And now for something completely different. Can’t say I ever expected to see this. I’d chalked it up as one that was likely to always escape me. However, due to the generosity of a reader I can bring you something that will be new to most. Thanks to Misa for all her help, it was above and beyond the call of duty. It was definitely a long road to my home for this.
Dating from 1991, Long Road Home was Kathryn’s first credited TV or film appearance, this actually being a “made for TV movie.” In fact it is so old and Kathryn was so young back then that she hadn’t even grown the “r” or “n” in her name, being listed only as Kathy Morris 
She really is quite the babe in arms. Well, a babe anyway 😉
Screencaps and video clips can now be found in the Gallery.
Long Road Home tells the story of the extended Robertson family as they try to scrape a living in early pioneer America. They travel from place to place looking for work among the crop pickers.
There’s dad Ertie (Mark Harmon) and mum Bessie (Lee Purcell), sons James Earl (Timothy Owen Waldrip) and Jake (Morgan Weisser)), and daughters Susie (Bianca Rose) and Mary Ellen (Sarah Lundy). Yes, you are correct Kathryn is not in that list. She’s part of the extended family.
Of course Kathryn and Mark Harmon crossed paths 10 years later in the TV movie And Never Let Her Go. He wasn’t so noble in that one.
Kathryn stars as Billy Jo Robertson, the young wife of the Robertson’s eldest son, James Earl, and she is also mother to baby Beth. Billy Jo is in the background for most of the film, the focus being on her mother- and father-in-law and their struggle to make a home for the family.
Things are not easy for the family. Land owners don’t want to pay good wages for the back-breaking work. The crop pickers want fair pay for their efforts and are beginning to form unions to protect their interests, much to the anger of the employers.
Kathryn only really figures in two significant scenes, both centred around a tragic event that befalls her fledgling family. Even then it is more about showing the way the rest of the family respond as they desperately try to help.
The hair cut is a little unfortunate too.
It’s probably one for the committed Kathryn fan only really. So all of us here then
Kathryn has such a baby face there, what was she in her early 20’s there? Anyhow Kathryn did a good job in this movie…
Kathryn was 22 when the film was originally released so she would likely have been 21 during filming.
Kathryn is so talented. You can see here that she has always been a very good actor. The best of course 😉
I agree with you RichE. The hair cut might be a little strange.
I hope I don’t get the grammar mixed up too much :-)… I’m from Germany
Your English is very good Carrie, there are plenty of native English-speakers that aren’t as good.
I have to agree her haircut was indeed strange, hard to believe that Kathryn was only 21 there, she looks more like 15.
She looks adorable. Her haircut is unusual, but her face is absolutely cute. I really wish I could watch this, does anyone know if you can get this anywhere?
Have you tried youtube, or any video rental place ( Netflix)?
My internet connection is slow, I used it up watching Cold Case episodes so I have to use another internet type of connection. I meant on DVD, I’ve never heard of it, so I was wondering if it would be on DVD or video or something?
Netflix has DVD’s you can try and see if they have it. It should by now be on DVD, you can also check on IMDB to see if it has…
It is available on VHS tape in the US (on Amazon for example) and maybe elsewhere.
There is no sign anywhere of a DVD release. Believe me, I’ve looked. A lot.
Be careful if you are looking to purchase because there are other films with the same or similar names. Look out for the date of 1991 and references to Mark Harmon.
Too bad there aren’t many close-ups, she looks adorable…
I wonder if that baby, the one that Kathryn was holding in the movie, realized now who she is.
The baby doesn’t appear to have been credited so I don’t know who it was (often they use twins due to constraints on the time allowed on set). Who ever it was must be in their early 20s by now.
Quite a few of the cast of Long Road Home appear to have done only the one movie.
Whoa, somebody knows where I can buy it with Dutch subtitles? If I Google it I only see country cd’s…
The film does not seem to be available widely. An American or English VHS tape are the only options I have found.
OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG SHE HAD THE SAME NAME AS ME HE?!?