Absolute Strangers

{{short description|1991 TV film by Gilbert Cates}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Absolute Strangers.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| genre = Drama

| director = Gilbert Cates

| writer = Robert Anderson

| starring = Henry Winkler

| music = Charles Fox

| country = United States

| language = English

| executive_producer = Gilbert Cates

| producer = Dennis E. Doty

| cinematography = Mark Irwin

| editor = Millie Moore

| runtime = 96 minutes

| location =

| company = {{Plainlist|

• Absolute Strangers Company
• Gilbert Cates Productions

}}

| network = CBS

| released = {{Start date|1991|4|14}}

}}

Absolute Strangers is a 1991 made-for-television CBS docudrama featuring Happy Days star Henry Winkler returning to his first major TV role in eight years.{{cite news | newspaper = The Free Lance-Star | title = Henry Winkler returns to acting | first = Jerry |last=Buck |agency=Associated Press | date = April 13, 1991 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wOJNAAAAIBAJ&dq=absolute-strangers%20film&pg=3062%2C2455515 }}

The screenplay, written by Robert Woodruff Anderson, was based on the true story of Marty Klein's controversial decision to have his wife Nancy undergo an abortion to aid her recovery after a head-trauma accident had left her comatose.{{cite news |last1=Singer |first1=Cathy |title=Fight for Injured Woman's Abortion in a TV Movie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/14/nyregion/fight-for-injured-womans-abortion-in-a-tv-movie.html |access-date=8 May 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=April 14, 1991}}{{cite news | title = Real Life Story Sets Up Hard Choices | first = Pat |last=Milton |agency=Associated Press| date = April 13, 1991 | newspaper = The Free Lance-Star | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wOJNAAAAIBAJ&dq=absolute-strangers%20film&pg=5524%2C2455198 }}

The title is taken from the real-life court decision that used the phrase "absolute strangers", itself apparently derived from a courtroom outburst by Klein—to describe two anti-abortion activists, one of whom sued Klein to get custody of the fetus, the other to be appointed guardian of Nancy.

The impending broadcast of the film spurred anti-abortion activists, including the American Family Association, to try to discourage advertisers from buying time during the show.{{cite news | title = Battle Lines Form Over 'Strangers' | first = Dennis |last=McDougal | date = March 13, 1991 | newspaper =Los Angeles Times | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-13-ca-273-story.html | accessdate = 2011-10-09 }}

These efforts provoked counter-demonstrations,

and campaigns of letter-writing in support of the broadcast from Planned Parenthood, the National Council of Jewish Women, and other groups.{{cite book | title = Law and the Web of Society |author-first1=Cynthia L. |author-last1=Cates |author-first2= Wayne V. |author-last2=McIntosh | pages = 187–190 | publisher = Georgetown University Press | series = Hastings Center Studies in Ethics | year = 2001 | isbn = 0-87840-860-6 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mJ7ge3HCRdsC&q=absolute.strangers&pg=PA188 }}

The real-life Klein appeared in a cameo. Henry Winkler played Martin Klein, with his wife Nancy played by Jennifer Hetrick. Others in the cast included Karl Malden as Nancy Klein's father, Patty Duke as the appeals court judge (personally opposed to abortion) in the pivotal court case, and Richard Kiley as a doctor who favors abortion in such cases.{{cite news |last=Tucker |first=Ken |date=April 12, 1991 |title=Absolute Strangers |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/04/12/absolute-strangers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920211933/https://ew.com/article/1991/04/12/absolute-strangers/ |archive-date=2021-09-20 |accessdate=2011-08-09 |newspaper=Entertainment Weekly}}{{cite news | title = Henry Winkler returns in 'Absolute Strangers | first = Ron |last=Miller | newspaper = The Day | date = April 11, 1991 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hgQhAAAAIBAJ&pg=1382%2C3041955 }}

The film's director, Gilbert Cates, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.{{cite web | title = Absolute Strangers |website = Academy of Television Arts & Sciences | url = http://www.emmys.com/shows/absolute-strangers | accessdate = 2011-10-09 }}