. She turns around and their little boy is gone forever. I remember the scene where they go to the car, leave the doors unlocked, and prepare if Adam comes home. That's probably the most memorable moment in the film.
Did you know
- TriviaOne of the photos for the abducted children shown at the end of this movie, named Bryon Anthony McCane, is of rapper Bizzy Bone, who is a former member of Bone Thugs N Harmony. He was abducted at age 4 by his father in the '80s.
- Quotes
Reve Walsh: Why didn't anyone see him? How can a little boy just disappear by himself and no one see that? Doesn't anybody care?
- Alternate versionsSubsequent re-runs of the movie have a different roll-call of missing children at the end.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 36th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1984)
- SoundtracksPeace Prayer
Lyrics adapted from St. Francis of Assisi
Music by John Foley, S.J.
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