Film

Four of Mitch Albom’s best sellers have been turned into successful TV movies. Oprah Winfrey produced the film version of Tuesdays With Morrie in December 1999, starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. The film garnered four Emmy awards, including best TV film, director, actor and supporting actor. The critically acclaimed Five People You Meet in Heaven aired on ABC in winter, 2004. Directed by Lloyd Kramer, the film was the most watched TV movie of the year, with 19 million viewers.   In 2019, Fox issued a script-to-series development order for a new one-hour drama.

Oprah Winfrey Presents Mitch Albom’s For One More Day aired on ABC in December 2007 and earned Ellen Burstyn a Screen Actors Guild nomination. Most recently. Hallmark Hall of Fame produced the film adaptation of Have a Little Faith, which aired on ABC in November 2011. It starred Laurence Fishburne, Bradley Whitford, Martin Landau, and Anika Noni Rose.

In 2013, Warner Bros. optioned the film rights to The First Phone Call from Heaven  for a feature film release.

Other film projects include a feature based on the story of NHL MVP John Scott, and a potential film/series by Kevin Smith based on the Warren Zevon song, “Hit Somebody!”

Tuesdays with Morrie

“Does the book justice – a pretty impressive feat.”
-Ray Richmond, Daily Variety

Oprah Winfrey approached Mitch Albom about turning Tuesdays With Morrie into a made-for-television film not long after the book was published. The film, which aired on ABC-TV in December 1999, was directed by Mick Jackson and starred Jack Lemmon, as Morrie, in what was to be his last major role and one he would subsequently say was “my favorite.”

Lemmon was rewarded with the Outstanding Lead Actor In A Mini-Series or Movie Emmy for his performance. Hank Azaria, who played Mitch, also won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor and the film won the Emmy for Outstanding Made-For-Television Movie. With an audience of nearly 25 million people, it was the most watched TV film of the year.

“…perhaps the best network television movie in recent memory, a story of surprising wit and humanity, formed with simple grace around the last months of the real-life Brandeis professor and Newton native Morrie Schwartz.”
– John Koch, The Boston Globe

The Cast

Mick Jackson | Director
Jack Lemmon | Morrie Schwartz
Hank Azaria | Mitch Albom
Wendy Moniz | Janine
Caroline Aaron | Connie
Bonnie Bartlett | Charlotte
Aaron Lustig | Rabbi Al Axelrod
Bruce Nozick | Morrie’s Father
Ivo Cutzarida | Sergio
John Carroll Lynch | Walter
Dan Thiel | Shawn Daley
Kyle Sullivan | Young Morrie
Christian J. Meoli | Aldo

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

“Beautifully acted and gorgeously produced.”
USA Today

Hallmark Entertainment produced the three hour TV event of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, which aired on ABC-TV in December 2004 with an all star cast of Academy Award Winner Jon Voight, as Eddie, Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn, as Ruby, Emmy Award Winner Michael Imperioli, as the Captain, and Golden Globe nominee Jeff Daniels, as the Blue Man.

It was the first film of his books for which Mitch wrote the screenplay. Directed by Lloyd Kramer, the film was critically acclaimed and the most watched TV movie of the year, with 19 million viewers and  No. 1 among 18-to-49 year-olds in its Sunday night time slot. 

“Earns tears with finesse and fearlessness.”
The Washington Post

“A miniature war movie, a revenge drama, a love story and a classic tale.”
Chicago Tribune

The Cast

  • Lloyd Kramer | Director
  • Jon Voight | Eddie
  • Ellen Burstyn | Ruby
  • Jeff Daniels | Blue Man
  • Dagmara Dominczyk | Marguerite
  • Steven Grayhm | Young Eddie
  • Michael Imperioli | Captain
  • Callum Keith Rennie | Eddie’s father
  • Rebecca Jenkins | Eddie’s mother
  • Callahan Brebner | Eddie as a boy
  • Nicaela & Shelbie Weigel | Tala
  • Darcy Cadman | Young Joe
  • Tim O’Halloran | Mickey Shea
  • Zak Santiago | Dominguez
  • Janine Sabino-Albom | Swing Band Singer

For One More Day

The ABC Television Network, Harpo Films and Mitch Albom re-teamed for the two-hour television event motion picture Oprah Winfrey Presents:  Mitch Albom’s “For One More Day,”  based on Mitch’s book, For One More Day. Directed by Lloyd Kramer (“The Five People You Meet in Heaven” ) and starring Emmy Award winning actor Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”) and Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn (“The Fountain,” “The Exorcist,”) the film premiered Sunday, December 9, 2007. 

Burstyn received a Screen Actors’ Guild award nomination for her role as Posey Benetto, while director Lloyd Kramer was nominated for a Directors Guild award. The film won the 2008 Satellite Award forBest Motion Picture Made for Television.

For One More Day is a story about forgiveness, it’s about redemption, and ultimately love between a mother and her son. When I read the book, I was so moved by its message, I decided to make it a special Oprah Winfrey Presents television movie.”
– Oprah

The Cast

  • Lloyd Kramer | Director
  • Michael Imperioli | Charles Benetto
  • Ellen Burstyn | Pauline (Posey) Benetto
  • Emily Wickersham | Maria Benetto Lang
  • Scott Cohen | Leonard Benetto
  • Vadim Imperioli | Young Charley ‘Chick’ Benetto
  • Samantha Mathis | Young Pauline ‘Posey’ Benetto
  • Lexie Drago | Maria Benetto
  • Jaclyn Tommer | Roberta Benetto
  • Catherine Pierce | Shirley
  • Mardi Jones | Young Miss Thelma
  • Sara Jerez | Gianna Benetto

Have a Little Faith

“A lovely, earnest exploration of faith and a rare holiday recognition that every religion demands more from us than cards and toys.” —USA Today

“Challenging. Engaging. Entertaining. Thought provoking.”
– Catholic.org

A major made-for-television movie, the film version of Have a Little Faith aired Sunday, November 27, 2011 on ABC. It was the first Hallmark Hall of Fame film broadcast on ABC since 1995. Filmed in Detroit and even at Pilgrim Church, home to the late Pastor Henry Covington, the film stars Laurence Fishburne, Martin Landau, Brad Whitford and Anika Noni Rose.

Have a Little Faith and Anika Noni Rose were nominated for 2011 NAACP Image Awards. The film also garnered a 2012 Prism award nomination and won a 2012 Christopher Award.

“One of their best productions ever…An engrossing story, true emotional impact, and some of the best performances seen on TV this year.”
The Huffington Post

“From the street-wise spiritual insight of Covington, to Lewis’ timeless wisdom, to the touching eulogy Albom delivers at the end of the film, it is both inspiring and moving, sometimes in surprising ways.”
– Beliefnet

The Cast

  • Jon Avnet | Director
  • Laurence Fishburne | Henry Covington
  • Bradley Whitford | Mitch Albom
  • Martin Landau | Albert Lewis
  • Anika Noni Rose | Annette Covington
  • Mykelti Williamson | Donnie
  • Deanna Dunagan | Sarah Lewis
  • Melinda McGraw | Janine
  • Anthony Castelow | Cass
  • Bryce Clyde Jenkins | Young Henry
  • Langston Fishburne | Henry in 20’s
  • Wayne David Parker | Gene
  • Jonathan Adams | Willie Covington
  • April Parker Jones | Wilma Covington
  • Larry VanBuren, Jr. | Derrick Covington
Walk with Me Poster

a film by Jesse Nesser

Mitch Albom
Executive Producer

Walk With Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith tells the story of ten extraordinary years, four unprecedented cases, and one unconventional federal Judge, who forever changed civil rights in the U.S. In the wake of the 1967 Detroit race riots, rookie African American Judge Damon J. Keith caused controversy by rooting out hidden discriminatory practices that had been woven into our housing, school, work, and police institutions. Believing that the law could and should be used to pursue social change and racial equality, Keith shook the nation as he challenged the status quo and faced off against angry crowds, the KKK, and even a sitting U.S. President. Visit www.thedkdoc.com for more info.
Kevin Smith Updates on ‘Hit Somebody’

Kevin Smith Updates on ‘Hit Somebody’

During a recent live recording of his Fatman on Batman podcast, Kevin explained: "I did two episodes of SModcast where I read two of the scripts based on that, somebody heard it and said, 'Ooh, can we do that here, why don't you bring it here and we'll do it here and...

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Damon Keith Doc at Royal Oak Film Festival and More

Damon Keith Doc at Royal Oak Film Festival and More

Fall screenings for Walk with Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith begin at home at the Royal Oak Film Festival with a post-film question-and-answer session with Keith, producer Mitch Albom and director Jesse Nesser. Oct 13 - 15:  Wichita, KS - Tallgrass Film Festival  |...

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