ABC ORIGINALS: HALF A DOZEN BABIES (TV)
Summary
A television movie featuring a fictionalized account of the real-life Dilley family and their sextuplets.
Keith Dilley and Becki Stauffer meet on the job at a fast food restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana in 1987. Becki is in nursing school and Keith dropped out of college to take care of his mother Lee, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Keith and Becki quickly fall in love and get married, despite some friction between Keith's parents and Becki's parents. They hope to have a child and start a family, but after eighteen months of trying they discover that both of them suffer from low fertility. Becki starts taking a fertility drug to increase their chances, but it is expensive and they cannot continue using it indefinitely. After another two and a half years, Becki and Keith are still unable to conceive. Both are distraught and the situation is affecting their relationship. They visit the Indianapolis Fertility Clinic for additional help, where they are told that a new, more expensive fertility drug could help them conceive. Due to their financial situation, Becki pawns her wedding ring to afford the drug, much to Keith's displeasure.
Their last attempt is a success and Becki becomes pregnant. Early tests indicate that Becki will have multiple births, and she and Keith are excited over the prospect of having twins. They announce the pregnancy to their families during Thanksgiving dinner. Soon Becki learns that she will give birth to quintuplets, far more than anyone expected. The doctors are concerned that there may be health risks involved in carrying so many children and recommend a selective abortion; Becki insists that she be allowed to deliver all of her children. After eleven weeks, Becki is heavily pregnant and the doctors perform a cervical cerclage to prevent a premature birth. Lee is hospitalized due to complications stemming from her multiple sclerosis.
Becki experiences pains due to carrying her children and is forced to remain at the Women's Hospital of Indianapolis for the duration of her pregnancy. During this time, she develops a rapport over the phone with Lee. As Becki's due date approaches, the doctors and hospital staff prepare to perform the complicated procedure. The day arrives and television news cameras are on hand to document the birthing process. After the fifth and apparently final baby is delivered, the doctors find a previously undiscovered sixth baby in Becki's uterus and safely extract him; Keith and Becki are surprised and delighted to learn that they are the parents of sextuplets, as are their families.
The six newborn children, named Brenna, Ian, Claire, Quinn, Adrian, and Julian, are kept in the hospital to monitor their breathing and vitals. Julian experiences difficulty breathing, but the staff is confident that he will recover. The doctors who performed the operation hold a press conference about the event, heralded as the first successful birth of sextuplets in the United States. The press starts speculating about the fertility treatments used, and the doctors' motives in the procedure; the doctors then attempt to give the Dilleys a measure of anonymity. Keith shows Becki photographs of the children, and both of them can't wait to get out of the hospital and start life with their new family. Keith also shows the photos to Lee, who vows that she will get to hold her grandchildren despite her deteriorating condition.
Becki and Keith visit their children, still in the hospital. The doctors determine that Julian has a hernia, exacerbating his breathing difficulties. They plan to operate on him when he is strong enough. Despite their insistence that they can make their own way, Becki and Keith move in with her parents, Doris and Loren, who have already set up a nursery for the children. Loren gets Keith a job slicing cabbages at his brother's coleslaw factory. After several months, Becki and Keith are permitted to bring their children home, with the exception of Julian. They take the children to see Lee, who is overjoyed at being able to hold her grandchildren. In the coming months, Keith, Becki, Doris, and Loren all care for the children, leaving each exhausted. Julian, however, remains in the hospital. Doris visits Lee upon her request. She knows she doesn't have long to live and that the children will never really know her, and asks Doris to tell the children about her after she's gone.
Becki and Keith receive a call from the hospital about Julian: his condition has taken a sudden downturn and he will require an operation immediately. They rush to the hospital and wait until the doctors announce that the operation was a success; Julian is then permitted to go home with them. They bring Julian to Lee and she holds him in her arms. The family now sets about the task of taking care of all six children. Keith gets a call from his father Larry saying that Lee has taken a turn for the worse. He rushes to see her, but is too late. Larry says that Lee held on as long as she did so she could to see the children.
Keith and Becki soon find that Brenna is suffering from an ailment, and take her to the hospital. The doctor believes she may have a neurological disorder and recommends that she be given frequent gentle rocking motions to aid her recovery. Keith takes time off work to look after Brenna, causing friction with Doris, whose bossy nature chafes Keith. Brenna soon recovers, having been suffering from anxiety. Doris has Keith and Becki show off the kids at the local fair, but they soon become uncomfortable with the crowds and grow concerned about the children's immune systems. Against Doris's wishes, they decide to take the kids and leave. Keith and Becki argue about Doris's controlling nature and they ultimately move out despite their financial situation.
They get an apartment in Indianapolis and decide that Becki should get a job in oncology while Keith stays home to take care of the children. Despite concerns from her employers about her situation with the children, Becki gets the job and Keith cares for the children. Soon Doris comes to visit Becki at work and apologizes for her behavior, saying that she only wants what's best for them. She visits Keith as well, offering to help him care for the children, admitting that the kids are "blessed" to have him and Becki as parents. Keith's animosity toward her fades when he overhears Doris telling the children about Lee. By Christmastime, Becki and Keith have settled into their new living arrangements, and Keith surprises Becki by giving her wedding ring back to her as a Christmas present. Five months later, the Dilleys celebrates their children's first birthday at the Women's Hospital of Indianapolis, along with the doctors and staff who helped deliver them. The film ends with photos of the real-life Dilley sextuplets, from age two to age six. Includes commercials.
(This program contains technical problems. The audio ceases at 0:28:32, and resumes at 0:53:39. This represents the best copy of this program currently available to the Museum.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: May 17, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:57475
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – 10-10-220 phone service
- TV – Commercials – AC Delco automobile parts
- TV – Commercials – AT&T phone service
- TV – Commercials – Acuvue contact lenses
- TV – Commercials – Albertson's supermarkets
- TV – Commercials – Arbor Mist wine
- TV – Commercials – Band-Aid bandages
- TV – Commercials – Buick automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Burger King restaurants
- TV – Commercials – Centrum multivitamin supplement
- TV – Commercials – Chevrolet automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Chevron gasoline
- TV – Commercials – Degree deodorant
- TV – Commercials – Discover Brokerage online stockbroker
- TV – Commercials – Goodwrench car service
- TV – Commercials – Harrah's casinos
- TV – Commercials – Herbal Essences soap
- TV – Commercials – Home Depot home improvement stores
- TV – Commercials – Honda automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Honey Nut Chex breakfast cereal
- TV – Commercials – Johnson's shampoo
- TV – Commercials – Kenmore appliances
- TV – Commercials – Land Rover automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Lawry's marinade
- TV – Commercials – Listerine mouthwash
- TV – Commercials – Maxwell House coffee
- TV – Commercials – Maybelline cosmetics
- TV – Commercials – Mervyn's department stores
- TV – Commercials – Neosporin ointment
- TV – Commercials – Oil of Olay cosmetics
- TV – Commercials – Prilosec heartburn medication
- TV – Commercials – RE/MAX real estate
- TV – Commercials – Revlon cosmetics
- TV – Commercials – Saturn automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Sears department stores
- TV – Commercials – Stayfree sanitary pads
- TV – Commercials – Subway restaurants
- TV – Commercials – Toyota automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Trident gum
- TV – Commercials – Tylenol allergy medication
- TV – Commercials – Tylenol pain relief
- TV – Commercials – United Way charity organization
- TV – Commercials – Wendy's restaurants
- TV – Commercials – eToys.com online toy store
- TV – Promos – "20/20"
- TV – Promos – "Cleopatra"
- TV – Promos – "Dharma & Greg"
- TV – Promos – "Eyewitness Extra"
- TV – Promos – "Eyewitness News"
- TV – Promos – "Home Improvement"
- TV – Promos – "NYPD Blue"
- TV – Promos – "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV – Promos – "The Norm Show"
- TV – Promos – "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place"
CREDITS
- Joel S. Rice … Executive Producer
- Alison Clark … Co-Producer
- Douglas Barr … Director
- Joe Wiesenfeld … Writer
- Eric Allaman … Music by
- Melissa Reeves … Cast, Becki Dilley
- Scott Reeves … Cast, Keith Dilley
- Kate McNeil … Cast, Dr. Lynda Smirz
- Nigel Bennett … Cast, Dr. David McLaughlin
- Teri Garr … Cast, Lee Dilley
- Bill MacDonald … Cast, Larry Dilley
- Judith Ivey … Cast, Doris Stauffer
- Philip Craig … Cast, Loren Stauffer
- Nancy McAlear … Cast, Nurse Michelle
- Toni Ellwand … Cast, Nurse Ann
- James Downing … Cast, Network TV Reporter
- Laura de Carteret … Cast, Indianapolis TV Reporter
- Stephen Walsh … Cast, Indianapolis TV Reporter
- Stephanie Belding … Cast, Press Reporter
- Nora Sheehan … Cast, Head Nurse
- Ronit Cohan … Cast, Nurse #1
- Alice Poon … Cast, Nurse #2
- Michael Capellupo … Cast, Photographer
- Joey Pomanti … Cast, Baby Day Photographer
- Roy Doucette … Cast, Man at Baby Day
- Isabella Fink … Cast, Child at Baby Day
- MacKenzie Horner … Cast, Brenna
- Montana Horner … Cast, Brenna
- Caitlin Fellows … Cast, Brenna
- Emilie Fellows … Cast, Brenna
- Kylie Fellows … Cast, Brenna
- Alexander Gayle … Cast, Quinn
- Connor Gayle … Cast, Quinn
- Sara Kroll … Cast, Quinn
- Tyler Kroll … Cast, Quinn
- Zoe Orion … Cast, Julian
- Kahala Orion … Cast, Julian
- Naomi Billick … Cast, Julian
- Daniel Billick … Cast, Julian
- Kyle Tabet … Cast, Julian
- Michael Tabet … Cast, Julian
- Kira McNamara … Cast, Adrian
- Lana McNamara … Cast, Adrian
- Vanessa Gollado … Cast, Adrian
- Lauren Gollado … Cast, Adrian
- Kaitlyn Tabet … Cast, Adrian
- Melissa Tabet … Cast, Adrian
- Ashley Callavecchia … Cast, Claire
- Silva Callavecchia … Cast, Claire
- Nicholas Callavecchia … Cast, Claire
- Jessie Trupp … Cast, Claire
- Isabelle Trupp … Cast, Claire
- Connor Robertson … Cast, Ian
- Brooke Robertson … Cast, Ian
- Noah Labelle-Voisey … Cast, Ian
- Austin Rossiter … Cast, Ian
- Shannon Rossiter … Cast, Ian