Jack Woolgar Movies

Gary Sherman's Death Line is one of those little-seen, long-forgotten 1970s horror films that's still championed by its core of fans. When the film was shown as part of a horror series at Lincoln Center in 2002, director Guillermo Del Toro (The Devil's Backbone) pronounced it one of his all-time favorites. In the film, Patricia (Sharon Gurney) and her American boyfriend, Alex (David Ladd, son of actor/producer Alan Ladd), find an important government official apparently unconscious on the stairs of a London Underground station. By the time they locate a cop to investigate, the body is gone. The sarcastically cynical Inspector Calhoun (Donald Pleasence) and his right-hand man, Rogers (Norman Rossington), take on the case. The culprit turns out to be a deranged man (Hugh Armstrong), the descendent of tunnel workers who were trapped in a cave-in and abandoned by the government at the turn of the century. "The Man" lives in the abandoned tunnel with his mate, "the Woman" (June Turner), and ventures into the Underground proper only to find hapless human victims and bring them back to their decrepit lair for food. When his mate dies, the Man goes in search of another. Put-off by Alex's lack of compassion, Patricia splits up with him, venturing into a train station alone, and before long, she finds herself in the underground hellhole. Christopher Lee makes a cameo appearance as an officious, meddlesome MI5. Much to Sherman's chagrin, his film was re-edited by the producers and released to American grind houses under the title Raw Meat. It was shown in Britain in its original form, under its original title. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Jean Simmons is a housewife on a brief shopping trip to London. A young, unemployed lout (Leonard Whiting) who, seeing her on the inbound train, sets his sights on her, and tries to get a response from her as he chases her all over town. At one point desperate, he steals her purse so that he will be the one chased. Eventually, he breaks down her reserve and they are able to meet properly, converse, and get to know one another. A romantic energy has developed in their relationship as the unlikely twosome joins together briefly. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The Incredible Adventures of Prof. Branestawm was based on a popular 1930s British radio series of the same name, which in turn was inspired by the writings of Norman Hunter. A one-time magician, Hunter was fascinated with intricate gadgets and toys, and he passed this fascination along to his fictional alter-ego, Professor Theophilus Branestawm. Capable of developing the most complicated inventions known to mankind, the good Professor nonetheless usually came a-cropper because of his chronic absent-mindedness. Norman Hunter's prose was rife with such colorful turns of phrases as "The inventions went a bit bustable" and with a vast array of daffy definitions ("Abominable," for example, was a word describing "a piece of explosive swallowed by a male cow"). From July 10 to August 28, 1969, a weekly, 25-minute TV version of The Incredible Adventures of Prof. Branestawm was beamed out to the United Kingdom, with scripts adapted by Trevor Preston. Jack Woolgar starred in the title role, with Paul Whitsun-Jones as Branestawm's best friend, Col. Dedshot of the Catapult Cavaliers, and Freda Dowie as the Professor's unflappable housekeeper Mrs. Flittersnoop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Web of Fear," the Great Intelligence continues to deploy his army of Yeti robots to take over London, and then the world. Fortunately, the villain's efforts to steal the mind of the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) have failed. But how can the Doctor turn the tables on the Great Intelligence, using the alien's villainous scheme for good rather than evil? Originally telecast March 2, 1968, "The Web of Fear, Episode 5" was written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "The Web of Fear," an army of Yeti robots runs amok in the London subway system, controlled by the alien Great Intelligence. To prevent this havoc from reaching the surface, the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) enlists the aid of the entire British Army. Nicholas Courtney makes his first series appearance as Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. Originally telecast February 17, 1968, "The Web of Fear, Episode 3" was written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) once more crosses paths with the robotic Yeti from the earlier Doctor Who adventure "The Abominable Snowmen" -- and with the alien Great Intelligence who controls the monsters. The adventure begins when the Doctor investigates some unusual activity in the contemporary London subway system -- little realizing that there's more to this case than a few renegade commuters who refuse to pay their fare! Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, this adventure lasted six episodes, beginning its run on February 3, 1968. Unfortunately, only episode one of "The Web of Fear" is available; the rest have apparently vanished from the earth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the six-part story "The Web of Fate," Col. Lethbridge-Stuart (Nicholas Courtney) has successfully driven back the invasion of the Yeti robots. Even so, the Great Intelligence persists in his scheme to conquer the world with his robot army. It falls to the Doctor (Patrick Troughton to try to foil the Intelligence, just as he'd done in the previous Dr. Who adventure "The Abominable Snowmen." Originally telecast March 9, 1968, "The Web of Fear, Episode 6" was written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide