William Hale Movies
- 1973
Manhattan South detective lieutenant Theo Kojak (Telly Savalas) wastes no time getting the series bearing his name under way in this premiere episode. After a failed armored-car robbery, the three desperate thieves--Jerry Talaba (Harvey Keitel), Jack Murzie (James J. Sloyan) and Mike Amazeen (Jude Farese)--grab six hostages and barricade themselves in a sporting goods store, amply stocked with surplus weaponry. Kojak has only two hours to formulate a plan to defuse the situation before the outlaws begin killing their captives, one by one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
New York City is held in thrall by a serial killer known as Excalibur, who rapes and strangles unmarried women, then tosses them in the river--but not before marking their heads with a design resembling the sword of King Arthur. After several months' activity, Excalibur is back in business, and Kojak (Telly Savalas) is determined to put him away. But is it really Excalibur who has resumed the killing spree, or a demented copycat? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Kojak (Telly Savalas) begins his search for the murderer of a womanizing Wall Street lawyer. What he doesn't know is that the perp is one of his own detectives, Nick Ferro (Hector Elizondo). Having committed the crime after discovering that his own wife (Barbara Rhoades) was one of the victim's lovers, Ferro cunningly sets up an airtight alibi--and even arranges to join the investigation team. Inevitably, Kojak's instincts kick in and he deduces that something is amiss...while Ferro desperately tries to halt the steady strem of evidence that is flowing inexorably in his direction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Still at the stage of his career when he was specializing in cold-blooded villainy, Martin Sheen guests in this episode as Dean Knox, a charismatic young man who has several girlfriends at his beck and call. One of these, a "Plain Jane" named Kate Evans (Collin Wilcox-Horne, stumbles onto the fact that Dean is a bank robber. It now falls to Dean to sweet-talk the girl into keeping his secret--or to get rid of her if she won't play along. Famed female impersonator Jim Bailey makes a cameo appearance as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
A decidedly pre-Naked Gun Leslie Neilsen guest stars in this episode as veteran cop John T. Connor. Upon learning that he has a terminal illness, Connor vows to murder the slick racketeer whom he has been unsuccessfully trying to put behind bars for the past eighteen months. Thus are Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) forced into the uncomfortable position of saving a notorious criminal from one of their own colleagues. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
In a variation of Evan Hunter's famous novel King's Ransom (previously filmed by no less than Akira Kurosawa), outlaws Thorn and Bryan Hazard (Tom Skerritt, Fabian Forte) kidnap a girl whom they believe to be wealthy young Laura Singer (Susannah Darrow). Instead, they have abducted Karen Oliver (Sherry Boucher), the daughter of poverty-stricken Harry Oliver (Woodrow Parfrey). Will Oliver lose everything he owns trying to raise the $100,000 ransom, or will Laura's millionaire father Owen Singer (John Lasell) come through in a pinch? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is anxious to bring con artist Wesley Ziegler to justice. Specializing in fleecing wealthy, lonely women, Ziegler has recently added murder to his list of crimes--a fact that does not bode well for his latest pigeon, Jessica Bowling (Mariette Hartley). Appearing as one of the villain's former victims is Phyllis Kirk of House of Wax fame, in her final TV appearance before she forsook acting to become a producer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Enemy agents hope to persuade defecting cabinet official Victor Dorman (David Frankham) to return to his own country--or, failing that, they plan to have him killed. For this purpose, the bad guys engage the services of Nicholas Blok (Eric Braeden), a coldblooded troubleshooter who specializes in abduction and assassination. Blok endeavors to force his prey into the open by kidnapping Dorman's daughter Katrina (Dinah Anne Rogers)--and he has no intention of allowing FBI Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to get in his way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Don Grady of My Three Sons fame guest stars as John McElroy, the irresponsible son of business executive Douglas McElroy (Murray Hamilton). After John inadvertently commits a crime on a government reservation, a mobster who witnessed the incident strongarms the boy's father into allowing his company to be taken over by the Mafia. Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) must not only bring John to justice for his crime, but also save the boy from becoming yet another Mob casualty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Implicated in a major bond scam, George Breen (James Olson), an accountant in the employ of the Cosa Nostra, jumps bail and runs off to Portland with his wife Peggy (Linda Marsh) in tow. Complicating Breen's escape efforts is the fact that Peggy is pregnant, and due any moment. Worse still, a mob-connected relative is dogging the couple's trail, determined to kill George before the FBI can catch up with him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
In desperate need of money to square a debt, Neil Stryker (Bradford Dillman) enters into an unholy alliance with Communist spy Bryan Carlson (Wayne Rogers). Stryker agrees to steal top-secret information from the Boston research firm where he works. A discarded cellophane cigar wrapper puts FBI inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) on the trail of the spies, with dire consequences for Stryker and his wife Elaine (Antoinette Bower). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Michael Callan guest stars as Harry Springer, an otherwise honest salesman who becomes an amateur extortionist. Actually, Springer's intentions are honorable: He intends to save his brother from a trumped-up murder charge by putting the heat on Alexander York (Simon Scott), prosecution witness whom Harry suspects of being the real killer. Unfortunately, Springer gets in way over his head--and as a result, it's likely that not even Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) can save the salesman from a Mob rub-out. In a rare TV appearance, film favorite Laraine Day is cast as the murder suspect's wife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The FBI suspects a case of jury tampering when, after the acquittal of notorious mob figure, juror Steven Harber (Robert Hooks) suddenly becomes conspicuously wealthy. Eventually, Harber's conscience kicks in, but it may already be too late. Not only is Harber being shaken down by a blackmailer who witnessed the payoff, but there is also a mob hitman at large who has killed two other jurors in his efforts to make sure that no one talks. Seen as Harber's anguished wife is Cicely Tyson, making the most of a rather thankless role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Embezzler Robert Pollard (Peter Donat) uses his considerable charm to persuade lonely women to assist him in his criminal activities. The FBI is alerted to Pollard's presence when his most recent "dupe", a female bank cashier, turns up murdered. Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) must now race against time to save the life of Pollard's latest unwitting accomplice Kate Burke (Vera Miles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The F.B.I. begins its fifth season as Federal Inspector Lew Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) persuades former counterespionage agent Anne Fraser (Diane Baker) to come out of retirement for one last assignment. Posing as lovers, Erkine and Anne hope to round up a spy ring specializing in blackmailing vulnerable diplomats--a task made difficult by the fact that the villains are protected by diplomatic immunity. In the original TV Guide ads for this episode, the producers shamelessly plugged their series' longtime sponsor by listing "The 1970 Fords" as "guest stars"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
In this adventure, seven young west Texans ride out to volunteer for the Confederate army during the mid-point of the Civil War. The Concho County Comanches, as they call themselves, find that it is truly a long way to Shiloh, Tennessee where a major battle is about to occur. En route they encounter a variety of perilous adventures. As the story progresses, each of the Comanches suffers a different fate. Their leader endures the great battle, is wounded and awakens to find his arm cut off. He then learns that the only other survivor ran off in the middle of battle and is being hunted. The leader finds his mortally wounded friend huddled up in a barn. Later the amputee tells General Bragg the story of the Concho Comanches, and the compassionate General orders that the leader ride home to Texas. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Caan, Michael Sarrazin, (more)
- 1968
Star-in-the-making Robert Duvall appears in this episode as Joseph Troy, one of two fugitives who are hiding from the Feds in California's wine country. Biding their time until the heat is off, Troy and his partner George Wilson (Burt Brinckerhoff) make plans to pull off a bank heist during a local harvest celebration. But things take an unexpected turn when one of the two outlaws falls in love with Lisa Cintron (Diane Baker). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) gets to show off his tennis prowess when he goes undercover to end the criminal activities of suave racketeer John Harris (Joseph Campanella). The elusive Harris has ordered the killing of a Federal agent, and Erskine hopes to trap the man into incriminating himself. Meanwhile, Harris' paid assassin prepares to eliminate the only witness to the killing, a lonely teenage girl named Barbara (Brooke Bundy). Featured in a villainous role is future Hill Street Blues star Daniel J. Travanti, here billed as "Dan Travanty." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
In the opening episode of The F.B.I.'s fourth season, Inspector Lew Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and his assistant Tom Colby (William Reynolds) go undercover to trap master spy Lorenz Tabor (Louis Jourdan). Ingredients essential to the intrigue are a bus ticket, a cryptanalysis, and a dead man's hearing aid, which is actually a miniature "holding tank" for top-secret microfilm. Featured in the cast are Nancy Kovack, later the wife of symphony conductor Zubin Mehta, and future Hill Street Blues costar James Sikking. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The murder of a rocket manufacturer tips the FBI to an insidious scheme to blackmail executives into giving up classified missile secrets to the Enemy. The villains have already set up their next patsy, a lonely rocket-firm functionary named Ken Haney (Norman Fell). Serving as bait to lure Haney into betraying his country is sexy young blonde Julie (Celeste Yarnell)--as potent a "secret weapon" as has ever been conceived! This is the final episode of The F.B.I's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In this made-for-TV crime melodrama, Robert Wagner plays a handsome ex-GI determined to wreak vengeance on millionaire Peter Lawford, who caused Wagner to suffer public humiliation. Getting himself invited for a cruise on Lawford's yacht, Wagner dallies with the millionaire's bikini-clad daughter Jill St. John before returning to the matters at hand. It turns out that Lawford has been involved with an international political conspiracy, all evidence of which is destroyed by coconspirator Walter Pidgeon, to whom Wagner has been relating his story in flashback. The story ends with the destruction of Lawford's yacht, followed by a closeup of Robert Wagner winking at the audience. The film was released theatrically in Europe as Deadly Roulette. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) has long suspected that a Communist spy ring that had operated in Germany during WW2 is still alive and well and "living" in Washington. Now a murder has been committed, and Erskine is certain that he's on the right trail. The problem is that the ringleaders may be safely ensconced within the borders of "diplomatic immunity." The supporting cast includes actor-director Alf Kjellin (then being kept busy on such action series as I Spy) and veteran villain Martin Kosleck, who during the 1940s was Hollywood's foremost impersonator of Nazi chieftan Joseph Goebbels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Donning mustache and horn-rimmed glasses, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) poses as Carl Jordan, a courier for the Reds who had been shot during an attempt to smuggle valuable information out of the US. Erskine hopes to retrace Jordan's steps and locate an elusive spy boss known only as "Alexander." But things take an unexpected turn when the Inspector finds himself in the middle of a deadly turf war between the Russians and the Chinese. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
While pulling off an art heist, Robert Dewey (J.D. Cannon) is forced to knock out a museum executive. Convinced he has killed the man, Dewey may have no qualms about killing again. The FBI must stop Dewey before he manages to murder Helen Meade (Antoinette Bower), the woman who unwittingly messed up his meticulous escape plan. The highlight of this episode is a high-speed chase on a motorcycle (which, of course, was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, the longtime sponsor of The F.B.I.). Watch for future Mod Squad star Peggy Lipton in a bit role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Never once does Bobby Darin sing "Mack the Knife" or "Splish Splash" in Gunfight in Abilene. Instead, he plays a peaceable western sheriff, determined to stave off an outlaw invasion. The head outlaw is Leslie Nielsen, which makes this film very hard to watch with a straight face these days. The Universal City backlot gets a good workout in the blood-spattered finale of Gunfight in Abilene, which barely made the theatrical rounds before entrenching itself on late night television. The film should not be confused with Gunfighters of Abilene, a 1960 oater starring Buster Crabbe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bobby Darin, Emily Banks, (more)
