William Katt Movies
The son of actors Bill Williams and Barbara Hale, curly-haired leading man William Katt is fond of noting that he made his movie "debut" while residing in his mother's womb during filming of Lorna Doone (1951). After attending Orange Coast College, Katt pursued a career as a musician. He then made his formal acting bow in summer stock and small TV roles. Among Katt's film credits are the role of the high-school jock date of telekinetic wallflower Sissy Spacek in Carrie (1977), and one-half of the title role in Butch and Sundance, The Early Days (1979). From 1981 through 1983, Katt played the reluctant-superhero protagonist (originally named Ralph Hinkley, redubbed Ralph Hanley after the '81 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan) on TV's Greatest American Hero. Beginning in 1987, Katt played the recurring role of detective Paul Drake Jr. in the periodic Perry Mason TV movies, co-starring with his mother Barbara Hale, who resumed her "Della Street" characterization from the original 1961-66 Mason run. Katt also worked on the scripts of several of these latter-day Masons. More recently, William Katt was a regular on the 1991 Farrah Fawcett-Ryan O'Neal TV sitcom Good Sports. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
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Eight years before the dinosaur mania created by Jurassic Park, Bill L. Norton released this more dinosaur-friendly story about a 10-foot baby dinosaur in dire straits in Africa because Dr. Eric Kiviat (Patrick McGoohan), an evil paleontologist, is after it with a vengeance. He is the nemesis of Dr. Susan Matthews-Loomis (Sean Young) -- determined to save the baby from its hunters -- and her husband George Loomis (William Katt), a sportswriter who shares her protective instincts. Kiviat has recruited a revolutionary army to help him capture the baby's mother -- which they manage to do without killing her. The army has already shot down the father dinosaur, and so their own instincts are far from protective. As the husband and wife and baby dinosaur are united at last in their attempts to survive, the next step is to recapture Mom dinosaur and get away from the army and Kiviat, not an easy feat. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Katt, Sean Young, (more)
Jan-Michael Vincent plays a self-destructive beach bum to whom surfing is a Zen experience. We first meet Vincent in the devil-may-care 1960s, in the company of his carefree buddies William Katt and Gary Busey. The boys reunite ten years later, after one has served time in Vietnam. The beach is still there, the waves still break upon the shore, and towards the end of the film, the characters become people that we truly care about. Barbara Hale, the real-life mother of costar William Katt, makes a piquant supporting appearance. Cut from 129 minutes to 104 for its pay-cable release, Big Wednesday is also known as Summer of Innocence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, (more)
This 1974 TV movie was based upon recent news stories about brainwashing techniques practiced by certain religious communes. Ellen (Kathy Cannon) is a confused teenager who falls in with a group of fanatics, who promise that they'll purge the "Devil" from her soul. Her anguished parents (Leslie Nielsen, Louise Fletcher) hire John Saxon to kidnap Ellen from the commune, and to exorcise the fanatics' influence from her psyche. This film was outdated within a year, but would come back in fashion during the height of the "Moonie" activity in the late 1970s. The original title of Can Ellen Be Saved?, understandably rejected by the network, was Children of God. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A man hoping to move out of the closet falls into a trap of drug-fueled hedonism in this cautionary drama. John (Jonathan Wade Drahos) is a police officer from a small town who is forced to leave his career behind when it is discovered that he's gay. Hoping to find more tolerant surroundings, John moves to West Hollywood and rents an apartment with Nina (Kiersten Warren), an old friend from his high school days. One night, John attends a party where he meets Hector (Andre Khabazzi), an attractive hustler with whom he quickly strikes up a relationship. Hector is a regular on the L.A. party circuit, and John soon falls in with him, but the endless barrage of music, drugs, and anonymous sex proves more than John can handle, and he soon develops a dangerous dependence on amphetamines. William Katt, Nancy Allen, and Bruce Vilanch also appear in the supporting cast. Circuit had its premiere at the 2001 L.A. Outfest, a festival devoted to gay and lesbian-themed films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Wade Drahos, Kiersten Warren, (more)
A boy who's looking for trouble finds a lot more than he counted on in this action-comedy. Nathan (Ryan DeBoer) is a 12-year-old kid with a smart mouth and a bit too much attitude for his own good. Not happy at home, Nathan runs away and his parents report him missing to the police; when Nathan finds out, he finds himself dodging the cops at every turn. Low on money, Nathan happens upon a large amount of cash and figures his lucky day has arrived. However, it turns out the money he found belongs to gangsters who are bound and determined to get it back, and Nathan is forced to turn himself in to Norm (Tim Matheson), a police detective, in order to stay alive. But Nathan doesn't much care for cops, and Norm is not exactly charmed by Nathan, which makes working together rough sledding. Catch Me If You Can (also released as Deadly Game and Hide and Seek) also features William Katt and Carol Alt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan De Boer, Tim Matheson, (more)
To escape his enormous gambling debts, the highly unlikable Reese Williams (Marc Singer) decides to fake his own death, with the help of his long-suffering wife, Katie (Michele Greene). Once Reese is safely "deceased," Katie will fall heir to a five-million-dollar insurance policy, which will help the couple square their debts and start a new life elsewhere. But can it be that the scheme has not gone the way it was supposed to -- and that Reese is dead for real? Reese's sister-in-law Ginny (Veronica Hamel) may or may not be able to provide the answers to insurance investigators Logan (William Katt) and Mac (George Dzundza), one of whom has fallen in love with Katie. Though innumerable clues are adroitly planted along the way, the outcome of the story remains a jaw-dropping surprise. Originally intended for theatrical release, Determination of Death was not seen until its premiere on German television in 2002; thereafter, the film was added to the "Monday Night Movie" rotation on the American Lifetime cable channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Aspiring TV journalist Sally McCormick (Suzanne Somers) can't get anyone to hire her--and the reason, she concludes, is that she is simply too chubby for the small screen. Although her boyfriend Andrew Burns (William Katt) tells her that eventually her talent will be judged separate from her weight, Sally would give anything to be thin; in fact, she would even sell her soul. Enter Seymour Kecker (Dabney Coleman), a somewhat diabolical spokesman for a popular weight-loss product. Entering into the standard Faustlike deal with Seymour, portly Sally becomes a sylphlike "Size Six" literally overnight, and before long she is anchoring the news at top-rated WPKV-TV. Of course, there's a price to be paid for this success--and the devilish Seymour intends to be paid in full! Produced for the Lifetime cable network, Devil's Food debuted September 2, 1996, originally shown in tandem with Devil's Diet, a documentary about the famous "full-figured" women of history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A vacation in Scotland turns into hard work for Michael Cooper, a former Chicago policeman, when he runs into an engaging but nervous Englishman who appears as out of place as the American in a little Scottish fishing village. After the two become friendly, the ex-policeman learns the cause of the other man's nervousness: his daughter has been kidnapped by a criminal gang which is hoping to use her abduction in order to find the old man, who has been on the run from them for some time. Before long, Michael charges in to the rescue. This fairly tame action drama offers old-time fans of comic Norman Wisdom a chance to see him in a "straight" role. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norman Wisdom, William Katt, (more)
When John (Randolph Mantooth) predicted that this Wednesday would be a "weird" one for Rampart Hospital, he wasn't kidding. The case log includes a feisty 80-year-old woman (Jeanette Nolan) who sprains her ankle while dancing at her own birthday party, a panicky hooker who hauls her cardiac-victim "John" into the hospital, a near-fatal case of hiccups, a teenager (played by a young, uncredited William Katt) who tries to put himself into a deep-freeze, and a parachutist who ends up in a high tree. And have we mentioned the snakes on the golf course? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This lively, funny Faerie Tale Theatre production of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is about a thumb-sized girl (Carrie Fisher) who has to find her way back home after being kidnapped by a toad and a mole. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Kelly LeBrock, William Katt, John Heard, and Beverly D'Angelo star in this comedy about four lifelong gamers - and the obsessive intruder - who attempt to make the most of their dreary lives by breaking the world record of gaming by playing "Demons, Nymphs, and Dragons" for over 74,558 hours. Their jobs may make them miserable, and their families may not understand, but perhaps if these fantasy-loving misfits can make the sacrifices needed to accomplish their shared goal, they'll all go down in the history books as the most dedicated dorks ever to slay an army of Orks. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Sherwood, Kevin Kirkpatrick, (more)
The Andromeda's latest rescue mission has the unpleasant aftereffect of bringing a dangerous maggot onto the ship. The intergallactic parasite worms its way into one of the vessel's hidden decks, chewing through the hologram of Eddie Aldrich (William Katt), a crew member who died over three centuries ago. Suddenly reactivated, the ghostly, malfunctioning Eddie doesn't understand the present situation and hijacks the ship, determined to have Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) stand trial for treason against the Old Commonwealth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rushed to the clinic after collapsing on the street, 15-year-old faith healer Boyd (Thomas Dekker) is diagnosed with a brain abnormality. House (Hugh Laurie) recommends immediate surgery, but Boyd refuses, claiming to be worried that he'll lose his headling powers if he goes under the knife. Of course, Boyd is hiding the real reason why he wants to avoid an operation, but in the meantime he lays hands on terminal cancer patient Grace (Tamara Braun)--who is convinced that she's cured, placing the doctors in this week's ethical dilemma. And in a less solemn moment, Boyd tries to help Dr. Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) by claiming that God wants Wilson to join House's weekly poker game! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Raymond Burr tackles what amounts to a triple role in this episode, in which Chief Ironside investigates a series of murders that share a common bond. Each of four victims had in his possession a numbered disk: the current holder of Disk Number Five is none other than the police commissioner (Gene Lyons), while Number Six is held by an eccentric, bearded artist named Carlton Duffy (billed as "himself" in the closing credits but actually played by Raymond Burr). Bearing a startling resemblance to Duffy, Ironside takes the man's place in hopes of luring the murderer into a trap. Veteran Hollywood makeup artist Jim McCoy was handed the daunting task of transforming star Burr into ( a ) Chief Ironside, ( b ) Carlton Duffy, and ( c ) Ironside posing as Duffy! Featured in a supporting role is a young William Katt, the son of Burr's onetime Perry Mason costar Barbara Hale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ironside (Raymond Burr) and Ed (Don Galloway) travel to a farming community, in hopes of helping Porter Yarborough (William Katt), recently paroled son of crusty rancher Clint Yarborough (John Larch). In addition to clearing Porter of a cattle-rustling charge, Ironside also endeavors to mend the rift between the rough-hewn Clint and his artistically inclined son. Featured in the cast is guest star William Katt's real-life father Bill Williams, the husband of Raymond Burr's longtime Perry Mason costar Barbara Hale. Though filmed for Ironside's eighth season, this episode remained unshown when the series was abruptly cancelled by NBC in January of 1975, and would not be aired until the show went into syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the first episode of a two-part story, several Justice League members are whisked off to an alternate reality, reappearing in Seaboard City, a town that seems permanently locked in the 1950s. Here the Leaguers meet their counterparts, the Justice Guild of America -- all of whom resemble the "Golden Age" versions of DC Comics' familiar superheroes. The League and the Guild team up to thwart the doppelgangers of the "real world's" villainous Injustice Gang, here known as the Injustice Guild. Throughout the action, J'onn J'onnz (The Martian Manhunter) continues receiving psychic messages indicating that what appears to be happening may not be happening at all! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Naughton, William Katt, (more)
In the conclusion of a two-part story, several Justice League members are still trapped in a 1950s-style alternate reality with their "Golden Age" counterparts, the Justice Guild. Several disturbing images suggest that the Guild is doomed to a horrible demise--and that their deaths would also seriously affect the League. As it turns out, the entire dilemma is but an illusion, stirred up by a heretofore unspected menace. The climax of the story is as existential as anything dreamed up by Jean-Paul Sartre! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Naughton, William Katt, (more)
Lorelai Mason (Joanna Miles) is the only witness when two brilliant but unbalanced psychology students, Casey Nystrom (William Katt) and Bob Viliano (Jim Borrelli), murder their professor and dump his body into the harbor. To prevent Lorelai from talking, the two cunning killers begin playing "mind games" with the hapless girl, the better to drive her insane. But Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) knows a few psychological-warfare tricks of his own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this landmark episode, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) writes his first letter home to his father, telling all about Christmas at the 4077th. The episodes recounted in the letter run the gamut from hilarity (a monthly sex lecture delivered by Henry Blake [McLean Stevenson], Hawkeye and Trapper [Wayne Rogers] sabotaging the tent occupied by Hot Lips [Loretta Swit]), to resourcefulness (Radar [Gary Burghoff] ships a jeep to the States piecemeal) to pathos (one birth, too many deaths). Things come to a poignantly amusing climax when Hawkeye plays Santa Claus -- right on the firing line! "Dear Dad" first aired on December 17, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Gray, Brian Gaskill, (more)

- 1997
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Internationally known actress Geraldine Chaplin offers a moving portrayal of one of the 20th century's greatest humanitarians. This made-for-television miniseries honors the life and sacrifices made by the feisty Yugoslavian nun who spent most of her life tending the poor and the sick of India. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geraldine Chaplin, William Katt, (more)




















