Film Overview and Production Details
Little Girl Lost is a 1988 American television drama film starring Drew Barrymore as a child who goes missing. The movie was produced by Touchstone Television for ABC and directed by Sharron Miller. Drew Barrymore was six years old during filming, and the project marked one of her early roles before her breakout in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The film centers on the psychological thriller of a family searching for their abducted daughter, with Barrymore playing the lead role of Amy.
The production company behind Little Girl Lost was Touchstone Television, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The film premiered on ABC on September 25, 1988, and was written by screenwriter Anna Sandor. The runtime is approximately 96 minutes, and the film was shot primarily in Los Angeles, California. The television movie format placed it within the broader network TV movie market of the late 1980s, a period when studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal produced hundreds of made-for-TV films annually.
Cast and Character Breakdown
Drew Barrymore stars as Amy, the young girl who becomes lost and is later found in a traumatic situation. The supporting cast includes actors such as Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker, who play the parents. The film features a strong ensemble of character actors typical of 1980s television movies, with roles focused on law enforcement and medical professionals who aid in the search.
The cast list for Little Girl Lost includes several actors who went on to work in major studio productions. Drew Barrymore's performance as the lead was noted by critics for its emotional intensity, given her age at the time. The film's director, Sharron Miller, had prior credits in television drama, and the screenplay was adapted from a true story framework common in network TV movies of the era. Additional cast members include supporting roles played by character actors who frequently appeared in ABC and CBS television films throughout the 1980s.
Financial Performance and Legacy
As a made-for-television movie, Little Girl Lost did not receive a theatrical box office release, so financial data is limited to television ratings and licensing revenue. The film aired on ABC and drew significant viewership for a network TV movie in 1988. Television movies during this period typically generated revenue through advertising slots and later through syndication and home video sales.
The legacy of Little Girl Lost is tied to Drew Barrymore's early career trajectory, which eventually led to her founding the production company Flower Films. Flower Films has produced and financed multiple feature films, including Never Been Kissed and Charlie's Angels, with a reported net worth for Barrymore exceeding $125 million according to recent Forbes estimates. The film remains accessible on streaming platforms and is cataloged in television archives as part of the broader ABC telefilm library. For more details on Drew Barrymore's career and financial standing, see the Forbes profile on Drew Barrymore's net worth.