Sherwood Schwartz Movies

Like its lively predecessor, The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), this mild comic send-up takes its characters and situations from the popular family sitcom of the 1970s, The Brady Bunch. Set in the '90s, it is filled with in-joke references to American pop culture. However, one need not be familiar with the original series in order to enjoy this film. Bad guy Trevor Thomas (Tim Matheson) is posing as supermom Carol Brady's long-dead first husband Roy Martin. He claims to have been amnesiac and made unrecognizable by plastic surgery after suffering disfiguring injuries, but in truth, he is on the hunt for a very valuable artifact, an ancient Chinese horse carving which Roy sent to his family from the field. Because of the family's sheer niceness, they could never imagine such deception, and husband Mike Brady (Gary Cole) welcomes him into their midst. This causes Roy no end of frustration, as not only must he live with this incredibly sweet and cheerful family while he searches for the carving, but he must endure having his ill-tempered sarcastic jibes go completely unrecognized. When Carol (Shelley Long) is kidnapped, the whole family goes a-hunting. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-TV movie, the characters from the beloved "Brady Bunch" television series return home to spend the holidays together. All grown up with families of their own, the kids all return to take part in the Brady Christmas reunion. All of the original stars, save one, of the original television series appeared in this special. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The original cast members from the popular comedy series The Brady Bunch reprise their roles in this made-for-television movie. Sisters Marcia (Maureen McCormick) and Jan (Eve Plumb) gather the family together to get ready for their double wedding. This movie was a pilot for a short-lived NBC series which followed called Brady Brides. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Following the astonishing (and, to some, appalling) success of the 1978 TV movie Rescue From Gilligan's Island, most of the cast of the popular 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island were hired for two additional "reunion" films. The second, Castaways on Gilligan's Island, finds Gilligan (Bob Denver), the Skipper, too (Alan Hale Sr.) the millionaire (Jim Backus) and his wife (Natalie Schafer), the movie star (Judith Baldwin, subbing for a recalcitrant Tina Louise), the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) back on the flyspeck island whence they had recently been rescued. This time, the castaways decide to turn their tiny isle into a tourist resort. This leaves the door wide open for guest stars Tom Bosley and Marcia Wallace as a straitlaced vacationing couple. The Castaways on Gilligan's Island blew its network competition out of the water on the occasion of its debut on May 3, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This comical western chronicles the silly adventures of a bumbling wagonmaster and his clutzy assistant as they attempt to take seven passengers across the prairie. Among the passengers are two wealthy Bostonians, an aspiring showgirl, a teacher, and bachelor. The story is adapted from Dusty's Trail, a television sitcom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Here's the story of a lovely lady named Carol Martin (Florence Henderson), a man named Brady -- Mike Brady (Robert Reed), to be exact -- and their respective children: Carol's daughters, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and "the youngest one in curls," Cindy (Susan Olsen); and Mike's sons, Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland). Widow Carol married widower Mike, each mate adopted the other's children, and "that's the way they all became the Brady Bunch (from the theme song of the same name!). Like producer Sherwood Schwartz's earlier sitcom Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch was dissed by critics and adored by viewers; and like Gilligan, Brady was a far better performer in off-network syndication than it had ever been during its six-season run on ABC. Some have gone so far as to describe Brady Bunch as a classic; even those who don't agree with this assessment cannot deny that the series has become one of the most conspicuous icons in American pop culture. In addition to the above-mentioned cast members, the series also featured Ann B. Davis as Alice, the level-headed, warm-hearted housekeeper of the Brady clan. Also making occasional appearances was Alice's erstwhile beau Sam (Allan Melvin), and, during the final season, the Brady kids' cousin Oliver (Robbie Rist). The plots revolved around the efforts of eight highly individualized persons to live harmoniously under the same suburban Los Angeles roof, with many of the problems resolved in rather unorthodox fashion by dad Mike, who, as a self-employed architect, was able to hang around the house as much as he liked. Also good for a few laughs was the sibling rivalry between Jan Brady and her older sister "Marcia Marcia Marcia!"; the showbiz aspirations of Greg Brady; and the various and sundry efforts by youngest children Cindy and Bobby to make themselves heard amidst all the comic cacophony (which often included spontaneous musical numbers). Debuting September 26, 1969, The Brady Bunch ran on ABC until August 30, 1974, and then seemingly forever in rerun form. The series also spawned a number of spin-offs, including the live-action The Brady Brides, the animated The Brady Kids, the comedy-variety series The Brady Bunch Hour, and a pair of theatrical feature films in the mid-'90s, which hilariously lampooned the 1970s sensibilities (not to mention hair and clothing styles) of the original. ~ All Movie Guide

No one liked Gilligan's Island but the public. Roundly condemned by critics as the worst sitcom in TV history when it first signed on the CBS schedule in the fall of 1964, the weekly half-hour series nonetheless struck a responsive chord with the viewing public, who were thoroughly amused and delighted by the premise of seven diverse personalities shipwrecked on an uncharted tropical island, managing to make the best of things while never giving up hope of being rescued. The series' premise was laid out each and every week by the theme song "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island," co-written by producer Sherwood Schwartz and performed by the singing group the Wellingtons. Caught in a sudden storm at sea, the S.S. Minnow, a tiny charter boat manned by "Skipper" Jonas Grumby (Alan Hale Jr.) and his daffy first mate, Gilligan (Bob Denver), was washed up on the shore of a flyspeck island somewhere in the South Pacific. Marooned along with Gilligan and the Skipper were five tourist passengers: voluptuous movie star Ginger Grant (Tina Louise); multimillionaire Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus) and his wife, Lovey (Natalie Schafer); high-school teacher Roy Hinkley (Russell Johnson), better known as "The Professor"; and wholesomely sexy secretary Mary Ann Summers (Dawn Wells). With the Minnow damaged beyond repair, the seven castaways resourcefully transformed their island into a home away from home, replete with solid shelters, handmade eating and kitchen utensils, jerry-built furniture, and even a farming and irrigation system. Even so, our heroes and heroines yearned to go back to civilization, but they never quite managed to make it, usually thanks to the ineptitude of the feckless Gilligan.

Although the seven principals were more or less trapped in their environment, quite a few guest stars managed to find their way on -- and off -- the island, including Hans Conried as klutzy pilot Wrong-Way Feldman, Vito Scotti as mad scientist Boris Balinkoff, and Phil Silvers (who owned a piece of Gilligan's Island in real life) as Hollywood mogul Harold Hecuba. The fact that, for all his brilliance, "The Professor" was never able to figure out how to build a new boat or notify the authorities of the castaways' whereabouts was only a part of the farcical fun; Gilligan's Island was, to overstate the obvious, not exactly like real life. A prime example of good, clean, harmless slapstick, Gilligan's Island confounded its many detractors by remaining on CBS for three seasons, then enjoying a spectacularly successful afterlife in rerun form -- not to mention its many feature-length TV "sequels" (such as The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island), two separate TV-cartoon spin-offs, and a multitude of latter-day video retrospectives. It's difficult to argue with that kind of success. ~ All Movie Guide

The TV series Candid Clem is spoofed in the Red Skelton Show comedy sketch "Candid Clem." Hoping to catch hayseed Clem Kadiddlehopper (Red) in the act of "being himself", the staff of the weekly TVer "Hidden Camera" wire Clem's horse for sound. Tonight's "guest star" is Champion, the famous mount of singing cowboy Gene Autry. Also appearing in this episode from June 20, 1961 are Stanley Adams as Banning, Jimmy Cross as Phillips, Lester Mathews as Sylvester, Kathryn Card and Jan Arvan as Maw and Paw Kadiddlehopper, Roscoe Ates as the Sheriff, and Sid Kane as the Bald Man. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cara Williams guest stars in Red Skelton's final TV show for the 1960-61 season. In the comedy sketch "Appleby's Remote Control", henpecked George Appleby (Red) tries to figure a way to get out of doing all the housework. His solution results in a genuine "Twilight Zone" dilemma for himself and wife Clara (Cara). Best bit: When Clara Appleby grouses "I never should have married you in the first place!" George responds "It wasn't the first place! We got thrown outta there!" This episode originally aired June 27, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Red Skelton Show from May 23, 1961 is brightened by the presence of Don Knotts from The Andy Griffith Show and Amanda Blake from Gunsmoke. In the comedy sketch "San Fernando and Herbie", confidence trickster San Fernando Red (Skelton) fleeces the suckers with a travelling talent contest, which is rigged so that Red's cohort Ruby (Amanda) always wins. But San Fernando's racket may be busted up by a nerdish contestant named Herbie (Knotts). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

On this telecast from May 2, 1961, Marilyn Maxwell costars with Red Skelton in the comedy sketch "Appleby's Castle." Bickering couple George and Clara Appleby (Red and Marilyn) are thrilled to discover that they've inherited a British country estate from their late Uncle Horace. They are less than thrilled when the British government wallops them with enormous estate taxes. Gil Stuart appears as Winthrop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide