Cliff Osmond Movies

While Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) is off vacationing somewhere, her nephew Grady (Michael Horton) and his pregnant wife Donna (Debbie Zipp) agree to take care of Jessica's house. Unfortunately, in past episodes Grady could barely take a breath without getting mixed up in murder, and this episode is no exception: the victim is a peg-legged sailor, who is killed smack in the middle of Jessica's living room! As indicated by the episode's title, the key to the mystery is a valuable artifact...and this time it's up to Grady rather than his aunt to crack the case. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This campy drama, set in the 1940s, was inspired by a hit song by Barry Manilow. It tells the tale of an aspiring songwriter, Lola, a showgirl, and the sleazy owner of the Copa. Tragedy ensues as the two men duel over Lola's love. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Another feminist western from the early 1980s, Incident at Crestridge has the novelty of a contemporary setting. Eileen Brennan plays a Wyoming woman repelled by the corruption in her city government. She decides to take a stand by running for sheriff. Practically every man in town is a slavering sexist and potential murderer, but Brennan prevails over the opposition. Pernell Roberts costars as the obligatory "big boss" mayor, whose after-hours activities include narcotics, gambling and white slavery. Incident at Crestridge is an okay resuscitation of a venerable movie formula. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

An adventuresome author in 1849 travels to California's Sutter's Fort to work in a saw mill. After gold is discovered, the community is plagued by the antics of greedy treasure seekers. This made-for-television drama is based on the true stories by Bret Hart. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

Linda Purl stars as Nellie Bly, famed 19th century female journalist, in this "Classics Illustrated" TV movie. A tireless crusader, Nellie exposes corruption amongst the rich of New York and miserable working conditions amongst the poor. In her most famous exploit, Nellie decides to emulate Jules Verne's Phineas Fogg by travelling around the world in 80 days-or less. Gene Barry, Raymond Buktenica, J.D. Cannon and John Randolph costar, the last-named actor playing Nellie's boss Joseph Pulitzer. Filmed in 1979, The Adventures of Nellie Bly was first telecast June 11, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One of the bigger non-cartoon moneymakers for Disney in the 1970s, The North Avenue Irregulars is predicated on the premise of the "Neighborhood Watch" system. Priest Michael Hill (Edward Herrmann), newly arrived on North Avenue, decides to buck the patriarchal notions of his superiors by delegating church responsibilities to the neighborhood women. Since the ladies include Vickie, Jane, Anne, Claire and Rose (Barbara Harris, Karen Valentine, Susan Clark, Cloris Leachman and Patsy Kelly), we're well primed for a surfeit of feistiness. Father Michael entrusts the church funds to Rose, who loses it all at the race track. In trying to retrieve the cash, he comes up against an influential bookie ring, controlled by several of the above-suspicion town officials. The wily priest responds by organizing the ladies of his congregation into the North Avenue Irregulars, a two-fisted crimefighting unit. There's slapstick aplenty within the film's 99 minutes, including the expected comic car crash. North Avenue Irregulars is based on a (drawn-from-life?) novel by the Reverend Albert Fay Hill. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tim Conway and Don Knotts, mere supporting characters in the original Apple Dumpling Gang, are promoted to starring roles in the 1979 sequel The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again. Once more cast as clumsy, soft-hearted western outlaws, Conway and Knotts come to the rescue of cavalry private Tim Matheson. The villain, lieutenant Philip Pine, is undermining the authority of Matheson's commander Harry Morgan, and Matheson wants to find out why. Featured performers include Jack Elam as Big Mac and Ruth Buzzi as Tough Kate. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This family adventure chronicles the adventures and exploits of George Clark (Denver Pyle), one of the early naturalists. Clark was a friend and peer of John Muir, the man whose writings did so much to encourage the development of the national park system in the U.S. The two men attempt to save Yosemite Valley in California from the lumbermen and managed to get Abraham Lincoln to sign a piece of national legislation which would do just that. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Ray Tracey plays Joe Panther, a young Seminole Indian who is ambivalent toward the white world. Although he has achieved some recognition as an alligator wrestler, he seeks the wisdom of an old chieftain in his efforts to understand the white society he finds himself in. However, Turtle George (Ricardo Montalban) dispenses advice to the young man. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

When a group of treasure hunters attempt to locate a sunken fortune, they enlist the help of an adventure-hungry fisherman (Cornel Wilde). This film was written, directed, and produced by Cornel Wilde, who has the starring role as well. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

Emily feels that Bob's weight workshop could use a motivational speaker. Pressed into service is Bob's secretary, Carol, who tells her story of how she lost one hundred pounds after graduating "magna cum lard" from high school. Unfortunately, Carol's words result more in perspiration than inspiration. Also appearing are Cliff Osmondas Leonard de Paolo and Marcia Lewis as Louise Gross. First telecast on October 11, 1975, "The Heavyweights" was written by Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

An upcoming election for a departmental welfare committee finds Roy (Kevin Tighe) and John (Randolph Mantooth) running against each other. In various emergency calls, a sculptress (Sharon Gless) summons Squad 51 to help extricate her model from a plaster cast; a beer drinker chokes on a pull tab; and a construction worker is stranded on a hgh crane. And at the hospital, the staff has its hands full with a delirious youngster. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This third film version of the 1928 Ben Hecht/Charlie MacArthur Broadway hit The Front Page was the first one permitted to utilize all the salty profanities in the original play. Director Billy Wilder cast his two favorite leading men, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, as ace reporter Hildy Johnson and ruthless newspaper editor Walter Burns, respectively. The plot of the Hecht/MacArthur play remains intact: Burns pulls every underhanded game in the book to prevent Johnson from leaving his Chicago paper to get married, and in so doing the two journalists uncover a cesspool of political corruption, centered around the planned execution of anarchist Earl Williams (Austin Pendleton). Carol Burnett has an extended cameo as Williams' tart girlfriend, Mollie Malloy. The Front Page was remade for a fourth time in 1988 as Switching Channels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi