Virgil Vogel Movies
Virgil Vogel enjoyed a half-century-long career in the movie industry, starting out in the editing department at Universal as an assistant in his early twenties and eventually becoming a successful director. Vogel's early credits as an editor include Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, the Frank Sinatra vehicle Meet Danny Wilson, and the Tony Curtis costumer Son of Ali Baba. By the second half of the decade, he was working on such top studio releases as This Island Earth and Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (the editing of which became a major source of contention between Welles and the studio). In 1956, tired of editing, he earned his directorial debut on the sci-fi horror film The Mole People (1956), a silly but extremely popular and profitable release, and he also closed out the Ma and Pa Kettle series with The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm (1957), having edited the preceding movie in the series. Over the next few years, he handled the direction on such modest (if popular) programmers as The Land Unknown and Invasion of the Animal People (a Swedish-made science fiction film that had many hauntingly eerie and beautiful sequences), while also working increasingly in television, principally for Universal's Revue TV division, on series such as Mike Hammer, Overland Trail, and Wagon Train, and later on series such as Bonanza, Burke's Law, Honey West, Dan August, and The Streets of San Francisco. His 1970s credits included many detective and action series, among them Cannon, Police Story, and Joe Forrester, as well as the occasional science fiction-oriented show such as The Six Million Dollar Man and The Man From Atlantis. Vogel's career in the 1980s brought him to such series as Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., and Miami Vice, while in the 1990s he worked on Walker, Texas Ranger, among other series. Vogel retired in the mid-'90s and passed away in 1996. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide- 1951
The best of Universal-International's followups to Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man casts Bud and Lou as mail-order private eyes. The boys champion the cause of boxer Arthur Franz, who has been framed for murder. Utilizing the formula created by Claude Rains in the original Invisible Man (1933), Franz vanishes before Dr. Gavin Muir's astonished eyes. Cloaked by invisibility, Franz talks Bud and Lou into helping him nab the real murderer, gangster Sheldon Leonard. A string of uproarious gags and comic setpieces is highlighted by a boxing-ring finale, wherein Lou, backed up by the invisible Franz, dukes it out with a behemoth prizefighter. A clever special-effects closing gag caps this delightful A&C vehicle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, (more)
- 1952
Fans of Loretta Young were rather taken aback by the early scenes of Because of You, wherein Young is seen as brash, uninhibited bleach-blonde Christine Carroll. On the verge of marrying gangster Mike Monroe (Alex Nicol), Christine is arrested by the cops, and sent to prison on the strength of incriminating evidence slipped into her purse by the duplicitous Monroe. Through the kindness of prison psychiatrist Dr. Breen (Alexander Scourby), Christine turns her life around in prison, becoming a nurse's aid in the infirmary. Upon her release, Christine gets a job at a respectable hospital, where she falls in love with wounded combat pilot Steve Kimberly (Jeff Chandler). Will she ever be able to reveal her sordid past without sending the emotionally fragile Steve off the deep end? And what about that no-good Mike Monroe? The supporting cast of Because of You includes two of Loretta Young's contemporaries of the 1930s, Frances Dee and Mae Clarke, in strongly defined character roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, Jeff Chandler, (more)
Beulah Land is an edited, movie-length version of the three-part TV miniseries adaptation of Lonnie Coleman's multi-part novels. The film is set in the Old South, with a time span ranging from 1827 to the postwar Reconstruction Era. Lesley Ann Warren stars as Sarah Kendrick, young belle of the Beulah Land plantation, who finds herself in love with a "damn Yankee." Sarah must also contend with a weakling brother (Paul Rudd) and a former slave (Dorian Harewood) who demands freedom as a right rather than a privilege. Beulah Land took forever to get before the cameras due to protests from black historical organizations; when it was finally telecast on October 7-9, 1980, NBC conducted a low-pressure ad campaign, as though the network was still fearful of stepping on toes despite the testimonial of a black Yale history professor, who commended the production for its "special sensitivity." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lesley Ann Warren, Michael Sarrazin, (more)
- 1965
Emma Morgan (Adrienne Marden, the jealous wife of religious cult leader Rev. Evan Morgan (John Doucette), is convinced that Morgan's niece Sarah Reynolds (Ina Balin) is possessed by the Devil. It is up to Ben Cartwright to save Sarah from a grisly demise at the hands of Morgan's more rabid followers. Also in the cast are Peter Helm as Gwylem and Angela Dorian (aka Victoria Vetri) as Essie. First broadcast October 17, 1965, "Devil on Her Shoulder" was written by Suzanne Clauser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1966
Growing increasingly fond of lovely Claire Amory (Nancy Gates), Ben Cartwright must deal with Claire's invalid brother Carl (Wesley Lau). Cruel and manipulative, Carl exploits his infimirities to force Claire to marry Ben whether she wants to or not. A real-life accident forced Lorne Greene to wear an eyepatch throughout this episode. Written by Mort Thaw and Lee Pickett, "His Brother's Keeper" first aired March 6, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
Adam Cartwright rescues long-suffering schoolteacher Barbara (Mariette Hartley), who has been tied to a burning post by her unruly pupils. While Barbara recovers from her ordeal, Adam takes over her classroom, determined to teach her contentious charges the history of the Nevada Territory. In so doing, he unexpectedly unearths some deep, dark and ugly secrets about several of the territory's leading citizens. First shown on March 7, 1965, "Right is the Fourth R" was written by Jerry Adelman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1965
Former convict Trace Cordell (Tony Young) is back in town, and everyone lets him know he's not welcome. Particularly displeased with Trace's return is banker Paul Dorn (John Conte), who'd been crippled by Trace and is now married to the ex-convict's former girl friend Clara (Joan Blackman). The Cartwrights become involved when Dorn tries to use his considerable clout to have Cordell removed from the scene-permanently. Written by Ken Pettus and Frank Chase, "The Return" first aired May 2, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
Telly Savalas guest-stars as Charles Hackett, the richest man in the world. Accustomed to getting what he wants, Hackett now covets the Ponderosa. When Ben Cartwright refuses to sell, Hackett uses every method at his disposal-fair and foul-to force Ben off his own property. But in so doing, Hackett all but destroys the one person in the world he genuine cares about: his beloved wife Maria (Linda Lawson). Though not the final episode in which series regular Pernell Roberts appeared, this was the final one to be telecast, on April 18, 1965. "To Own the World" was written by Ed Adamson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
The longest (26-1/2 hours), most expensive ($25 million) and most complicated (four directors, five producers, five cinematographers, almost 100 speaking parts, several hundred extras) project made for television up to that time, Centennial was shown in two- and three-hour installments over a period of four months. An adaptation of James Michener's best-selling novel, it told the story of the settling of the American West by looking at the founding of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado, from the settling of the area in the late 18th century to the present. Emmy-nominated for film editing and art direction, it boasts of sterling performances from Richard Chamberlain as frontiersman Alexander McKeag, Robert Conrad as the French-Canadian trapper Pasquinel, and a surprisingly powerful performance from former football star Alex Karras as compassionate but iron-willed immigrant farmer Hans Brumbaugh. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Desperado was the first of several made-for-TV movies revolving around the exploits of itinerant cowboy Duell McCall (Alex McArthur). This time around, McCall finds himself in the middle of a deadly feud in a small mining town. As the only honest man in the territory (comparatively speaking), our hero is ripe for a double-cross. Framed for the murder of Sheriff Whaley (Robert Vaughn), McCall is forced to wander the wild frontier in search of the one man who can clear him. Written by Elmore Leonard, this sagebrush Fugitive first aired April 27, 1987. Designed as the pilot for a weekly series, Desperado instead spawned a cluster of feature-length sequels, produced between 1987 and 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Audie Murphy is at his taciturn best in the Universal western Drums Along the River. Murphy is cast as Gary Brannon, a peaceful homesteader living a quiet existence with his father Sam (Walter Brennan). No-account Frank Walker (Lyle Bettger), hoping to open up the Ute Indian territory for gold-mining purposes, tries to foment a war between the Utes and the local whites. As an added filip, he steals a gold shipment and pins the blame on Brannon. Now a fugitive from justice, Brannon joins Walker's gang, much to his father's dismay. Actually, it's all part of a plan to expose Walker's perfidy and prevent Ute hostilities, but no one knows this until Brannon wants them to. Jay Silverheels, best known as Tonto on TV's Lone Ranger, co-stars as Ute warrior Taos. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Walter Brennan, (more)
- 1953
Director Budd Boetticher moves out of his traditional western surroundings for the Technicolor programmer East of Sumatra. Jeff Chandler stars as an American miner, who journeys east of Sumatra in search of tin ore. He runs afoul of Anthony Quinn, a local despot who rules the Pacific island which Chandler hopes to mine. This being a Boetticher film, there's a lot of "faking out" from both hero and villain, as each man takes full measure of the other before making any sudden, violent moves. The climactic native uprising, is well worth the wait, even though everyone in the audience is fully aware who will come out on top. East of Sumatra was based on a novel by Louis L'Amour, a western specialist who like Budd Boetticher proved quite capable of working outside his own particular genre. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Chandler, Marilyn Maxwell, (more)
- 1952
In this boxing drama, a deaf-mute prizefighter whose career is on the rise falls in love with a gold digging singer who only loves him for his potential earnings. He is also loved by a wholesome journalist who loves him for himself. It is she that helps him get the operation that restores his hearing. Unfortunately, upon finally figuring out that it is she who really loves him, the fighter again loses his hearing during a championship bout. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Curtis, Jan Sterling, (more)
- 1951
Economically utilizing the Universal Studio itself as a "set," Hollywood Story is a murder mystery centered in the film capital. The story concerns a long-unsolved homicide case involving several silent-film stars (an echo of the William Desmond Taylor scandal of 1922). Producer Richard Conte decides to make a movie based on the case, and to this end rounds up its surviving participants, including a once-great star/director (Henry Hull) reduced to bit parts. The denouement holds no surprises for mystery fans, but is effectively staged by director William Castle. Hollywood Story is given the aura of verisimilitude by the presence of several silent-movie celebrities (including William Farnum and Francis X. Bushman) as "themselves." Also appearing in an unheralded bit part is Elmo Lincoln, moviedom's first "Tarzan." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Conte, Julie Adams, (more)
- 1962
Diane Wilson (Barbara Wilson) experiences an extraterrestrial visit one night while sleeping, awakening to a horrible, ear-splitting sound that only she can hear. Overcome by confusion, panic, and pain, she runs outside in her nightgown and sees weird lights in the sky. By the time paramedics take her to the hospital, she is catatonic, no longer able to explain what she has experienced. Doctors cannot explain this mystery seizure, since Diane has never shown any signs of insanity before. Could it have something to do with the UFO sightings that were reported the same night as her attack? Before it can be determined, Diane recovers suddenly and completely from her coma, then decides to follow her dream of becoming an Olympic figure skating champion. She moves to Sweden, where she meets up with her uncle, famous geologist Dr. Vance Wilson (Robert Burton), who has ventured there to help investigate a recent meteor landing. Diane is courted by her uncle's associate, the handsome Dr. Erik Engstrom (Sten Gester), though she aggressively plays hard to get. Their romance is interrupted by the discovery of a herd of mutilated reindeer, and the scientists decide to immediately fly to the site of the meteor crash, far north in the Arctic mountains of Lapland. Much to the irritation of the men, Diane stows away aboard their plane, though when it is determined that the meteor is actually an alien spaceship, she realizes just how dangerous a decision she has made. Soon an enormous hairy creature with powerful jaws and massive feet is menacing the scientists and the native Lapland villagers. The beast destroys the airplane, tears houses apart with its bare hands, and causes avalanches. But when this extraterrestrial monster catches up with Diane, it begins displaying tender feelings for the terrified figure skater, and even the elusive pilots of the spacecraft show her kindness. Invasion of the Animal People consists mostly of footage from a Swedish sci-fi film called Rymdinvasion i Lappland that director Jerry Warren bought and edited together with new scenes, plus narration by the distinguished John Carradine. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- 1952
Blue-collar gal Henrietta Smith (Anne Sheridan) is mistaken for a woman of wealth by plumber Fred Newcombe (John Lund). Henrietta goes along with Fred's error when the opportunity presents itself to bring in much-needed revenue for herself and her inebriate father (Cecil Kellaway). The comic situations pile up thick and fast, culminating in an imagined romantic quadrangle involving Henrietta, Fred, banker Walter Medford (Robert Keith) and Medford's dizzy wife Gertrude (Natalie Schafer). One would have thought that Anne Sheridan had outgrown this sort of nonsense back in the 1940s, but she gamely attacks the material as though everything in the storyline is happening for the first time. The expert lineup of supporting laughmakers includes Harvey Lembeck, Alan Mowbray and Burt Mustin (playing old men even back then!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Sheridan, John Lund, (more)
- 1976
Charles Martin Smith and Don Johnson highlight the cast of this TV movie about a prostitute-stalking serial killer plaguing the Old West. Johnson and Smith play tough lawmen who set out to capture the murderer. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- 1955
The title tells all in this seventh entry in Universal's "Ma and Pa Kettle" series. This time around, Ma (Marjorie Main) and Pa (Percy Kilbride) take their brood to Hawaii, where Pa is to take over management of his cousin's fruit processing operation. The villains are a group of rival businessmen who kidnap Pa and spirit him off to a remote island. Before long, however, it's the bad guys who need rescuing. Some of the funnier scenes involve Ma and Pa's Hawaiian counterparts, played by Hilo Hattie and Charley Lung. With this entry, Percy Kilbride bade adieu to the role of Pa Kettle, leaving Marjorie Main to carry on alone in the remaining two series installments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, (more)
- 1983
Magnum (Tom Selleck) agrees to escort Rick's 22-year-old sister Wendy (Alice Wright) on a seemingly harmless evening of sightseeing. But though Rick (Larry Manetti) is convinced that Wendy is a sweet, innocent lass, she quickly proves otherwise by behaving in as wild and reckless a manner as humanly possible. Ultimately, Wendy turns up murdered--and a vengerful Rick holds Magnum entirely responsible. Entertainer Carol Channing appears as herself in this episode, which also marks the first appearances of Kathleen Lloyd and Elisha Cook Jr. in the respective recurring roles of Deputy DA Carol Baldwin and shady businessman Ice Pick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
John Hillerman once again hams it up in a dual role, appearing in his traditional characterization as Jonathan Higgins and also as another of Higgins' half-brothers, a Northern Irish cleric named Father Paddy McGuinness. Convinced that Higgins' former Royal Army commander Allistair ffolkes (Richard Johnson) has stolen a sacred religious artifact during a recent search for IRA weaponry, Father Paddy has hatched an "eye for an eye" scheme to force ffolkes to give the item back. Even with all this going on, Magnum is determined to earn his money from his current client, an enigmatic boxer named Clarence (Lee Canalito) who thinks that his wife Angie--aka "Legs"--is cheating on him. Series creator Donald P. Bellisario plays a bit role in this final episode of Magnum, P.I.'s third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Eugene Roche makes his first appearance as Luther H. Gillis, a seedy "old school" private eye from St. Louis. Arriving in Hawaii on a missing-persons case, Luther manages to drag Magnum (Tom Selleck) into the proceedings--and as a result, both men are suspected in the murder of a drug dealer whose body is found in a cheap motel room. Along the way, it turns out that the person Luther is looking for his own daughter Nancy (Melora Hardin), who may not be the helpless kidnap victim she's supposed to be. In an amusing break from Magnum, P.I tradition, this episode is alternately narrated by both Thomas Magnum and Luther H. Gillis, in each man's unique style and P.O.V. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Magnum (Tom Selleck) can't believe his eyes and ears when Higgins (John Hillerman) abruptly leaves the Masters Estate after being fired for embezzling funds. What Magnum doesn't know is that Higgins is on a covert mission for the British Secret Service to squash a renegade guerilla group. In his efforts to find out why Higgins is behaving so strangely, Magnum is continually flustered by Higgins' replacement, birdbrained actress Ginny Malcolm (Darleen Carr). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
In search of lost treasure, international adventurer Sam Hunter (William Lucking) crash-lands his plane on the Robin Masters estate. Magnum (Tom Selleck) quickly deduces that the crash was no accident, and that someone wants Hunter dead. He also has the eerie feeling that he's met Hunter before. . .perhaps during his tour of duty in Cambodia. In the course of events, Sam has an akward reunion with his ex-wife Jenny (Joanna Kerns), and a deadly encounter with the drug-dealers responsible for his forced landing. This episode was intended as the pilot for a series starring William Lucking--which, though it did not make a network sale in its original form, was later recast and retooled as the popular adventure weekly Airwolf. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
