The Old Man Who Cried Wolf

The Old Man Who Cried Wolf is a 1970 American made-for-television thriller film directed by Walter Grauman and starring Edward G. Robinson, Martin Balsam and Diane Baker. It originally aired as the ABC Movie of the Week on October 13, 1970.^[1]

The Old Man Who Cried Wolf
Cover of 1980 VHS release
Written by	Luther Davis
Directed by	Walter Grauman
Starring	Edward G. Robinson Martin Balsam Diane Baker Ruth Roman Percy Rodrigues Sam Jaffe
Music by	Robert Drasnin
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producer	Aaron Spelling
Producer	Walter Grauman
Cinematography	Arch R. Dalzell
Editor	Art Seid
Running time	73 minutes
Production company	Aaron Spelling Productions
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	October 13, 1970 (1970-10-13)

Plot

Robinson portrays an elderly man who witnesses the murder of a friend.

Cast

• Edward G. Robinson as Emile Pulska
• Martin Balsam as Stanley Pulska
• Diane Baker as Peggy Pulska
• Ruth Roman as Lois
• Percy Rodrigues as Frank Jones
• Sam Jaffe as Abe Stillman
• Edward Asner as Dr. Morheim
• Martin E. Brooks as Hudson F. Ewing
• Jay C. Flippen as Pawnbroker

Production

Robinson described it as "a most rewarding experience, one which I thoroughly enjoyed".^[2] Writer Luther Davis adapted the movie from a story by Arnold Horwitt.^[3]

Reception

The film was very well received by critics. Robinson's performance was critically acclaimed and was suggested for awards.^[4] It was the seventh most-watched primetime program in the United States for the week upon its debut.^[5]

The Hollywood Reporter called Robinson's performance "strong and moving".^[2]

The Los Angeles Times said Robinson's performance was "filled with skill and nuance" but the film "broke your heart by being a cop out of what it might have been."^[6]