The Babysitter
She drove the mother mad. She seduced the father. Now, what's going to happen to little Tara?
1980 | 96m | English
Popularity: 0.8 (history)
| Director: | Peter Medak |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Jennifer Miller |
| Staring: |
| Overprotective mother Liz Benedict meets 18-year-old orphan Joanna Redwine and hires her as house help and live-in companion to rambunctious daughter Tara. Liz's husband Jeff isn't too thrilled with the arrangement, and his fears soon prove justified when Joanna begins to manipulate everyone and to slowly destroy the family. Meanwhile, next-door neighbor Dr. Linquist investigates and discovers Joanna has a disturbing past. | |
| Release Date: | Nov 28, 1980 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Peter Medak |
| Writer: | Jennifer Miller |
| Genres: | Drama, Thriller, TV Movie |
| Keywords | babysitter, seduction, psychopath |
| Production Companies | Moonlight Productions, Filmways Television, ABC |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 03, 2024 Entered: Apr 21, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Patty Duke | Liz Benedict |
| William Shatner | Dr. Jeff Benedict |
| Quinn Cummings | Tara Benedict |
| Stephanie Zimbalist | Joanna Redwine |
| David Wallace | Scotty |
| Kenneth Tigar | Tom Montgomery |
| Virginia Kiser | Mrs. Welford |
| John Houseman | Dr. Lindquist |
| Hildy Brooks | Barbara |
| Frank Birney | Mr. Farragut |
| Ty Haller | Minister |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Peter Medak | Director |
| Marian Green | Stunt Double |
| Louie Elias | Stunt Coordinator |
| Jennifer Miller | Writer |
| Rexford L. Metz | Director of Photography |
| Salli Bailey | Hairstylist |
| Richard M. Rosenbloom | Executive In Charge Of Production |
| John M. Poer | First Assistant Director |
| Melvin Shapiro | Editor |
| Douglas Higgins | Art Direction |
| Kimberley Richardson | Set Decoration |
| Les Berns | Makeup Artist |
| Stanley Neufeld | Production Manager |
| Hugh Spencer-Phillips | Second Assistant Director |
| Mia Laschuk | Third Assistant Director |
| James H. Chow | Property Master |
| Rich Harrison | Sound Effects |
| Larry Sutton | Sound Mixer |
| Betty Thomas Quee | Stunt Double |
| James R. Connell | Camera Operator |
| John S. Bartley | Gaffer |
| Chris Helcermanas-Benge | Still Photographer |
| Len Wolfe | Best Boy Electric |
| Shari Feldman | Wardrobe Designer |
| Susanne Gervay | Negative Cutter |
| Bobbie Shapiro | Assistant Editor |
| Terri Fricon | Music Supervisor |
| John Mick | Music Editor |
| Pattie Robertson | Script Supervisor |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Frank von Zerneck | Executive Producer |
| David Garcia Jr. | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 3 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2024 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Trending Position
**_One of the first lethal Lolita flicks_** A wealthy couple and their daughter (William Shatner, Patty Duke & Quinn Cummings) move to Bainbridge Island across from Seattle wherein they enlist the services of an 18 year-old who has befriended their daughter (Stephanie Zimbalist). Big mistake. J ... ohn Houseman is on hand. "The Babysitter" (1980) is a drama/mystery with a bit o’ thriller/horror that influenced future movies like “Summer Girl” (1983), “Poison Ivy” (1992) and "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" (1992). Patty Duke was 33 during shooting while Zimbalist was 23. Anyone who’s enamored by the latter will like this flick more than me (I think she needed to eat some cheeseburgers). It’s well done for a television production and has a sense of artistry (like “Poison Ivy,” just less so), but there’s also some tedious drama. I appreciated the fact that at least one boating outing was shot in the rain, which is apropos for the region. The movie runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in Burnaby and Deer Park, British Columbia, with some 2nd unit shots of Puget Sound around Bainbridge Island and Seattle. GRADE: B-