Linda Kaye Henning Movies

Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) take temporary leave of the streets of LA and head down to Malibu, there to investigate the death of a thoroughbred race horse and the murder of a groom. At first it appeared that the horse had gone berserk before he died, but it turns out that the animal had been slipped a deadly drug--the same drug that cost the groom his life. The two detectives have quite a time solving this one, with more suspects and motives than they can shake a stick at! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ten years after the cancellation of the cornpone comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies, the property was revived -- mercifully briefly -- in the form of a two-hour movie. Originally titled Solving the Energy Crisis, The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies found Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas and Nancy Kulp recreating their sitcom roles as millionaire hillbilly Jed Clampett (who'd moved back to the hills after dividing up his fortune amongst his loved ones), his daughter Elly May (now the owner of a small petting zoo), and bank secretary-turned-government functionary Jane Hathaway. Max Baer Jr. took a pass on the project, thus the role of Jed's nephew Jethro Bodine-now a "sophisticated Hollywood producer"-was played by Ray Young. And with Irene Ryan (Granny) and Raymond Bailey (Milburn Drysdale) having passed on, their replacements were Imogene Coca, and former Hogan's Heroes regular Werner Klemperer as government bureaucrat C. D. Medford, Jane Hathaway's new boss. Also on hand was bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs, who with his late partner Lester Flatt has composed and performed the original Beverly Hillbillies theme song "The Ballad of Jed Clampett"; Shug Fisher and Shad Heller, who'd appeared in several 1969 episodes of the original series; and two veterans from The Beverly Hillbillies' sister series Petticoat Junction, Linda Kaye Henning and Charles Lane. The plot, if anyone cares, finds the Clampetts joining forces with Miss Jane to solve the energy shortage, using Granny's "white lightning" as a fuel substitute. As the film draws to a close, it looks as if Miss Jane and her boss Mr. Medford are about to be hitched in a good ol' Ozark wedding. Originally telecast on October 6, 1981, Return of the Beverly Hillbillies was intended as the pilot for a full-scale revival of the earlier series, but this was not to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One Life to Life regular Denise Alexander briefly left her day job to star in the late-night videotaped spine tingler A Gift of Terror. Denise plays a woman given to strange, foreboding visions of death. As her friends begin dropping like flies, the girl realizes that the gift of prophecy is no gift at all. This point is driven home (several times, in fact) when Denise begins conjuring up premonitions of her own demise. Gift of Terror was a 1973 entry in the ABC anthology Wide World Mystery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part episode, greedy banker Drysdale is laboring under yet another misapprehension. This time, Drysdale has convinced himself that Hooterville aviation-service proprietor Howard Hewes (Guy Raymond) is actually billionaire recluse Howard Hughes. Anxiously, Drysdale tries to negotiate a merger between the Clampetts and Hewes -- whose personal "fortune" amounts to a little less than zero. "The Clampett-Hewes Empire" first aired on January 7, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In still another "crossover" episode, the Clampetts are reunited with two of the cast members from Petticoat Junction. While paying a visit to Hooterville, Jed goes into the airplane-transport business with pilot Steve Elliot (Mike Minor). Along for the ride is good old Jethro who, still under the spell of Air Force hero Lance "Jetstream" Bradford, has purchased the uniform of a USAF general and is all ready to soar into the wild blue yonder. Linda Kaye Henning appears in her Petticoat Junction role as Betty Jo Bradley Elliot. "Buzz Bodine, Boy General" was originally broadcast on December 31, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While Granny is visiting her friends in Hooterville, Jethro and Jed are forced to fend for themselves in the kitchen. Constitutionally incapable of cooking an edible meal, Jethro finally breaks down and hires Maria Antonini (Maria Mirka), a delectable Italian cook who speaks no English. This "crossover" episode features three regulars from the TV sitcom Petticoat Junction: Linda Kaye (Betty Jo Bradley), Mike Minor (Steve Elliot), and Frank Cady (Sam Drucker). The second chapter in a three-part story arc, "The Italian Cook" first aired on November 6, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Sidney's adaptation of the satiric Broadway musical smash by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, and Lee Adams -- about an Elvis Presley-inspired rock star, who is drafted into the army and who creates a near-riot in a small Midwestern town when he stops there for one last publicity junket -- takes good-natured swipes at popular culture, rock n' roll, and American family life. Dick van Dyke re-creates his Broadway role of Albert Peterson, a down-on-his-luck songwriter for the rock-n'-roll idol Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson). When Birdie is drafted into the army, Peterson is worried about his future as a songwriter. His secretary, Rosie (Janet Leigh in a brunette wig), with whom Albert has long been romantically attached, convinces Albert to write a farewell song for Birdie that he will sing on The Ed Sullivan Show to a specially selected fan. The lucky fan turns out to be Kim McAfee (Ann-Margaret) of Sweet Apple, Ohio. When Birdie arrives in this hick town, the population goes crazy and in the ensuing madness, Albert must deal with the celebrity-fawning population, Kim's manic father (Paul Lynde, also re-creating his Broadway role), and his own domineering mother (Maureen Stapleton), while he loses Rosie to the Shriners. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Misunderstanding Sonny Drysdale's promise to give Elly May a "ring" in the morning, Granny is convinced that the two youngsters will soon be wed. This is music to Granny's ears, especially since she hopes to one-up her Cousin Pearl by marrying off Elly before Pearl's own daughter Jetherene can be hitched to erstwhile fiancée Jazzbo Depew. Max Baer Jr. appears in the dual role of Jethro and Jetherene (his voice in the latter role is dubbed by producer Paul Henning's daughter Linda Kaye), while Jazzbo is played by Phil Gordon, who later became dialogue coach of The Beverly Hillbillies. "Elly Races Jetherene" first aired on December 3, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Several subplots are woven into this episode. The Beverly Hills police look askance at Granny's backyard still and Elly May's menagerie of "critters." The Clampetts decide to pay a visit to their Beverly Hills neighbors, unaware that its Halloween. And back in the Ozarks, Cousin Pearl has set her cap for oil executive Mr. Brewster. The scene in which the terrified suburbanite sees Jethro's "mask" is a riot. "Trick or Treat" first aired on October 31, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide