Dana Delany Movies
American actress Dana Delany, a graduate of Phillips Academy and Wesleyan University, began making television appearances in the mid-1980s on such programs as Moonlighting and the movie A Winner Never Quits (1986). In 1988, she was cast as Army nurse Lt. Colleen McMurphy in the Vietnam-era TV drama China Beach, which ran until 1990. In her film appearances (Moon Over Parador [1988], Patty Hearst [1988], Light Sleeper [1992]), Delany has leaned toward characters governed by their neuroses and eccentricities. In 1994, Delany began showing up in publicity photos wearing a skimpy leather dominatrix outfit and brandishing a whip. No, she hadn't switched careers: it was all for a much-touted "bondage" comedy/mystery Exit to Eden (from a novel by Ann Rice). When the film showed less than successful results, Delany immediately recovered with a strong portrayal as birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger (whom she closely resembled) in a made-for-cable TV biopic. Dana Delany can thank the restrooms of America for her family's financial security; Delany's grandfather invented the Delany flush valve. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2008
Two lost souls find meaning in a world of chaos in this independent drama directed by Alejandro Chomski and adapted from the play by Wendy Hammond. Desperate teen Maggie (Angela Sarafayan) is on the run from her abusive father, and young immigrant David (Jesse Garcia) is scouring the streets of L.A. for his missing mother. When David and Maggie meet, their fractured lives finally start to make sense. A Beautiful Life also features Dana Delany and Debi Mazar. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angela Sarafayan, Jesse Garcia, (more)
Take a trip to South Central Pennsylvania to see what life is like on the edge of the Lincoln Highway in this quirky tale of interconnecting lives starring Curtis Armstrong, David DeLuise, Dana Delaney, and Robert Romanus. The first segment, titled "Deer Hunters Wives," details the daily frustrations of a Civil War tour guide named Mandy who's hopelessly fixated on the story of Jennie Wade - the only civilian to be killed during the battle of Gettysburg. Meanwhile, her good friend June hatches a scandalous plan to make some extra cash by starting an online porn site. "What I Blieve" tells the tale of a man who enlists the aid of a Christian Scientist in healing his back pain and explaining the Bigfoot that chased him through the mountains, and "Original Bill" finds a writer's search for inspiration in the quiet countryside constantly interrupted by his Amish neighbor, a woman who smokes, drinks, and sneaks a peek at his television whenever possible. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2007
- Add Desperate Housewives: Season 04 to QueueAdd Desperate Housewives: Season 04 to top of Queue
A truly contemporary take on happily ever after, Desperate Housewives takes a darkly comedic look at suburbia, where the secret lives of housewives aren't always what they seem.
- Starring:
- Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, (more)
- 2006
Word gets out that Sharon is being kept alive secretly aboard Galactica and Sesha Abinell (Dana Delany) takes hostages in an effort to prevent the Cylon from providing enemy intelligence to Galactica. ~ Michael Chant, All Movie Guide
As the Man of Steel prepares to reveal himself to the world and declare his longstanding love for "Daily Planet" reporter Lois Lane, an old nemesis teams with a foe of unlimited power to wreak havoc over Metropolis in this animated adventure that pits Superman against a villain the likes of which the world has never seen. A powerful computer with a special strain of kryptonite infused to his body and a hunger for world domination, Brainiac forges an unholy alliance with the dreaded Lex Luthor that aims to bring the world's most famous superhero to his knees. When a force beam originally intended to take out Superman instead blasts Lane, the race is on for the desperate hero to enter the dreaded Phantom Zone and find the cure that will restore her health. The nefarious partnership between Luthor and Brainiac takes a turn for the worse, however, when, believing The Man of Steel to have buckled under the pressure of his powerful blast, Brainiac betrays his one-time partner to strike terror into the very heart of Metropolis. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Daly, Powers Boothe, (more)
Another of the many serialized TV dramas of the mid-2000s in which important clues and motivations were slowly and methodically revealed on a "need to know" basis, Kidnapped got under way when Leopold Cain (Will Denton), the son of self-made millionaire Conrad Cain (Timothy Hutton) and his wife Ellie (Dana Delaney), was abducted during a quasi-paramilitary attack on his private school. "Don't call the police" was perhaps the least cryptic message received by Mr. and Mrs. Cain in the days that followed; other messages and clues always seemed to be weighted with double meanings and vague allusions to unsavory incidents in the past lives of the victim's parents. Assigned to rescue Leopold (if possible) was chief FBI investigator Latimer King (Delroy Lindo), who much against his will was teamed with rogue ex-agent Knapp (Jeremy Sisto), who in turn worked hand in glove with his mysterious sidekick Turner (Carmen Ejogo). The search for the kidnapped boy whisked virtually everyone in the cast around the world, with Mr. and Mrs. Cain frequently bollixing up the "good guys'" efforts by refusing to follow instructions or going off on their own whimsical tangents. Early on, the Cains' bodyguard Virgil (Mykelti Williamson) abruptly vanished from the scene; was he, like several others involved in the case, a murder victim, or was he pursuing his own agenda. Unfolding in a "Rashomon" fashion with contradictory information and points of view, this was one of those maddening series in which "truth" was an intangible commodity at best, and in which everyone had a skeleton or two in the closet. Kidnapped made its NBC bow on September 20, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Sisto, Carmen Ejogo, (more)
- 2004
Based on a comic-book story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, "For the Man Who Has Everything" is that rarest of rare Justice League Unlimited episodes, giving center stage to the series' three biggest stars. It's Superman's birthday, so Batman and Wonder Woman head to the Fortress of Solitude to surprise their comrade. Upon arrival, the pair finds that Superman has already been surprised by a gift from the evil Mongul -- a parasitic plant that has immobilized the Man of Steel. As Batman and W.W. struggle to free their fellow Leaguer, the comatose Superman experiences what life would have been like had Krypton never exploded and had he remained on the planet as Kal-El -- with a very familiar-looking wife named Loana, and a "dream son," Van-El. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Roberts, Dana Delany, (more)
A woman sets out to stamp out unscrupulous baby brokers in this made-for-cable drama. Nathalie Johnson (Dana Delany) is a woman edging into middle age who has an eight-year-old stepdaughter with her husband Steve (Hart Bochner). Nathalie would like to have a baby of her own, but after discovering to her frustration that she is unable to conceive, she and Steve choose to adopt an infant. While investigating adoption options online, Nathalie sees a listing for a beautiful baby girl from Hungary, and immediately contacts Hungarian adoption agent Gabor Szabo (Bruce Ramsay). Nathalie soon learns that Szabo is less interested in the welfare of his children than in padding his bank account, and that the Hungarian is a black-market broker who essentially auctions off children to the highest bidder. Nathalie is suitably outraged and pledges to put Szabo and his kind out of business, though she soon discovers that the laws regarding adoption are neither as stringent or as easily enforced as she imagined. Originally produced for the Lifetime cable network, Baby for Sale first aired on July 12, 2004. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, (more)
James Redford, the son of actor and filmmaker Robert Redford, made his directorial debut with this independent coming-of-age drama set in the 1950s. After his parents are killed in the wreck of a light plane, young Eddie Haley (Max Madore) is left in the care of his uncle Frank (Stanley Tucci), an emotionally removed man who was once a major in the air force. When Frank decides to take an extended leave of his ranch in Arizona, Eddie is left behind with caretaker Ernesto (Rubén Blades) and his wife, Margaret (Dana Delany), a schoolteacher. Ernesto and Margaret are caring and capable surrogate parents to Eddie, but the boy has grown into a troubled and hot-headed teenager (now played by Ryan Merriman) by the time Frank comes back. As both Ernesto and Frank try to put Eddie back on the right track, the young man struggles with his decisions about his future, his love for his classmate Francesca (Paula Garcés), and some unanswered questions about the death of his parents. Spin was adapted from a novel by Donald Everett Axinn. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Merriman, Stanley Tucci, (more)
- 2004
Clearly inspired by the FCC crackdown after Janet Jackson's controversial "wardrobe malfunction", this episode focuses on two publicity-hungry public figures: Carolyn Spencer (Dana Delany), the head of an anti-smut campaign targeted at "dirty" TV shows, and BJ Cameron (Lewis Black), a trash-talking shock jock. The SVU detectives are determined to find out who was responsible for the rape of teenage celebrity Jesse Dawning, who as the star of the controversial TV show "Girl Undercover" has been subjected to venomous attacks by both Spencer and Cameron. Ultimately, Spencer's own son Danny (Ricky Ullman) is arrested for the crime--but did he assault Jesse on orders from his zealous mother, or was he inspired by Cameron's rabid rantings? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
As the "black sheep" of her wealthy family, struggling artist and single mother Britt Calhoun (Dana Delany) is reluctant to return home for the Christmas holidays. Finally persuaded to do so, Britt finds that her imperious mother Maggie (Doris Roberts) is still more concerned about "what people will think" than what people may be like inside. Even so, Britt is determined to mend fences with Maggie, if for no other reason than to convince the father of her child that she can lead a stable home life. But a dark cloud hangs over the Yuletide proceedings: Maggie is in the first stages of Alzheimer's, and it may never be possible to stage a reconciliation. Produced for the Hallmark channel, A Time to Remember debuted November 23, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Roberts, Dana Delany, (more)
- 2003
In the conclusion of a two-part story, the vengeful Dr. Destiny continues using his ESP machine to control the dreams -- and the minds -- of others, and to destroy the Justice League. At this point, virtually all the Leaguers are enslaved in their own personal nightmares, with seemingly no way out. Only Batman and J'onn J'onnz remain free to battle the insidious Destiny -- but in order to triumph of evil, our two heroes must stay awake...stay awake...STAY AWAKE!!! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Atherton, Dana Delany, (more)
- 2003
In the first episode of a two-part story, Superman apparently sacrifices himself for the sake of his fellow Justice Leaguers. Can it be that The Man of Steel is gone from the scene for good? And how will mankind be able to survive without Superman's benevolent protection? Originally intended to be telecast near the end of Justice League's second season, "Hereafter" was bumped forward to an earlier playdate due to its high suspense quotient. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brad Garrett, Dana Delany, (more)
- 2003
In the first episode of a two-part story, the members of the Justice League are confronted by their evil doppelgangers from another dimension. In their world, the "Justice Lords" rule with a curious and sinister version of law and order, in which the innocent suffer while the guilty flourish. When the Justice Lords arrive on earth, they are confused by values that they cannnot understand -- but which they are compelled to destroy. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clancy Brown, Dana Delany, (more)
Conviction is a biopic about Carl Upchurch, a hardcore felon who managed to educate himself and developed a spiritual awakening during one of his numerous stints inside prison. He began to spread his message to other inmates, and soon he was asked to help mediate problems between some of the most feared street gangs in the country. Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, Conviction stars Omar Epps as Upchurch and features supporting turns from Dana Delany and Charles S. Dutton. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Omar Epps
Rich Thorne's Mother Ghost stars Mark Thompson as a man who, as the story begins, is mourning the death of his mother. When he stumbles upon a piece of his mother's jewelry, he starts to take a hard look at his own life. Soon he questions all of the suppositions he has about his marriage and his existence. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Thompson, Kevin Pollak, (more)
- 2002
The title of the CBS doctor drama referred to the fictional Presidio Medical Group of San Francisco. Distinguishing this effort from all other forcep-and-scalpel weeklies was the fact that the staff of Presidio Med was virtually all-female, save for a brace of "token" handsome hunks. Still, in standard TV fashion, the doctors became emotionally (and sometimes intimately) involved in the welfare of their patients. The main characters included OB-GYN specialist Harriet Lanning (Blythe Danner), oncologist Rae Brennan (Dana Delany), cardiologist Letty Jordan (Anna Deavere Smith), plastic surgeon Jackie Collette (Sasha Alexander), pediatrician Jules Keating (Julianne Nicholson), and, from the male contingent, internist Matt Slingerland (Paul Blackthorne) and Greek-born surgeon Nicholas Kokoris (Oded Fehr). Created by former ER producers Lydia Woodward and John Wells, Presidio Med debuted Tuesday, September 24, 2002, before settling into its usual Wednesday-night time slot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Paul Blackthorne, (more)
- 2001
Having spent virtually all of her 15 years enwrapped in a sheltered, pampered existence, Lily Greeley McAllister (Alison Lohman) was not quite prepared for the emotional jolt attending the suicide of a strange man in the dining room of the Greeley family's luxurious Pasadena home. Lily was equally unprepared for the blasé, unconcerned reactions of the Greeleys to this appalling spectacle. Attempting to find out why the man killed himself and why no one seemed to care all that much, Lily began to methodically unearth a number of unsavory family secrets -- and in the process, put her own future in dire jeopardy. Mike White of Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks, and Chuck and Buck fame was the guiding creative force behind this bizarre weekly blend of Beverly Hills 90210 and Dallas, while actress Diane Keaton helmed the series' pilot episode. Others in the cast included Natasha Gregson Wagner and Mark Valley as two branches of the Greeley family tree, and Dana Delany as Catherine McAllister. The 60-minute Pasadena debuted September 21, 2001, on the Fox Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alison Lohman, Martin Donovan, (more)
- 2001
Based on a novel by Linda Fairstein, the made-for-TV Final Jeopardy stars Dana Delany as prosecuting attorney Alexandra Cooper. During a visit to Alexandra's Manhattan apartment, her best friend, an actress, is murdered. At first wondering why anyone would want to kill her friend, Alexandra arrives at the horrifying conclusion that she herself was the intended victim -- and that the killer is prepared to try again at any time. Billy Burke costars as Mike Chapman, who after being dragged into the murder investigation, falls in love with Alexandra, a plot complication that could very well end in tragedy for at least one of the parties involved. Final Jeopardy premiered April 9, 2001 on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this thriller, Derian (Rebecca De Mornay), a beautiful private detective with a checkered past, is hired by a suspicious woman to keep tabs on her husband, whom she suspects is having an affair. While it's her job to keep her distance, Derian soon finds herself drawn into the web of desire that she's observing -- and becomes involved in an affair that could have terrible consequences. The Right Temptation also stars Kiefer Sutherland as Michael and Dana Delany as Anthea. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Rebecca De Mornay, (more)
Novelist Reverge Anselmo makes his directorial debut with this comedy about two inept brothers trying to run the family's ranch. After spending several years in Mexico, P.D. Mitjans (Danny Nucci) returns to the States following the death of his father. He's giving thoughts to the notion of getting the family ranch back on its feet until he sees the mess his brother A.J. (Del Zamora) has made of the place. P.D. decides to give the place a try anyway, and the Mitjans Brothers attempt several schemes to raise cash, all of which prove to be spectacular failures. P.D. still has a reason to stick around, however -- his ex-girlfriend Cat (Dana Delany), who runs the neighborhood watering hole. Unfortunately, Cat has a new boyfriend these days, a cop with a less-than-stable constitution (Paul LeMat). The Outfitters was shown as part of the American Spectrum series at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Nucci, Del Zamora, (more)
