Friendly Fire

Television covered Vietnam more extensively than any war in history. Only recently has that conflict received serious dramatic treatment. An ABC Theatre presentation, Friendly Fire showed the effect of that war on one Iowa farm family. This true story recounts the efforts of the Mullens family as the search to find out how their son was killed by “friendly fire”—that is, his own side. Starring Carol Burnett and Ned Beatty, the program depicts their growing bitterness over military indifference. The result was a powerful and compassionate case study of how they came to support anti-war cause in the process. For facing a touch issue in exemplary style, ABC-TV is awarded a Peabody.