Anthony Caruso Movies
American-born Anthony Caruso decided early in his showbiz career to cash in on his last name by becoming a singer. Though he enjoyed some success in this field, Caruso had better luck securing acting roles. Typecast as a villain from his first film, Johnny Apollo (1940), onward, he remained a reliable screen menace until the 1980s. Usually cast as an Italian (he was Louis Chiavelli in 1950's The Asphalt Jungle), he has also played his share of Greeks, Spaniards, Slavs, and Indian chiefs. He was occasionally afforded an opportunity to essay sympathetic characters on the various TV religious anthologies of the 1960s and 1970s, notably This Is the Life. In 1976, Anthony Caruso enjoyed one of his biggest and most prominent screen roles in Zebra Force.On April 4, 2003 Anthony Caruso died following an extended illness in Brentwood, CA. He was 86. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Outlaws are no match for the famed frontiersman and his pet bear Martha in this Western adventure. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1986
According to the official police report, Charlie Whitewood, a lawyer facing indictment for jury tampering, died in a fire several months ago. Why, then, is McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) absolutely certain that she has spotted Whitewood roaming the streets, very much alive? Although Hunter is unconvinced that Whitewood survived the blaze, he joins McCall in investigating the situation--and in so doing, sets himself up as a target for extermination by an extremely lively corpse! This episode features a rare TV appearance by 1940s sex goddess Jane Russell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Without taking anything away from series stars Karl Malden and Michael Douglas, it must be admitted that this episode is stolen hands-down by its formidable array of guest actors, headed by future Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven costar Victor French as ruthless alien smuggler Reggie Noris. Witnessing the latest unloading of Noris' "human cargo" are a pair of hapless fishermen, Joe Porturo (Nicholas Colasanto) and Lou Roselli (Anthony Caruso). Bullied into silence by Noris' goons (one of whom actually warns the pair that they may end up "sleeping with the fish"!), Joe and Lou refuse to cooperate with the police--leading to catastrophic consequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Extortionist Casey Morton (Stephen McNally) would like his son Junior (Robert Drivas) to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, Junior can't seem to do anything right, and after bungling his latest assignment he finds his trail dogged by the FBI. Proving that blood is thicker than water, Morton takes the rap for Junior's misdeeds to throw the Feds off the track--but Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) isn't one to take things at face value. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This episode would seem to have been inspired by director Michael Powell's classic psychological thriller Peeping Tom. Someone has been shooting 8-millimeter films featuring pretty young women, then mailing those films to Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) shortly after each woman is found murdered. Assisting the Chief in his investigation of this disturbing sequence of events is policewoman Fran Belding (Elizabeth Baur), who in turn has enlisted the aid of her current boyfriend, aspiring filmmaker Eric Blair (Joe Don Baker). The case takes a frightening turn when Ironside receives yet another reel of film--focusing on Fran herself! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Ricardo Montalban is well cast as legendary Mexican bandit Joaquin Murietta in Desperate Mission. As in most previous filmed adaptations of the life of this controversial character, Murietta is depicted as a South of the Border Robin Hood, more sinned against than sinning. The storyline is open-ended enough to suggest that this made-for-TV movie was intended as the pilot for a weekly series. If this was indeed the case, the producers needn't have bothered. Lensed in 1969, Desperate Mission didn't get a TV playdate until December 3, 1971 (though it was released theatrically outside the US in 1970). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Seeking the location of a New York repair shop for his broken antique watch, Oliver (Eddie Albert) gets in touch with his former secretary Carol Rush (Elaine Joyce), who is now working for a realtor. One thing leads to another, and by the end of the story Oliver and Carol have combined forces to save her boss from being bilked out of 10,000 dollars. This 170th and final episode of Green Acres was intended as the pilot for a spinoff series starring Elaine Joyce, Emmaline Henry, and Richard Deacon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elaine Joyce, Emmaline Henry, (more)
- 1971
Gerald S. O'Loughlin makes a return visit to Mission: Impossible, this time in the role of Syndicate chieftan Frank Delaney. To break the mob's stranglehold on the waterfront, the IMF endeavor to terrify Delaney into providing evidence against himself and his cohorts. Phelps impersonates the skipper of a "haunted" freighter, while Casey poses as the daughter of one of Delaney's murder victims. Written by Ed Adamson and Norman Katkov, "Shape Up" first aired on October 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1970
A Federal agent is seriously injured at the US/Canadian border when exiled Mafia functionary Peter Tenny (Christopher George) sneaks back into the contry. Though his main scheme is to regain control of his criminal activities, Tenny is also determine to prove that a trusted relative (Mark Richman) has been embezzling Mob funds. Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) hopes to use this "blood feud" to the Feds' advantage--provided that everyone stays alive long enough to be arrested. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Oliver (Eddie Albert) and Lisa (Eva Gabor) begin breakfast by opening a box of Crickly Wicklys, a cereal that promises "a prize in each and every package." Well and good -- but they didn't expect to find a cache of genuine and very expensive jewelry! As it turns out, the gems were stashed in the box by a gang of thieves (headed by veteran movie heavy Anthony Caruso). Armed with this information, the viewer should be able to figure out what happens next. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Hale, Jr., Anthony Caruso, (more)
- 1969
The FBI is summoned when a murder occurs on an Indian reservation. A local band of young Native American activists have accused a group of miners of ordering the killing, so that the miners can seize full control of the land. But Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) suspects the presence of a third party who is playing one side against the other. (Incidentally, in typical late-1960s Hollywood fashion the three main Indian characters are played by non-Indian actors), ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy encounter an alien civilization with an unusual similarity to the seedier side of 1920s Chicago in this episode of the original Star Trek television series. It seems that 200 years before, another starship had visited the planet and unintentionally left behind a book about the heyday of the Chicago mobs, which the planet's inhabitants, skilled mimics, subsequently adopted as a guide to structuring and modernizing their society. Already challenged by dealing with a world ruled by warring, violent gangs, the situation grows even more difficult for the three Enterprise officers when they are captured by one of the gang bosses. Even worse, their captors seem quite interested in examining and copying the Starfleet officers' equipment -- particularly their weaponry. As in the numerous time-travel episodes of the series, the episode combines the series' traditional adventure element with fish-out-of-water humor, as Kirk, Spock, and McCoy attempt to adapt their futuristic ways to the extremely different requirements of an ancient Earth environment. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Unable to break his contract with mean-spirited race car builder Pappy Ryan (Michael Constantine) Pete Griston (Henry Brandt) goes onto the track in a car owned by Harvey Rettig (Anthony Caruso)--and promptly gets involved in a spectacular wreck with Ryan's new driver (and Pete's best friend). Ryan then accuses Pete of conspiring with Rettig to deliberately destroy Ryan's car. Subsequently, Rettig is murdered and Pete is charged with the crime. In handling Pete's defense, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is faced with some extremely compelling evidence that Pete and Rettig were definitely in cahoots. Watch for a young Paul Winfield in a small role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Carroll Baker, the Sharon Stone of the sixties, plays another classy-looking blonde with a sordid background in Sylvia. Millionaire Peter Lawford is about to marry the glamorous but secretive Sylvia (Baker). Before taking the plunge, he hires private eye George Maharis to do a background check on the girl. Whew, what he finds out! Apparently the only sin Sylvia doesn't commit is robbing parking meters, but we have no idea what might happen after the final fadeout. Shortly before it opened, Sylvia was the subject of several magazine articles, trumpeting the fact that Carroll Baker had conducted extensive interviews with real-life prostitutes in order to prepare herself for her role. This apparently left her no time to consult an acting coach. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll Baker, George Maharis, (more)
- 1965
Enrico Bacio (Anthony Caruso), tyrannical patriarch of a Sicilian-American clan, is convinced that a charming young scoundrel named Paulo Porro (Fabrizio Mioni) will literally be the death of him. It seems that there is a centuries-old vendetta between the Bacio and Porro families, and Bacio is terrified that Paulo intends to murder him. Sure enough, Enrico ends up dead--and Paulo is duped into being on the scene when the cops find the body. Hoping to save Paulo from the gas chamber, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must first prove that a key piece of evidence is the handywork of the real murderer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
This exploitation crime drama offers a fictionalized account of John Dillinger just before he became known as one of the most ruthless mobsters of the 1930s. The tale begins as Dillinger and his girlfriend try to rob her daddy's safe and get caught red-handed. Dillinger takes the fall and goes to the joint where he encounters some of America's most infamous gangsters including Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson. Dillinger helps them all escape and together they become some of the most fearsome criminals ever. Because he is considered Public Enemy No. 1, Dillinger decides to undergo a total face transformation. Following the operation, he kills the surgeon, who was trying to force himself on Dillinger's moll. Later, he wrongs her and this ultimately leads to tragedy for him and for her. Keep an eye out for background people dressed in 1960s clothing, quite an anomaly for a film set in the '30s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Adams, Robert Conrad, (more)
- 1964
Charlie (Anthony Caruso) is an old and somewhat shabby Indian. Regularly taunted and persecuted by the self-righteous townfolk. Charlie has only two friends in the world: Ben Cartwright, and a little girl named Angela (Vicki Ros). Things take a nasty turn when Angela vanishes and Charlie is accused of killing the child. Also appearing is Virginia Christine, aka "Mrs. Olsen" in the Folger Coffee commercials, as Martha, and former B-western star Don Barry. Originally telecast on December 27, 1964, "The Saga of Squaw Charlie" was written by Warren Douglas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1964
Based on the novel by Harold Robbins, comes this family drama from director Edward Dmytryk. Adapted for the the screen by John Michael Hayes, the film follows the events that befall Luke Miller (Michael Connors) when he discovers that his daughter, Danielle (Joey Heatherton), has been arrested for murdering his ex-wife Valerie's (Susan Hayward) new lover. As Danielle's trial unfurls, and the sordid events of the family's past are brought into the open, Luke is forced to address and relive several of the painful events that led to the family's present state. Also starring Bette Davis as Valerie's mother and a pre-Star Trek DeForest Kelley, Where Love Has Gone netted Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, the songwriters behind the film's title song. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Hayward, Bette Davis, (more)
- 1962
Veteran boxing trainer Jimmy West (played by Robert Armstrong of King Kong fame) thinks he's finally found a "golden boy" in the form of young pugilist Davey Carroll (a young, pre-2001 Gary Lockwood). But sports promoter Tod Richards (Mark Roberts) also wants control of Danny, and is willing to resort to any means, fair or foul, to get what he wants. When Richards turns up dead, Perry Mason enters the ring to defend West from a charge of first-degree murder. Seen in a very small role is Mae Clarke, immortalized as the recipient of James Cagney's grapefruit in the 1931 gangster drama Public Enemy; ironically, Ms. Clarke and Robert Armstrong had previously shared costar billing in 1932's The Penguin Pool Murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
The Cartwrights are visited by Colonel Edward J. Dunwoody (Claude Akins), who is searching for an Army deserter. The fugitive turns out to be Bill Winters (Robert Sampson), the Cartwrights' well-liked neighbor-and, as it happens, Colonel Dunwoody's son. Meanwhile, the Shoshones plan to wreak vengeance against Dunwoody, who had previously engineered the massacre of a peaceful Indian village. Also appearing are Anthony Caruso as Keokuk, George Keymas as Running Wolf and Gale Garnett as Maria. Originally broadcast on October 21, 1962, "The Deserter" was written by Norman Lessing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1962
Essentially a chase film from beginning to end, this standard adventure yarn by director Ronald Neame is set in "Zahrain," a barely-disguised Middle Eastern nation. Sharif (Yul Brynner) is a rebel who has taken up arms against the country's corrupt government and the forces of Western imperialism. Now he and a small party of supporters (one a kidnapped woman about to become a supporter) take off across the desert with soldiers in hot pursuit. As the group flees through untamed country, there are brief moments of respite but no immediate escape in sight. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yul Brynner, Sal Mineo, (more)
- 1961
Paladin (Richard Boone) is intrigued when his morning mail yields one-half of a $500 bill and a stagecoach ticket to Yuma, Arizona. En route to Yuma, Paladin finds that he has been snared in a death-trap, courtesy of Mexican bandit Solomon (Anthony Caruso). The other stagecoach passengers are held at gunpoint by Solomon's cohorts--and it is up to Paladin to determine who will live and who will die. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Flamboyant mob chief Eddie Candell (Ron Randell), who was framed for murder by jealous associate Andy Damon (Anthony Caruso), makes a break while on his way to the death house. Fleeing across the desert, he suddenly finds himself on an atomic testing range, just as an experimental bomb goes off. Instead of being killed instantly, Eddie is bombarded by radiation from Cobalt Isotope X, a newly discovered element that leaves him alive but transformed -- reacting to the radiation and the steel of the handcuffs on his wrists, his body takes on the hardness of steel and can absorb the metal on contact, including any bullets that might be fired at him. In addition to making him all but indestructible, the mutation gives Eddie the strength of ten men, which he uses to tear his way through the ranks of his former associates, terrorizing the woman (Debra Paget) who betrayed him and crushing the life out of anyone who gets in his way as he tries to get to Damon. However, his psyche has been affected as well; he was already consumed by a desire for revenge, but he slowly loses any ability to perceive pleasure or compassion as he slowly transforms into a kind of living metal and the body count around him rises. Only Carla Angelo (Elaine Stewart), his girlfriend and also a genuinely "nice" girl, can reach him, and she must decide whether to help to try and save him or to destroy him. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Randell, Debra Paget, (more)
- 1961
In the third episode of Walt Disney's four-part miniseries based on the life of frontiersman Daniel Boone, the Cumberland Gap has been successfully negotiated, and Daniel (Dewey Martin), his family, and a group of settlers are on their way to a permanent settlement in Kentucky. Unfortunately, the little band is attacked by Indian chief Crowfeather (Dean Fredericks), an old enemy of the Boones. Daniel is forced to postpone his westward journey in order to rescue his son from the boy's Indian captors. "The Wilderness Road" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
