Paul Engle Movies
- 1960
Against their better judgment, Ward (Hugh Beaumont) and June (Barbara Billingsley) allow Beaver (Jerry Mathers) to ride his brand-new bicycle to school. On the way home, Beaver meets a young boy (Paul Engle) who begs him to let him have just one ride -- and he'll be right back. Minutes pass, and then hours, and finally Beaver reaches the sobering conclusion that he will never see that boy, or his bike, ever again! (This episode would later be reworked into the 1997 feature-film version of Leave It to Beaver). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rusty Stevens, Stanley "Tiger" Fafara, (more)
- 1958
In this western, the battle between ranchers and farmers provides the background for a battle between two disparate brothers. One is the outlaw gangleader of the Blue Chip gang; the other is a hard-bitten lawman. The outlaw is only too happy to witness the land conflicts as he plans on stealing the lands of the dead on both sides. Fortunately, his good brother causes him to change his bad-guy ways, side with the farmers and go straight. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Stevens, Forrest Tucker, (more)
- 1957
In one of his rare movie starring assignments, William Talman (Hamilton Burger on TV's Perry Mason) plays a dual role in The Persuader. Talman is seen as gunslinger Matt Bonham and his twin brother, preacher Mark Bonham. When Mark is killed by outlaw leader Bick Justin (James Craig), Matt takes his brother's place in the pulpit, ramming the Fear of God down the throats of the wanton townspeople. Impressed by Bonham's courage, the townsfolk begin to follow the straight and narrow path. The disgruntled Justin makes plans to burn down the church, but then the Lord moves in His usual mysterious and wonderous way. Former child star Darryl Hickman makes a vivid impression as the dead twin's vengeful young son. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Talman, James Craig, (more)
- 1957
The story you are about to see would probably be more at home on a contemporary "procedural" series like CSI or Bones. While playing in the hills just outside LA, two kids stumble upon a human skeleton. When it turns out the bones or those of a man who was killed 25 years earlier, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) try to determine what happened to the poor fellow. Evidently, however, there are only two people in town who care about the outcome of the case: the dead man's former sweetheart--and the person who murdered him. This is one of a handful of black and white Dragnet episodes written especially for television, with no prior radio version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Beaver (Jerry Mathers) thinks it's real "creepy" that his brother Wally (Tony Dow) is spending less time with him and more time with his girlfriend Penny Jamison. But this state of affairs ends abruptly when Wally and Penny quarrel and break up. Now concerned only with his brother's best interests, Beav tries to patch the romance back together -- with the unexpected assistance of his pet toad, Herbie. Penny Jamison is played by Carol Sydes, who later changed her name to Cindy Carol and essayed the leading role in the 1963 theatrical feature Gidget Goes to Rome. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carol Sydes, Barbara Dodd, (more)
- 1956
Tom Ewell plays a busy attorney who wishes to be closer to his son. To do this, he becomes manager of the boy's little league team, much to the dismay of his wife (Anne Francis), who can't stand baseball. Ewell finds that he must contend with pushy and ambitious parents who hope to live their own sports fantasies vicariously through their ballplaying children. The single mother of one of the kids (Ann Miller) goes to Ewell to plead for her boy's advancement, but the purpose of the meeting is misinterpreted by Ewell's jealous wife. Fed up with sacrificing sportsmanship to the whims of the parents, Ewell encourages his team to play for the love of the game rather than "winning at any cost." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Ewell, Anne Francis, (more)
- 1955
This distaff variation of the Goodbye Mr. Chips theme is based on a novel by Frances Gray Patton. While confined to a sickbed, ageing New England schoolteacher Miss Dove (Jennifer Jones) recalls the many students who passed through her classroom. Among her now-grown-up prize pupils are surgeon Tom Baker (Robert Stack), policeman Bill Holloway (Chuck Connors) and playright Maurice (Jerry Paris), all of whom were able to overcome difficult childhoods and strive for success with the help of Miss Dove. As it turns out, it is Dr. Tom Baker who is to perform the operation that may save the life of his ailing former teacher. A 60-minute TV adaptation of Good Morning Miss Dove, with Phyllis Kirk in the Jennifer Jones role, was seen in 1956 as part of the weekly anthology The 20th Century-Fox Hour. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Jones, Robert Stack, (more)
