Ted Cassidy Movies
An unusually bright child, Ted Cassidy was in the third grade by the time he was six years old. This alone was enough to set Cassidy apart from his classmates, but there was something else that made him "different": By the time he was an 11-year-old high school freshman, he was 6'1". A natural for the school's football and basketball team, Cassidy was also the target of harassment from his older, smaller fellow students. Developing an interest in dramatics while attending college, he went out of his way to play characters of all physical types and sizes; he may well have been the only 6'9" Falstaff in theatrical history. Though offered a singing job with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Cassidy decided on a career as a radio announcer. Upon returning to acting, he landed the first role for which he auditioned: Lurch, the lumbering, monosyllabic butler on the TV comedy series The Addams Family (1964-1965). Though grateful for the opportunity, the sensitive Cassidy bemoaned the fact that he seemed doomed to forever play inarticulate giants. He went on to provide the voice and physical model for Injun Joe on The New Adventures of Huck Finn, a 1968 animation/live-action hybrid produced by Hanna-Barbera, and also supplied the voice of "the Thing" on H-B's Saturday morning cartoon series The Fantastic Four. Though limited in his choice of screen roles, Ted Cassidy played outlaw Harvey Logan in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Incredible Hulk roars again in its fifth and final season, a seven-episode run that began in September 1981 and, after a lengthy hiatus, concluded in May 1982. Once again, nomadic scientist David Banner (Bill Bixby) continues his search for a cure to the radioactive disease that leads him to turn into his alter ego, the ferocious Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), whenever he grows angry. When not angry, of course, his better half helps strangers he meets along the way while trying to keep a low profile. This concluding two-disc set includes all-new bonus content featuring show creator Kenneth Johnson.
- Starring:
- Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, (more)
Thundering onto DVD for the first time ever is the complete Fourth Season of The Incredible Hulk! Primetime Emmy® Award Nominee Bill Bixby returns as the mild-mannered scientist David Banner who uncontrollably morphs into the enraged Hulk (Lou Ferrigno). While searching for a cure, he encounters a variety of characters played by impressive guest stars such as Dick Durock (Swamp Thing), Dick O'Neill (Cagney and Lacey) and Lou Ferrigno in a different role! This 4-disc set includes all 18 action-packed episodes and all-new exclusive bonus content featuring show creator Kenneth Johnson. Even though Banner proclaims "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," take home Season Four of The Incredible Hulk today, and you won't be sorry!
- Starring:
- Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, (more)
Hit the road again with mild-mannered scientist David Banner (Primetime Emmy Award nominee Bill Bixby) as all 22 Season Two episodes of The Incredible Hulk smash onto DVD for the first time! After accidental exposure to gamma radiation causes him to transform into the uncontrollable and enraged Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), Dr. Banner travels from town to town seeking a cure. Along the way, he finds action-packed adventures that require his heroic abilities and his alter ego's immense strength and power. Joining his quest are guest stars Pat Morita, Gerald McRaney, and Mariette Hartley in the role that won her Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Featured in this must-own 5-disc set are incredible bonus materials, including an all-new on-camera interview with producer Kenneth Johnson and more.
- Starring:
- Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, (more)
- 1979
- PG
In this exciting adventure, two slaves escape and along with a widow go searching for Spanish treasure in the potentially deadly Florida Everglades. The film is titled Black Rage on video. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1978
- PG
The toothsome singing duo, Donny and Marie Osmond, head for Hawaii in this comedy. The trouble begins when Marie acquires a lovely necklace without realizing that it is coveted by a group of thieves. An enigmatic woman is also after the necklace. Mayhem, music, and sibling rivalry ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, (more)
- 1978
Heartbreak Motel enjoyed a brief theatrical life on the drive-in circuit, then settled down into Late Late Show screenings. Leslie Uggams stars as a singer whose car breaks down a million miles from nowhere. Taking refuge at a run-down motel (hence the title), she finds herself at the mercy of salivating rednecks. This low-grade horror effort manages to tap the talents of such formidable thespians as Shelley Winters, Slim Pickens, Ted Cassidy and Dub Taylor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Hit the road again with mild-mannered scientist David Banner (Primetime Emmy Award nominee Bill Bixby) as all 22 Season Two episodes of The Incredible Hulk smash onto DVD for the first time! After accidental exposure to gamma radiation causes him to transform into the uncontrollable and enraged Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), Dr. Banner travels from town to town seeking a cure. Along the way, he finds action-packed adventures that require his heroic abilities and his alter ego's immense strength and power. Joining his quest are guest stars Pat Morita, Gerald McRaney, and Mariette Hartley in the role that won her Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Featured in this must-own 5-disc set are incredible bonus materials, including an all-new on-camera interview with producer Kenneth Johnson and more.
- Starring:
- Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, (more)
"...Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Mild-mannered research scientist David Banner (Emmy nominee Bill Bixby) finds he must offer this heroic warning after exposure to gamma radiation transforms him into the terrifying and enraged Hulk (Lou Ferrigno). Bursting from comic book pages into this 4-disc DVD set, the Complete First Season of The Incredible Hulk boasts all ten heart-pounding episodes, plus a preview episode from Season Two. Must-see bonus materials include the two original feature-length films, an introduction from The Hulk himself (Ferrigno), and in-depth commentary from producer Kenneth Johnson. Intense. Immense. Incredible!
- Starring:
- Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, (more)
- 1977
Terry Kiser is Benny and Tim Thomerson is Barney, two undercover cops operating in Vegas. So as not to attract attention to their sleuthing, Benny and Barney pose as nightclub entertainers. The case of the moment is the rescue of a kidnapped singer, which B and B pull off successfully within the allotted 76 minutes. Real-life Las Vegas "regulars" Rodney Dangerfield, Marty Allen, George Gobel and Bobby Troup pop up in cameo roles. Seemingly filmed during everyone's lunch hour, Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover was the pilot for a never-sold TV adventure series. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1977
The original TV Addams family reunites in this comedy. The trouble begins when the bizarre clan hold their annual party and are so busy with the guests that they fail to notice three inept burglars attempting to rob them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1977
- PG
Beau Geste, the classic adventure story of a young man's dangerous journeys as part of the French Foreign Legion, becomes the subject of broad parody in this slapstick comedy. The original tale, best known to film lovers from William Wellman's 1939 classic, tells of several brothers who join the Foreign Legion after claiming responsibility for the mysterious disappearance of an invaluable family heirloom. Eventually, brothers Beau and Digby find themselves in conflict with their vicious commander, leading to a potential mutiny. The plot here is similar, with Michael York assuming Gary Cooper's role as Beau, and first-time director Marty Feldman co-starring as Digby. However, following the lead of former collaborator Mel Brooks, Feldman plays strictly for laughs, loading the story with jokes ranging from the satirical to the vulgar. A cast of notables keeps things lively, with Peter Ustinov and Ann-Margret mocking their own images as the sadistic commander and lusty Geste stepmother. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ann-Margret, Marty Feldman, (more)
- 1976
- PG
- Add Harry and Walter Go to New York to QueueAdd Harry and Walter Go to New York to top of Queue
Harry and Walter Go to New York was born of the theory that, the more stars and money that you throw into a film, the better the film will be. The theory has seldom been proven true, and it certainly wasn't in this case. Harry (James Caan) and Walter (Elliot Gould) are a third-rate vaudeville team, playing tank towns in turn-of-the-century USA. Thrown into the hoosegow on a petty-theft charge, our heroes make the acquaintance of big-time crook Adam Worth (Michael Caine). Once they're sprung, Harry and Walter follow Worth to New York, with the intention of pulling off a huge bank robbery. Lissa Chestnut (Diane Keaton), a bird-brained suffragette, is also mixed up in the proceedings though she never seems certain of who or what her character is from one scene to the next. The film's one tangible asset is its meticulous re-creation of 1890s New York, courtesy of art director Harry Horner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Caan, Elliott Gould, (more)
In this violent low-budget outing, an African-American singer is kidnapped and forced to endure all sorts of torments and indignities at the hands of a white, psycho Southern family. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This one was shipped out to various regions as Hootch Country Boys, Hootch County Boys, Redneck Country and The Great Lester Boggs. No matter the title, the audience knew what to expect.Alex Karras plays Lester Boggs, a merry moonshiner who gets his jollies from leading the Law on wild car chases. Dean Jagger costars as one of those "Big Daddy" types, anxious to see Boggs locked up or put away permanently. Careening from adventure to adventures, Boggs finds times to palaver with various buxom backwoods babes. It's not rocket science, but it's fun. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1974
Planet Earth was the second of three look-alike attempts by Star Trek maven Gene Roddenberry to launch a futuristic TV series for the 1970s (the first was 1973's Genesis II, and the third was 1975's Strange New World). John Saxon stars as Dylan Hunt, who awakens from suspended animation in the year 2133. The "big war" has come and gone; one of the few surviving pockets of 20th-century civilization is the city of PAX. This 2-hour pilot film details Hunt's adventures in this Brave New World when he is captured and enslaved by a society run by women. He is rescued by the scientists of PAX, presumably as a means of getting Roddenberry's series off the ground. But except for this film, first aired April 23, 1974, Planet Earth never got into orbit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this exploitation adventure, four female inmates bust out and head for the Everglades, where they face untold dangers. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1974
Part of the prolific cartoon version of the Addams Family series, this episode finds Gomez taking on the New York Police Department when he decides he's the true heir to a little patch of New York City ground -- none other than Central Park. ~ Rovi
- 1974
This video is more animated action from the Addams Family, when the ghoulish group finds there's sawdust in their veins and they heed the "call of the circus." ~ Rovi
- 1974
Addams Family: Left in Lurch presents four issues from the animated version of the monster family TV series. Included here are: "Left in the Lurch," "The Mardi Gras Story," "The Voodoo Story" and "Aloha Hoolamagoola." ~ Rovi
- 1974
In these zany cartoon creations of the Addams bunch, we find the family traveling coast-to-coast in a retrofitted castle-camper. Who says these guy have to stay home? These animated episodes, titled "Ghost Town," "Addams Go West," "Follow that Loaf of Bread," and "The Fastest Creepy Camper in the West," feature some original cast-member voices (Ted Cassidy and Jackie Coogan) as well as a famous visitor's voice, Ms. Jodie Foster! ~ Rovi
- 1973
On three occasions between 1973 and 1975, Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry attempted to launch a new science-fiction series. All three pilot films were predicated on the premise of a modern-day scientist awakening after nearly two centuries in suspended animation. The first of these feature-length pilots was Genesis 2, which debuted March 23, 1973. Alex Cord stars as Dylan Hunt, who opens his eyes to discover that he now resides in a post-apocalyptic world. He is reluctantly recruited into a resistance movement, aimed at toppling the present despotic regime. The film's "money scene" involved leading lady Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley), who at a crucial plot juncture lifts her blouse to reveal that she has two navels. When Genesis 2 failed to click as a series, Roddenberry and company tried again with Planet Earth (1974); when that didn't sell, the property was reworked as Strange New World (1975). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
This episode stars David Wayne as a reclusive, ill-tempered tycoon. While he doesn't suffer fools (or anyone else) very well, Wayne is devoted to his collection of valuable books. When one of his rarest volumes disappears from a supposedly impervious glass-enclosed case, troubleshooting detective Banacek (George Peppard) is called onto the case. George Lindsey, best known as Goober on The Andy Griffith Show, co-stars as the local constabulary. The Greatest Collection of Them All was the January 10, 1973, installment of the TV series Banacek. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
- PG
In this biker flick, an L.A. policeman becomes friends with another officer and the tough black leader of a biker gag. Conflict ensues, especially when the biker leader's ambitious and vengeful second in command beats up his girlfriend and abducts the leaders pregnant girl. He takes her on a wild ride that almost kills her and the child. He is pursued by the cop who eventually captures him, but not before the badguy slits his throat. Surprisingly, he does not die. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
