The opening title card is followed by the statement: “a true story.” Opening credits are superimposed over a black background accompanied by voice-over narration from Amy Madigan’s character, “Terry Jean Moore.” The voice-over narration resumes at the end of the film, played over a freeze-frame image of Terry crying and embracing her fellow inmates after winning her court case.
End credits include the following acknowledgements: “Blackstar animated sequence courtesy of Filmation Studios; Ryan’s Hope sequence courtesy of ABC Television and Labine-Mayer Productions, Inc.,” and, “We would like to thank the following for their cooperation: the Florida Motion Picture and T. V. Office, Ben Harris – Director; the Florida Department of Corrections; Louie L. Wainwright – Director; Superintendent of Broward Correctional Institute Robert Bohler; and the Correctional Officers and Inmates of Broward County Correctional Institute Broward County, Florida.”
       According to a 5 Nov 1982 LAHExam article, after returning from a trip overseas, producer Paul Maslansky was alerted to an Aug 1979 60 Minutes (CBS, 24 Sep 1968— ) television news segment about Terry Jean Moore by Moore’s attorney, with whom Maslansky had previously worked during the production of the 1978 television miniseries King. After viewing the program, Maslansky approached CBS broadcasting company about turning the story into a $1.2—1.8 million television film. Upon hearing that his associates at The Ladd Company were interested in the project, however, Maslansky agreed to develop Love Child as a theatrical release. Despite the 4 Aug 1982 Var report that estimated the budget at $4 million, the 25 Oct 1982 DV and LAHExam stated that the $3.3 million cost and thirty-five day, five-day-per-week shooting schedule made Love Child The Ladd Company’s first “modest-budget” feature among the entertainment industry’s growing number of big-budget projects. As a result, filmmakers decided against casting a costlier, more established actress for the lead role. “Above-the-line” costs for the story, director, producer, screenwriter, and principal actors totaled $1 million, with an additional $300,000 budgeted for post production. Moore was guaranteed $100,000 earnings over the course of several years to help pay for her daughter’s education, while the other actors were paid “scale plus ten percent.” Production notes in AMPAS library files stated that Maslansky hired director Larry Peerce after screening his 1975 film, The Other Side of the Mountain (see entry), and Peerce helped complete the final script with debut screenwriter Katherine Specktor, although he is not credited onscreen as a writer.
       Following the 2 Nov 1981 HR announcment that the picture marked the theatrically released feature film debut of singer Amy Madigan as Terry Jean Moore, 13 Nov 1982 HR production charts confirmed the start of principal photography on 9 Nov 1981.
       Production notes indicated that the film was shot entirely on location in Broward County, FL, at locations including the actual Broward Correctional Institution where Moore was detained. Despite Moore’s initial hesitation about the project, Maslansky convinced her that he would tell the story as truthfully as possible, and asked her to serve as a “technical advisor” throughout shooting. However, Moore was reportedly unable to oversee filming for the twelve production days at the Broward County Institution, since she was still barred from returning to the premises during her seven-and-a-half year probation. Other prison and courtroom scenes were filmed in a warehouse in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and a jail and courthouse in West Palm Beach, FL. A 25 Oct 1982 DV article claimed that by hiring a crew comprised almost entirely of FL residents, the production brought $2 million to the local economy and prompted the creation of a Broward County film commission. The 2 Jul 1982 HR stated that Peerce completed principal photography three days early and well under the allotted budget.
       A 6 Oct 1982 Var brief reported that Love Child was scheduled for a 15 Oct 1982 New York City release at the Cinema 5 Beekman Theater. According to DV, the film also opened at six theaters in four FL cities, and was simultaneously being tested in Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. Depending on the success of these screenings, The Ladd Company planned to expand the picture to other cities around the country. According to LAHExam, Love Child opened 10 Nov 1982 in twenty-two Los Angeles, CA, theaters, with a new advertising campaign, since its was believed that the former artwork was misleading about both the plot and tone of the movie.
       Along with poor box-office returns in New York City, the film earned largely negative reviews from critics, who likened its quality to that of a television movie.