F. William Parker Movies

A barrel containing the dismembered body of a woman is found in a house formerly owned by mobster Pete Mangrini (Al Sapienza). In their efforts to prove that the body is that of Mangrini's long-missing wife, thereby pinning a murder rap on the mob boss, Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and Jones (Henry Simmons) are aided and abetted by plucky reporter Nicole Graf (Elizabeth Berkley). Meanwhile, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Sorenson (Rick Schroder), pursuing another lead in the Mangini case, come up with a satisfying example of the postman ringing twice. And off the job, Sipowicz tries to help police medical examiner Dr. Kroft (M. Emmet Walsh) cope with his wife's terminal cancer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) goes to great lengths to peek at her diagnosis after visiting a doctor about a rash. Refusing delivery of a package with no return address, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is faced with a charge of mail fraud -- and worse still, a "basic instinct" moment with Newman (Wayne Knight). Kramer (Michael Richards) urges George (Jason Alexander) to act upon the "fact" that a photo clerk has including a sexy picture of herself in a batch of photos. And Uncle Leo's (Len Lesser) stove explodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally made for cable television, Roswell is an entertaining mix of purported actual events and science fiction. The narrative unfolds primarily in flashbacks as retired Army officer Jesse Marcel (Kyle MacLachlan) attends a reunion of the 509th Bomber Group and tries to come to closure on events that had taken place 30 years earlier. Back in 1947, Major Marcel had been part of a military team that investigated a crash site on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The debris recovered from the site had exhibited some remarkable properties such as being able to repair itself instantly after being cut, suggesting that it might have been of extraterrestrial origin. The military brass had ordered Marcel to go along with their phony story that the material was ordinary metal foil from a weather balloon, and he had reluctantly complied. By the time of the 1977 reunion, Marcel is suffering from a terminal illness, and he feels compelled to try to find out what had really happened at Roswell all those years ago. MacLachlan gives an effective performance, particularly when he portrays Marcel as an older man trying to understand his past. Evocative location shooting in the American Southwest adds cinematic impact. ~ All Movie Guide

This two-part pilot episode for Babylon 5 was originally telecast as a single two-hour TV movie on February 22, 1993 (the "official" release date of March 8 refers to the film's Chicago TV premiere). Like the subsequent series, "The Gathering" takes place in the 23rd century, and was set on Babylon 5, a space station hovering in neutral territory which is used as a center of trade and diplomacy for a wide variety of friendly and hostile planets. As the space station becomes fully operational, the crew must deal with the attempting poisoning of Vorlan ambassador Kosh Naranek, for which B5 commander Jeffrey Sinclair is being held responsible. Complicating matters is the refusal of the Vorlans to allow any medical treatment for their ambassador. Written by series producer-creator J. Michael Straczynski, "The Gathering" features several actors who were supposed to have played recurring characters, but for various reasons were written out of the weekly version: Tamlyn Tomita as Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takamisha, Blaire Baron as Caroline Sykes, Johnny Sekka as Dr. Benjamin Kyle and Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander. The pilot won an Emmy Award for special effects, and a Hugo nomation for "Best Dramatic Presentation" -- this in spite of almost universal damnation from mainstream TV critics. On January 4, 1998, the TNT cable network offered a re-edited version of "The Gathering", with a new musical score by Christopher Frake (replacing the one composed by Stewart Copeland), a handful of new computer-generated special effects, a number of judicious cuts, and several previously excised sequences, including a lengthy hostage-crisis subplot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

She Stood Alone is the fact-based story of Prudence Crandall, described by her admirers as "the bravest woman in America." In Connecticut in the 1830s, Ms. Crandall establishes a school for young woman. Upon her acceptance of a black girl for admission, Prudence endures racism, threats, renunciations and mob violence. When the white parents pull their children out, Prudence defiantly opens the doors of her school exclusively for African-American girls. Mare Winningham is excellent, and scrupulously accurate in her period costumes and mannerisms, as Prudence Crandall. Produced by Disney, She Stood Alone was originally telecast as part of NBC's "Education 1st" week in April of 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Marcy (Amanda Bearse) is more uptight than usual when a gypsy fortune teller (Carmen Zapata) predicts her premature demise. Since the psychic has seen good things in the future for the Bundys, Marcy insists that Al (Ed O'Neill) and Peg (Katey Sagal) accompany her on a plane trip to New York, as a form of "life insurance". The journey proves to be unforgettable thanks to the delirious reaction of the Bundys to First Class accommodations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode opens with the grave announcement that it has NOT been filmed in 3-D (the glasses didn't show up in the mail). Once this is established, we segue into the curious tale of the Great Kandinski, a famous escape artist who has recently died. Inasmuch as Kandinski had threatened to come back from the grave to get even with his philandering wife (K Callan), David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) are engaged to do some "corpse sitting" at the local funeral parlor--but comes the dawn, and the body has disappeared...and even worse, it looks as if Kandinski has carried out his threat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this syrupy drama, a terminally ill priest continues trying to keep his orphanage from closing. Fortunately, a rousing soccer game (featuring the legendary player Pele) saves the orphanage ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The chances of burned-out cabbie Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd) passing any sort of competency test is roughly equivalent to a snowball's chance of surviving in hell, but that's just what he must do in this episode. Upon learning that his late father has left him three-and-a-half million dollars in his will -- but with certain very rigid conditions: Jim must prove he is of sound mind, and fast! He must also dress and act like something resembling a normal human being, and for help in this matter he turns to the most "normal" people he knows: Alex (Judd Hirsch)...and Louie (Danny DeVito)? ~ All Movie Guide

Steve McQueen's last film concerns a modern day bounty hunter who searches for bail jumpers. Based on real life bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson, the film details his exciting life, traveling from one city to another, trying to track down fugitives and continually risking his life in the process. Buzz Kulik directed the confusing mish-mash that, nevertheless, features stunt work that anticipates the Lethal Weapon series. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Moving from its traditional Tuesday-night slot to a Thursday evening berth, Laverne & Shirley kicked off its fifth season with the conclusion of a two-part story which debuted September 11, 1979 on its "sister" series Happy Days. That show's leading characters Richie (Ron Howard) and Fonzie (Henry Winkler) have gotten themselves into deep do-do by flirting with Helga (Vicki Frederick) and Inga (April Clough) pair of curvaceous. Now the boys are faced with the prospect of a shotgun wedding, thanks to the girls' rifle-toting pappy Vernon (F. William Parker). It is up to Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) to rescue our heroes by posing as Richie and Fonzie's fiancees! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The story of "red light bandit" Caryl Chessman, previously dramatized in the 1955 film Cell 2455, Death Row (based on Chessman's own book), was adapted for television as Kill Me If You Can. In a radical departure from his usual duties as MASH's Hawkeye Pierce, Alan Alda plays Chessman, who in 1948 was found guilty of robbery, kidnapping and sexual assault. Under the laws of the era, Chessman was sentenced to die in the gas chamber. But by studying the law and publishing four books on his plight, the brilliant (albeit still repugnant) Chessman managed to forestall his execution for 12 years. Though no effort is made in the film to make the sociopathic Chessman any better than he was, John Gay's script comes out squarely in opposition of capital punishment. Kill Me If You Can first aired on September 25, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It seemed like only yesterday that Bob and Emily celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary (actually, it was in an episode which aired approximately ten months earlier, in February of 1977). And now here they are, blowing out the candles on their tenth anniversary cake. On this momentous occasion, both Bob and Emily wonder what life would have been like had they married other people -- and a brace of fantasy sequences shows them what life would have been like. The supporting cast features Morgan Fairchild as Linda Bianca and E. William Parker as Marcus. Written by Lloyd Garver, "Grand Delusion" first aired on December 17, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide