Richard Beymer Movies

Entrepreneur and aspiring film producer Kevin Johnson is presumed dead when his car is pulled out of the harbor after an accident, and a British documentary film crew comes to Los Angeles to trace the story of his rise and fall in this mockumentary. While Johnson rubbed elbows with movie stars and Hollywood power brokers, most of whom remember him fondly on camera, his greatest talent seems to have been his gift for schmoozing and his willingness to tell people what they want to hear (and get them what they want for the evening). He got his start by bribing a travel agent, Fred Barrett (Guy Siner), to put him next to the right people on flights to and from L.A., and with the help of agent Ricky Ryan (John Hillard), he begins pitching his script idea to anyone and everyone who might listen. However, it was Kevin's willingness to find female companionship for men in power (and eagerness to blackmail his new "friends") that helped get him financing for his project just before his car hit the water. James Coburn, Pierce Brosnan and Dudley Moore appear as themselves, and director Francis Megahy plays the leader of the documentary film crew. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

While going through a manuscript from a prestigious author, junior book editor Erin Garman (Tracy Middendorf cannot help but notice similarities between the book's plot and her own life: It seems that, as a child, she was kidnapped, and still cannot recall the particulars of the situation. As Erin pursues the matter, she finds that the police have no intention of re-opening the case. Jessica (Angela Lansbury) comes to the girl's aid when the intrigues surrounding her long-ago abduction lead to suicide and murder. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this sequel to My Girl, Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) is now thirteen and at the crossroads of adolescence, beginning to question her past. Her father Harry (Dan Aykroyd) is now married to Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) and preoccupied with an expectant child. Vada feels left out and decides to write about her mother -- whom she knows nothing about -- for a school project. Vada wants to travel to Los Angeles during spring break to find out more about her mother by interviewing old friends and acquaintances. Harry is reluctant to let her go but finally agrees when he arranges for her to stay with her Uncle Phil (Richard Masur), who lives in L.A. with his girlfriend Rose (Christine Ebersole) and Rose's son Nick (Austin O'Brien), who happens to be the same age as Vada. Together Vada and Nick travel all over Los Angeles, uncovering revelations about Vada's mother and her past. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Jessica (Angela Lansbury) returns home from New York when she finds out that her accountant Samuel Bennett (Wings Hauser) hasn't been paying her bills in Cabot Cove. It turns out that Bennett is deeply in debt to a local illicict gambling casino. Soon after, a crooked deputy (Matthew Flint) is killed--and among the suspects are Bennett, the ex-boyfriend (Adam Trese) of Bennett's daughter (Liz Vassey), and casino owner Caremidi (Richard Beymer). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

On this occasion, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is at a recording studio, taping another of her "Mysteries for the Blind" album. During a break, she is invited to watch the recording of a heavy-metal rock video. In the course of the action, record producer Freddie Major (Edd Byrnes) is shot to death--and for the remainder of the episode, Jessica sifts through several suspects and miles of magnetic tape in hopes of finding a clue as to the murderer's identity. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Deep Space Nine launched its second season with this episode, which originally aired on September 24, 1993. Richard Beymer guest stars as Li Nalas, a legendary Bajoran freedom fighter. Hoping to rescue Li Nalas from a prison colony, the hero-worshipping Kira risks sparking a war between the Cardassians and the newly reunited Bajoran radical factions. Another of the series' many "loyalty vs. duty" exercises, "The Homecoming" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Jeri Taylor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Don "The Dragon" Wilson from the Bloodfist series is back in another Roger Corman-produced action film. Here, he uses his martial-arts prowess to defend rock-and-roll singer Shanna (Deirdre Imershein) from a vicious serial killer (Mathias Hues). It's filled with stock characters like the "corrupt record producer" (Richard Beymer of Twin Peaks), and the killer is, naturally, a deranged Vietnam veteran. Never one to let a successful idea rest, Corman let director Charles Phillip Moore remake this in the Philippines as Angel of Destruction the same year, as well as funding a sequel, Blackbelt 2: Fatal Force. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Len Cariou makes his first series episode in nearly two years in the recurring role of suave and slightly untrustworthy British secret agent Michael Hagarty (formerly "Haggerty", at least according to the TV Guide listings). This time Hagarty is in Washington at the same time that his old friend Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) is also paying a visit. Returning to her hotel room, Jessica discovers that the place has been ransacked and a KGB agent named Yuri Lermentov (Theodore Bikel) is lying dead on the floor. She has also unwittingly come into possession of a list compiled by Lermentov--a list that will result in her own demise unless Hagarty takes a hand in matters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Originally broadcast on April 19, 1990, the memorable and pivotal second episode of Twin Peaks, "Zen, or the Skill of Catching a Killer," contains the infamous surreal dream sequence with the Little Man From Another Place (Michael J. Anderson). On Saturday night, sleazy businessman Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) and his immature brother, Jerry Horne (David Patrick Kelly), visit the brothel One-Eyed Jacks for a night of debauchery. Meanwhile, Bobby (Dana Ashbrook) and Mike (Gary Hershberger) meet Leo (Eric Da Re) in the woods for a drug deal. The next morning, Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) decides to teach Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) and his crew about Tibet. In order to gain perspective on the identity of the "J" name referred to in Laura Palmer's diary, Cooper reads "J" names aloud along with their connection to Laura, then throws a rock at a bottle. The bottle breaks after the name Leo Johnson is read. Also that morning, Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) and Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn) run into each other at the Double R diner. At the morgue, the angry pathologist Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) has arrived to inspect the body, and he wastes no time insulting the residents of Twin Peaks, especially Sheriff Truman. That night, Pete Martell (Jack Nance) complicates Catherine's plans to burn the mill when he sneaks a key to Josie Packard (Joan Chen). Finally, in an unforgettable montage, Cooper has a dream involving the One-Armed Man, the Little Man From Another Place, and Killer Bob in a red-curtained room. He wakes up believing he knows who killed Laura Palmer. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

The final cliffhanger episode of the first season of Twin Peaks, entitled "The Last Evening," originally aired on May 24, 1990, and was written and directed by series co-creator Mark Frost. James (James Marshall) and Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) search for clues and find the missing tape, while Dr. Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) gets assaulted and ends up in the hospital. Agent Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) undercover operation at One-Eyed Jacks is successful in setting up and arresting Jacques Renault (Walter Olkewicz), who confesses details about the night of Laura's murder. Also at One-Eyed Jacks, Audrey's secret investigation is almost discovered when her father, Ben Horne, unwittingly goes to visit "the new girl." The end is near for the Packard Sawmill, as Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re) prepares to burn it down with Shelley and Catherine inside. Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) reveals details of his criminal history, as well as his secret connection to Josie Packard. With several characters meeting their fate in this episode, including the two main suspects (Jacques and Leo), the mystery of Laura Palmer's murder is even more puzzling. The season finale ends with Agent Cooper receiving a gun shot in his room at the Great Northern Hotel. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Episode five of the first season of Twin Peaks, "Cooper's Dreams," originally aired on May 10, 1990, and was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. Trying to start her own investigation, Audrey goes to a job interview at her father's department store. She manipulates the manager, Emory Battis (Don Amendolia), into a job at the perfume counter and learns some secret connections between Horne's and One-Eyed Jacks. Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) returns from prison to work at the Double R Diner, so Norma tells Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) that they can't continue their affair. Dr. Lawrence Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) has a counseling session with the Briggs family, and Bobby reveals details about Laura's connection to drugs. Agent Cooper, Hawk, Sheriff Truman, and Doctor Hayward go hiking in the woods and have tea with Margaret Lanterman (Catherine Coulson), also known as the Log Lady, who tells them about her visions on the night of Laura's murder. While out in the woods, they find Jacques Renault's cabin full of clues, along with a possible witness -- a mynah bird named Waldo. That night, the Icelanders have a reception at the Great Northern, where Audrey spies on Catherine and Ben, and Leland dances out of control. James and Donna continue their own investigation with the help of Madeline, who shares clues that she found in Laura's bedroom. The main suspect, Leo Johnson, is assaulted by both Hank and Shelly. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

The groundbreaking and influential Twin Peaks series originally ran on the ABC network for the short time between April 1990 and June 1991. Created by film director David Lynch (Blue Velvet) and writer Mark Frost (Hill Street Blues), it gained an enormous following of viewers while challenging genre conventions and changing the standard of television programming. The story begins with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI arriving in the small town of Twin Peaks, WA, to investigate the murder of a popular high school girl named Laura Palmer. When the first season ended without answering the pressing question of "Who killed Laura Palmer?", the loyal audience had to wait all summer until next season to find out. However, the series proved to be more than just an engaging soap opera or juicy murder mystery. The dark supernatural subject matter was offset by moments of absurd humor, and the haunting musical score from Angelo Badalamenti was well suited to the cinematically rendered images. The creators succeeded in blending a very human drama into a humorous and entertaining crime show against a small-town background of eccentric characters and places. Offering plenty of symbolism, the series became highly discussed for exposing the darkness underneath apple-pie America, among other issues. For a series that gains layers of meaning with repeated viewing, it was also accused of alienating casual viewers. Some of the audience just lost interest during the second season, after the central mystery was solved. Nevertheless, the eerie mood and unusual themes of Twin Peaks influenced numerous subsequent television series from Northern Exposure to The X-Files. A rebroadcast on the Bravo cable channel in the late '90s added the Log Lady opening introductions to each episode of the series. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Also known as "The Northwest Passage," the two-hour pilot episode of Twin Peaks originally aired April 8, 1990. The central plot of the series is set when Pete Martell (Jack Nance) finds the body of high school student Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) wrapped in plastic by the water at the Packard Sawmill dock. As the town slowly gets word of her murder, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) from the FBI arrives in the Washington town of Twin Peaks to investigate. Assisted by Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean), Cooper retrieves Laura's secret diary and a videotape. At the morgue, Cooper discovers the letter "R" from under Laura's fingernail, evidence similar to the murder case of Theresa Banks a year ago. Meanwhile, at the Great Northern Hotel, Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) disrupts her father's business deal, causing the would-be investors to back out. Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) and Deputy Andy Brennan (Harry Goaz) locate the scene of the murder and find half of a gold heart necklace. Also, Laura's safe deposit box is opened, revealing a copy of Fleshworld magazine and about ten thousand dollars. Laura's boyfriend, Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), who is having a secret affair with waitress Shelly Johnson (Madchen Amick), is brought in for questioning. Later on at the Roadhouse, Laura's other boyfriend, James Hurley (James Marshall), kisses Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle), Laura's best friend. This episode features Julee Cruise singing "Falling" and "The Nightingale" during the scenes at the Roadhouse. The American broadcast version ends with Sarah Palmer (Grace Zabriskie) having a vision about the other half of the heart necklace. The European release contains extra scenes and an alternate ending. The Twin Peaks pilot episode was not included on the 2001 Artisan Entertainment DVD release of Twin Peaks: The First Season due to rights restrictions. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi