Gideon's Trumpet is a 1980 American made-for-television historical drama film based on the biographical book of the same name written by Anthony Lewis. The film depicts the historical events before and during the 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright that brought the right of an attorney to criminal defendants who could not afford it and did not meet special requirements to get one for free. After the ruling, implements of the case were enacted publicly, nationally, and even globally.The film, distributed by Worldvision Enterprises, premiered on April 30, 1980, on CBS-TV as a Hallmark Hall of Fame film. The feature stars Henry Fonda as the titular Clarence Earl Gideon, José Ferrer as Abe Fortas, and John Houseman as the Chief Justice of the United States. Other notable actors in the film included Fay Wray, Sam Jaffe and Dean Jagger. Robert L. Collins directed the film. It was produced and written under the direction of John Houseman and David W. Rintels. The film was recognized and nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards the same year it premiered on television on September 7, 1980.