E. Arthur Kean Movies
Aftermath: A Test of Love begins where most TV movies end. Based on fact (as recorded in Gary Kinder's book Victim), the story revolves around the family of Richard Chamberlain, an aloof obstetrician. The family falls victim to a violent, random crime, depicted in gruesome detail. Chamberlain's wife is murdered, and one of his sons is seriously wounded. Surviving this ordeal, Chamberlain must now try to hold his remaining loved ones together emotionally and attempt to reassemble his own battered psyche. The true events which inspired Aftermath: A Test of Love occurred in the 1970s in Ogden, Utah, where this TV movie was partially filmed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
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Cheryl Ladd stars as the wife of an airline pilot (Doug Sheehan), who is killed along with 127 other people in a mysterious crash. The authorities, egged on by a gonzo newsman, rush to judgment and chalk up the tragedy to pilot error. Ladd can't go along with this, and insists that the investigation be reopened. Were this made-for-TV film an episode of Charlie's Angels, Ladd would be force to endure a last-act showdown with the real culprit. But Crash: The Mystery of Flight 1501 is based on fact, and is reasonably faithful to the truth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
In this entry from the "Police Story" series of police dramas, bank robbers have taken five hostages in a besieged skyscraper. It is up to the SWAT negotiator to see to their safe release. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Ingredients essential to this made-for-TV movie are a famous former pro football player, an interracial romance, and a brutal murder. Yes, the football player is O.J. Simpson, but the film was made a full 17 years before the death of Nicole Brown Simpson. In A Killing Affair, Simpson is cast as police detective Woody York, who is partnered with white female cop Viki Eaton (Elizabeth Montgomery) to solve a mysterious killing. In the course of the assignment, Woody and Viki fall in love. Also known as Behind the Badge, A Killing Affair premiered September 21, 1977, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Stockwell, Elizabeth Montgomery, (more)
- 1974
- PG
Two Miami beach bums become notorious cat-burglars in this lively crime drama that is based on a true story. After successfully committing a series of burglaries of some of Miami's wealthiest, the two get bored and decide to steal the Star of India sapphire from the American Museum of Natural History, New York. One of the actual thieves, Allan Kuhn, served as the technical advisor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Live a Little, Steal a Lot and You Can't Steal Love were both alternate titles for the fact-based crime caper Murph the Surph. In the early 1960s, a "celebrity beach bum" named Jack Murphy--aka Murph the Surph--helped mastermind the stealing of the Star of India sapphire from the American Museum of Natural History. The film concentrates on the sociopathic pre-theft activities of Murphy (played by Don Stroud) and his partner in crime Allan Kuhn (excellently impersonated by Robert Conrad). The hollowness of Murph and Kuhn's Miami Beach lifestyle is offset with their never-ending search for "kicks"--the last of which earned them both stiff prison terms. Live a Little, Steal a Lot successfully plays its material for laughs throughout, but in the end both erstwhile criminals seem more pathetic than amusing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Conrad, Don Stroud, (more)
- 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
- 1968
Working undercover on an oil field in Texas, Colby (William Reynolds) is seriously injured in an assault that costs the life of another agent. Investigating, Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) runs up against a formidable foe in the person of powerful oilman Mitchell Flynn (James Franciscus). Having raised millions of dollars with his phony oil claims, Flynn has managed to cover his debts by blackmailing his cohorts into tapping the wells owned by his neighbors--and he's not above committing murder to cover his grimy tracks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Carol Lynley guest stars as Lynn Hallett, a troubled young woman mistakenly identified as a bank robber. Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is certain that Lynn is innocent, but before he can prove anything the frightened girl escapes custody. Now she is the travelling companion of Mike James (Peter Deuel), a genuine bank robber who intends to use the long-suffering Lynn as an accomplice in his next heist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In the first episode of a two-part story, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) investigates the kidnapping of Bob Griswold (Dave Macklin), the long-estranged son of ex-convict Max Griswold (Arthur Hill). What Erskine doesn't know is that the boy has been abducted by one of Max's former prison buddies. The motivation: A three-million dollar robbery which the kidnapper wants Griswold to help mastermind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) steps up his search for kidnap victim Bob Griswold (Dave Macklin). Meanwhile, Bob's ex-convict father Max (Arthur Hill) reluctantly launches the final stage of an elaborate robbery that will net the kidnapper a cool three million dollars. A wild seagoing chase caps this nail-biting suspenser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
At an emergency hospital, a man calling himself Harry Robertson uses his medical skills to save the life of Maggie Tippet (Barbara Baxley)--then disappears. It turns out that "Harry Robertson" is actually fugitive Richard Kimble, and that Maggie Tippet is the girl friend of Bill Johnson, the "one-armed man" who committed the murder for which Kimble was sent to Death Row. Tipped off by Johnson as to Kimble's whereabouts, Lt. Gerard (David Janssen) makes a beeline to the hospital, certain that Kimble will pay a return visit--thereby neatly falling into a police trap. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
At the request of Lt. Gerard, a newspaper posts a $10,000 reward for the capture of fugitive Richard Kimble (David Janssen)--who at that moment is working as a farmhand for Jacob Lawrence (Lin McCarthy). While thus employed, Kimble befriends Lawrence's autistic daughter Cathy (June Harding), winning his employer's eternal gratitude. Unfortunately, the girl ends up the hostage of escaped murderer Jack Burmas (Paul Mantee), forcing Kimble into the open in an effort to rescue the girl--an effort that could cost him his own freedom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
