Highway Heartbreaker is a 1992 television film directed by Paul Schneider. The film was based on the true story of Joseph (Mac) Duffy, who in 1990 pleaded guilty to four counts of grand theft for con schemes in Orange County and was subsequently dubbed in the media as 'the Playboy of the Coast Highway'.

Plot

Catherine (Linda Gray) is a wealthy and lonely woman who has been handicapped ever since getting involved in a car accident, which she herself caused on the day of signing her divorce papers four years prior due to driving under the influence. During the accident she broke her back and suffered third degree burns. One day while driving on the highway, she meets Mickey Kenton (John Schneider), who claims to run investments for his father. She immediately falls for his charms and they start dating straight away. One day, he borrows $30,000 from her for a 'promising stock offer' in medial equipment, then vanishes following the money transaction. Catherine grows convinced that he is kidnapped and contacts private investigator Bert Quinn (Brock Peters), but he quickly finds out that Mickey is a con man. Quinn tracks Mickey down and threatens to unmask him.