Kathy Garver Movies

A young boy grieving the loss of his grandmother struggles with his new live-in tutor in this period-family drama from director Sally Champlin. Trapped in an endless cycle of depression following the death of his grandmother, Brian (Tim Redwine)'s has retreated into a silent world of sadness and ennui. When Brian's parents hire an amiable young widow named Mary (Angela Jones) as a live-in tutor in one final bid to keep their son out of the military academy, the troubled young boy lashes out and refuses to accept his new teacher. Determined to break through Bryan's monolithic emotional barriers, Mary reaches out and directs all of her efforts to saving her young charge from falling into a deep depression from which he may never fully recover. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The fifth season of Family Affair was also the series' last season on CBS. Any series which features a pair of cute little children runs the risk of wearing out its welcome the older those children become, and it could not be denied that Anissa Jones and Jody Whitaker, respectively cast as twin orphans Jody and Buffy, weren't quite as spontaneous and appealing at age eleven as they'd been at age six. This burst of maturity was less injurious to costar Kathy Garver, cast as the twins' older sister Cissy, inasmuch as there were more story possibilities for a blossoming 19-year-old than there'd previously been for a slightly awkward 15-year-old--especially in terms of Cissy's social life with erstwhile boyfriend Gregg (Gregg Fedderson) and other eligible beaux. And of course, the added years could hardly affect Brian Keith as the kids' bachelor uncle Bill Davis, nor Sebastian Cabot as Bill's imperious British butler Mr. French. Still, viewership dropped off considerably during Season Five, with Family Affair plummeting from 5th place in the ratings to a position far below the "Top Thirty" list. (It didn't help matters that the series was now bucking up against the very popular Flip Wilson Show on NBC.) In an effort to pump new life into the flagging property, the reliable Nancy Walker was added to the cast in the recurring role of Emily, the Davis family's brash, outspoken housekeeper. Though Walker did not appear often enough to make any real impact, she did occasionally provide an amusing contrast to the proper and reserved Mr. French--and the fact that Emily had a handsome medical-student son (played by Peter Duryea) certainly added a bit of spice to the life of boy-crazy Cissy. Although Family Affair was definitely slipping, a few of the Season Five episodes were among the series' best, notably an entry in which the twins befriend a secretive young Latino boy who turns out to be the son of an exiled South American leader. The series closes with the last in a long line of stories concerning the kids' willingness to champion the cause of people less fortunate than themselves--and Uncle Bill's willingness to help out when the youngsters realize that they've gotten in over their heads! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

For those who dismissed Family Affairduring its first two seasons as just another bland, antiseptic sitcom about an unorthodox extended family--in this instance, bachelor engineer Bill Davis (Brian Keith), his nieces Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Cissy (Kathy Garver), and Bill's veddy proper English butler Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot)--the series' third season would seem to have been designed to emphatically dispel this notion. Though still lighthearted in spirt, Season Three served up several unusally serious episodes, especially for a comedy series of the 1960s, involving such topics as "latch-key" children, the self-denying delusions of an African American youngster from a fatherless family, and the effects of a divorce upon an insecure child of privilege. The most powerful episode of all features a pre-Brady Bunch Eve Plumb as a teminally ill child, for whom the Davises throw an elaborate Christmas party in October--knowing all too well that the child will not live until Christmas. Guest stars this season include Kaye Stevens, appropriately cast as a nightclub singer; Broadway favorite Eddie Hodges as an arrognat British rock star; and Leslie Parrish as a curvaceous young woman who sets her cap for--of all people!--the flabbergasted Mr. French. And this being the 1968-69 TV season, viewers are treated to the obligatory "Hippie" episode, with future M*A*S*H regular Jamie Farr as an overaged flower child! Highlighting this season is Family Affair's only three-part story, in which the Davis family vacations in Sunny Spain--where twins Buffy and Jody promptly get themselves lost. Evidently viewers ate up this enjoyable video confection with a spoon, as indicated by the fact that Family Affair closed its third season as America's fifth most-watched prime time series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season One of Family Affair is by and large a "shakedown cruise" for wealthy consulting engineer Bill Davis (Brian Keith) and his new, ready-made family. After the deaths of his brother and sister-in-law in an accident, Bill is placed in charge of the couple's three children: 6-year-old twins Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker), and 15-year-old Cissy (Kathy Garver). The responsibilities of instant parenthood understandably puts a crimp in Bill's swinging-bachelor lifestyle, but he loves the children enough to grit his teeth and make the best of things--as does his "veddy British" gentleman's gentleman Mr. Giles French (Sebastian Cabot), who has quite a time overcoming the shock of being, for all intents and purposes, a "nanny." Stories during Season One deal with Bill's trials and tribulations dealing with such necessities as getting the kids enrolled in school and coping with the orphaned youngsters' insecurities arising from spending the previous several months being shunted from one relative to the next. The most poignant moments find Buffy, Jody and Cissy recalling their deceased parents--and it is particularly compelling to witness Buffy's obsessive attachment to her doll Mrs. Beasley, the one remaining viable link between herself and her late mother. On a more upbeat note, despite his newly acquired parental obligations Bill still manages to find time to squire several lovely young ladies, played by such attractive actresses as Mary Murphy, Rita Gam and Kathleen Crowley--not to mention Judith Landon, the then wife of series star Brian Keith. Among the noteworthy guest stars showing up in Season One are Myrna Loy, cast as a once-wealthy dowager reduced to domestic work; Brian Donlevy as a down-to-earth "hardhat" who turns out to be a millionaire architect; Richard Loo as a stuffy Chinese diplomat; Sterling Holloway as a window washer who happens to be a whiz at math; and John Agar as a charismatic rodeo star. This is also the season in which John Williams makes nine guest appearances as Mr. French's brother Nigel French, who signs on as temporary replacement in the Davis household while his brother briefly serves the Royal Family (in real life, Sebastian Cabot had been forced to briefly bow out of the series due to illness). Though nowhere near as popular as its Monday-night competition Peyton Place, Family Affair still managed to carve out a comfortable ratings niche and accumulate a loyal audience during its Freshman season on CBS, ending up as the nation's 14th highest-rated program. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Disgraced Army officer Jason McCord (Chuck Connors) crosses the path of another outcast in the form of saloon girl-turned-dressmaker Elsie Brown (Jeanne Cooper). Inasmuch as Elsie once saved her life, Jason comes to the town of McKinley to return the favor. His visit coincides with that of a low-life named Charlie Vance (Brad Weston), who has made it his mission in life to ruin Elsie's reputation by dredging up memories of her unsavory past. Not long afterward, Vance is found shot in the back--and Jason is accused of murder. Featured in the cast is future Family Affair costar Kathy Garver. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on the Holy Scriptures, with additional dialogue by several other hands, The Ten Commandments was the last film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The story relates the life of Moses, from the time he was discovered in the bullrushes as an infant by the pharoah's daughter, to his long, hard struggle to free the Hebrews from their slavery at the hands of the Egyptians. Moses (Charlton Heston) starts out "in solid" as Pharoah's adopted son (and a whiz at designing pyramids, dispensing such construction-site advice as "Blood makes poor mortar"), but when he discovers his true Hebrew heritage, he attempts to make life easier for his people. Banished by his jealous half-brother Rameses (Yul Brynner), Moses returns fully bearded to Pharoah's court, warning that he's had a message from God and that the Egyptians had better free the Hebrews post-haste if they know what's good for them. Only after the Deadly Plagues have decimated Egypt does Rameses give in. As the Hebrews reach the Red Sea, they discover that Rameses has gone back on his word and plans to have them all killed. But Moses rescues his people with a little Divine legerdemain by parting the Seas. Later, Moses is again confronted by God on Mt. Sinai, who delivers unto him the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, the Hebrews, led by the duplicitous Dathan (Edward G. Robinson), are forgetting their religion and behaving like libertines. "Where's your Moses now?" brays Dathan in the manner of a Lower East Side gangster. He soon finds out. DeMille's The Ten Commandments may not be the most subtle and sophisticated entertainment ever concocted, but it tells its story with a clarity and vitality that few Biblical scholars have ever been able to duplicate. It is very likely the most eventful 219 minutes ever recorded to film--and who's to say that Nefertiri (Anne Baxter) didn't make speeches like, "Oh, Moses, Moses, you splendid, stubborn, adorable fool"? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide