Hugh Benson Movies
Hugh Benson was primarily a producer of films made for television. He started off as a publicist in a New York City public relations firm, shortly after he finished his World War II service. Benson was offered a job with Warner Brothers Studios, which he took, in 1955. From there, he went on to run the television division of Warner Bros. for a decade and a half. After he left Warner Bros., he became a wandering executive, of sorts, going from company to company until he found a new challenge in producing made for television fare. He continued to work until 1995 and he succumbed to cancer in 1999. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1995
The life of Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor is told in this made-for-television drama. Sherilyn Fenn stars as Oscar-winning actress Liz Taylor, whose career began when her mother pushed her into acting as a child in the 1940s. Her tumultuous career ups and downs, and her turbulent personal life are chronicled in the film, which was based on the book by C. David Heymann. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Another of several made-for-TV movies based on the best-selling novels of Danielle Steel, this one stars Jenny Robertson as Paxton Andrews, a sheltered Southern belle who falls for law student Peter Wilson (Steven Eckholdt) on the campus of Berkeley in the late '60s. After Peter is drafted and dies in Vietnam, the grief-stricken Paxton becomes the Saigon-based correspondent for a San Francisco newspaper, determined to use her column "Message from 'Nam" to bring comfort and solace to others whose loved ones are mired in the Southeast Asian quagmire. Before the inevitable slam-bang climax during the fall of Saigon, Paxton has not only grown emotionally and spiritually, but she has also enjoyed tender romantic interludes with a hard-bitten Army captain (Nick Mancuso) and a likeable sergeant (Ted Marcoux). Also featuring such formidable personalities as Rue McClanahan, Billy Dee Williams, and Esther Rolle, Danielle Steel's 'Message From Nam' originally aired October 17, 1993, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this made for TV movie based on Danielle Steele's novel, Cheryl Ladd portrays a successful New York television anchorwoman. When she marries a successful surgeon in Los Angeles, romance becomes difficult with their careers on opposite ends of the country. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheryl Ladd, Michael Nouri, (more)
- 1990
First telecast October 21, 1990 on the Disney Channel cable service, Back to Hannibal: The Return of Huckleberry Finn is set 20 years after the Mark Twain novel. Tom Sawyer (Mitchell Anderson) is now a budding lawyer, while Huck Finn (Raphael Sbarge) is a reporter. They descend upon their old home town of Hannibal when their friend, ex-slave Jim Watson (Paul Winfield), is accused of murdering the husband of Tom's childhood sweetheart Becky Thatcher (Megan Follows). Roy Johansen's script even manages to haul in the King and the Duke (Joe Bova, Ned Beatty) from Huckleberry Finn. It's rather pointless, but it goes down easily enough. But, say: doesn't Back to Hannibal smell like a TV series pilot to you? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on a best-selling novel from Danielle Steele, this made-for-television melodrama tells the sad story of a highly successful businessman whose idyllic life is destroyed when his new bride dies of cancer, leaving him with her daughter. To make matters worse, his late wife's ex-husband shows up demanding custody of the child. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
A mother is determined to keep her daughter from the seedy world of prostitution in this made-for-television movie. Jane Alexander stars as Peggy Ryan, a busy single mom who doesn't have much time for her daughter Charly (Roxanna Zal). Lacking guidance, Charly drifts from the wrong crowd into prostitution. Realizing what Charly has gotten herself into, Peggy refuses to accept this as her daughter's fate and sets out to get her back home. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Alexander, Roxana Zal, (more)
- 1986
This made-for-TV movie was not, as has sometimes been reported, a remake of the 1938 Spencer Tracy film Boys Town. It was filmed on location at Father Flannagan's Nebraska-based home for troublesome and troubled youths, but the story is strictly contemporary. Art Carney stars as a crusty, outspoken priest on the verge of being forcibly retired. But before he is put out to pasture, Carney vows to provide comfort and guidance to a hostile new arrival at Boy's Town (Casey Siemaszko), who has been abandoned by his abusive, alcoholic mother. Miracle of the Heart: A Boys Town Story was syndicated to local TV stations beginning on March 31, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
The best-known of the 12 filmed adaptations of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina include the 1936 Garbo vehicle and the 1947 Vivien Leigh vehicle. This made-for-TV version is every bit as elaborate and tasteful as those earlier efforts. Jacqueline Bisset makes her TV-movie debut as Anna, the wife of 19th century Russian nobleman Karenin (Paul Scofield). When she falls in love with the dashing Count Vronsky (Christopher Reeve), Anna runs afoul of the rigid social structure of the era-and of a husband whose anguish translates into revenge. The teleplay was by James Goldman, author of The Lion in Winter and screenwriter of another Russian-based period piece, Nicholas and Alexandria. Anna Karenina premiered March 26, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline Bisset, Christopher Reeve, (more)
- 1985
In this drama, a marketing director at a publishing house is assigned to represent an author. In his presence, she soon forgets her marital vows. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In this comedy, a revival of the popular TV-series from the mid-60s, the wedded bliss of astronaut Tony Nelson and his magical djin and wife Jeannie is endangered when Jeannie desires to become more independent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this made-for-TV movie, two brothers who battled on opposing sides of the Civil War return home at the end of the war to discover that their family has been kidnapped by Confederate forces. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, (more)
Originally networkcast in three installments, the 8-hour Blue and the Gray is a sprawling adaptation of a story concept by Civil War historian Bruce Catton. The drama begins in 1859, with young war correspondent-to-be John Hammond meeting future Union officer Stacy Keach at the trial of abolitionist John Brown (Sterling Hayden). They are reunited two years later during the presidential campaign of Abraham Lincoln (Gregory Peck) and are eyewitnesses at the battle of Bull Run. Keach marries Julia Duffy in 1862, while Virginia-born Hammond writes his dispatches from the Deep South. A subplot concerning a family torn by North/South loyalties is resolved just before Appomattox. The Blue and the Gray was first telecast November 14, 16 and 17, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
This 1981 sequel to the 1979 made-for-TVer Goldie and the Boxer once again stars O.J. Simpson and Melissa Michaelsen as, respectively, boxer Joe Gallegher and Joe's 10-year-old manager Goldie Kellog. When Joe incurs the wrath of an evil promoter, he and Goldie high-tail it to Hollywood. They take refuge in the home of Babe (Stubby Kaye) and Cuddles (Sheila MacRae) a pair of Tinseltown "fringies" distantly related to Joe's trainer Wally (Jack Gilford, taking over for the first film's Phil Silvers). Produced by Orenthal Productions (guess who ran that company?), Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood first aired February 19, 1981. It has been rerun incessantly since June of 1994, thanks to the latter-day notoriety of star O. J. Simpson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- O.J. Simpson, Melissa Michaelsen, (more)
- 1981
- PG
Though it strains credibility to the breaking point, the made-for-TV Goliath Awaits proved a ratings success when it was first syndicated via "Operation Prime Time" on November 16, 1981. Mark Harmon plays oceanographer Peter Cabot, who intends to salvage valuable treasures from the ocean liner Goliath, which was sunk by a German U-boat during World War II. Descending into the ocean depths, Cabot stares into one of the portholes of the Goliath--only to see someone staring back at him! Through a fluke, the submerged Goliath's air supply has remained intact for nearly forty years, and a tiny group of survivors (and their progeny) live in an idyllic society ruled by benevolent despot John McKenzie (Christopher Lee). But when Cabot announces that he intends to rescue the denizens of the Goliath, McKenzie's benevolence quickly evaporates. Originally telecast in two 2-hour installments, Goliath Awaits was also made available as a ten-episode miniseries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Old-time Hollywood director Vincent Sherman brings a glossy studio-bound look to The Dream Merchants, a two-part, four-hour adaptation of Harold Robbins' novel. The story follows the career of a pioneer filmmaker (Mark Harmon), who comes to Hollywood in the early 20th century with a pocketful of dreams and helps build the sleepy California orange-grove community into the world's entertainment capital. Typical of the Harold Robbins ouevre, most of the characters are based on real-life movie personalities: Robert Goulet's vainglorious matinee idol is a combination of John Barrymore and Douglas Fairbanks, while Vincent Gardenia's vitriolic mogul can be taken as a low-budget Louis B. Mayer. The film is rife with historical inaccuracies (Goulet is informed that the closeup has "just been invented by D. W. Griffith" as a means to convince him to sign a long-term contract assuring him plenty of closeups!), while the haircuts and speech patterns are firmly locked into the 1980s. All the same, The Dream Merchants was a profitable entry in the syndicated "Operation Prime Time" series of TV specials. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
All but forgotten in recent years, the made-for-TV Goldie and the Boxer enjoyed a new lease on life when it was resyndicated to TV in the mid-1990s to capitalize on the notoriety of its star, O. J. Simpson. An old-fashioned tearjerker from the Champ school, the film stars Simpson as unknown boxer Joe Gallegher. Spurred by his friendship with Goldie Kellog (Melissa Michaelsen), the 10-year-old daughter of deceased boxing champ Paul Kellog (John Roselius), Joe goes the distance to the Title. Phil Silvers does an "Ed Wynn" as Joe's heart-of-gold trainer. First telecast December 20, 1979, Goldie and the Boxer performed well enough to encourage a 1981 sequel, Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- O.J. Simpson, Melissa Michaelsen, (more)
- 1979
The child stealer of the title is Beau Bridges, the self-centered ex-husband of Blair Brown. She has custody of the kids, and he has been slapped with a restraining order. Bridges waits until Brown's guard is down and kidnaps his two daughters. Told by the authorities that there's little they can do, Brown seeks out her fugitive "ex" on her own. Of minor interest in this made-for-TV tract is the fact that future Growing Pains costar Tracey Gold plays one of the daughters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The story begins as an astronomer notices that a blazing comet is headed straight for Phoenix Arizona. Unfortunately, no one believes him. They will eventually, but only after most of Phoenix has been reduced to cinders. Emmies went to the special effects (among the best ever seen on TV in those days before computer-generated special fx) and sound recording. The all-star cast includes Richard Crenna, Elizabeth Ashley, David Dukes, Joanna Miles, Lloyd Bochner, Merlin Olsen and Andrew Duggan, all of them superbly cast and none merely doing the usual celebrity walk-through. Originally telecast in a three-hour slot, Fire in the Sky debuted November 26, 1978. This film should not be confused with the 1993 alien-abduction film of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
- G
James Garner stars as a genial cowboy in this wholesome slice of Disney family fare. Garner is Lincoln Costain, a cowboy in the 1850s who finds himself shanghaied and shipwrecked on a Hawaiian island. He runs into luckless widow Henrietta MacAvoy (Vera Miles) and helps her turn her struggling potato farm into a prosperous cattle ranch. But evil land baron Bryson (Robert Culp) wants all the land for himself and he holds Henrietta's mortgage. Lincoln had been planning to leave Hawaii and return to his Texas home, but decides to stay and help the beautiful widow fend off Bryson's land-grabbing greed. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1974
Honky Tonk represented an attempt by writer/director Douglas Heyes to create a TV series based on the 1941 Clark Gable-Lana Turner film of the same name. In Heyes' version of Honky Tonk, the role of gambler Candy Johnson, originally essayed by Gable, is filled by Richard Crenna, while Margot Kidder portrays Turner's character Lucy Cotton. A romantic triangle forms between Johnson, Lucy and dance-hall chanteuse Gold Dust (Claire Trevor in 1941, Stella Stevens in 1974). Meanwhile, Johnson and Lucy's old reprobate father (Will Geer) try to take advantage of every boom-town prospector within shouting range. Wisely running some 15 minutes shorter than the original, the TV-movie Honky Tonk was originally telecast April 1, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- PG
Originally released as Nightmare Honeymoon, this lurid thriller stars Dack Rambo and Rebecca Diana Smith. Rambo plays a Vietnam vet (he's certainly got the right name for it), while Rebecca is cast as his new bride, an heiress. While on their honeymoon, the newlyweds witness a murder and Rebecca is raped. Rambo's killer instinct quickly rises to the surface. Based on a novel by Lawrence Block, Deadly Honeymoon was to have been directed by Nicolas Roeg, but he ankled the project after less than a week and was replaced by Elliot Silverstein. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Eyes of Charles Sand is a TV-movie variation of Roger Corman's X -- the Man with the X-Ray Eyes. Peter Haskell plays an ordinary mortal who inherits "The Sight," a heightened sense of ocular awareness. With this gift, Haskell is able to see hazily into the future and to probe the minds of others--which comes in handy during a murder mystery. Too bad he can't peer into the past to see who's responsible for the killing. A pilot for an unsold series, The Eyes of Charles Sand utilizes Henry Mancini's music score from the feature film Wait Until Dark (67) because of a 1971 composer's strike. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
The harpy of the title is Elizabeth Ashley, the greedy, demanding ex-wife of architect Hugh O'Brian. As a means of escaping his former spouse's tirades, O'Brian quietly trains his pet eagle to be a hunter. A confrontation between eagle and "ex" is inevitable, but masterfully handled. Tom Nardini, playing a loyal Native-American friend of O'Brian's, is the principal instigator of the film's screeching denouement. Made for television, Harpy was first shown March 12, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Glenn Ford plays a man who joins a mysterious fraternity, "The Brotherhood of the Bell", while in college. Upon attaining wealth and prominence, Ford discovers that the Brotherhood has been keeping tabs on him, and expects certain favors from him in the private sector. It dawns on Ford that the Bell is a sinister, subversive organization bent on world domination. When he tries to bring this to the attention of the public on a TV program hosted by a "gonzo" talkshow star (William Conrad), he is mocked and humiliated. Realizing that the Brotherhood of the Bell is too big and powerful to be defeated by conventional methods, Ford attempts to take on the organization in his own way. The Brotherhood of the Bell was previously presented as a "live" hourlong television drama in the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
