Michael Leeson Movies
- 1973
Why is stingy, curmudgeonly old Archie coming home loaded down with expensive gifts and lavish compliments for Edith and Gloria? The answer: Archie has just struck it rich at the race track. The problem: Archie's gambling threatens to become compulsive -- and worse still, he begins posting heavy losses which he vainly tries to hide from Edith. Scripted by Michael Ross and Bernie West from a story by Steve Zacharias and Michael Leeson, "Archie the Gambler" originally aired on October 13, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1979
Alex (Judd Hirsch) barely escapes death -- and the loss of an ear -- when a mugger takes a shot at him. After this brush with mortality, Alex decides it is high time to quit his job and change his life. This he does by landing a cushy job at a French restaurant. And it just might have worked too, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids (Oops, that's a Scooby-Doo line. Let's try again). And it just might have worked too if the rest of Sunshine Cab Company hadn't converged upon the restaurant all at once. (That's better!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Intrigued by the sexy voice of answering-service operator Angela (Suzanne Kent), Alex (Judd Hirsch) asks her for a date. On the appointed evening, Alex is shocked to discover that Angela is immensely overweight -- and with a bad attitude to boot. Even with so much working against a lasting relationship with Angela, Alex can't help but be attracted to the girl. And yes, this is the same Angela who served as the "inspiration" for Taxi's familiar theme music. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Former Rhoda co-star (and future voice of Marge Simpson) Julie Kavner guest stars as Monica, the nutty, recently divorced sister of cab driver Tony Banta (Tony Danza). Hoping to create the proverbial Match Made in Heaven, Tony tries to play cupid between Monica and his fellow cabbie Alex (Judd Hirsch). Unfortunately, the ditsy girl is only interested in burned-out hippie "Reverend" Jim (Christopher Lloyd). This episode earned an Emmy Award for writer Michael Leeson. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1984
The premiere episode of The Cosby Show finds obstretrician Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) and his attorney wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad, billed throughout Season One as Phylicia Ayers-Allen) facing domestic dilemmas from all corners. When Cliff confronts son Theo (Malcolm Jamal-Warner) about his bad report card, the boy flippantly responds that he doesn't care because he hasn't the slightest intention of going to college--whereupon Cliff uses a carefully manipulated pile of monopoly money to show Theo the folly of his ways. Meanwhile, daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) shocks one and all by bringing home her latest boyfriend (Todd Hollowell), who sports a tattoo and has a police record! Small wonder that, when finally settling into bed at the end of the day, Cliff sighs "I just hope they get out of the house before we die." Longtime Cosby Show fans will notice several significant difference between the pilot episode and the series proper: The Huxtable living room looks different, Clair lapses into Spanish when she gets angry, Theo is referred to throughout as "Teddy", and at one juncture Cliff makes a pointed comment about the fact that he and Clair have only four children (Sabrina Le Beauf as oldest daughter Sondra had not yet been added to the cast). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Barbara Colby returns as Sherry, the hard-boiled "working girl" with whom Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) briefly shared a cell in the fifth-season opener "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?" To keep Sherry from going back to the slammer, big-hearted Mary tries to rehabilitate her. This, however, means that Mary will have to find a job for Sherry, who isn't quite accustomed to regular working hours. "You Try to Be a Nice Guy" originally aired on February 8, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Signing up for an art class, Shirley (Shirley Jones) catches the eye of her amorous teacher Lorenzo Bernard (Alan Oppenheimer), who decides to make her his protégé. Bernard declares that Shirley's paintings are masterpieces, but her children recognize these "works of art" for the monstrosities that they really are. Now it is up to the kids to prevent Shirley from humiliating herself by entering her hideous paintings in the San Pueblo Art Festival. Song: "I'll Never Get Over You". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
John Astin guest stars as Sidney Rose, a reclusive multimillionaire who summons the Partridges to his mountain retreat for a private concert. Shirley (Shirley Jones) tries to persuade Sidney to come out of his shell and return to the outside world, which he ultimately does--but not before adopting a series of silly disguises to keep the public and the press at arm's length. Song: "One Night Stand" (Trivia note: John Astin had previously costarred with Shirley Jones' future husband Marty Ingels in the 1962 TV sitcom I'm Dickens--He's Fenster). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Feeling they have been a bit too rough on Reuben (Dave Madden) lately, the Partridges vow to be extra nice to him from now on. Unaccustomed to such positive treatment, Reuben jumps to the conclusion that the family is merely feeling sorry for him--and that he is doomed to die! A subsequent birthday party attended by Reuben's mother Clara (played by "Wicked Witch" Margaret Hamilton) and girlfriend Bonnie (Elaine Giftos) only further persuades him that he's not long for this world--and it is up to his level-headed mom to snap Reuben out of his self-pitying funk. Songs: "I Wouldn't Put Nothing Over on You", "I've Got Your Love All Over Me", "Just Lovin' You". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
On a dare from his "pal" Punky (Gary Dubin), Danny (Danny Bonaduce) shoplifts a toy at a department store. Unable to escape his own conscience, Danny confesses his crime, and all is forgiven--until Punky intervenes once more, leading store manager Phelps (Henry Jones) to conclude that Danny has shoplifted again. Increasing Danny's already oppressive guilt feelings is the fact that the Partridge Family is slated to receive a Good Citizenship Award! Song: "I Don't Care (Where You've Been Before)". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Competition proves fierce when Keith (David Cassidy) runs for school president. His chief opposition is Phyllis Goldberg (Holly Near), who though nowhere near as popular as Keith is undeniably smarter--and besides, Keith's ambitious sister Laurie (Susan Dey) is managing Phyllis' campaign. Figuring into the political intrigue are the ever-fluctuating voter polls and a tense debate (sound familiar?). Song: "There'll Come a Time". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Unlike many of the other sitcoms of the 2006-2007 series which catered to the under-30 crowd, Twenty Good Years was carefully calculated to appeal to the "oldsters" in the audience--that is, anyone over 30. Seasoned comedy pros John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor were cast respectively as pompous surgeon John Mason and widowed judge Jeffrey Pyne, best friends despite the fact that they were polar opposites. At age 60, Mason was forcibly retired; at the same age, Pyne was being pressured by his current sweetheart to get married again. Hoping to escape the exigencies of their lives and to prove that they were still young and heart, Mason and Pyne vowed to have a grand old time with the time they had left, and to do all the things they'd never dared to do before, from participating in extreme sports to appearing at the beach wearing speedos! Outside of the stars, the only other actors with roles of any consequence were Heather Burns as Mason's pregnant daughter Stella and Jake Sandvig as Pyne's gormless son Hugh. Twenty Good Years launched its NBC run on October 11, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor, (more)
- 1983
In this made-for-television comedy drama, a divorcee reels even further when her married lover dumps her too. On the rebound, she takes up with a peculiar policeman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
David Mamet's play Sexual Perversity in Chicago was adapted for the big screen by fellow Chicago citizen Tim Kazurinsky and became About Last Night... The film stars Rob Lowe as Danny and Demi Moore as Debbie. The pair meet and engage in a torrid sexual relationship, but then slowly negotiate if there is anything more between them. Lowe seeks advice from his loudmouthed friend Bernie (Chicago native James Belushi), whose offers little more than outrageous tales of his randy exploits. Debbie confides in her best friend Joan (Elizabeth Perkins), a bitter, single kindergarten teacher who has lost any hope of finding the right person on the dating scene. Although Danny and Debbie talk, they have trouble communicating. The film ends on a coda that suggests the pair are still unsure as to where their relationship may be headed. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, (more)
- 1982
- R
- Add Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again to QueueAdd Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again to top of Queue
Robert Louis Stevenson's novel is satirized in this comedy about a scientist (Mark Blankfield) who is hopelessly addicted to his latest invention, a strange white powder. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Blankfield, Bess Armstrong, (more)
This run-of-the-mill teen romantic comedy's main attraction is 22-year-old Demi Moore as Laura Victor, an aspiring rock singer. The slightly younger Jon Cryer is Charles Cummings, a dedicated photographer who meets Laura, falls in love, and decides that a dedication to furthering her career might further his own amorous designs. Charles is essentially a loser when it comes to women -- and just about anything else except photography. One day Charles captures Laura on film along a San Francisco seashore and is shocked but excited to run into her later while at a North Beach nightclub where she is a performer. Unable to just let her go, he finally convinces her to pose for him, and as a result of that session he comes up with one good photo which he then puts on nearly 200 San Francisco cabs -- using up all his savings in the process. The result consists of offers that have nothing to do with singing -- until one exception occurs. Another new face in the crowd in this conventional movie is Jennifer Tilly (younger sister of Meg Tilly and Oscar-nominated for her role in Bullets Over Broadway), working in her first film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Cryer, Demi Moore, (more)
Director Michael Ritchie spoofs survivalists in this rambling black comedy. Donald Quinelle (Robin Williams) is a successful young executive who is called to his boss' office one morning and is fired by a parrot sitting in the CEO's chair -- a method the company uses to axe high-powered execs. Donald meets Sonny Paluso (Walter Matthau), a former gas station owner who is out of work because his business was blown up. At a diner, the two newfound friends witness a robbery and catch sight of the perpetrator, Jerry Reed (Jack Locke). Reed is a mob hit man who swears to kill the two men who saw him commit the crime. Donald, formerly afraid of weapons, becomes obsessed with guns as a way to protect himself from the mob. He enrolls in a survivalist training school in the mountains of Vermont. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Robin Williams, (more)
Divorce lawyer Danny De Vito warns his prospective client that the story he's about to tell isn't a pretty one, but the client listens with eager intensity -- as do the folks out there in the movie in the audience. The War of the Roses can best be described as a slapstick tragedy concerning the decline and literal fall of a marriage. After 17 years, Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara (Kathleen Turner) Rose want a divorce. Not for this couple is there anything resembling a "civilized understanding": Barbara wants their opulent house, and Oliver isn't about to part with the domicile. Barbara nails the basement door shut while Oliver is downstairs, Oliver disrupts Barbara's fancy party by taking aim at the catered dinner, Barbara lays waste to Oliver's sports car....and so it goes, culminating in a disastrous showdown around, about and under the living room's fancy chandelier. DeVito and screenwriter Michael Leeson never let us forget that the couple's self-indulgent imbroglio exacts an awful price upon their children (Sean Astin and Heather Fairfield). The War of the Roses was adapted from the novel by Warren Adler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, (more)
Garry Shandling makes his big-screen debut as a leading man in this sci-fi romantic comedy. Harold (Shandling) is an alien from another galaxy sent to Earth on a vital mission: in order to ensure that his civilization will prevail, Harold must impregnate an Earth woman. But he discovers that this is more easily said than done, as he quickly gets a crash course in the arcane rituals of the human courtship process. What's worse, just when Harold thinks he's making progress in Earthbound seduction, he discovers that the males of his planet don't physically interface properly with women on Earth, so he is issued a variety of bizarre gadgets to complete his assignment. Mike Nichols directed What Planet Are You From?, which also features a top-notch supporting cast, including Annette Bening, John Goodman, Ben Kingsley, and Camryn Manheim. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Garry Shandling, Annette Bening, (more)
Clothes make the superspy in this high-energy action comedy. Jimmy Tong (Jackie Chan) is a well-meaning but clumsy New York City cab driver who is tapped by Steena (Debi Mazar), associate to multi-millionaire Clark Devlin (Jason Isaacs), for a new job as Devlin's personal limo driver. After a mysterious accident lands Devlin in the hospital, Tong learns that his new boss has a secret -- when he's not wheeling and dealing in high finance, Devlin is also a secret agent for the CSA, a top-level security agency. The secret to Devlin's success as a spy is his trademark tuxedo, a suit which is loaded with special gadgets which turns him into a high-tech fighting machine. After Tong dons the tuxedo and is transformed into a martial arts master, he takes over for Devlin and discovers that the agent's injuries didn't happen by accident. As Tong tries to chase down a handful of international super-villains bent on world conquest, he has to deal with Devlin's new partner, Del Blaine (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a CSA rookie who is just as baffled by her new assignment as Tong. The Tuxedo marked the feature-film debut for director Kevin Donovan, who had previously won international acclaim for his work in television commercials. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, (more)
For Your Eyes Only eschews the gimmickry and campiness of earlier James Bond films, concentrating instead on telling the story and maintaining suspense. Roger Moore is back as Secret Agent 007, this time on the trail of Soviet spies while he romances the beautiful Melina, played by Carole Bouquet. Richard Maibaum's screenplay has very little to do with the collection of short stories that made up Ian Fleming's For Your Eyes Only, save for the plotline involving Melina's seeking vengeance for the death of her father. The direction is by John Glen, who'd previously done second unit work on other Bond films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, (more)
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)
