Richard Woods Movies
A longtime fan of theater, actor/screenwriter Richard Woods became a staple on Broadway early in his career, appearing in such productions as You Can't Take It With You, Murder Among Friends, and Sherlock Holmes.Constantly refining his passion for the stage, Woods maintained roles in numerous productions with APA-Phoenix in the 1960s and appeared in such regional theaters as the Yale Repertory. Woods also became a fixture at the renowned Circle in the Square, appearing in productions such as The Man Who Came to Dinner.
The mid-'60s found Woods making appearances on television, with a role in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Then television appearances became virtually non-existent until the early '80s, when Woods revisited his mystery roots as Watson in the 1981 TV adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. He appeared in numerous made-for-television movies that decade, before making his big screen debut in Mr. North (1988). The '80s also found Woods penning the story for Endangered Species (1982).
Throughout the 1990s, Woods appeared in small roles in such Coen brothers efforts as Miller's Crossing (1990) and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). On January 16, 2001, Richard Woods died of cancer in Englewood, NJ. He was 77. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Legendary scientist Albert Einstein (played here by Walter Matthau) takes a break from theoretical physics to try to set up his intellectual niece with a handsome auto mechanic in this romantic comedy. The movie's central conceit is that Einstein's brilliance extends to matters of the heart, allowing him to immediately sense that Ed Walters (Tim Robbins), a bright, lower-class mechanic obsessed with Popular Science Magazine, would be perfect for his niece Catherine (Meg Ryan). Unfortunately, Catherine is already engaged to a stiff Princeton man. In order to defeat Catherine's resistance, Uncle Albert decides to help Ed pretend to be a revolutionary scientist, a charade that inevitably leads to much farcical confusion. Einstein's scientist pals are portrayed as a Greek chorus of Catskills-style kibitzers, featuring such notable perfomers as Lou Jacobi as Kurt Godel and director Gene Saks as Boris Podolsky. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, (more)
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen concocted this stylish screwball comedic amalgam of Frank Capra and Howard Hawks. Tim Robbins stars as Norville Barnes, a dull-wit from Muncie, Indiana who wrangles a job with the big Hudsucker Industries. He has a singular idea for a new children's toy that he wants to present to corporate executive Sidney J. Mussberger (Paul Newman). As he makes his way up to Mussberger's office, the company president Waring Hudsucker (Charles Durning) is on his way down -- through the window of the forty-fourth floor boardroom! Hudsucker's death sets off a panic that Mussberger sees as an opportunity for taking over the company -- by installing a total incompetent in Hudsucker's place and devaluing the stock. When Barnes stumbles into Mussberger's office, Mussberger sees his pigeon and appoints Barnes as the new company president. The only problem is that the new product Barnes proposes for the company, the Hula Hoop, turns out to be a tremendous success, and Mussberger has difficulty manipulating his new corporate president. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, (more)
- 1990
Assigned to do a class video project on "the day in the life of a parent", Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Kenny (Deon Richmond) conclude that Clair's (Phylicia Rashad) legal work is too dull, so they beg Cliff (Bill Cosby) to let them follow him on his daily hospital rounds. Cliff agrees only on condition that the youngster confine themselves to his office and the waiting room. Chafing at these restrictions, the kids sneak all around the hospital and tape several things that they shouldn't--and to top off their indiscretions, they lend their camera to a prospective father (Francisco Rivela) who wants to film Cliff in the act of delivering his wife's baby! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Joel and Ethan Coen's third collaboration, the gangster film Miller's Crossing, stars Gabriel Byrne as Tom Reagan, the right-hand man of big-city Irish mob boss Leo (Albert Finney). The film opens with Italian mobster Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito) and his second in command Eddie Dane (J.E. Freeman) informing Leo and Tom that they are going to kill bookie Bernie Bernbaum (John Turturro) because he has been revealing Caspar's fixed fights to other gamblers. Leo informs Caspar that Bernie pays for protection and is not to be touched. After the Italians leave in a huff, Tom informs Leo that he should give up Bernie. Tom and Leo are both involved with Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), Bernie's sister. After a failed hit on Leo starts a full-scale mob war, Tom reveals to Leo the truth about his relationship with Verna. This leads to a falling-out between the pair. Tom goes to work for Caspar, but in truth, he is still loyal to Leo. Tom figures out how to manipulate all of the situations so that Leo survives, but this may cost Tom his relationship with Verna. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, (more)
Fresh Horses features Molly Ringwald as Jewel, a Kentucky shanty gal. Jewel finds herself romantically involved with wealthy University of Cincinnati student Matt Larkin (Andrew McCarthy). Though willing to throw over his "proper" fiancee for Jewel, Matt isn't prepared for the horrible secret that Jewel holds within her. Directed by David Anspaugh, Fresh Horses is also known as The Eccentricity of People and Syntax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, (more)
A young man freshly graduated from Yale (Anthony Edwards) moves to Rhode Island and finds himself with a strange power: the ability to create mild electric shocks through his hands. He begins to make friends around the community, and tries to help those around him by healing several minor sicknesses. Mr. North was the directorial debut for Danny Huston, the son of John Huston. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Edwards, Robert Mitchum, (more)
Part of the Broadway Theater Archives, this stage production of Lewis Carroll's children's fantasy Alice in Wonderland was directed by Kirk Browning. Kate Burton plays young Alice, the little girl who wanders into a bizarre wonderland that just gets more and more curious. Her real-life father, Richard Burton, plays the White Knight. Also starring Eve Arden as the Queen of Hearts, Maureen Stapleton as the White Queen, and Donald O'Connor as the Mock Turtle. Broadway star Nathan Lane can also be seen in one of his earliest roles as the Dormouse. Alice in Wonderland was originally broadcast on PBS in 1983 as an episode of Great Performances. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Burton, Richard Burton, (more)
- 1983
Another two-part TV movie from the pen of novelist Sidney Sheldon, Rage of Angels stars Jaclyn Smith as attractive lawyer Jennifer Parker. While working as assistant D.A., Parker is targeted for persecution by organized crime, but she perseveres and emerges as one of the most successful defense attorneys in America. She is, however, not quite so lucky in matters of the heart, becoming simultaneously entangled with charismatic mob lawyer Michael Moretti (Armand Assante) and married U.S. Senate aspirant Adam Warner (Ken Howard). Serving up everything but the kitchen sink in plot complications and sinister conspiracies, Rage of Angels was telecast on February 20 and 21, 1983, garnering excellent ratings and an Emmy award for musical composer Billy Goldenberg. The film spawned a two-part sequel in 1986, Rage of Angels: The Story Continues, again with Jaclyn Smith in the lead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
- R
Based on a true story, Endangered Species stars Robert Urich and JoBeth Williams. Urich plays vacationing ex-cop Ruben Castle, while Williams portrays Harriet Purdue, a small-town sheriff. Intrigued by Purdue's investigation of a rash of cattle mutilations, Castle begins following the evidence trail himself. What has been attributed to a religious cult or extraterrestrials by the locals turns out to be a covert operation conducted by a corrupt cartel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Urich, JoBeth Williams, (more)
- 1968
Schuyler (Kirk Douglas) is a hard-boiled detective who turns in his badge when he believes the criminals are being handled with kid gloves and too much respect. He is hired by prominent attorney Fredericks (Eli Wallach) as a bodyguard for his client Rena (Sylva Koscina), who is accused of murdering her husband. Her playboy boyfriend Fleming (Kenneth Haigh) is also under suspicion. Schuylur keeps one eye on his beautiful suspect while trying to uncover more information about the murder. Fredericks displays a disarming, folksy nature which belies his shrewdness. The detective soon comes to believe that Rena is being framed for the murder. Singer Jackie Wilson delivers the song "A Lovely Way To Die" during the opening credits of this murder mystery. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Sylva Koscina, (more)
- 1967
After sunset, a suddenly reinvigorated Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) heads to the cemetery for a rendezvous with Barnabas (Jonathan Frid). Willie (John Karlen) tips off Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) as to Maggie's whereabouts, a decision he will live to regret. This episode first aired on May 12, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Dr. Woodard's (Richard Woods) diagnosis indicates that Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) has become anemic. But before she can be treated, Maggie disappears. Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) cannot help but notice that both Maggie and Willie suffer from the same symptoms -- and she wants to know why. This episode originally aired on May 11, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
More dead animals, drained of blood, have been found near Collinwood. Not so coincidentally, Willie Loomis (John Karlen) has become dangerously anemic. Jason (Dennis Patrick) is convinced that Willie has been robbing graves, despite his weakened condition. This episode originally aired April 28, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
