Robert Clotworthy Movies

The Walton family spends a great deal of money to purchase a new suit of clothes for John-Boy's high school graduation. But when their cow suddenly dies, the Waltons desperately need ready cash to replace the bovine. Will John-Boy (Richard Thomas) stubbornly hold on to his graduation suit, or will he do the Right Thing and sell it back? Without revealing the ending, it can be noted that Grandpa Walton (Will Geer) comes to the rescue. Featured in the supporting cast is child actor Jeff Cotler, the brother of series regular Kami Cotler (Elizabeth). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles (David Ogden Stiers) revels in the humble servitude and remarkable resourcefulness of his new Korean houseboy (Sab Shimono). What nobody realizes is that the Korean is actually a Communist agent, sent to spy on the 4077th and send reports back to the North. Things take a surprising turn when the camp breaks out in rashes that no one can deal with--or at least, almost no one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story is a surfacy TV-movie rehash of the same real-life events which inspired the 1980 theatrical feature Star 80. Jamie Lee Curtis stars as Dorothy Stratten, here depicted as an ingenuous, highly vulnerable Canadian girl who aspires to show business stardom. Decked out with a generous toupee, Bruce Weitz co-stars as Paul Snyder, the "fringie" who married Dorothy and managed her career. The girl is discovered by Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner, who features Dorothy in a nude foldout spread. As Dorothy's fame grows, Snyder becomes more obsessive and difficult to control. Dorothy tries to make a clean break from Snyder, which culminates in tragedy. Death of a Centerfold initially aired on November 1, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Convicted murderer Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald had hoped that, by telling his side of the story to investigative journalist Joe McGinniss, the authorities would be persuaded of MacDonald's innocence. Instead, McGinniss ended up unswerving in his belief of MacDonald's guilt, and the result was the devastating best-seller Fatal Vision. In this two-part TV adaptation of McGinniss' book, Gary Cole plays MacDonald, a former Green Beret officer, while Frank Dent essays the role of McGinniss. MacDonald's wife and two children are brutally murdered in their Fort Bragg, North Carolina home on February 17, 1970. The prime suspect, MacDonald insists that the killings were committed by a gang of stoned-out hippies, a story that at first is accepted in toto by the doctor's father-in-law Freddy Kassab (Karl Malden). But after MacDonald is officially exonerated, Kassab notices several holes in his son-in-law's story, and becomes convinced that MacDonald was in fact the murderer. Through Kassab's persistence, as well as the uncovering of new forensic evidence, MacDonald is ultimately convicted for all three murders in 1979. Since the TV premiere of Fatal Vision on November 18 and 19, 1984, there has been a growing movement by MacDonald's sympathizers to discredit McGinniss' book and to retry the case--a movement that has been hampered time and again by MacDonald's own erratic behavior. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This undistinguished comedy about life in prison features caricatures of inmates and law enforcement officers, as well as prison guards, in attempts at slapstick action. After Duke Jarrett (Jeff Altman) is put into prison because he had sex with the wife of a government VIP, he discovers that life in the prison is out of control -- until a disciplinarian takes charge. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

When aspiring musician Bryan Peters (David Hallyday) wins a trip to L.A. to meet his rock idol (Warwick Sims), there's one catch: bachelor Bryan must bring a girl friend. This could present a problem, since he doesn't have one. The solution: his manager Reggie (T.K. Carter) goes drag. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Not bad as far as slasher movies go, Brothers in Arms is set-inevitably-in a remote backwoods community. The title refers to a pair of siblings who don't get along (that's putting it mildly). When the brothers inadvertently venture into looney-land, they are besieged by a religious cult which dotes on ritual murders. Forced to work together, our heroes struggle manfully to avoid being chopped, lopped, sliced and diced. Dedee Pfeiffer, Michelle's sister, shows up in a role that might surprise her Cybill fans. Brothers in Arms is more than a little inspired by Deliverance, with elements of The Most Dangerous Game tossed in for good measure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of a three-part story, Hunter (Fred Dryer) continues his search for a serial killer who preys on authority figures, beginning with a phy-ed teacher at a violence-ridden high school. Meanwhile, a mysterious neighborhood vigilante has been targetting those whom he regards as criminals who have slipped through the cracks of justice. And while working undercover as a teacher, McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) is exposed by the leader of a teenage gang which uses high-tech weaponry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A female art dealer who had planned to sell some rare Native American masks is found stabbed to death with a ceremonial Indian dagger. Investigating, Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) head to a Zuni reservation, where several self-appointed witnesses--foremost among them a Native American artist--are quick to accuse the victim's husband of committing the crime. But as they delve deeper into the case, the two detectives discover that there is far more "bad blood" flowing on the reservation than they could ever have imagined. This is the final episode of Hunter's fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bette Midler stars as a Martha Raye-type entertainer during the World War II era in this big-budget nostalgia piece. Midler plays big-band singer Dixie Leonard, who is chosen to perform at an overseas USO Christmas show by her uncle Art Silver (George Segal), a comedy writer for famed comedian Eddie Sparks (James Caan). Dixie is shuttled to London, where she is thrown on-stage with Eddie, who takes an immediate dislike to her. But her performance is a sensation, and the audience can't stop howling at Dixie's smart one-liner comebacks to Eddie. Dixie is catapulted to stardom, and the repartee between Eddie and Dixie becomes the stuff of legend. The two spar together through World War II, the McCarthy era, and Vietnam. But Dixie stops speaking to Eddie when he fires a writer for being a communist sympathizer and, later, she doesn't speak to him again after he arranges for a reunion between her and her son on the battlefields of Vietnam. Finally, Dixie, now an old woman, is cajoled to appear on a television awards show to reunite with a now decrepit Eddie, age 91. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Murphy's decade-long banishment from the White House is finally lifted and she is invited to attend a Presidential press conference. So certain is Murphy (Candice Bergen) that she'll be able to get in a question about the education crisis that her producer Miles (Grant Shaud) is willing to put up money. Alas, on the eve of her triumphant return, Murphy suddenly comes down with a REALLY bad case of laryngitis! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kathleen Turner stars as V.I. Warshawski in Jeff Kanew's film version of the hard-boiled detective character from Sara Paretsky's series of crime novels. Warshawski is a freelance private investigator in Chicago, who lives the part of the hard-boiled detective. But in her heart of hearts, she is a softy. One night, while she is drinking at her favorite bar, she meets an ex-Blackhawks hockey player named Boom-Boom Grafalk (Stephen Meadows). The two connect and a romance appears to be in the making. But Warshawski is nevertheless surprised when Boom-Boom appears at her doorstep later that night with his 13-year-old daughter, Kat (Angela Goethals) in tow. He asks Warshawski if she could watch her and Warshawski agrees. Later that night, Boom-Boom is killed in a boat explosion and Kit hires Warshawski to track down her father's killer. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide