James Chandler Movies
Character actor James Chandler is best remembered for playing Inspector Regan in the popular 1950s TV series Tracer. He continued working in TV action shows and movies. Later, he moved to working in commercials. In addition to his television work, Chandler also appeared in a few films and in theatrical productions in the San Francisco area. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1981
A full-length pilot which was turned into the series A Man Called Sloane, this movie concerns super-agent T.R. Sloane (Robert Logan, but played by Robert Conrad in the TV series) and his mission: to locate and return a powerful machine capable of turning the world into rubble. To complicate matters, the film was later titled T.R. Sloane. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The protagonists of this ABC Afternoon Special are three parentless children of divergent backgrounds, all of whom share the same foster home. All their lives, Carlie (Kristy McNichol), Harvey (Johnny Doran), and Thomas J. (Sparky Marcus) have been "pinballs," bouncing around from one foster family to another. Now that they have settled into one happy home, will the situation be permanent -- or are they doomed to be "pinballs" for all time? ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy McNichol, Johnny Doran, (more)
- 1977
Previously seen in timeslots ranging from 90 minutes to two hours, Quincy M.E. settles into its standard one-hour format with this episode. While vacationing in the resort town of Paradise, Quincy (Jack Klugman) is approached by young Jessica Casey (Hilary Thompson), whose alcoholic father John is serving jail time for his ex-wife's murder. Jessica is convinced that Quincy has come to town to reopen the manslaughter case in which her dad was involved--and once he begins to figure out that John Casey is the victim of a conspiracy, Quincy decides to play along with the anxious girl. Unfortunately, he meets resistance from the local sheriff (Pernell Roberts), who seems to have reasons of his own for keeping the case closed. Jamie Lee Curtis appears in a bit role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Pole-vault champion Gil Robinson (Colby Chester), an old classmate of John Gage (Randolph Mantooth), becomes a paramedic trainee--and has a lot of trouble adjusting to the hectic pace. Tonight's emergency roster includes a stopover at an amusement park where a man has suffered a heart attack on one of the rides, and a burning kitchen which is rapidly filling with hydrogen sulfide. In the evening's tensest moment, Roy (Kevin Tighe) tends to a man who has been bitten by a snake--only to have deadly venom sprayed in his own face. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Jamie is a member of a boy's club which delights in forcing new members to undergo a grueling initiation process. Unfortunately, one of these hazings results in the death of a hapless teenager. Though the townsfolk blame Ted Hoag (Ronny Howard), a homeless youth, for the boy's death, Jamie and the other members demonstrate their inherent maturity by shouldering the responsibility themselves. Written by Douglas Day Stewart, "The Initiation" first aired on September 26, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1971
Rip Torn guest-stars as Will Hewitt, a former soldier who was blinded in the last battle of the Civil War. Determined to solve the murder of his brother, Hewitt is given a helping hand by Ben Cartwright's adopted son Jamie. The teleplay by John Hawkins and Robert Pirosh is capped by a truly surprising denoument. Also in the cast are Don Knight as Clayton, Loretta Leversee as Laurie, Charles Maxwell as Keeley, and James Chandler as McKey. "Blind Hunch" first aired on November 21, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1970
Suzanne Pleshette guest stars as Temple Alexander, a beautiful con artist who has targetted wealthy winery owner Harlan Franciscus (Gene Raymond) as her latest patsy. While romancing Harlan in preparation of fleecing him, Temple ends up genuinely falling in love with the man. This proves problematic when two of Temple's former accomplices catch up with her--and one of them plans to get even for an earlier double-cross. Cast as Franciscus' ill-mannered son is Larry Linville of M*A*S*H fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Making her second Bonanza appearance, Mercedes McCambridge is cast as wealthy widow Matilda Curtis, who helps Ben Cartwright establish a free school for the children of Ponderosa's employees and tenant farmers. When the schoolmaster is murdered, troublesome student Billy Burgess (a pre-Partridge Family David Cassidy) angrily confesses to the crime. To save Billy from being hanged, Matilda insists that he be placed in her custody without the formality of a court trial. But Ben, unconvinced by Billy's confession, demands that the boy get his day in court-even if it may cost him his life. Comedian Foster Brooks, aka "The Lovable Lush", plays the stone-sober role of Judge Rogers. Originally telecast on February 15, 1970, "The Law and Billy Burgess" was written by Stanley Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1969
- R
Jim Killian (Glenn Ford) is a reformed gunslinger who takes a job as a local preacher in Vinagaroon, Arizona. He arrives during a time of conflict between shepherds and cattlemen who are engaged in a bloody range war. When Coke Beck (David Carradine) hangs a local Indian, the victim's daughter Leloopa (Barbara Hershey) enlists the help of Killian. He tries to mediate the conflict in a meeting between the rival factions, but a member of the congregation exposes him as an ex-convict. He also enlists the help of the heart-of-gold saloon-operator Madge (Carolyn Jones). Killian and the townsfolk, women included, organize a march to the watering hole -- the center of the controversy. The cattlemen approach and draw their guns in what could be a potentially violent confrontation. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Carolyn Jones, (more)
- 1965
TV certainly makes strange bedfellows, as witness this Branded episode featuring veteran film star Pat O'Brien and recording entrepeneur Dick Clark as those colorful 19th century showmen P.T. Barnum and J.A. Bailey! Angrily turning down Barnum's offer to showcase him as "the greatest coward on earth" in a new Wild West show, Jason McCord (Chuck Connors)--who'd met P.T. when he won a $50 prize by defeating a circus strong man--learns that his gesture is futile, since Barnum intends upon using McCord's name whether he gets permission or not. In order to prevent this from happening, Jason somehow stage-manages a merger between Barnum and his up-and-coming rival "J.A." (whose last name is not revealed until the end of the episode, as if there was any doubt!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
One of an outcropping of "twist" dance craze movies to pop up like mushrooms after a rain, this standard musical drama by director Oscar Rudolph is actually a sequel to producer Sam Katzman's earlier success, Twist around the Clock. The plot on which the many twist dances hinge is the preparation for a TV variety show on the twist. While the special is still in the production stages, jealousies lead to problems -- and a lot of dancing. Performers featured as themselves include Chubby Checker, Vic Dana, Linda Scott, The Dovells, and the Carroll Brothers -- all popular in the early '60s. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Chandler
Paul Newman recreates his Broadway role in the 1962 film version of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth. Newman plays handsome hustler Chance Wayne, who romances fading film star Alexandra Del Lago (Geraldine Page) in hopes of winning a movie contract for himself. The mercenary Wayne and the self-destructive Alexandra find themselves in Chance's home town, where corrupt politician Boss Finley (Oscar-winner Ed Begley) rules the roost. Finley's daughter Heavenly (Shirley Knight), impregnated by Chance during his last visit, dreams of a reunion with her old beau, but Finley and his brutish son Tom Jr. (Rip Torn) make certain that no such reunion occurs. Even the well-intentioned interventions of Heavenly's Aunt Nonny (Mildred Dunnock) fail to move the stubborn Finley. Warned to leave town or risk a broken skull, Chance is dumped by Alexandra, whose recent "comeback" film has proven a success and who thus no longer needs a gigolo to feed her ego. From this point on, Richard Brooks' screenplay departs so radically from the Tennessee Williams original that to elucidate the differences would require a book in itself. Suffice to say that the play's Chance Wayne is rendered "less than a man" by the vengeful Finley, whereas the film's Wayne emerges with all his working parts intact. A second version Sweet Bird of Youth (1989), purportedly based on Williams' own rewrite of his earlier material, was filmed for television in 1989, with Elizabeth Taylor and Mark Harmon in the leads, and with Rip Torn, Tom Finley Jr. in the original, stepping into the role of Boss Finley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, (more)
Inasmuch as the spectacular Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart Broadway musical Jumbo was written in 1935, this 1962 film version can't help but seem a little quaint. Still, the film features the original production's star Jimmy Durante, energetically recreating his stage role as circus owner Pop Wonder; it is Durante's bravura performance that saves the film from dullness. Threatened with foreclosure, Pop Wonder and his pretty daughter Kitty (Doris Day) put their fates in the hands of go-getter Sam Rawlins (Stephen Boyd). What they don't know is that Sam is the son of Pop's biggest rival (Dean Jagger), and he's been sent to undermine the Wonder Circus. It goes without saying that Sam turns the tables on his dad, thereby saving the day and winning Kitty's hand. Martha Raye shows up as Lulu, a fortune teller who can't figure out what's going to happen next (funny, we can). And of course there's Jumbo the elephant, who figures into the film's funniest scene (as well as one of Jimmy Durante's most celebrated punchlines). Old MGM musical hands Charles Walters and Busby Berkeley share directing chores, but somehow the film hasn't the panache of their earlier work. Happily, most of the Rodgers-Hart songs are retained, including "My Romance" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"-not to mention a few Rodgers-Hart tunes borrowed from other show, e.g. "This Can't Be Love". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, (more)
- 1961
Determined to make contact with her late son, wealthy Sylvia Walker (Virginia Field) contacts spiritualist Philip Paisley (James Forrest), never suspecting that the man is a crook who intends to leech off of Sylvia's fortune. But Bonnie Craig (Sonya Wilde) knows that Paisley is a phony--and when Paisley is murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion, Bonnie is charged with the crime. To clear his client, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) relies upon the powers of ESP. . .not to mention a powerful electric device called the Faraday Cage. Dr. Andrija Puharich, the real-life physical researcher who brought such famous psychics as Peter Hurkos and Uri Geller to the public's attention, appears as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Seven-year-old Peggy Smith (Laurie Perreau) has spent most of her life at the exclusive Westcroft Boarding School. Her tuition has been paid by an unknown person, who has also sent Peggy a doll each year. Curious about her benefactor, and wishing to find out who her parents were, little Peggy consults attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr). It turns out that Peggy is the granddaughter of wealthy recluse Courtney Jeffers (Francis X. Bushman), whose hard heart melts the moment he sets eyes on the child. But no sooner has Jeffers acknowledged that Peggy is his granddaughter than he is bludgeoned to death--and the person accused of the crime is Linda Osborne (played by Maggie Mahoney, real-life mother of actress Sally Field), who at Peggy's request is defended by Perry during the inevitable courtroom intrigues. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
After winning $6500 in a poker game, Bart (Jack Kelly) and Beau (Roger Moore) wire the money ahead to Denver via telegraph. But upon arrival in Denver, the Mavericks are told that money never arrived. It turns out that there is a renegade telegraph station hidden in a remote cave, which has been intercepting messages and money from unwary customers. Heading the supporting cast in this episode is Robert Cornthwaite, better known to science fiction fans as the foolishly pacifistic scientist in the 1951 sci-fi classic The Thing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In this conventional drama about a killer on the loose, the usual psychological interplay of a disturbed mind and the killer's potential victims is emphasized. Jamie (Steven Marlo) is running away from a murder he just committed, apparently unable to control his homicidal urges once they arise. Ann and Benjie (Luana Patten and Tom Selden) are the young couple who pick up Jamie while they themselves are running away from the police. Their reasons are hardly criminal, they believe the police will try to stop them from getting married. As the association with Jamie continues, the young couple begin to suspect he might be even more dangerous than the police they are trying to evade. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Marlo, Luana Patten, (more)
- 1959
John Carradine and Michael Landon guest star in this early episode of The Rifleman. The only one in town to own a shotgun, young Billy Mathis (Landon) becomes the obvious suspect when Hallager (Robert Bice) is shot in the back. Especially when Sheriff Torrance (Paul Fix) learns that the victim had refused young Billy to court his daughter Lucy (Sue Randall). But both the sheriff and Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) remain unconvinced and the latter finally agrees to let traveling mind reader James Barrow McBride (Carradine) add his two cents. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Carradine
