Arny Freeman Movies
- 1977
In this first episode of a two-part story, the pressures of the saloon business lead Archie to begin taking unprescribed pep pills. Inevitably, he develops a dangerous addiction to amphetamines. The script was written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine in collaboration with medical consultant William C. Rader, M.D. The guest cast includes A. Martinez as Manuel and Arny Freeman as Watkins. Part one of "Archie's Bitter Pill" first aired on November 6, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1976
Lionel Jefferson (Damon Evans) turns down a high-paying job when his new employer demands that he take a lie detector test. Not surprisingly, Lionel's dad, George (Sherman Hemsley), jumps to the conclusion that his son has a skeleton in his closet. All this intrigue occurs while George and Louise (Isabel Sanford) are trying to arrange a family portrait for the Jefferson clan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1974
- R
"Batman and Robin" are the principal characters in the fact-based The Super Cops. Well, not the real Batman and Robin; these just happen to be the nicknames of two irrepressible New York City cops, Dave Greenberg (Ron Leibman) and Bob Hantz (David Selby). Flying in the face of departmental procedure and protocol, Greenberg and Hantz use bizarre (and often amusing) extreme methods to rid the streets of drug merchants. The two gonzo cops find an unexpected ally in the form of a prostitute named Sara (Sheila E. Frazer). Adapted by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (who coincidentally wrote the Batman TV pilot episode) from the best-selling book by L. H. Whitemore, The Super Cops features the genuine Dave Greenberg and Bob Hantz in minor roles...as cops, naturally. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ron Leibman, David Selby, (more)
This crime action movie is based on Peter Maas' best-selling book The Valachi Papers. That book, in turn, is based on prison conversations and the actual U.S. Senate testimony of Joseph Valachi, a high-ranking figure in the Mafia. The book, which tells precisely who did what to whom, when and why, electrified the nation. This film had to be made in Italy, because attempts to shoot in the U.S. were stymied by mob-arranged "accidents" and protests. The story is told in flashback as Valachi (Charles Bronson) tells a Federal agent about his activities from 1929 to 1961, when he worked for the Capo of Capos, Vito Genovese (Lino Ventura). Though his tale necessarily takes place in a number of episodes, it never fails to have lots of drama and action. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Lino Ventura, (more)
Striving for a better life for his two sons, a Puerto Rican immigrant named Popi (Alan Arkin) goes about his mission in a singularly eccentric fashion in this comedy from director Arthur Hiller. So intent is Harlem resident Abraham "Popi" Rodriguez (Arkin) upon providing his boys with the American dream, that he puts off marrying his beautiful girlfriend Lupe (Rita Moreno) in order to carry out the mother of all harebrained schemes. After instructing his boys how to row with lessons in Central Park, Popi takes them to Florida and sets them adrift on the ocean, knowing that two cute "refugees from Cuba" seeking asylum in the U.S. will become celebrity cases and probably be adopted by rich WASP's. Popi's plan works like a charm, with his sons even earning an audience with the president, but a visit to the hospital where they're recovering from their ordeal at sea sinks his big plans. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Arkin, Rita Moreno, (more)
- 1968
In this comedy, New York City undergoes a dramatic change when a toucan carrying a strange virus is smuggled through customs. In those it infects, the virus causes an intense euphoria and a desire to do good. The first man to receive the infected bird is a misanthropic, cynical artist who lives in an apartment with his girlfriend. The couple names the toucan "Amigo," and soon they are indeed happy. They decide to spread it around and so the bird is freed. The Big Apple goes into an economic tailspin as its residents become deliriously happy and stop buying cigarettes, booze and tranquilizers. To save the financially foundering city, the mayor and a presidential envoy begin distributing unpleasant masks to the happy city-dwellers. The artist and friends thwart the officials' scheme by infecting the masks. So begins a battle between the officials and the artist. Eventually Amigo is caught, and an antidote is delivered. The renowned rudeness, cruelty and selfishness of the native New Yorkers quickly returns, and the city is saved. The artist realizes that his quest has been futile, and he devotes the rest of his time and energy to making his girlfriend happy. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Peppard, Mary Tyler Moore, (more)
- 1962
No sooner have they been released from prison than the four Stryker brothers pick up where they left off, assuming control of a string of night clubs and all illegal traffic within. In dire need of extra money to keep their operation afloat, the brothers plan to rob a mail shipment--and to this end, they coax a professional arsonist named Jaeger (Nehemiah Persoff in a less villainous role than usual) out of retirement. Only when the Strykers renege on their promise to pay Jaeger the 20 grand they promised him does the scheme unravel, allowing Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) to mete out justice. Frank Sutton, aka Gomer Pyle USMC's Sergeant Carter, makes the first of four Untouchables appearances, here cast as the youngest and most timorous of the Stryker brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1961
Hoping to capture narcotics boss Alexander Raeder (Joseph Ruskin) during a "business transaction" at a Chicago amusement pier, Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) is thwarted by another crook, Arnold Justin (Martin Balsam). Making this a particularly bitter pill to swallow is the fact that Justin used to be a cop himself before he sold his soul to the Underworld. But Ness manages to turn the tables on on the treacherous Justin by putting him in bad with the formidable Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon). If the actress playing the landlady looks familiar, it's because she is Barbara Pepper, better known as rural pig fancier Doris Ziffel on the 1960s sitcom Green Acres. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1961
Keith Andes guest stars as Franz Lister, a celebrated German musician who has been brought to the US by his wealthy sponsor, a social-climbing former saloon hostess named Mona Lansing (Gertrude Flynn). No sooner has Lister arrived than his priceless piano is "kidnapped" and held for ransom. Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired to bring the piano back in one piece--assuming that he can remain in one piece as well! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
After several years of domestic squabbles, the marriage of Nina and Robert Tracy (Judy Holliday, Jack Lemmon) goes "phffft"! Upon receiving their divorce papers, Nina and Robert are certain that they'll remain friends, no matter how many new lovers they pick up along the way. Nina dallies briefly with bombastic Charlie Newton (Jack Carson), while Robert has a fling with the luscious Janis (Kim Novak). These romantic episodes only serve to make Nina and Robert realize how much they're still in love with each other. According to costar Jack Lemmon, the original title of this film was Phfffft!, but after an all-night bull session at Columbia Pictures it was decided to take out one of the "F"s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Judy Holliday, Jack Lemmon, (more)
