December 4, 1978 (1978-12-04) – January 23, 1996 (1996-01-23)
CBS Schoolbreak Special is an American anthology series for teenagers that aired on CBS from December 1978 to January 1996. The series began under the title CBS Afternoon Playhouse, and was changed during the 1984–85 season.[1] The concept was similar to ABC's Afterschool Special.
List of specials
Afternoon Playhouse specials
Under its original name, the Afternoon Playhouse aired a handful of made-for-TV films, the most notable of which was the 1983 release of Revenge of the Nerd.[2] The TV special was often mistaken for the film of a similar name which premiered one year later in 1984.
A suburban kid from the Midwest, his dad, and a Colorado Apache must join forces to try to survive in the Rocky Mountains.
Note Guest stars: Chris Petersen, Guillermo San Juan, Bert Kramer, Hersha Parady, Bob Hastings, Stephen Furst, Lucille Benson, Danny Bonaduce, Ron Godines, Joshua Gallegos, Monika Ramirez, Lois Red Elk, Frank Salsedo, Scott Durnavich, and Eric Stoltz
3
3
"Joey and Redhawk: Part 3"
Larry Elikann
Art Wallace
December 6, 1978 (1978-12-06)
A suburban kid from the Midwest, his dad, and a Colorado Apache must join forces to try to survive in the Rocky Mountains.
Note Guest stars: Chris Petersen, Guillermo San Juan, Bert Kramer, Hersha Parady, Bob Hastings, Stephen Furst, Lucille Benson, Danny Bonaduce, Ron Godines, Joshua Gallegos, Monika Ramirez, Lois Red Elk, Frank Salsedo, Scott Durnavich, and Eric Stoltz
4
4
"Joey and Redhawk: Part 4"
Larry Elikann
Art Wallace
December 7, 1978 (1978-12-07)
A suburban kid from the Midwest, his dad, and a Colorado Apache must join forces to try to survive in the Rocky Mountains.
Note Guest stars: Chris Petersen, Guillermo San Juan, Bert Kramer, Hersha Parady, Bob Hastings, Stephen Furst, Lucille Benson, Danny Bonaduce, Ron Godines, Joshua Gallegos, Monika Ramirez, Lois Red Elk, Frank Salsedo, Scott Durnavich, and Eric Stoltz
5
5
"Joey and Redhawk: Part 5"
Larry Elikann
Art Wallace
December 8, 1978 (1978-12-08)
A suburban kid from the Midwest, his dad and, a Colorado Apache must join forces to try to survive in the Rocky Mountains.
Note Guest stars: Chris Petersen, Guillermo San Juan, Bert Kramer, Hersha Parady, Bob Hastings, Stephen Furst, Lucille Benson, Danny Bonaduce, Ron Godines, Joshua Gallegos, Monika Ramirez, Lois Red Elk, Frank Salsedo, Scott Durnavich, and Eric Stoltz
Season 2 (1979–80)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
6
1
"Year of the Gentle Tiger"
Dennis Kane
Barney Cohen
November 23, 1979 (1979-11-23)
A teenager is determined to win his father's respect by winning the gold medal in Judo at the Junior Olympics.
Note Guest stars: Lance LeGault, Keenan Shimizu, Anthony Candell, Jeff Edmond, Karen Anthony, George Harris, and Henry Calvert
Following the death of his estranged ex-wife, a rodeo champion must now take care of a son he never knew he had.
Note Guest stars: Ronny Cox, David Hollander, Carmen Zapata, Andrew Duggan, Cathey Paine, Norman Howell, Louise Lorimer, Timothy Blake, Harry Caesar, Robert Emhardt, William Bryant, Paul Larson, Ed Ness, Kenny Call, Ron Roy, Chuck Henson, and Larry McKinney
10
5
"One Last Ride - Part 3"
Gerald Mayer
Richard H. Landau
April 9, 1980 (1980-04-09)
Following the death of his estranged ex-wife, a rodeo champion must now take care of a son he never knew he had.
Note Guest stars: Ronny Cox, David Hollander, Carmen Zapata, Andrew Duggan, Cathey Paine, Norman Howell, Louise Lorimer, Timothy Blake, Harry Caesar, Robert Emhardt, William Bryant, Paul Larson, Ed Ness, Kenny Call, Ron Roy, Chuck Henson, and Larry McKinney
11
6
"One Last Ride - Part 4"
Gerald Mayer
Richard H. Landau
April 10, 1980 (1980-04-10)
Following the death of his estranged ex-wife, a rodeo champion must now take care of a son he never knew he had.
Note Guest stars: Ronny Cox, David Hollander, Carmen Zapata, Andrew Duggan, Cathey Paine, Norman Howell, Louise Lorimer, Timothy Blake, Harry Caesar, Robert Emhardt, William Bryant, Paul Larson, Ed Ness, Kenny Call, Ron Roy, Chuck Henson, and Larry McKinney
12
7
"One Last Ride - Part 5"
Gerald Mayer
Richard H. Landau
April 11, 1980 (1980-04-11)
Following the death of his estranged ex-wife, a rodeo champion must now take care of a son he never knew he had.
Note Guest stars: Ronny Cox, David Hollander, Carmen Zapata, Andrew Duggan, Cathey Paine, Norman Howell, Louise Lorimer, Timothy Blake, Harry Caesar, Robert Emhardt, William Bryant, Paul Larson, Ed Ness, Kenny Call, Ron Roy, Chuck Henson, and Larry McKinney
13
8
"Lost in Death Valley"
Stephen Gyllenhaal
Story by : Barney Cohen & Dennis Kane Teleplay by : Stephen Gyllenhaal
April 19, 1980 (1980-04-19)
After their plane crashes in Death Valley, a group of teenagers struggle to survive the searing heat, while waiting for help to arrive.
An 11-year-old girl finds it difficult to accept her mother's re-marriage, and her new step-father.
Note Guest stars: April Gilpin, David Ogden Stiers, Bobbie Ferguson, Frederick Tully, Bubba Larramore, Joseph William Galt, Bill Martin, and Lee Ritchey
With her life going nowhere, aspiring dancer Karen Hughes drowns her sorrows in the thrill of shoplifting. Ultimately she is caught in the act, and her entire future goes up in smoke.
Note Guest stars: Maureen Teefy, Allen Fawcett, Laura Dean, Katherine Gene Kamhi, Jessica Cain, Marilyn Rockafellow, Marisa Morell, Thomas Quinn, Christina-Avis Krauss, William Schilling, Joe Spinell, Elaine Swann, Martha Gallub, Deborah Malone, Buddy Short, John Scott, George Vlismas, and Donna Phillips
Class brain Bertram Cummings (Jacobs) is tired of being picked on at school. He decides to use his brainpower to exact revenge against his tormentors. The special was perhaps the best known of the Schoolbreak programs, due to the release a year later of the similarly named film Revenge of the Nerds.
Note Guest stars: Manny Jacobs, Christopher J. Barnes, Sarah Inglis, Robert Weiler, Brian Lima, Herb Downer, Jean De Baer, Pamela Burrell, Tenney Walsh, Edd Gasper, Matthew Vipond, April Lerman, JD Cullum, Wendell Brown, Bonnie Deroski, and Frankie Scasso
Schoolbreak Specials
Season 1 (January 24 – June 12, 1984)
Episode
Synopsis
Dead Wrong: The John Evans Story
Convicted of murder and set for execution, John Evans tells his story to the prison chaplain. Starring John Laughlin, and Timothy Gibbs.
The story of Geraldine Oxley, a cognitively deficient 12-year-old girl whose parents remove her from the institution where she has been raised in order to give her a normal-as-possible home life. Christopher Collet stars as her elder brother.
The Alfred G. Graebner Memorial High School Handbook of Rules and Regulations
Teenagers from diverse backgrounds experience their freshman year in high school, in this adaptation of the same-titled novel. Starring Fisher Stevens and Suzanne Snyder.
The true story of high school hockey coach Bob Anastas. After losing two of his finest players to alcohol-related car crashes, Anastas gets their teammates — and the players' families — to prevent more tragedies by forming Students Against Driving Drunk. Co-starring Nicky Katt, Timothy Gibbs, Don Dubbins (The D.I.), and William Zabka.
The Exchange Student
Teenager from India comes to the US to live with her American 'sister'.
The Day the Senior Class Got Married
Students are paired off in a make-believe marriage class, so they can learn how money problems can affect a marriage. Based on the novel by Gloria D. Miklowitz.
Ace Hits the Big Time
On his first day at Manhattan's Kennedy High, 16-year-old Horace "Ace" Hobart (Rob Stone) wears an eyepatch to class. Consequently, he is urged to join a gang of street youths who run the school, or do they? Co-starring James LeGros. Adapted from the book of the same name by Barbara Murphy.
Student Court
When a teenager is caught shoplifting, she decides to stand before a jury of her peers, rather than face judgement from a Juvenile Court. Co-starring Marcelino Sanchez and Moosie Drier.
In this Emmy Award-winning adaptation, racial discrimination is examined when a high school teacher assigns his students to play "The Color Game", thus dividing the youngsters into different social classes. Based on the same-titled novel by Gloria D. Miklowitz; co-starring Marcelino Sanchez.
Five pregnant teenage girls meet in the same group-counseling session. They discuss their varied feelings about their common situation. Directed by Martin Sheen, whose real-life daughter Renee Estevez portrays one of the young moms-to-be. Also starring Eileen Ryan, Jill Whelan, Claudia Wells and Lori Loughlin.
God, the Universe & Hot Fudge Sundaes
A teenage girl questions her religion after her sister is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Dermot Mulroney portrays a high school student who seems hopelessly addicted to drugs, until he is slapped with the most horrifying wake-up call imaginable. David Faustino co-stars as Mulroney's younger brother; Tracy Nelson plays Dermot's girlfriend. Also starring Rance Howard, and directed by Anson Williams.
Little Miss Perfect
Not to be confused with the junior beauty pageant-reality show of the same title. Debbie Welker is upset over being forced into a new neighborhood and a new high school. Having a (seemingly) flawless, and oblivious (at first), single mother does not help at all. To cope with her problems, Debbie takes up binging and purging, which leads to an even greater problem, and to a long-overdue revelation from her mom. Co-starring April Lerman and Lisa Wilcox; directed by actress Marsha Mason; co-written by actress Judy Strangis.
My Dissident Mom
Spouses' conflicting opinions on nuclear weapons policy jeopardize not only the husband (Martin Sheen)'s impending business deal, but their relationships with each other and their kids. Co-starring Lukas Haas and Amy Green.
The Day They Came to Arrest the Book
Uncomfortable with racist language in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", a high school student and his parents attempt to get the book removed from the school's library. Starring Jonathan Crombie. Special appearance by Anne Meara. Script written by Melvin Van Peebles, based on a book by Nat Hentoff.[7]
What If I'm Gay?
The popular and macho captain of his high school soccer team is forced to confront his homosexuality, after his buddies discover a male pornography magazine in his bedroom. Co-starring Gabrielle Carteris.
Juvi
Teenager Susan Atherton (Traci Lind) is wrongfully accused of theft by her stepfather, who has her arrested and placed in juvenile hall. Co-starring Khrystyne Haje. Written and directed by actress Joanna Lee.
An Enemy Among Us
A teenager is stunned to discover that he has contracted the AIDS virus after having a blood transfusion.
Season 5 (October 20, 1987 – April 19, 1988)
Episode
Synopsis
Soldier Boys
Detective Robb (James Earl Jones) investigates a club for teenage boys who take their "war game" fantasies into the real world.
Never Say Goodbye
After her grandmother is pronounced brain dead following a stroke, a teenage girl must make the painful decision whether to continue life support.
Home Sweet Homeless
After a series of bad luck, a single mother and her sons become homeless and are forced to live in their car. Co-starring Michael Faustino and Alfonso Ribeiro.
Gangs
On leave from the army, a 19-year-old returns home to find that his kid brother is the leader of a gang — a gang that he once led himself.
Season 6 (October 18, 1988 – April 11, 1989)
Episode
Synopsis
No Means No
When Megan Wells (Dana Barron) becomes a date-rape victim, she and her brother Michael (Chad Lowe) must deal with the fallout, which has lasting effects on their relationship with each other, and with the opposite sex in general. Co-starring Tracy Wells and Lori Loughlin.
Gambler
A 17-year-old becomes addicted to gambling, which soon takes over his life. Not to be confused with the James Caanmovie of the same title, despite similar subject matter. Co-starring George Dzundza.
Words to Live By
Two teenage boys are suspended from school after distributing an underground newspaper on campus. Starring Ricky Paull Goldin.
Two black teenagers are sent through time to experience how blacks were treated during the civil rights movement. Co-starring CCH Pounder.
15 and Getting Straight
A look at a drug addiction treatment center for teenagers (including real-life victims Drew Barrymore and Corey Feldman), where the counselors are ex-addicts themselves.
A Matter of Conscience
A teenager is stunned when his grandfather's Nazi past becomes known to his family. Co-starring Eli Wallach.
Season 7 (October 17, 1989 – April 24, 1990)
Episode
Synopsis
Frog Girl: The Jenifer Graham Story
A 15-year-old school girl refuses to dissect a frog and sues her school district for not allowing her to do an alternative project.
Flour Babies
A group of high school students take part in a parenting class where their assignment is to treat a sack of flour like a newborn baby. Co-starring Ian Ziering.
A Korean boy, who has been adopted by an American family, decides to attend a Korean-American summer camp to learn more about his heritage.
Maggie's Secret
15-year-old Maggie Kingston must decide how to resolve not one but two drinking problems: that of her father (Joseph Bottoms); and that of her mother (Mimi Kuzyk).
Malcolm Takes a Shot
Teenage athlete Malcolm Jones is in denial about his epilepsy, as he strives for super-stardom on the basketball court. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, who also makes a cameo as Malcolm's doctor.
Season 8 (October 16, 1990 – April 2, 1991)
Episode
Synopsis
The Fourth Man
Not to be confused with the Paul Verhoeven movie of the same title. Seeking the respect of his star athlete-father John (Tim Rossovich), teenage computer-wiz Joey Martelli (Peter Billingsley) uses steroids to make his high school track and field team...and to win cheerleader-captain Heidi (Nicole Eggert) as his girlfriend. But soon those "roids" take their toll, both on Joey's social life and on his scholastic status...and, ultimately, on his body as well. Co-starring Adrienne Barbeau (as Joey's mom Mary), Ken Medlock (as Coach Gerry James), Vince Vaughn (as Joey's best friend Steve), and Lyle Alzado (as Hugo "Bear" Volkovich); with Michael Cedar (as roid-dealing sporting goods-clerk Frank Malone), Laurence Haddon (as Principal Williams), and Dan Blom (as the Pusher at Vito's Gym). Co-scripted, executive produced, and directed by Joanna Lee; with a music score by TV host John Tesh.
Lies of the Heart
Following a hit-and-run, wealthy high school seniors Jordan Crane (Christopher Rydell) and his best friend Kyle (Christopher Collet) are forced to deal with the consequences of their actions. It does not get any easier when Jordan, who was driving, falls in love with his victim's financially struggling daughter, who has no idea (at first) that he is responsible. Also starring Tricia O'Neil as Jordan's mother; with Brooke Theiss and Vince Vaughn.
The Emancipation of Lizzie Stern
After a woman announces plans to move their family to another state, her 16-year-old daughter (Tammy Lauren) – the title character – seeks legal emancipation so she will not have to leave the school and friends she has had for so many years. Ultimately, Lizzie gets what she fought for, but wins much more than she counted on.
But He Loves Me
When teenager Cassie O'Brian (Kelli Williams) hits it off with Charlie Tyler (Donovan Leitch), the most popular boy in her school, everything is wonderful, until he becomes violent toward her. Both take turns narrating this story. Co-starring Season Hubley and Robin Tunney.
Two teenage brothers (one of them portrayed by Brice Beckham) are stunned when their mother announces that she is expecting a daughter. Co-starring Robert Picardo (as the boys' dad) and Maureen Flannigan.
50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth
Special featuring 50 things young people can do to save the earth.
Please, God, I'm Only Seventeen
Young Michael Leland is critically injured in an automobile accident, which teaches both his sister (Roxana Zal) and his best friend Steve (Stan Kirsch) never to take life for granted. Co-starring Randolph Mantooth and Talia Shire as Michael's parents.
Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love
Two teens from racially different background begin a relationship after witnessing the murder of a mutual friend.
Season 10 (October 20, 1992 – April 13, 1993)
Episode
Synopsis
Sexual Considerations
Teenager Jen (Heather McAdam) blows the whistle on sexual harassment by a classmate, so a student court is hand-picked to straighten things out. Co-starring Bernie Casey, Tito Ortiz and Hudson Leick.
Two youngsters cry censorship when their school demands that they edit out "inappropriate" portions of their student film. Co-starring Steve Guttenberg (who also directed) and John Savage.
Big Boys Don't Cry
High school wrestler Tony suspects, accurately, that his younger brother is being molested by their uncle Paul (Robert Pine). For Tony, this causes painful memories of his own sexual abuse as a child by Paul...which all but destroys Tony's life, when his parents refuse to believe him and his wrestling coach does not care. Co-starring Mario Lopez as a fellow wrestler (and the only person who's sympathetic to Tony's plight).
Crosses on the Lawn
A community begins to take sides when an affirmative action program is introduced.
Season 11 (October 12, 1993 – April 12, 1994)
Episode
Synopsis
Other Mothers
Justin Whalin portrays a teenage basketball player who has been raised by a lesbian couple. Now he must contend with the conservative views of his new high school. Co-starring Joanna Cassidy, Meredith Baxter and Judith Ivey.
Teenage girl is stunned to discover that her boyfriend has given her an STD.
Same Difference
Two teens from different cultural backgrounds face opposition from their parents when they begin to date. Co-starring Skeet Ulrich.
Season 12 (October 11, 1994 – May 30, 1995)
Episode
Synopsis
The Writing on the Wall
Three teens (one portrayed by Peter Billingsley) are arrested for defacing a Jewish temple. The indomitable rabbi (Hal Linden) – who prides himself on never writing anybody off, and on never blowing his cool (except, he admits, when the Mets lose) – persuades the judge (Steven Gilborn) to give the boys 25 hours of Holocaust/Judaism "Tolerance" education, which the rabbi himself will teach. Based on a true story.
My Summer as a Girl
Desperate for a summer job, a teenage boy (Zach Braff) masquerades as a girl to land a chambermaid job at a swanky hotel.
What About Your Friends
A unique look at the senior year successes, and failures, of three high school girlfriends (one of them portrayed by Lark Voorhies) as they prepare for college.
Kids Killing Kids
Malcolm-Jamal Warner hosts this program, which depicts four separate stories showing the tragic consequences when teens use guns to solve their problems, and how they can solve the same problem without guns. Originally aired jointly as a prime time special by CBS and Fox in May 1994.
^Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 83–84. ISBN0-8108-1651-2.
