Joan Van Ark Movies

In a world driven by celebrity obsession, what better way to express your admiration of the Hollywood star of yesteryear than by having them glimmering from around your neck or shimmering on your finger wherever you go? At least that's the attitude taken by Dr. Lockbuster (Tim McNeil) as he enters into a lucrative partnership with notorious criminal Augustine Garza (Leo Rossi) and millionaire Quentin Leeds (Joseph Ruskin) to market "celebrity" diamonds made from the ashes of deceased Hollywood royalty. It seems that wealthy widows simply can't get enough of the glitz and glamour, especially diamond fanatic Mrs. Kelly (Tippi Hedren). But what happens when the men assigned the decidedly unglamorous task of acquiring the remains begin running out of "product"? With their decidedly finite supply of deceased Hollywood royalty rapidly declining, desperate grave robbers Bergerac de la Houssey (Bronson Pinchot) and Lulu (Darin Heames) soon begin shopping around for living candidates. When the murder of Quentin Leeds inspires investigators to pick up Bergerac for questioning, the nervous grave robber beats a hasty retreat while in possession of the famed Hemingway diamond that is said to have a hypnotic effect on anyone who comes in contact with it. With the police, Garza, and Mrs. Kelly hot on his trail, it seems that this quest for the ultimate gem can only end badly. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Gerald McRaney stars in this made-for-TV nailbiter as Jake Arledge, a dedicated meteorologist. Having invented a device to predict the patterns of tornadoes, Jake is unable to convince the higher-ups of the device's value. All this changes when Jake joins forces with his estranged TV-weatherperson daughter Dee (Thea Gill) and his former protégé Mark Scott (Steve Braun) to prevent the wholesale destruction of a town smack-dab in the middle of a tornado's path. Also in the cast is Joan Van Ark as the town's politically ambitious mayor, who insists upon throwing a huge vote-raising party despite impending disaster from the skies. Shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba over a hectic 13-day period, Tornado Warning debuted over the PAX network on September 13, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this decidedly pre-9/11 political thriller, the President of the United States (Lloyd Bochner) responds to terrorism by announcing plans to negotiate with the aggressors. This policy does not rest at all well with General Metzger (Nick Mancusco), the fiercely xenophobic chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. With the help of a group of CIA rogues and other conspirators, Metzger stages a White House mutiny, taking the President hostage. It is up to Vice President Lane--who happens to be a woman, played by Joan Van Ark)--to battle against a sea of enemies to prevent a full-scale military junta. Made for cable, Loyal Opposition: Terror in the White House was first shown by the Family channel on March 16, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Gee: back when Vivian Banks was played by a different actress, she was soooo supportive of her husband Philip (James Avery). But now that Vivian is portrayed by Daphne Maxwell Reid, it's apparently a different situation altogether: in fact, in the first episode of this two-part story, she threatens to divorce Philip over his political activities. Meanwhile, fast-food worker Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) is discovered by Jewel Pemberton (Joan Van Ark), owner of a prestigious modelling agency. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Raquel Welch plays a writer working on a project about children who are genetically predisposed for violence--specifically, homicide. To gather real-life examples, she focuses on finding the daughter of a woman who murdered her own parents. The girl also happens to have a twin brother who did the same to his adoptive parents. Introduced in the curvy plot are two adoptive daughters of two separate families living in the same neighborhood; one of whom is the daughter in question. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

Season Thirteen of Knots Landing gets under way with only one of the four original "couplings" of the series' first season intact: After many romantic side trips and emotional detours, Gary Ewing (Ted Shackelford) and his ex-wife Val (Joan Van Ark) have decided to let bygones be bygones and tie the matrimonial knot for the third (and last!) time. Once this matter is settled, Gary again demonstrates his basic lack of common sense by teaming with one Joseph Barringer (Mark Soper]) in a wild scheme to harness the power of ocean tides to provide low-cost energy for the citizens of California. Not surprisingly, Gary loses his shirt (and everything else) in this dead-on-arrival venture, and ends up working as a day laborer on his own ranch before returning to his old cul-de-sac neighborhood. Meanwhile, Val revitalizes her literary career by starting research on a novel intended to expose the crooked machinations of Greg Sumner (William Devane). In other developments, Linda Fairgate (Lar-Park Lincoln), ex-daughter in law of Gary's business partner Karen (Michele Lee), is murdered by Brian Johnston (Philip Brown), who holds several of the principal characters hostage before Karen is able to save the day--thereby confirming her "local heroine" status established at the end of the previous season, when she single-handedly took on the members of a street gang. Also, Greg Sumner's predatory sister Claudia (Kathleen Noone) meets her Waterloo in the form of Alex Barth (Boyd Kestner), who knows where all of her bodies are buried. As for Greg, he begins an affair with Anne Matheson (Michelle Phillips), former lover of Greg's longtime nemesis Mack (Kevin Dobson); reduced to penury after failing to cheat her daughter Paige (Nicollette Sheridan) out of an inheritance, Anne has staged a comeback as a nude model and radio star! Among the newcomers to the series are Bruce Greenwood as Paige's new boyfriend Pierce Lawton, who later tries to kill Paige and several others when he loses all his money in Gary's "Tidal Energy" scheme; Maree Cheatham as Mary Robeson, who claims to be the biological mother of Greg's late wife Laura (Constance McCashin), and who had been sent to prison on a trumped-up charge engineered by Greg; and Felicity Waterman as Vanessa Hunt, an old friend of Claudia Whittaker's daughter Kate (Stacy Galina). Making their final appearances in Season Twelves are Larry Riley and [$Kent Masters-King as Frank and Julia Williams--and, surprisingly, Joan Van Ark as Val Ewing, who mysteriously vanishes in the midst of preparing her tell-all novel. With ratings steadily decreasing during its most recent seasons, Knots Landing wnet on a brief production hiatus in the middle of Season Thirteen so that the new writing team could get a grip on the concept and come up with more compelling storylines. Although things did improve a bit, the series was destined to survive for just one more year. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rendered mortally ill by anti-chemical activists during Season Eleven of Knot's Landing, scheming politician-businessman Greg Sumner (William Devane) is snatched from the jaws of death by a liver transplant--which, characteristically, he has secured by dishonest means. This leaves Sumner alive and well, and free to begin life anew with the new love of his life, the bed-hopping Paige Matheson (Nicollette Sheridan), who happens to be the illegitimate daughter of Sumner's perennial crimebusting nemesis, Mack MacKenzie (Kevin Dobson). At the same time, Paige's biological mother Anne (Michelle Phillips), still determined to get her mitts on her daughter's inheritance, dreams up a phony blackmail scheme which brings arouses the attention of her former lover Mario Conti, who dispatches his trusted hatchet man Nick Schillance (Lorenzo Caccialanza) to Knots Landing to help the "victimized" Anne. Ultimately, Anne and Nick will get married and team up to rob Paige of her rightful inheritance. Meanwhile, long-suffering Val (Joan Van Ark) tries to secure a divorce from her imprisoned serial-rapist husband Danny (Sam Behrens), who claims to have been "Born Again" behind bars and refuses to release her from her wedding vows. When Danny is ultimately found dead, Val's ex Gary (Ted Shackelford) is suspected of murder (for about the three-hundredth time!), but is exonerated by Danny's last intended victim, Julie Williams (Kent-Masters King). Elsewhere, novice TV personality Karen (Michele Lee) learns to her horror that her alleged stalker from the previous season, Jeff Cameron (Chris Lemmon), is still alive, still bent on "getting" her despite being exposed as part of a campaign of psychological terror concocted by Karen's conniving former producer Dianne Kirkwood. And in another development, Mack puts his life on the line when he assumes the responsibility of protecting young Jason Lochner (Thomas Wilson Brown) from an abusive parent. Perhaps sensing that the series needed a new "Abby Cunningham"-style villainess, the producer introduce the character of Greg Sumner's scheming sister Claudia Whittaker (Kathleen Noone), who at the outset of Season Eleven swoops into Knots Landing with her daughter Kate (Stacy Galina) and her ex-convict "son" Steve Brewer (Lance Guest) in tow. Steve will eventually be revealed to be the son of the late tycoon Paul Galveston--and thus the brother of Greg Sumner, rather than his nephew. By the time the season finale rolls around, Claudia's machinations have brought about the death of Steven; Karen faces a jail term after forcing a gang of street punks--including one of her own neighbors--to have a car accident; the troublesome Anne is at last kicked out of Knots Landing; and, evidently hastening the process before any more disasters can occur, Gary and Val decide to get married--for the third time. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Although the scheming Abby Cunningham (Donna Mills) had departed Knots Landing at the end of its tenth season, the series still managed to serve up a full recipe of fascinating intrigues during its eleventh season on the air. Dominating much of the proceedings is a plotline sparked by a pension-fraud scheme involving Oakman Industries, one of several businesses controlled by duplicitous politico Greg Sumner (William Devane). An investigation headed by Sumner's longtime nemesis Mack (Kevin Dobson) is compromised by the actions of Tom Ryan (Joseph Gian), a crooked cop in Oakman's employ. The ramifications of the pension scandal results in the death of Greg's estranged daughter Mary Frances, who turns out to have been an operative for a anti-chemical subversive organization headed by her boyfriend--who in turn gets revenge on Greg by infecting him with a lethal poison. In other developments, Mack's former lover Anne (Michelle Phillips), the mother of his daughter Paige (Nicollette Sheridan), hatches an elaborate scheme to rob Paige of her inheritance. After a season's absence, Steve Shaw briefly returns to the role of Eric, the son of Knots Landing Motors head (and Mack's wife) Karen (Michele Lee)--though he is now divorced from wife Linda (Lar-Park Lincoln), who begins a relationship with Eric's brother Michael (Pat Petersen), sparking a great deal of sibling hostility. Karen herself lands a job hosting the popular local TV series "Open Mike", produced by Dianne Kirkwood (Robin Strasser) and Jeff Cameron (Chris Lemmon). However, it soon develops that Dianne covets Karen's job, and will stop at nothing to get it. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the "crazed fan" who stalks Karen through most of the season is actually Dianne's co-conspirator Jeff. Also: The eternally unlucky-in-love Val (Joan Van Ark) falls for an outwardly charming chap named Danny Waleska (Sam Behrens), whom Val's ex Gary (Ted Shackelford) has good reason to distrust. It soon develops that Danny is a serial rapist and all-around psycho, who not only terrorizes Val's twin daughters but also attempts to kill Gary and makes an effort to assault Julie Williams (Kent-Masters King). Though Danny fails in this attempt, he succeeds in fatally injuring Julie's mother Patricia (Lynne Moody)--while in another of the many developments comprising the season's cliffhanger finale, Paige is jilted at the altar by her newest beau, "dirty" cop Tom Ryan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this crime drama set in LA during the '40s, an infamous Hollywood madam is arrested and mayhem ensues as the names of her famous patrons, among them government officials and policemen, are revealed. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The big news of Knots Landing's ninth season is the apparent murder of unsavory politician Peter Hollister, who in the course of the previous season had had affairs with both Abby Cunningham (Donna Mills) and Abby's daughter Olivia (Tonya Crowe)--leading Abby to believe that Olivia was the killer, and vice versa! As it turns out, only Paige Matheson (Nicollette Sheridan), illegitimate daughter of crime investigator Mack MacKenzie (Kevin Dobson), knows the whole story of Peter's untimely end. This season marks the departure of longtime regular Constance McCashin, who in the role of Laura Avery Sumner has weathered two tempestuous marriages, first to unscrupulous lawyer Richard Avery, and then to another "dirty" politician, Greg Sumner (William Devane). Before succumbing to a brain tumor, Laura asks Mack's former wife Karen (Michele Lee) to sell her house to a reliable tenant. This serves to introduce several new regulars, all members of the "jinxed" Williams family: husband Frank (Larry Riley), wife Patricia (Lynne Moody), daughter Julie (Kent Masters-King). It will soon be revealed that the Williamses are in the Federal Witness Protection Program! In other developments, Abby divorces Gary (Ted Shackleford), then renews her relationship with former beau Charles Scott (Michael York)--but only for the purpose of enlarging her power base in Knots Landing. Gary meanwhile continues his affair with the unhinged Jill Bennett, who makes it her mission in life to destroy Gary's former spouse Val, first by attempting to drive Val crazy (again), then more directly with an "accidental" drug overdose. Also, Val's mother Lilimae (Julie Harris) leaves the series when she impulsively runs off with an eccentric messenger-service employee named Al Baker (Red Buttons). And in their efforts to get the Lotus Point Resort up and running, Gary, Abby and Karen become involved with a shady character named Manny Vasquez (John Aprea), who at one point or another attempts to murder practically everyone in the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The "Black Market Baby" story arc which dominated most of Knots Landing's sixth season is resolved in the first few episodes of Season Seven, as Val Ewing (Joan Van Ark) is tearfully reunited with her twin babies, who had been stolen and auctioned off on the illegal-adoption circuit. This settled, the series can now devote itself to the intrigues involving the rest of its ever-growing cast of regulars. Newly divorced from Karen (Michele Lee), owner of Knots' Landing Motors, crime commissioner Mack MacKenzie (Kevin Dobson) begins an affair with Jill Bennett (Teri Austin), little suspecting that Jill is a few bricks shy of a full load. Val's half-brother Joshua (Alec Baldwin), a former preacher, scores a big hit as a TV personality, but develops a dangerous case of jealousy when his wife and co-star Cathy (Lisa Hartman) gets more fan mail than he does. Subsequently, Joshua dies, an apparent suicide--but when all the facts come out, thanks to an investigation inaugurated by undercover reporter Sonny Harkins. This season, Hunt Block joins the cast as ruthless politician Peter Hollister, the self-proclaimed brother of crooked politico Greg Sumner (William Devane) and potential rival (in more ways than one) of series protagonist Gary Ewing (Ted Shackelford). Also, Ruth Roman is introduced in the role of Sylvia Lean, ex-mistress of Greg Sumner's dad and (supposedly) Peter Hollister's mother. Elsewhere, Gary accidentally causes an arsenic leak that will imperil his Empire Valley estate, not to mention the rest of Knot's Landing; Val enters into a marriage with reporter Ben (Michael Sheehan), which is shattered by Ben's affair with Cathy; after finding out that her mother Abby (Donna Mills) knew all along that Val's babies had been kidnapped, the disillusioned Olivia (Tonya Crowe) turns to drugs; and in the season's penultimate episode, Nicollette Sheridan makes her first appearances as Paige Matheson, illegitimate daughter of Mack MacKenzie and his former lover Anna Matheson (Michelle Phillips). The season's cliffhanger ending revolves around another kidnapping, this time with Karen as the victim and an as-yet-unidentified stranger as the predator. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The fourth-season murder of singer Cijji Dunne still looms large over the main characters of Knots Landing as the series launches its fifth year on the air. After briefly suspecting Cijji's erstwhile lover Gary Ewing (Ted Shackelford) and Gary's wife Val (Joan Van Ark), Federal prosecutor Mack McKenzie (Kevin Dobson) concludes that the guilty party is Chip Robert (Michael Sabatino), the unscrupulous literary agent who'd been representing Val's efforts to promote her novel. Though Chip manages to skip town, he is brought to justice--temporarily, at least--when he is "accidentally" struck down by the car driven by Val's mercurial mother Lilimae (Julie Harris). In a plot development of more wide-ranging significance, Gary Ewing moves out of his cul-de-sac home in Knots Landing and into their new ranch, using money left to Gary by his late oil-magnate father Jock Ewing. Sharing the ranch is Gary's new wife, the conniving Abby Cunningham (Donna Mills), who hopes that by ensnaring Gary she can expand her own base of power. As for Gary's ex-spouse Val, she will inaugurate a brand new story arc near season's end by announcing that she is pregnant--without revealing the identity of the father. Elsewhere, Gary's business partner Karen (Joan Van Ark), still not completely recovered from such past traumas as the murder of her husband, begins to rely heavily upon drugs. New to the cast this season is William Devane as Mack's old friend, Senator Gregory Sumner, who has risen to the highest political circles via his close connections with the Mob. Believing that every man has his price, Sumner will be quite taken aback to discover that Mack is completely incorruptible--whereupon the "good senator" will do everything in his power to destroy Mack. Meanwhile, Greg's daughter Mary Frances (Danielle Brisbois) will enjoy a romance with Karen's son Eric (Steve Shaw). As for Eric's sister Diana (Claudia Lonow), she will befriend the redoubtable Abby and move in with her on the Ewing spread--a plot contrivance that will seal the doom of fugitive murderer Chip Roberts when Diana causes his accidental demise. Another cast addition is Lisa Hartman as waitress Cathy, whose first appearance proves quite a shock to the other regulars, inasmuch as she is a dead ringer for the murdered Cijji Dunne. Also making their first appearances are Douglas Sheehan as reporter Ben Gibson, who comes to Val's aid when she is briefly suspected of murder and falls for her in the process; and Danny Ponce, taking over from Matthew Newmark in the role of Jason Avery. The season's traditional "cliffhanger" finale--which, incidentally, also marks the 100th episode of Knots' Landing--finds Karen being felled by a gunshot meant for Gary, and Abby in the clutches of kidnapper Mark St. Claire (Joseph Chapman). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi