Burt Ward Movies
Burt Ward is best remembered as Adam West's diminutive cohort, Robin, on the '60s television series Batman (1966-1968). He was born Bert Gervis. Following the demise of the series, Ward disappeared until the late '80s when he started showing up in such movies as Robo Chick (1989), Virgin High (1990), and Beach Babes From Beyond (1993). In 1995, Ward created a minor scandal when he published Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights, a tell-all book describing the many alleged sexcapades of himself and West (who strongly denies Ward's claims). Ward owns a publishing company, Logical Figments. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2003
Holy Thomas Wolfe! The same team responsible for the "retro" TV movie Surviving Gilligan's Island (including executive producer and former Gilligan co-star Dawn Wells) were responsible for this nostalgic hark back to the classic Batman TV series of the late '60s. In rehashing the creation and popularity of Batman, screenwriter Duane Poole draws heavily upon the autobiographies of stars Adam West (Batman) and Burt Ward (Robin, the Boy Wonder) -- with special emphasis on Ward's recollections of the Dynamic Duo's alleged sexual escapades both on and off the set. To avoid a dry recitation of names, dates, and statistics, the producers contrive to "bookend" the flashback sequences with a campy present-day plot line, wherein the 74-year-old Adam West and 56-year-old Burt Ward (as themselves) team up to locate the original Batmobile, which has been stolen from under their very noses at a gala auto show. An unknown enemy of the two actors plants a series of cryptic clues, leading West and Ward on a picturesque journey back to Hollywood, with memorable stopovers at a roadside bar and a restored movie palace along the way.
Every so often, the veteran performers pause to remember significant events from their Bat-past (including the adulation of fans, battles with network censors, egotistical flare-ups on the set, and their own marital breakups), while in fine old Batman tradition an unseen narrator (whose identity is sublimely significant to the story line) delivers warnings of impending doom. Also keeping in the spirit of the original series are the bizarre, off-center camera angles, the onomatopoeic "Bam!," "Pow!," and "Zowie!" superimpositions during the fight sequences, the steady stream of inside jokes (including a running gag involving Adam West's notorious stinginess), and the amusing cameo appearances by former "special guest villains": Frank Gorshin, Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether. A bit of Pirandello wafts into the proceedings as well, whenever either West or Ward cheerily comments on the fact that he realizes he's only acting in a TV movie, or that a commercial break is overdue. Though it strains much too hard for laughs at times, the film at least deserves credit for trying to be different from the usual run of TV biopics. Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt made its CBS Bat-bow on March 9, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Every so often, the veteran performers pause to remember significant events from their Bat-past (including the adulation of fans, battles with network censors, egotistical flare-ups on the set, and their own marital breakups), while in fine old Batman tradition an unseen narrator (whose identity is sublimely significant to the story line) delivers warnings of impending doom. Also keeping in the spirit of the original series are the bizarre, off-center camera angles, the onomatopoeic "Bam!," "Pow!," and "Zowie!" superimpositions during the fight sequences, the steady stream of inside jokes (including a running gag involving Adam West's notorious stinginess), and the amusing cameo appearances by former "special guest villains": Frank Gorshin, Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether. A bit of Pirandello wafts into the proceedings as well, whenever either West or Ward cheerily comments on the fact that he realizes he's only acting in a TV movie, or that a commercial break is overdue. Though it strains much too hard for laughs at times, the film at least deserves credit for trying to be different from the usual run of TV biopics. Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt made its CBS Bat-bow on March 9, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A woman finds her life is at stake when she learns the truth about her late husband in this action thriller. Susan Fredericks (Libby Hudson) is dealing with the death of her husband Alan, a successful lawyer, when she makes a startling discovery -- Alan was representing Richard Corliss (Miles O'Keeffe), a powerful and ruthless organized crime leader. While Alan was walking on the wrong side of the law, his conscience began to get the better of him, and he decided to go to the police with what he knew about Corliss and his business; Corliss' enforcers killed him before he could talk, but not before he made up a computer disc that duplicated the financial records for all of Corliss' illegal businesses. When Susan finds the disc, she becomes the next target for Corliss and his men, so police detective Zoe Crowe (Sue Ball) is assigned to protect Susan by the city's district attorney (Linnea Quigley), who is determined that Susan will testify in court about what her husband knew. But Crowe isn't aware that one of her partners on the force, O'Malley (Burt Ward), is a gambler deep in debt to Corliss' loan sharks, and that O'Malley isn't above doing a hit against Susan in order to clear his account. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miles O'Keeffe, Burt Ward, (more)
In this off-the-wall comedy, Joan Sweeney (Judy Tenuta) is an actress who unfortunately hit the peak of her career at the age of eight. As a child performer, she was the star of a successful television series, but as a grown-up, she can't get work to save her life. Tired of dressing up as a child for personal appearances, Joan has decided she needs publicity to put her career back on track, and she's thoroughly convinced there's no such thing as bad press. Consequently, Joan poses as a homeless person, knocks over a convenience store, and even openly declares herself as lesbian in the interest of greater press coverage, all with no luck. Fate appears to be smiling on her, but at just the wrong time, when Joan finally gets offered a role that could kick start her career just as she discovers she's pregnant. Desperation Boulevard also stars Michael Lerner and Weird Al Yankovic; one-time TV stars Erin Moran, Burt Ward, and Ken Osmond also appear in cameo roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
It's Greek versus Geek once again in this sequel to the broad comedy Assault of the Party Nerds. Evil but slow-witted frat boy Bud (Christopher Dempsey) hasn't changed much in the five years since he graduated from college -- he somehow convinced his well-meaning former girlfriend, Muffin (Michelle Bauer), to marry him even though he's doing more than his share of fooling around on the side and her father, Randolph (Burt Ward), has given Bud a job in the family business. However, Bud and Randolph's duplicitous secretary, Heady (Tane McClure), have hatched a plan to take Randolph's business away from him. Randolph is certain Bud is up to something, so he calls in a private detective to follow him; the detective turns out to be none other than Richie Spencer (Richard Gabai), Bud's "Party Nerd" nemesis from his college days. While Richie digs up the dirt on Bud, he also signs on to help another client, Norm Witherspoon (Arte Johnson), who has a hunch his wife, Tina (Rhonda Shear), is being unfaithful to him. Assault of the Party Nerds 2: The Heavy Petting Detective also features Linnea Quigley and Robert Dorfmann. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Three buxom bimbos from outer space go for an intergalactic joyride in a sporty little ship only to run out of fuel and make a forced landing on a small blue planet--Earth. They land upon a California beach and get involved with a few handsome beach bums. When the galaxy gals learn that beatnik Bud, an uncle of one the surfer dudes, is about to lose his beat-up beach pad because he can't afford to repair it, they decide to enter a bikini contest. They certainly have what it takes with their uniquely designed suits, but can they outwit an over-ambitious swimwear designer who will do anything to stop them? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
Jerry is totally besotted by the beautiful Monica and is so desperate to have her that he resorts to hypnosis to win her over. This zany comedy chronicles the consequences. Unfortunately, while he has her entranced, something goes wrong and after she awakens, she decides to take a vow of celibacy and join a convent. Jerry is still obsessed and decides to dress up as a priest and follow her there. He then dresses up as a nun to get even closer. More trouble ensues when a gangster sneaks into the convent to look for a cache of stolen diamonds. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
Someone is killing phone-sex girls and a policeman is obsessed with finding the killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Nearly every apartment dweller can empathize with the effort it takes Rajanna and Geeta to locate a suitable apartment that is within their means. After a considerable effort, they finally find a place they can live in and begin making an effort to redecorate it to their taste. They have just begun to enjoy their domestic arrangements when a mysterious group of people move into a tin shed at the back of their apartment compound and begin making odd banging sounds in the middle of the night. Despite their strenuous efforts to evict the newcomers, or at least get them to do their noisy business during the day time, the increasingly agitated couple are unsuccessful. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- R
Three randy teen boys wreak havoc after they infitrate a boarding school for Catholic girls. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- R
A crime-fighting ninja leaps from his cartoon-page origins into the real world to take on the worst the underworld has to offer. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1988
- R
Danny Warren (Edward Albert) is a former minor-league shortstop who becomes a narc to uncover drug dealing in this situation comedy. Investigating at a high-school adult-education class, he falls for the tempting teacher Katherine, played by the exotic Barbara Carrera. Danny forgets the reward of $10,000 per arrest when he elects to continue his "education." He joins a colorful group of characters that includes ex-cons, illegal aliens, and brain-dead baby boomers who cause more trouble than their younger counterparts. Swimming classes and wine tasting serve as background for a series of comic catastrophes. Danny soon suspects Katherine's colleague Mrs. Grant (Susan Tyrell) of being in cahoots with the drug dealers, and Katherine and Mrs. Grant have a prolonged fight scene that is memorably funny. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Albert, Barbara Carrera, (more)
- 1985
This drama combines equal portions of martial arts and feminist drama. Well-muscled Terry (Graciela Casillas) is relentlessly pursued by the rich, obnoxious Mike (Patrick St. Esprit), who has sex and matrimony as his objective. On one occasion, Mike nearly rapes Terry, who is saved only by the intervention of Jason (John Martin), an old friend. Meanwhile, Mike is putting pressure on his father to foreclose on a business owned by Terry's father and the situation is getting desperate. So Terry challenges Mike, who is a karate champ, to a contest. They will have a fight; if she can throw him in the river, her father gets to keep his business and Mike will leave her alone. If she loses, Mike gets a night with her. Of course, Terry only has six weeks to learn how to defend herself but as fortune would have it, a miracle-working Philippine martial arts instructor has recently arrived in town. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Martin, Graciela Casillas, (more)
Tongue-in-cheek humor prevails in Batman, a witty homage to the Dynamic Duo's exaggerated exploits. The Caped Crusaders (Adam West and Burt Ward) are called in as a last resort when the criminal masterminds of the millennium team up to conquer Gotham City by turning the U.N. Security Council into dehydrated dust; among the villains are the Joker (Cesar Romero), Catwoman (Lee Meriwether), the Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and the Penguin (Burgess Meredith). The entire cast is excellent, particularly West and Ward, who distinguish themselves among a standout list with hilariously straight-faced performances. The film includes some truly memorable scenes, highlighted by a particularly tenacious shark with a vertical leap that would put Spud Webb to shame and a bomb on the waterfront with no place to explode (nuns, infants and lovebirds beware!). ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
