Child of Glass
A boy helps a ghost solve a riddle to find peace.
Child of Glass is a 1978 American made-for-television family fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions, adapted from the 1975 novel The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck. It originally aired on NBC as a presentation of The Wonderful World of Disney on May 14, 1978, and was re-aired sporadically during the early to mid-1980s. The film follows a young boy who moves into a former Louisiana plantation and encounters the ghost of a murdered girl.
- Release year
- 1978
- Network
- NBC
- Production company
- Walt Disney Productions
- Based on
- The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck
- Genre
- Family fantasy
- Filming locations
- Danville, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana
Lore & Background
The plot centers on Alexander Armsworth, who moves with his family into an antebellum Louisiana plantation. He meets neighbor Blossom Culp, a superstitious girl raised by her spiritualist aunt. Alexander discovers the ghost of Inez Dumaine, a young Creole girl murdered by her pirate uncle Jacques Dumaine, who threw her down a well and cursed her ghost to remain on the property. Inez must solve a riddle before All Saints' Eve or be trapped forever. The riddle mentions a 'child of glass,' which Alexander and Blossom realize is Inez's china doll Babette. After a handyman burns the barn and Alexander falls into the well, Blossom rescues him and the doll. They place the doll on Inez's grave, freeing her spirit. The doll's head, full of diamonds, becomes the Dumaine treasure.
Reader's Guide
Child of Glass is notable as a Disney television film that blends supernatural mystery with family drama. Its adaptation of Richard Peck's novel brought a ghost story to a young audience, emphasizing friendship and courage. The film's use of location shooting in Danville, Kentucky, and New Orleans, Louisiana, added authenticity. The barn-burning scene used a real barn purchased, dismantled, and reassembled for pyrotechnics. The graveyard set, built in Bellevue Cemetery, became a tourist attraction. The film's home video release was noted in Billboard magazine in 1987. Its legacy includes being a remembered entry in The Wonderful World of Disney anthology, offering a gentle horror story with a resolution that rewards the protagonists.
Did You Know?
- The graveyard set was built in Bellevue Cemetery in Danville, Kentucky, and remained a tourist attraction for years.
- The film originally aired on NBC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney on May 14, 1978.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Child of Glass?
Child of Glass is a 1978 family fantasy television film produced by Walt Disney Productions, adapted from Richard Peck's 1975 novel The Ghost Belonged to Me. It originally aired on NBC's The Wonderful World of Disney on May 14, 1978, and saw sporadic reruns in the early-to-mid 1980s.
What is the basic premise of Child of Glass?
The story follows a young boy who moves into an old Louisiana plantation and discovers the lingering spirit of a girl who was murdered there. He becomes drawn into helping her with an unresolved matter from her past.
What does the boy do to help the ghost?
The boy works through a riddle connected to the girl's death, and by solving it, he allows her spirit to finally find rest and move on from the plantation.
Where was Child of Glass filmed?
Despite its Louisiana setting, principal photography took place in Danville, Kentucky, with additional scenes shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana.
How does Child of Glass end?
The film concludes with the ghost achieving peace after the boy successfully solves the riddle tied to her murder, freeing her from the plantation at last.
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