Paxton Whitehead Movies
Trained at London's Webber-Douglas academy, Paxton Whitehead made his professional debut in 1956, and within two years was signed by the RSC. Crossing the Atlantic to appear in Canadian stage and TV productions, Whitehead made his Broadway bow in 1962's The Affair. He went on to appear with the American Shakespeare Company, to direct in regional repertory, and to function as artistic director of the Shaw Festival, a job he held down for ten years. His later Broadway credits include Crucifer of Blood (as Sherlock Holmes) and the 1980 revival of Camelot (as Pellinore). Whitehead's first film appearance was in the 1986 Whoopi Goldberg comedy Jumpin' Jack Flash. The following year, he starred as Dudley the Butler in the syndicated sitcom Marblehead Manor; one of his co-stars was Linda Thorson, with whom he'd appeared on Broadway in Noises Off. In 1995, Paxton Whitehead was starred as cable-TV exec Duke Stone in the WB Network situation comedy Simon, one of that fledgling network's few bonafide successes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on a story by Richard Lupoff (a short filmization of the same story earned an Oscar nomination for 1990), 12:01 centers on a member of the personnel department in a science lab, who discovers that the world has become somehow trapped in a strange time warp that causes the same 24-hour period to repeat itself. During the course of that endlessly repeated day, Barry Thomas, the only one who seems to be aware of what's happening, must somehow figure out how to put time back on its normal course and solve the murder of a physicist, Lisa Fredricks (Helen Slater) with whom he is infatuated. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
An Inconvenient Woman, an excellent television mini-series based on the novel by Dominick Dunne, which is loosely based on the Alfred Bloomingdale scandal, tells the story of the mistress of a famous man who he has murdered when she threatens his security. Jules Mendelson (Jason Robards) and his socialite wife Pauline (Jill Eikenberry) have a marriage of convenience that is threatened by the existence of Jules cast-off mistress Flo (Rebecca De Mornay) who knows too much and can cause them all too much trouble. So, Jules plans to have her eliminated. The fine cast all give good performances in their roles, and the subject matter, while potentially lurid and tasteless, is treated with sophistication and tact in this excellent adaptation of the best-selling novel. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Management consultant Diane Keaton has no time in her life for anything except her high-profile job. All this changes when she inherits a 14-month-old infant from a pair of recently deceased-and very distant-relatives. Intending to put the child up for adoption, she discovers that she has grown fond of the kid and has begun to thrive on the responsibilities of motherhood. All of this, of course, jeopardizes Keaton's love life and professional standing, but all turns out well when the baby inadvertently leads to a whole new moneymaking agenda for our heroine. Capraesque in concept, Baby Boom avoids phony sentiment and obvious humor, emerging as one of the singular comic delights of the late 1980s. On great bit has Keaton "celebrating" a major business coup by surreptiously performing an under-the-table jig (a bit of business that dates back to the 1924 Reginald Denny comedy Skinner's Dress Suit). Baby Boom was spun off into a TV sitcom in 1989, with Kate Jackson filling Diane Keaton's designer shoes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diane Keaton, Harold Ramis, (more)
Self-made wealthy guy Rodney Dangerfield decides he needs a better education--and also to spend some time away from his cheating new wife. Dangerfield joins his son Keith Gordon at college. Dad hopes to gain his son's respect (isn't that always Dangerfield's motivation?), while son tries to fit in with his snobbish and brutish fellow students. English professor Sally Kellerman forms a strong bond with Dangerfield, encouraging both father and son to stick out their first year despite all odds. The finale involves some slapstick at the swimming pool diving board, and the obligatory commencement address delivered by Dangerfield, who proves that he can crack jokes without tugging at his tie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman, (more)
- 1991
This effective made-for-TV supernatural thriller (based on the novel Virgin by James Patterson) involves the travails of a Catholic priest (Anthony John Denison) who is ordered by his superiors to investigate the prospect of two separate virgin births -- one of which will bring the Son of God into the world, the other the Son of Satan. Unfortunately, there is no overt indication as to which child is which. Omen-style apocalyptic portents abound as the forces of Evil throw a variety of obstacles in Denison's path, even possessing the soul of the nun (Sela Ward) who is assisting him. Potent, gripping stuff -- and very intense for a TV movie -- this retains much of the metaphysical punch of its source material. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Originally appearing on the Disney channel, this exciting adventure chronicles the courage of both a young WW II-era soldier and the German shepherd he is assigned to control. The boy's phobia of dogs complicates matters, but eventually the two form an undefeatable team. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Batten down the hatches! Frasier's redoubtable ex-wife, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth), is back! This time around, Lilith has joined forces with Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) in a concerted effort to enroll their son, Frederick (played for the first time by Trevor Einhorn), in Marbury Academy, an exclusive Boston prep school. So determined is the couple to achieve this goal that they have put their Thanksgiving plans "on hold" -- maybe until next year! Paxton Whitehead guest stars as the stuffy headmaster of Marbury, whose interview with Frasier yields surprising results...twice. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is slated to begin work on Charlton Heston's new movie -- but he hasn't had time to take a shower, something he really, desperately needs to do. Meanwhile, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is still stuck on Joshua (Tate Donovan). And Ross (David Schwimmer), set up on a blind date with Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) boss' niece Emily (Helen Baxendale, in her first series appearance), ends up spending the weekend with the girl. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) demotion at her job leads to a whole new range of emotional commitments. Chandler (Matthew Perry) has trouble believing that Kathy (Paget Brewster) is just acting during a torrid sex scene in a play. And the possibility that Joey (Matt LeBlanc) will become a social lion in his new apartment leaves Monica (Courteney Cox) feeling a bit left out. Tate Donovan makes his first series appearance as Joshua. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
A Lebanese gunrunner is murdered, and the most likely suspect is Ian O'Connell (Anthony Heald), an Irish Republican Army terrorist. This poses a dilemma for detective Logan (Chris Noth), who wonders if his own pro-Irish sentiments may prevent him from conducting an impartial investigation. Originally scheduled to air on January 22, 1991, this episode of Law & Order was bumped forward to March 26 of that year (curiously, only nine days after St. Patrick's Day). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Season six of Mad About You picks up where season five left off, as Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) bring their new baby daughter home from the hospital. The next step: What to name the kid? Surprisingly, Jamie's scatterbrained mother, Theresa (Carol Burnett), solves this knotty problem. Paxton Whitehead returns to the role of the Buchmans' snooty British neighbor Hal Conway. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
After nearly two months of pre-emptions, Mad About You returned on April 26, 1999, with a brace of first-run episodes. In "Millenium Bug," Paul (Paul Reiser) is worried about the worldwide computer crash predicted for January 1, 2000. As Paul tries to re-create a dream in which Albert Einstein came up with a solution to his Y2K trauma, Jamie does battle with a recalcitrant dry-cleaning establishment. Jamie Farr appears unbilled as the owner of "Zippy's." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1992
This episode marks the first appearance of the Buchmans' veddy British next-door neighbors (Apartment 11-C), Maggie and Hal Conway (Judy Geeson, Paxton Whitehead). Carefully rehearsing their efforts to get in good with the Conways, Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie (Helen Hunt) succeed only in making a royal mess of things. Thereafter, conditions go from bad to worse -- or, in this case, from "wonky" to "icky." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Jamie (Helen Hunt) is none too pleased when Paul (Paul Reiser) hires sexy nurse Diane (Jean Louisa Kelly), who took care of him during his tonsillectomy, to look after neighbor Hal Conway (Paxton Whitehead), whom Paul has accidentally injured. Sensing that Diane wants to get her gloved hands on Paul, Jamie blows her top. Witnessing the row from the sidelines, Hal suggests that the Buchmans resolve their differences by resorting to an ancient British custom (no, not teatime). ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Nobody is allowed to leave the premises during the birthday party of Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser). For one thing, Paul's neighbors Maggie and Hal Conway (Judy Geeson, Paxton Whitehead) suspect that one of the guests has absconded with a valuable painting. And besides, who would want to leave during the epic growling match between Marvin the handyman (Jeff Garlin) and Murray the dog? ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Part one of Mad About You's series finale is set approximately 22 years in the future. Mabel Buchman (Janeane Garafolo), grown-up daughter of Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt), follows in her dad's footsteps by producing a documentary film about her family. The starting point is the startling revelation that, thanks to a genealogical snafu, Paul and Jamie were never really married. Originally telecast as an hour-long special, this episode has since been divided into two half hours for syndication. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Once again (and for the last time), Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) preside over an eventful Thanksgiving dinner. This time, the guest list includes not only the couple's families and friends, but also Jamie's boss Henry Vincent (Fred Willard), baby Mabel's pediatrician Dr. Lee (Steve Park), and airheaded waitress Ursula Buffay (Lisa Kudrow, taking time out from her Friends duties). Trouble ensues when little Mabel shows signs of developing an allergy -- and the source may be one of the guests. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
To save the Buchmans' family store, Ira (John Pankow) offers to give away a new car to the customer who can keep his or her hands on the vehicle the longest. But Ira is reluctant to pony up, so he rigs the contest in the store's favor. Things get more complicated when Ira's temporarily sightless cousin, Paul (Paul Reiser), and Dr. Mark Devanow (welcome back, Richard Kind) are brought in as "ringers." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1982
Throughout his life, Higgins (John Hillerman) has been taunted, bested and humiliated by his old boarding-school nemesis William Troubshaw (Paxton Whitehead). Now it seems that he has a chance to settle the score by squaring off against Troubshaw in a fencing match. But through a freak accident, Troubshaw is killed and Higgins is accused of his murder--and even more disturbingly, he seems unwilling to defend himself against the accusation. Former child star Patty McCormick (The Bad Seed) appears as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Carol Baldwin, a role played in subsequent episodes by Kathleen Lloyd). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
The death of Jessica's role model, Agatha Christie-like mystery novelist Lady Abigail Austin (June Havoc), sets Jessica (Angela Lansbury) to thinking of an incident back in 1947 in which Lady Abigail was involved in a real-life murder case. In an extended flashback, the action takes place on board the luxury liner "Queen Mary", where an ex-Gestapo officer has been stabbed to death--and Lady Abigail is the primary suspect. The presence of a father-son team of detectives (played by John Karlen and Gary Kroeger) suggests that this episode may have actually been intended for an earlier Richard Levinson-William Link TV mystery series, Ellery Queen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
While attending his orphanage reunion, Face (Dirk Benedict) links up with two old flames, Rebecca Piper (Nancy Everhard) and Elaine Green (Kim Ulrich). Unfortunately, Rebecca turns out to be as two-faced as ever, betraying Face and the rest of the A-Team to Gen. Fullbright (Jack Ging). As for Elaine, she needs the Team to find her missing oceanographer brother Barry (Tom Villard), which they agree to do provided they can elude Fullbright's minions. The key to the intrigue is a phony treasure map given by Face to Barry when both were children; trouble is, the map isn't phony at all! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This eighth adaptation of the timeless Mark Twain novel casts Elijah Wood as Huckleberry Finn, the half-literate son of a drunk who runs away from home and follows the Mississippi River with an escaped slave named Jim (Courtney S. Vance). Along the way, the duo encounter adventures with colorful characters like The King (Jason Robards) and the Duke (Robbie Coltrane), two con men who impersonate British visitors in order to swindle two sisters out of their fortune, and Susan Wilks (Laura Bundy), the spunky 12-year-old girl who gives Huck his first kiss. Jim also re-educates Huck away from the racist views that he has grown up with. Not the most in-depth version of Twain's tale, The Adventures Of Huck Finn is a solid retelling of the classic story. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Courtney Vance, (more)
- 2002
Milan Mercer (Jessica Cauffiel) sets up a date between Drew (Drew Carey) and her fabulously wealthy mother Lindsay (Julia Duffy). Impressed by Drew's simple, unpretentious lifestyle, Lindsay decides to leave Europe and move to Cleveland. Before long, the couple is talking marriage, but Drew is worried that Lindsay will lose interest in living with a poor man once her $500,000-per-month alimony is cut off. To test Lindsay's stamina, Drew challenges her to spend an entire week living the way he does--and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happens next. Meanwhile, Mimi enjoys the services of Lindsay's butler Helford (Paxton Whitehead), but proves once again to be the baddest of bad influences. Originally scheduled for April 3, 2002, this episode reunites former Newhart costars Julia Duffy and Kathy Kinney). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
An oil expedition in Bermuda is terrorized by what seems to be band of phantom pirates. Sent to investigate, the Quest Team comes face to face with ghostly buccaneer Black Jack Lee, whose galleon, the Ivory Web, sank near the expedition site centuries before. As it turns out, however, Black Jack isn't quite as spooky as he seems. The first episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest to be telecast (though actually the fourth one filmed), "The Darkest Fathoms" got the new series off to a rousing start, with first-rate animation and character design. The program originally aired on August 26, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1994
Contracted to paint a ballroom to memorialize a young woman's tragic death, an artist starts discovering little tidbits that lead her to believe that the death was no accident. Jane Stanton Hitchcock penned the novel on which this drama is based. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Burstyn, Meg Tilly, (more)
