"THE WATERBOY," STARRING ADAM SANDLER, TO AIR AS THE "ABC THURSDAY MOVIE OF THE WEEK," MAY 26

Oscar Winner Kathy Bates and Henry Winkler Also Star in the Feature, Which Airs in HDTV with 5.1-Channel Surround Sound and Spanish Audio

Adam Sandler ("Spanglish," "Anger Management") stars in "The Waterboy," an outrageous comedy of gridiron high jinks and fun, airing as the "ABC Thursday Movie of the Week," MAY 26 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Also starring are Kathy Bates ("The Ingrate," "About Schmidt"), Henry Winkler ("Holes") and Fairuza Balk ("Deuces Wild"). The feature will be presented in HDTV format with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish audio. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 5/18/03)

In the "The Waterboy," Sandler is Bobby Boucher, the lowly and abused "hydrologist" for a college football team run by a sadistic coach named Red Beaulieu (Jerry Reed, "Bat*21"). As pure as the water he serves, Bobby is devastated when he is abruptly fired. Coach Klein (Henry Winkler), a long-time rival of coach Beaulieu, takes on Bobby and discovers that a wellspring of anger and frustration is released when anyone insults his mama (Kathy Bates).

Bobby's sensitivity to his mama turns him into an outstanding player and the most feared linebacker in the South. That distinction draws the attention of sensuous Vicki Vallencourt (Fairuza Balk) who sets out to pollute Bobby.

"The Waterboy" stars Adam Sandler as Bobby Boucher, Kathy Bates as Helen "Mama" Boucher, Fairuza Balk as Vicki Vallencourt, Henry Winkler as Coach Klein, Jerry Reed as Coach Red Beaulieu, Larry Gilliard Jr. as Derek Wallace, Blake Clark Framer Fran, Peter Dante as Gee Grenouille, Jonathan Loughran as Lyle Robideaux, Al Whiting as Casey Bugge, Clint Howard as Paco, Allen Covert as Walter, Rob Schneider as Townie, Todd Holland as Greg Meaney, Robert Kokol as Professor, Frank Coraci as Robert "Roberto" Boucher Sr. and Jennifer Bini Taylor as Rita.

The 1998 release was directed by Frank Coraci ("The Wedding Singer") and written by Tim Herlihy ("Big Daddy," "Little Nicky") and Adam Sandler. The film is a production of Touchstone Pictures and Waterboy Productions. (CLOSED-CAPTIONED)

"THE WATERBOY" IN HDTV:
The ABC Television Network's HDTV broadcast of "The Waterboy" will air in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish audio.

This program carries a TV-PG,L,S parental guideline.