The Longest Night is a 1972 American made-for-television drama film written by Merwin Gerard and directed by Jack Smight. This movie was originally shown as an ABC Movie of the Week on September 12, 1972. It is based on the 1968 Barbara Mackle kidnapping by Gary Steven Krist.
Contents
Plot
The plot concerns the kidnapping of Karen Chambers, daughter of wealthy Alan Chambers. The kidnapper holds her underground in a homemade coffin. He leaves her there, with a fan for air and a gallon of water, until he receives the ransom money. Her family frantically searches for her.
Cast
David Janssen as Alan Chambers
James Farentino as John Danbury
Phyllis Thaxter as Norma Chambers
Skye Aubrey as Ellen Gunther
Mike Farrell as Wills
Sallie Shockley as Karen Chambers
Joel Fabiani as Barris
Richard Anderson as Harvey Eaton
Charles McGraw as Father Chase
John Kerr as Agent Jones
Robert Cornthwaite as Frank Cavanaugh
Ross Elliott as Dr. Steven Clay
Tom Hallick as Officer Clark
Antony Carbone as Officer Jackson
Joe Conley as Salesman
Production
Filming started June 1972 at Universal studios.
Legacy
The film inspired a story Quentin Tarantino stole for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which the show's house writers scripted into an episode he directed in 2005 titled Grave Danger, a two-hour season finale in which the Las Vegas crime team had to rescue a colleague who has been buried alive.