Charles Lane

Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) go undercover to find out why a murdered woman was tortured and injected with truth serum before she was killed. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that the dead woman was the girlfriend of McCall's onetime partner Sgt. Riley Causland (Robert Firth), who seems to have gone out of his way to frame Hunter for the crime. Before the final fadeout, the detectives uncover a plan to imbed Soviet "sleeper agents" in the US--and one key character pays a terrible price for his involvement in the plot machinations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jonathan Kellerman's Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning novel When the Bough Breaks was evocatively adapted for the TV screen in 1986. Ted Danson plays a clinical psychologist, brought in to tend to an emotionally withdrawn little girl (Rachel Ticotin). There's a possibility that the child may have witnessed an unsolved double murder. As Danson and the girl draw closer, he becomes enmeshed in a homicidal conspiracy sparked by a clique of wealthy, well-connected men. Ted Danson also coproduced When the Bough Breaks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-TV comedy an unemployed stand-up comedian is tossed out by his girl friend and so gets a job driving a limo. He is still determined to win her back, and nothing, not even his inadvertent involvement with two hit men, will stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In the final episode of the seven-part, eighteen-hour miniseries The Winds of War, Ambassador-at-large "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum) represents the US in a series of conferences with the intansigent Russian premier Josef Stalin (Anatoly Chauginian). Dallying briefly with his erstwhile British sweetheart Pamela Tudsbury (Victoria Tennant), Pug stays in Moscow long enough to witness the attempted Nazi invasion. Meanwhile, Pug's daughter-in-law Natalie (Ali McGraw) and her Uncle Aaron (John Houseman) are among the Jewish refugees being smuggled into Palestine. And back in the Western Hemisphere, Pug's sons Byron (Jan-Michael Vincent) and Warren (David Dukes) are swept up in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Winds of War was adapted by Herman Wouk from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ten years after the cancellation of the cornpone comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies, the property was revived -- mercifully briefly -- in the form of a two-hour movie. Originally titled Solving the Energy Crisis, The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies found Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas and Nancy Kulp recreating their sitcom roles as millionaire hillbilly Jed Clampett (who'd moved back to the hills after dividing up his fortune amongst his loved ones), his daughter Elly May (now the owner of a small petting zoo), and bank secretary-turned-government functionary Jane Hathaway. Max Baer Jr. took a pass on the project, thus the role of Jed's nephew Jethro Bodine-now a "sophisticated Hollywood producer"-was played by Ray Young. And with Irene Ryan (Granny) and Raymond Bailey (Milburn Drysdale) having passed on, their replacements were Imogene Coca, and former Hogan's Heroes regular Werner Klemperer as government bureaucrat C. D. Medford, Jane Hathaway's new boss. Also on hand was bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs, who with his late partner Lester Flatt has composed and performed the original Beverly Hillbillies theme song "The Ballad of Jed Clampett"; Shug Fisher and Shad Heller, who'd appeared in several 1969 episodes of the original series; and two veterans from The Beverly Hillbillies' sister series Petticoat Junction, Linda Kaye Henning and Charles Lane. The plot, if anyone cares, finds the Clampetts joining forces with Miss Jane to solve the energy shortage, using Granny's "white lightning" as a fuel substitute. As the film draws to a close, it looks as if Miss Jane and her boss Mr. Medford are about to be hitched in a good ol' Ozark wedding. Originally telecast on October 6, 1981, Return of the Beverly Hillbillies was intended as the pilot for a full-scale revival of the earlier series, but this was not to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This spoof of a "typical" double-feature bill of the 1930s is introduced by George Burns, who explains that we're about to see two classic films produced by the legendary Warren Brothers. The first, "Dynamite Fists," is a black-and-white takeoff of such boxing dramas as Golden Boy. Harry Hamlin plays a John Garfield-like pugilist who is brought along by a tough-but-lovable fight promoter George C. Scott. Nasty gangster Eli Wallach attempts to compromise Hamlin by offering him the delectable Trish VanDevere, but Hamlin proves loyal to Scott. When Scott is killed by Wallach, Hamlin vows to become an attorney and bring the murderer to justice -- which he does in the space of one year. Along the way, Hamlin's gangster brother-in-law secures an eye operation for his nearly blind sister Kathleen Beller (whose bump-in-the-wall myopia is good for several laughs). After "Dynamite Fists," we are treated to a coming-attractions trailer for a Dawn Patrol-style aviation epic, again starring George C. Scott. The last segment, "Blansky's Beauties of 1933," is an all-stops-out Technicolor lampoon of Busby Berkeley musicals. Told by doctor Art Carney that he is dying, Broadway impresario Blansky (George C. Scott again) determines to produce one last spectacular show before the curtain goes down for good. The highlights in "Blansky's Beauties" are too numerous to mention here: memorable bits include composer Barry Bostwick's rooftop number, and the opening dialogue exchange between Carney and Scott (told that he has a month to live, Scott philosophically replies that at least he has 30 days left -- whereupon Carney dolefully reminds his patient that it's February). An additional sequence, parodying the Republic serials of the era, was filmed for Movie, Movie but cut from the final release print. Michael Kidd, who plays "Pop Popchick" in "Dynamite Fists," handled the choreography in "Blansky's Beauties." On the videocassette version of Movie, Movie, "Dynamite Fists" has been reprocessed in color. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Doting grandmother Endora transforms little Tabitha into a seven-year-old genius. Long-suffering Samantha and Darrin convince Tabitha's teacher, Mrs. Peabody (Maudie Prickett), and principal, Mr. Roland (Charles Lane), not to give the girl preferential treatment, but how will Sam handle the fact that Mrs. Peabody has seen Tabitha perform witchcraft in front of the classroom? Apparently, there is only one solution: Tell the whole truth, and reveal to the world that Sam, Tabitha, and Endora are all genuine witches! Written by Michael Morris, "School Daze, School Daze" originally aired on March 4, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While Elly May and Granny continue to campaign on behalf of the women's liberation movement, Jed and Jethro, who'd been complaining about the lack of womenfolk in the Clampett mansion, fall strangely silent. The reason? Unbeknownst to Granny, Jed has hired a trio of geisha girls to handle the housework. And as expected, both Jed and Jethro rather enjoy being waited on hand and foot. A true chauvinist's dream, "The Palace of Clampett-San" originally aired on February 9, 1971, long before "political correctness" had grabbed American television by the throat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Endora's latest spell causes Darrin to crack bad jokes at the most inappropriate times. When he begins laughing hysterically at the misfortunes of his humorless client, Jameson (Charles Lane), and Jameson's equally taciturn wife (Ysabel MacCloskey), it looks as though Darrin is once more headed for the unemployment line. But with Samantha's help, Darrin has the last laugh on Endora. A pre-Bob Newhart Show Marcia Wallace appears as Betty. Written by Ed Jurist, "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" first aired on April 15, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still posing as wealthy Robert Audubon Getty, unemployed actor Dick Bremerkamp (Mike Minor) hopes to marry Elly and get his mitts on the Clampett millions. He is aided and abetted by a gullible Mr. Drysdale, who thinks that "Robert" is one of the Gettys, and by Granny, who is led to believe that the caddish actor is a descendant of Davy Crockett. Only Miss Jane knows the truth, and she is determined to prevent Elly from making a terrible mistake. "The Clampetts Meet Robert Audubon Getty" first aired on March 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Yes, Cupid's arrow has penetrated the heart of confirmed bachelor girl Jane Hathaway. Her new beau is a handsome fellow who calls himself Robert Audobon Getty (played by former Petticoat Junction regular Mike Minor). But Jane is in for a big letdown: "Getty" is really an unemployed actor named Dick Bremerkamp, who is using Jane to get close to her wealthier and prettier roommate Elly May Clampett. "Love Finds Jane Hathaway" originally aired on March 9, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Darrin suffers an unusually long spell of bad luck, a fact which he wrongly attributes to his contentious mother-in-law, Endora. Samantha must utilize psychology to smooth Darrin's ruffled feathers and give him his confidence back. Frequent Bewitched supporting actor Charles Lane is once more magnificently typecast as Darrin's intractable client, Mr. Harmon. Written by Shirley Gordon, "Samantha's Magic Potion" made its network debut on December 17, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Endora casts a spell on Darrin, hoping to make him more "agreeable." As a result, Darrin goes around agreeing with everyone and everything -- ruffling the feathers of his new client, Shotwell (Charles Lane), who hates and despises "yes-men," and concludes that Darrin is either insincere or crazy, or both. You guessed it: Darrin gets fired again and Samantha comes to the rescue. Written by Ed Jurist, "You're So Agreeable" originally aired on December 11, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide