The real Dr Wilbur and book author Flora Schreiber appear briefly in the film. The scene on the train where Sybil & Richard ride together, they are in the background sitting next to each other. Wilbur has red hair. The real Sybil was requested to make an appearance also however it was too risky at the time for her identity to become known.

My psychology class watched this earlier in the year (in my last year of high school) and I have to say it disturbed the sh*t out of me. I can't believe a little girl actually went through all of that, no wonder she developed DID(Dissociative Identity Disorder), I could barely cope with watching the movie let alone go through it in real life! Makes me want to cry just thinking about it..I think child abuse is the saddest thing in the world, people putting their kids in tumble driers or whatever, I hate knowing that sh*it like that goes down all the time.. I mean there has got to be something seriously wrong with you when you treat a child that way. Hats off to the actress that played the mother, I don't think many people have the balls to play a part like that.

I first read the book "Sybil" before the TV movie came out. Although the book is a LOT more horrific, the move is disturbing to watch. I do have to say, the actress who plays Sybil's mother really gave an outstanding performance of a deranged monster mother! I had nightmares about this woman and she REALLY looked scary to boot. I imagine doing the child abuse scenes with Natasha Ryan (Child Sybil) was hard to do---especially when your adorable co-star is cute as a bug. The real woman who was "Sybil" was named Shirley Ardell Mason recently passed away some years ago I'm sure was proud of this film. If anyone wishes to purchase prints of her artwork (very talented) go to: www.sybil.biz.net

I have D.I.D. Out of the many portrayals and interviews that people in the media are exposed to, Sybil is about as close to the real thing that I've seen. Although I do tire seeing people with DID/MPD being portrayed as helpless and totally out of it. I have several friends that have DID and none of them are as portrayed in the media. I am a Paramedic and police dispatcher and have been for ten years... before that, I worked as a therapist as a social worker. I've always held a job and on those rare instances when the entire personality system does fall apart (all puns intended), there is almost always someone inside the personality system to take the reins. That's what is inherent about DID... the ability to persevere and "act normally" through the rough stuff. Sybil paved the way for future generations the way that Joanne Woodward paved the way for her generation into a better understanding of the way that DID works. I'm happy that they released the DVD (although I have yet to purchase it) now on the 30th anniversary. It is a testament to the perseverance of the human condition in times of severe abuse. I only wish that I could have met Shirley Ardell Mason and congratulated her and thanked her for her courageousness.