Skyward (film)

Bette Davis stars as a flight instructor at an old Texas airport. When a young girl in a wheelchair finds the airport by watching gliders fly, she decides she wants to learn how to fly. Davis teaches her to fly with some special controls adapted for her disability. Howard Hesseman is an aircraft repair service mechanic trying desperately to get an old airplane back in the air. The three, together, put the young girl and the old plane up in the air.

The film was made on location in Rockwall, Texas, with the plot centering on the town's airport.[4][5]

Director Ron Howard has credited this film as helping to convince studios that he could direct feature films. Getting General Electric to sponsor the film was a big step, and getting Bette Davis on board was also ambitious. Howard recalls that Bette Davis was initially concerned about Gilstrap's casting because she had no real acting experience. Davis referred to Howard to "Mr. Howard" at the beginning of the first day of filming, but he soon became "Ron," and she later highly complimented his work, telling him he could be another William Wyler.[6][7]

John J. O'Connor of The New York Times opined that G.E. Theater, "an indefatigable supplier of upbeat dramas," had "clearly found itself another hefty dose of safe inspiration" in this film. But he did credit the casting of paraplegic teenager Suzy Gilstrap[8] in the lead role, as well as the casting of Bette Davis and Howard Hesseman.[9] Tom Shales of The Washington Post called the movie "one sweet piece of work" and a "lyrical heartwarmer."[4]

The movie was the 16th ranked prime time television show in the United States for the week of its release, with a 22.0 Nielsen rating.[10]

The movie's success led to a one-hour Christmas special directed by Vincent McEveety in December 1981 called Skyward Christmas. Though Gilstrap reprised her role as Julie, the cast was largely new and the production generally received poor reviews.[11][8]

• Bette Davis as Billie Dupree
• Howard Hesseman as Koup Trenton
• Marion Ross as Natalie Ward
• Clu Gulager as Steve Ward
• Ben Marley as Scott Billings
• Lisa Whelchel as Lisa Ward
• Suzy Gilstrap as Julie Ward[12]
• Irma P. Hall as Mrs. Sinclair
• Mark Wheeler as Mr. Olsen
• Jessie Lee Fulton as Secretary
• Bill Thurman as Pilot #1
• Rance Howard as Pilot #2
• Rhonda Minton as Stephanie
• Gene Pietragallo as Jason
• Greta Blackburn as Miss Russell
• Jeff Nicholson as Theatre Usher
• Kate Finlayson as Nurse
• Rusty McCaskey as Boy in Class
• Bill Blackwood as himself

• Skyward at IMDb