The Defection of Simas Kudirka
| The Defection of Simas Kudirka | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Bruce Feldman |
| Directed by | David Lowell Rich |
| Starring | Alan Arkin |
| Music by | David Shire |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Gerald W. Abrams Gerald I. Isenberg |
| Producers | Richard Briggs Bruce Sallan |
| Production locations | New Castle, New Hampshire Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Cinematography | Jacques R. Marquette |
| Editor | John A. Martinelli |
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Production companies | Paramount Television The Jozak Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | January 23, 1978 |
The Defection of Simas Kudirka is a 1978 American made-for-television drama film based on actual events, featuring Alan Arkin as Simas Kudirka, a Lithuanian merchant seaman who attempts to defect from the Soviet Union to the United States by jumping onto a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. Among the movie's awards are two Emmys wins and three more Emmy nominations. The movie was directed by David Lowell Rich.