Year:	1985
Director:	Waris Hussein
Screenplay:	Joyce Eliason

Ellen Burstyn as Tina Brogan

Len Cariou as David Brogan

Zach Galligan as Rick Brogan

Marsha Mason as Lois

Mollie Ringwald as Lonnie

Paul Sorvino as Harvey

River Phoenix as Philip Brogan

Heather O'Rourke as Sarah Brogan

Marc Gilpin as Bobby

Released over the years as "Surviving," "Surviving: A Family in Crisis" and "Tragedy" this TV movie, which plays out over two and a half hours, would provide River with the biggest role yet of his early career bringing to life the character of Philip Brogan.

It would be halfway through filming this project that Iris Burton would contact River and his family with details of a possible role in the film Explorers. Unfortunately, the proposed auditions would clash with the filming schedule of this movie so it looked as though River would miss out. Only last minute changes by director Waris Hussein allowed River to leave the Oklahoma based set and return to Los Angeles.

This would be River's last TV performance before he got his big break into movies. "Some people find security in routine, but I could never live that way," he said. "That's why I could never be on a television series - that would call for routine, for getting up in the morning at a certain time, going to work, going through the same thing, playing the same character."

River would appear in one last TV movie entitled Circle of Violence: A Family Drama. This project was filmed shortly after completing Stand By Me.

Tragically, the lives of both the child stars in this movie would be cut cruelly short. River would be dead in a little over nine years following the completion of this film. Heather O'Rourke would enjoy life for a mere two and a half years more. She passed away as a result of complications setting in during surgery. In a further twist of fate, both would lose their respective battles for life in the same hospital - the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

We miss them both.

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