Sunshine (1973 film)

Sunshine
Australian official theatrical release poster
GenreDocudrama
Based onjournal
by Jacquelyn M. Helton
Teleplay byCarol Sobieski
Directed byJoseph Sargent
StarringCristina Raines
Cliff DeYoung
Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush
Theme music composerJohn Denver
Hal Mooney
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerGeorge Eckstein
Running time125 minutes
Production companyUniversal Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseNovember 9, 1973 (1973-11-09)

Sunshine is a 1973 American made-for-television docudrama, directed by Joseph Sargent and produced by George Eckstein, about a young wife and mother who dies of cancer at age 20. The film stars Cristina Raines in the lead role of Kate Hayden (Raines' first big movie role), Cliff DeYoung as Kate's husband Sam Hayden, and twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush as Jill, Kate and Sam's daughter, as a toddler. It originally aired on CBS as an episode of the CBS Friday Night Movie on November 9, 1973. When first aired, Sunshine was the most watched made-for-TV film in history. The film uses John Denver's song "Sunshine on My Shoulders" as a theme. The song "My Sweet Lady" from the film reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Chart in 1974, and #14 in Canada.