Best Family Movies of 1983

Ebenezer Scrooge is far too greedy to understand that Christmas is a time for kindness and generosity. But with the guidance of some new found friends, Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season. A retelling of the classic Dickens tale with Disney's classic characters.

Jack and Caroline are a couple making a decent living When Jack suddenly loses his job. They agree that he should stay at home and look after the house while Caroline works. It's just that he's never done it before, and really doesn't have a clue...

In a small American town, a diabolical circus arrives, granting wishes for the townsfolk, but twisted as only the esteemed Mr. Dark can make them. Can two young boys overcome the worst the devil himself can deal out?

Based on the true story of May Lemke. Her adopted son Leslie was born with cerebral palsy. May teaches him basic survival skills through the years. In his teens, he suddenly manifests an ability to play classical music on the piano.

Albert Quinn Ingalls wants to be a doctor. But soon he discovers that he is fatally ill. He decides to spend the rest of his life in Walnut Grove. Meanwhile children from school are preparing for their traditional climbing of the mountain.

One spring, Mole decides that he can ignore the spring cleaning for a little longer, and begins a series of adventures with his new friend Rat. They go for a picnic on the riverbank, on a caravan expedition with Toad, until Toad switches allegiance to his new car and his reckless driving makes Mole and Rat search out Badger for help in curbing Toad's profligate habits. But Toad gets away from them and gets a 20-year sentence from the magistrate for theft, reckless driving, and Gross Impertinence. While Toad works his wiles on the jailer's daughter and escapes jail dressed as a washer woman, Badger tries to guard Toad Hall from the machinations of the Weasels and is badly beaten. And it requires a plan of attack and all four comrades to regain Toad Hall.

Winnie the Pooh and friends decide to throw a birthday celebration for gloomy, old Eeyore.

An ancient church is being dismantled and moved to a new location, stone by stone. One of the gargoyles from the stones falls into the possession of a mother who takes the stone man back to her family. Soon after, four strangers show up in the village and the Sogood & Firkettle children seem to be the only ones who question the mysterious things that begin to happen. This film was originally broadcast across six 25 minute episodes with a total runtime of 150 minutes. A few years later, the US cable network Nickelodeon edited the miniseries into a 2 hour (including commercials) movie block. This 2 hour edited version was shown throughout the 1980s on US television.

Phar Lap, the big bold chestnut reigned as the king of the turf in the depression that gripped Australia of the 1930s. From his humble beginnings the New Zealand bred horse raced on to become the hero of a nation.

Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales find a treasure map that leads them to a wishing well, which for a penny will grant any wish (through old cartoon footage). Daffy sets up a resort around the well and various Looney Tunes characters have their dreams come true. Meanwhile, Yosemite Sam and the Tasmanian Devil hunt for the varmints who stole their treasure map!

An English teacher and struggling single mother has her life disrupted when the father who abandoned her as a child comes back into her life.

"Black" is a stunning fire-and-silk stallion celebrated the world over. But to his young American owner, Alec Ramsay (Kelly Reno), he's much more. So, when the amazing animal is stolen, Alec will stop at nothing to get him back. Alec finally unravels the mystery of Black's theft...only to discover that he must overcome even greater odds to reclaim his beloved horse.

The first four episodes of Gerry Anderson's 1980s Supermarionation series. In 'Expect the Unexpected (Part 1)' Queen Zelda attacks and destroys a NASA Mars expedition. 'Expect the Unexpected (Part 2)' sees Zelda offer to make peace with the Terrahawks. 'Thunder Roar' finds the Terrahawks battling the mighty Sram, Lord of Felony. 'Close Call' has an investigative reporter threatens to expose the Terrahawks on worldwide television.

Dot ventures out into the bush determined to finally locate the little lost joey and reunite him with his mother. On her way she meets a silly bunny rabbit who tries to convince Dot that he is the joey she is looking for. Dot is delighted by his antics and names her new companion 'Funny Bunny'. Together they continue the search for the joey. On the way Dot learns that Funny Bunny is really a very lonely rabbit. His family were killed by hunters and he has been on his own ever since. They find mother kangaroo, and though she has not yet found her joey, when she sees the lonely bunny she realises she has found someone else to look after.

Garfield escapes from the car on a trip to the vet and finds the place where he grew up.

A valiant knight, Dirk the Daring is on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon.

Rocky Mountain Holiday is a one-hour musical variety special featuring John Denver and the Muppets, which aired on ABC on May 12, 1983. In the special, John and the Muppets go on a summer camping trip to the Rocky Mountains.

As the Metropolitan Museum of Art closes, Big Bird decides to leave his Sesame Street friends behind in search of Snuffy. Once locked inside for the night, educational hilarity ensues as Big Bird and Snuffy team up to help a small Egyptian boy solve a riddle - as the rest of the cast searches for their big, yellow friend.

As Halloween approaches, the bears of Bearbank begin to fear an invasion of monsters from nearby Monster Mountain. As most of the bears prepare to leave the city, one brave little bear, Ted E. Bear, sets out to confront fear!

Charlie Brown is having hallucinations as a result of a rash on the back of his head resembling the stitchings of a baseball, most notably seeing the rising sun as a baseball. He goes to camp to take his mind off of baseball with a paper sack on his head to cover up said rash and is suddenly elected camp president as the other kids find his appearance cool. But then he removes his sack the next morning and becomes uncool again. He watches the sun rise, fearing that it will appear as a rising baseball. Instead, the sun is replaced with MAD Magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman.

Abandoned by his father after his mother dies, young PS lives in suburban Sydney with his aunt Lila and her husband George. While they lead a modest existence, PS is happy with them. However, his contentment is derailed when Lila's wealthy sister, Vanessa, returns from England and takes an interest in PS.

The Maida family has moved to Oregon, and daughter Tami wants to play quarterback for the high school football team. There's just one problem. She's a girl. With everyone from the coach to her next door neighbor against her, she's out to prove that not only can she can play football, but she can win the state championship. (Based on a true story)

Alex believed in his baseball hero Billy Young. When Billy's performance struggled, Alex's friends began to doubt Alex; and Billy began to doubt himself. Alex wants to prove to his friends, to Billy, and to himself that believing in someone can make the difference.

This is a made for tv adaptation of Barbara Robinson's novel The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H stars as Grace Bradley who inherits the job of running her church's Christmas pageant when the woman who usually does it breaks her leg tripping over the extremely long wire she has on her telephone.Not only does Grace inherit this disaster it gets worse when the Herdman kids - all six of them. The Herdmans are notorious for abusing each other and stealing from and abusing other kids as well. They smoke, steal, lie, bully and generally create havoc in their town.Their father disappeared years earlier and mother works two shifts at the shoe factory to support herself and the kids while the kids run wild.But this WILL be the best Christmas pageant ever when the Herdman kids learn the Christmas story and about the true meaning of Christmas.

Tim Burton's reimagined classic combines live action and stop motion, making for a creepy adventure into the woods. It is known for having aired only once on Disney Channel, on Halloween Night in 1983.

1983 live-action television broadcast produced by the Minneapolis Children's Theatre Company.

A lonely 10-year-old boy living with his parents in a remote coastal part of Alaksa, spontaneously finds a legendary golden seal and her newborn pup. But the greed for her valuable pelt sets off the hunters, including his own father, the local natives, and an ambitious poacher in pursuit the seal. The golden seal and her cub are hunted for a huge bounty on her head and the mythological legend

Why do over 1,000 New York City schoolchildren audition for a modern dance program that requires them to sacrifice free time and involvement in sports and music? For a chance to study with the charismatic Jacques d'Amboise at the National Dance Institute. His philosophy--that creativity exists within everyone and that trying one's best ensures success--forms the foundation of a unique dance program. This documentary chronicles one school-year-long program including initial auditions, rehearsals, and the creation of an exclusive "SWAT" team, and culminates in an amazing, year-end performance at New York's Felt Forum. D'Amboise's enthusiasm is infectious--children, parents, teachers, professional dancers and musicians, and even local law enforcement officers find themselves involved in his productions. This Academy Award-winning documentary details the inspiring story of how one talented dancer's vision flourished into a coveted New York City dance program.

In the Australian outback a family struggles to keep its farm from foreclosure. Their only hope is that their horse, Prince, will win money in a New Year's race. But when Prince is stolen the children embark on a dangerous and exciting adventure to get him back.

The Secret World of Og is a children's adventure about three young girls who venture into an underground cavern beneath their playhouse to look for their lost baby brother. There, they discover a land of little green people who are enamored by the world above but won't allow anyone to leave their cavern for fear they might "tell".

Two curious toys, Peepers and Zoom, wonder about how they become toys. Aided by Robin, their equally curious owner, Zoom and Peepers visit a toy museum - "Home for Old Toys" to discover their existence.

To save her ranch after the accidental death of her husband, a woman marries the man responsible for the mishap.

A group of orphans and their guardian get together to try to save their orphanage.

An aspiring mystery writer becomes accidently embroiled in an international plot during a two-week stay in Malta.

The eponymous Dusty is an appropriately named dingo, or wild dog. Roaming the fertile fields of Australia, Dusty is captured as a puppy. Though dingoes are normally averse to human companionship, Dusty attaches himself to an old, worn-out shepherd, played by Bill Kerr. The dog gives Kerr a reason for living, and vice versa. Be sure to have plenty of Kleenex handy for some of the mistier passages of Dusty.

Frederic Lansing is a writer who hopes to find inspiration while vacationing in Hellview, Oregon; however, the lighthouse in which he's staying is haunted by the ghost of Venetia, who had killed herself 100 years ago and now wants to use Lansing as a vessel for her dead husband, Captain Howdy. When Howdy's ghost starts killing people, two bumbling scientists are brought in to investigate the history of the lighthouse and solve the case.

An award winning high school football coach finds himself out of work, and switching roles with his wife for the summer when she goes back to work for the first time in 15 years.

Holmes & Watson have one baffling clue to help them track down the crime of an American visitor in London.

In order to save the life of her father, Beauty agrees to stay forever in the Beast's castle, not realizing he is really a handsome prince who is under the spell of a fairy.

An elderly woman searches for her lost dog. Director Roy Watts' 1984 drama stars Lillian Gish, Timothy Bottoms, Candy Clark, O. J. Simpson, Alan Hale Jr. and Jack Carter.

Set in northeastern England shortly after the Battle of Britain (February 1941), it features children who find a crashed German aircraft with a machine gun and ammunition; they build a fortress and capture and imprison a German gunner.

Herself must stop an evil king from upsetting the balance of nature in this animated adventure.

"The Raccoons and the Lost Star" is the last totally original Raccoons .... On a far-away planet, Cyril Sneer plots his takeover of earth.

A group of cats have a warm safe place to stay but no food. When Tom the Turkey comes to town to begin his acting career the cats intervene so they can have turkey for Thanksgiving. A pack of neighborhood dogs who guard a local restaurant have all the food they want but are freezing. Learning about the cats' plot to turn Tom into dinner they try to stop the cats. Soon they realize if they work together everyone would have enough to eat and a safe place to stay.

The Charmkins is a television film based on an early 1980s toyline by Hasbro, which was broadcast on October 25, 1983.

After Dan collapses at a train station, he enlists Maxie to watch his beloved dog, Molly. Maxie develops a soft spot for her new furry companion - a dog which has a unique ability to sing in tune.

A boy named Peter must save Easter. An evil character named Tin Whiskers takes over the town and re-names everything including the streets to have tin in the name. He has several animal friends who help him and Mother Nature even gives him help.

Television Short

In this TV special, Sherman the elf bungles his way from one job to the next at the North Pole, trying to find where he fits in. Finally, Santa Claus gives him the assignment of guarding his magic toy bag on Christmas Eve.