Directed by Eric Till   Written by Charles Dickens   Jerome Coopersmith   Cast Henry Winkler ... Benedict Slade David Wayne ... Merrivale Chris Wiggins ... Mr. Nathaniel Brewster R.H. Thomson ... Thatcher Ken Pogue ... Jack Latham (as Kenneth Pogue) Gerard Parkes ... Jessup Susan Hogan ... Helen Brewster Will Bermender ... Orphan (as Will Bermender) Dorian Harewood ... Matt Reeves Tammy Bourne ... Sarah Thatcher Brett Matthew Davidson ... Orphan Christopher Crabb ... Tim Chris Cragg ... Jonathan Thatcher James B. Douglas ... Sam Perkins Arlene Duncan ... Jennie Reeves Linda Goranson ... Mrs. Doris Thatcher Derrick Jones ... Harry Barnes Cec Linder ... Auctioneer Sylvia Marie Llewellyn ... Latham's Secretary (as Sylvia Llewellyn) Jefferson Mappin ... Joe Mary Pirie ... Mrs. Brewster Sammy Snyders ... Young Slade Ruth Springford ... Mrs. Tidings Justine Till ... Young Helen Michael Wincott ... Choir Leader William Ballantyne ... Minister Frank Gibbs ... Fire Chief Uncredited Cast Alexander Galant ... Orphan Produced by Stanley Chase   Edgar J. Scherick   Jon Slan   Gary Smith   Original Music by Hagood Hardy

Additional Info Premiere: December 16, 1979 DVD Release: November 23, 1999 Blu-ray Release: October 09, 2012 Countries: Distributor: Shout! Factory Websites: Production Companies Smith-Hemion Productions Stanley Chase Productions Distributors American Broadcasting Company (ABC)   (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing) Live Distributing Inc.   (1993) (USA) (VHS) GoodTimes Home Video   (1995) (USA) (VHS) Image Entertainment   (2002) (USA) (DVD) Shout! Factory   (2012) (USA) (DVD) Shout! Factory   (2012) (USA) (Blu-ray) (DVD) Vestron Video   (USA) (VHS) Rating Stats Overall Rating 6.8 / 10 Our Rating -- / 10 Your Friends -- / 10 Male Users -- / 10 Female Users -- / 10 Site Ranking #7,863 / 21,054 Site Ranking #7,859 Behemoth (2011) #7,860 Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary (2018) #7,861 Gumnaam (1965) #7,862 Fight For Your Life (1977) #7,863 An American Christmas Carol (1979) #7,864 Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017) #7,865 School Spirit (2019) #7,866 The Tooth Fairy (2006) #7,867 Bates Motel (1987)