Don Weis Movies
Leaving his Milwaukee home in 1942 in hopes of attending the University of Southern California, Don Weis secured work as a messenger at Warner Bros. After war service as a technician in Warners' army training film unit, Weis became a dialogue director at Enterprise Productions, working on such films as Body and Soul (1947) and Arch of Triumph (1948). Hired as a director for Ida Lupino and Collier Young's Filmakers Company, Weis was wooed to MGM by that studio's head man, Dore Schary. His first effort for MGM was a brief sequence in It's a Big Country (1951), followed by his first full-fledged feature, Bannerline (1951). Weis' helming of such lightweight MGM musicals as I Love Melvin (1953) and The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953) earned him a brief cult reputation with foreign film critics, though he was hardly confined to the song-and-dance genre. He entered television in 1956, eventually winning several Director's Guild Awards. During his TV years, Weis was busiest with comedy programs like The Jack Benny Show and The Andy Griffith Show, and slick adventure series like Burke's Law and It Takes a Thief; one of his more notable TV assignments was the 1959 pilot film Head of the Family, Carl Reiner's precursor to the popular Dick Van Dyke Show. In the mid-'60s, Weis directed several of the American-International teen-oriented musicals, among them Pajama Party, Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, and Looking for Love (which has earned latter-day notoriety as being the first and last film to star Johnny Carson). After completing the never-released Darren McGavin feature film Zero to Sixty (1977), Don Weis closed out his career with such episodic TV efforts as Charlie's Angels and MASH. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1972
Jackie Cooper guest stars as scientist Dr. Norman Chase, who early in the proceedings is waylaid by the minions of a criminal named Caesar (Richard Jaeckel) and forced to put on an explosive belt that cannot be removed . Unless Ironside (Raymond Burr) agrees to release three of Caesar's cohorts from prison, the belt will detonate in five hours. Racing against time, the Chief seeks out a duplicate for the key to the fatal belt. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Scheduled to give evidence in a Federal trial, Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) is all too aware that there are those who hope to silence him before he can appear in court. In fact, the Chief gets word from the grapevine that a professional assassin has been hired to shut him up permanently. What makes this episode unique is that the coldblooded, super-efficient contract killer (James Olson) is depicted in his "off-hours" as a warm and loving family man (whose wife, incidentally, is played by future Happy Days costar Marion Ross). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
This episode marks the first series appearance of Elizabeth Baur as rookie policewoman Fran Belding. Anxious to prove that her murdered police-captain father is innocent of corruption charges, Fran tags along with Ironside and his team as they conduct their investigation of the killing. Though the overeager rookie proves to be more hindrance than help, Ironside is impressed by her diligence and dedication. Meanwhile, two-bit gambler Charlie (played by singer Bobby Darin in one of his last TV appearances) weaves in and out of the plotline, "helpfully" providing information that might clear Fran's dad--all the while pursuing a sinister hidden agenda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Somewhere in San Francisco there lurks a phony cab driver who is setting his male customers to be drugged, mugged and robbed. The faux cabbie is a member of a clever gang of credit-card thieves, and Ironside (Raymond Burr) is determined to stop him--especially after one of the victims turns up dead. Following the suspect, Ironside and his assistants are able to locate the gang, only to find that the crooks are a lot more dangerous--and a lot more resourceful--than first suspected. James Drury, formerly the upright leading man of the TV western The Virginian, delivers a startling performance in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Eve (Barbara Anderson) investigates when an old friend, the female member of a folksinging trio consisting of two brothers and a sister, disappears during a San Francisco concert tour. Could this disappearance be linked with the murder of another girl--to say nothing of a sinister drug ring? The key to solving the mystery is a curious geometric configuration called "the quincunx." Cast as the singing Roberts brothers, David Carradine and Michael Blodgett perform "Lonesome Stranger", "I Stepped on a Flower" and "Sorrow of the Singing Tree". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Ex-convict Gordy Brokaw (Earl Holliman), a demolitions expert, is being strongarmed into helping a gang of revolutionaries steal a huge cache of dynamite and assemble a time bomb. To bind the bargain, the rebels kidnap Gordy's young son (Vincent Van Patten). Though Ironside (Raymond Burr) is able to rescue the boy, he must still locate the explosives--and defuse them himself--before it is too late! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Ironside (Raymond Burr) invests in a play staged by an avant-garde theater troupe. When one of the actresses dies of a heroin overdose during rehearsal, the Chief takes it upon himself to find the killer, prevent further murders--and, incidentally, protect his investment! Featured in the cast is Sally Struthers, whose career was then just taking off thanks to her exposure on the new CBS sitcom All in the Family. This episode was filmed at the old Pasadena Playhouse, onetime training ground of series star Raymond Burr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Jesse Royce Landis, who in an earlier episode played the aunt of Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), is here cast as business executive Margaret Brainard, the widow of one of Ironside's oldest friends. When Margaret's purse is stolen, she asks Ironside to solve the crime--and to keep secret that the purse contained $200,000 worth of rare jewels. As it turns out, the real reason that Margaret wants Ironside to personally handle the case is that she is lonely and hopes that the Chief will keep her company! Featured in the cast is Solomon Sturges, the son of famed filmmaker Preston Sturges. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Theodore Bikel guest stars as Armenian immigrant Arschag Divinian, who--conveniently for plot purposes--is the uncle of a friend of police officer Eve Whitfield (Barbara Anderson). A tobacco dealer, Divnian is being blackmailed by his two disreputable nephews to allow them to prepare synthetic marijuana in the back of his store. What secret in Divinian's past can be so horrible that he is willing to risk arrest and disgrace? That's the question that Eve's boss Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) wants answered--immediately! Featured in the cast are Star Trek alumnus Walter Koenig and famed exotic dancer Magda Harout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
After accidentally knocking her down with the van, a guilt-ridden Mark (Don Mitchell) befriends an elderly woman named Melissa Babcock (Juanita Moore). It is just possible, however, that the accident was no accident: Ms. Babcock has a reputation for staging phony injuries in order to collect huge insurance settlements. But is the old lady the real villain of the piece? Former Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In regular Chelsea Brown appears as Melissa's daughter Andrea. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
The killer of police officer Randy Keating (Roger Perry) is himself killed by Keating's partner Frank Carlson (David Carradine)--whereupon Carlson finds himself facing a murder charge. Inasmuch as he attended police academy with both Keating and Carlson, Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway) takes a personal interest in the case. With the help of his boss Ironside (Raymond Burr), Ed slowly but surely figures out that Carlson has been framed--but by whom? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Fran (Elizabeth Baur) is devastated when word arrives that her cousin Bobby has committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. But the lack of a corpse, and the sudden appearance of several letters allegedly written by Bobby and declaring his unrequited love for Fran, lead Ironside (Raymond Burr) to suspect that the boy may not have killed himself after all--or that someone else is trying to drive Fran insane with grief and guilt. The episode's highlight is a performance of the original song "Growing Up is Hard to Do". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
This episode reunites Ironside star Raymond Burr with his former Perry Mason costar Barbara Hale. Chief Ironside (Burr) comes to the aid of Marsha Connell (Hale) when she is implicated in the murder of a member of an improvisational comedy group. The killing takes place during a stage performance, so naturally all the actors--and everyone in the theater, for that matter--fall under suspicion. The episode's highlight is the bravura performance of Roddy McDowell as a washed-up child actor attempting a comeback as an improv comic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) wants to find out why a terminally ill convict named Walter Butler (Ray Walston) has been denied parole. The trail of clues leads to Madame Jabez (Barbara Rush), a woman who claims to have supernatural powers. Many strange and inexplicable occurences follow as Ironside matches wits with the cagey Mme. Jabez, who is somehow linked with a missing $50,000 and a troubled parole board member. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
The only witness to a woman's murder is the victim's son, 13-year-old Jerry Jessup (Mitch Vogel). Unfortunately, Jerry refuses to cooperate with the investigation spearheaded by Ironside (Raymond Burr), holding the Chief responsible for the arrest of his bank-robber father Marty (William Shatner). Ironside's only hope of finding the woman's murderer is to arrange for Marty Jessup to get a temporary pass from prison--and then hope against hope that Jessup won't use the opportunity to escape. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Returning to Fiji for the first time since WW2, Ironside is anxious to be reunited with a wartime friend. Upon his arrival, however, Ironside is informed that his friend has left for San Francisco to meet him. Suspecting foul play, Ironside summons Mark and Ed to the islands--only to mysteriously vanish himself. Central to the mystery is a well-coordinated scheme to steal gold from the US government. Featured in the cast are two 1960s TV icons: Alan Napier, aka "Alfred the Butler" on Batman; and Bernard Fox, whose many sitcom roles included Dr. Bombay on Bewitched and Malcolm Merriwether on The Andy Griffth Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Vacationing at a mountain cabin, Ironside (Raymond Burr) ends up trapped in a blizzard with an old friend named Harry Peters (Joseph Campanella). It soon becomes painfully obvious that Peters is a drug addict who will become dangerously violent once his supply runs out. Ironside's only hope for survival is to help Peters go "cold turkey" while the two men are confined to the cabin--but it doesn't look as though the hapless junkie will be able to withstand the ordeal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Ironside (Raymond Burr) tries to prevent Noel Seymour (Richard Basehart), a respectable middle-aged accountant who is undergoing a bad case of "male menopause", from ruining the rest of his life. The trouble begins when Seymour is arrested on a charge of public intoxication, then skips his arraignment. But things really get serious when the hapless accountant becomes entangled with 18-year-old Judy Blue (Jill Banner) and freewheeling rock musician Richy Tower (Tim Considine). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
When a wealthy friend of the San Francisco police commissioner reports that his dog is missing, a disgruntled Ironside (Raymond Burr) passes the responsibility of locating the pooch to his assistants Ed (Don Galloway) and Eve (Barbara Anderson). Meanwhile, Mark (Don Mitchell) finds out that the lost dog is in the hands of some two-bit thieves who've decided to "achieve greatness" by kidnapping the pets of the rich and famous--and they're not above eliminating anyone who gets in their way. Frequent Ironside director Abner Biberman takes on an acting role in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Tina Louise guest stars as Candy, a pretty cocktail waitress who hitches a ride from Ironside's aide Mark (Don Mitchell). What Mark doesn't know is that Candy is the accomplice of a wanted criminal, and that she is looking for a fall guy to take the rap for a recent robbery. The trouble really begins, however, when Candy unexpectedly grows fond of her "patsy" Mark--just as her partner-in-crime returns to the scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Ironside(Raymond Burr) is certain that John Walala (Ned Romero), a Native American silversmith who was recently paroled on a theft charge, is not guilty of a jewel robbery. Unfortunately, the evidence indicates that the heist could only have been pulled off by Walala--or at the very least, someone who is very close to him. Unless Ironside can prove Walala's innocence, a new police rehabilitation program may be junked before it can even get under way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Season Four of Ironside begins as the titular wheelchair-bound detective (played by Raymond Burr) begins receiving anonymous phone calls warning him that a "justice" murder will occur. The only clues seem to point in the direction of a disgruntled ex-cop who was thrown off the force in 1955. Whoever the caller is, Ironside must try to remain one step ahead of him to avoid a disastrous denoument. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The made-for-TV Deadlock stars Leslie Nielsen as Lt. Sam Danforth (since this is long before the Police Squad era, Nielsen plays it straight). The white Danforth finds himself at ideological loggerheads with black district attorney Leslie Washburn (Hari Rhodes). Racial tensions are escalated when a black ghetto kid is killed by a cop, and a white reporter covering the case also turns up dead. Future stars Fred Williamson and James McEachin show up in supporting roles. First telecast February 22, 1969, Deadlock served as the pilot episode for The Professionals, a single-season component of NBC's rotating series The Bold Ones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Baseball star Clint Atkins (Gary Collins) is being plagued with hate mail, extortion notes, death threats and even a mysterious barrage of gas pellets. Curiously, Atkins insists that the police stay out of the matter, and that he will handle the problem all by himself. Naturally, Ironside (Raymond Burr) isn't about to let that happen. Featured in the cast are several authentic major league umpires, as well as guest star Gary Collins' real-life wife Mary Ann Mobley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Ed (Don Galloway) and fellow police officer Ray Leonard (Linden Chiles) are suspected of killing a dope peddler in cold blood. Even worse, Ray was driving the dead man's "business" car while moonlighting as a cabbie, suggesting that he himself was involved in drug-running. Though suspended from the force, Ed mounts his own investigation to clear himself and prove his colleague's innocence beyond all doubt. Featured in the cast are two craggy-faced gangster movie veterans, John Marley and Eduardo Ciannelli). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
