Actors - A Thousand Clowns

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	Actors - A Thousand Clowns

A Thousand Clowns is a 1965 film which tells the story of a young boy who lives with his eccentric uncle, who is forced to conform to society in order to keep custody of the boy. It stars Jason Robards, Barbara Harris, Martin Balsam, Gene Saks, William Daniels and Barry Gordon.

Unemployed television writer Murray Burns (Jason Robards) lives in New York in a one-bedroom apartment with his twelve-year old nephew, Nick (Barry Gordon). Murray, through his own choosing, has been unemployed for five months after walking out on his previous job. Nick was abandoned by Murray's sister a few years before, and now attends a school for gifted children.

When Nick writes a school assignment on the benefits of the unemployment system, some of what he writes about his home surroundings causes his school to send social workers to investigate his home environment. Confronted by investigators for the Child Welfare Bureau, Murray is given the option of finding a job or losing custody of his nephew. Along the way, Murray charms and seduces Sandra (Barbara Harris), the young psychologist assigned to Nick's case.

Although Murray tries to avoid returning to work, he finds himself in a dilemma: if he wishes to keep his nephew, he must swallow his dignity and acknowledge his greater responsibilities. When he then chooses to go back to work for a man he detests, he ultimately loses the respect of the nephew he so highly prizes.

The movie was adapted by Herb Gardner from his play, and directed by Fred Coe.

It won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Martin Balsam) and was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

Quotations

Murray Burns: "You've gotta own your own days and name 'em! Each one of 'em, every one of 'em! Or else the years go right by, and none of them belong to you."

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