Don Chastain Movies
An Emmy-nominated actor-singer who built a foundation in Hollywood before relocating to Broadway, Don Chastain's work as an actor and charismatic jazz singer found the multifaceted talent often switching gears and wearing numerous hats. Born in Oklahoma City, Chastain moved to Hollywood in the late 1950s, and landed an early role as a singer on The Ed Sullivan Show. With his six-foot-plus height and powerful build, he was frequently cast as heavies and authority figures -- he was a menacing bounty hunter in the Big Valley episode "Image of Yesterday", a police detective in the Raquel Welch exploitation vehicle Flareup, and gave a chilling performance as a serial rapist/murderer masquerading as a police officer in an episode of Hawaii Five-O; during the early 1970's, he also rather wisely got cast in lighter roles, starting with his co-starring role as Debbie Reynolds' sportswriter husband on The Debbie Reynolds Show, where the writers were sometimes able to use his height against Reynolds diminutive, perky persona to comic effect; he also played a recurring character on the sitcom Rhoda. Making the move to the bright lights of Broadway, Chastain found further success while landing the lead in No Strings before cast in Parade and 42nd Street, among others. A popular soap opera actor in the 1980s and '90s, Chastain appeared in Another World, One Life to Live, and As the World Turns before landing roles in such popular television series as The West Wing and Murder in Small Town X. Chastain was less well known as a writer, but his credits in that capacity included the thriller The Mafu Cage, and he was twice nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards as a writer. As a singer, Chastain performed with Jon Hendricks and Count Basie's Band. In early August 2002, Don Chastain died of cancer in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 66. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Evidently still working for the same children's-theater company depicted in the previous episode "If the Shoe Fits", Vera (Beth Howland) receives glowing reviews for her portrayal of Cinderella. In fact, Vera is so impressive that a TV producer offers her the opportunity to star in a supermarket commercial. Suffice to say the results indicate that Vera had better hold on to her day job! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
In the first episode of a two-part story, Mel (Vic Tayback) finally gives up the restaurant business and sells his diner. The girls wonder if their new boss will be nicer or meaner than the departed Mel. The answer comes with depressing suddenness when they meet the new proprietor: A strict, anal-retentive taskmaster named Randolph Briggs (portrayed "con brio" by the great Hans Conried). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this combination of domestic melodrama and offbeat suspense flick, an astronomer must shoulder the burden of caring for and sleeping with her mentally ill sister after their anthropologist father dies in Africa. Ellen (Lee Grant) and Cissy (Carol Kane) share a possibly incestuous relationship, but that doesn't stop Ellen from longing for a more conventional romance with nice-guy co-worker David (James Olson). And who could blame her for wanting to get away, considering that Cissy's favorite activity is drawing pictures of, then killing, the series of primates she keeps locked in a cage in the sisters' baroquely tribal abode? After sleeping with David and accidentally letting her resentment against Cissy show through, Ellen heads out on a business trip, convinced her sister won't come too unhinged as long as old family friend Zom (Will Geer) looks in on her every day. Unfortunately, David comes knocking, delighted to finally get some insight into Ellen's home life, and soon Cissy has trouble differentiating one kind of primate from another. Based on a French play, The Mafu Cage marked the second effort behind the camera for former actress Karen Arthur, who would go on to become an in-demand TV-movie director. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Grant, Carol Kane, (more)
- 1978
References to the films of Alfred Hitchcock abound in this roller-coaster of an episode, in which Jim (James Garner) is mistakenly identified as a spy named Terrence Halsey. Unable to convince the Feds that he isn't who they think he is, Jim ends up being dispatched to South America, there to help a wide-eyed heiress (Dorrie Kavanaugh) whose villainous husband (Don Chastain) is using her family's good name to engineer a swindle. See if you can spot the "swipes" from such Hitchcock classics as North by Northwest, Saboteur and especially Notorious. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Victor Jory guest stars as a wizened old man who claims to be a Navajo Indian. He also claims that Mel's Diner has been built on a sacred Navajo burial ground, and he intends to plant himself on the floor and fast until restitution has been made. While it cannot be said that the ending of this episode comes as a surprise, it works beautifully thanks to the brilliant ensemble playing of the stars and supporting cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The heroes in The Black Godfather are members of an African-American criminal organization. Like Brando in The Godfather, they're not averse to robbery and murder, but they do draw the line at narcotics. When the Mafia infiltrates the 'hood with dangerous drugs, the Black Godfather (Rod Perry) orders his minions to put an end to this perfidy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Roy (Kevin Tighe) reluctantly serves as nursemaid for some plants cultivated by a "matron" who turns out to be much younger than he expected. More seriously, the Ramparts team performs emergency field surgery on a man with a live grenade imbedded in his abdomen, and on another man who has swallowed his dental plate. Also, the doctors and paramedics team up to break down the resistance of a family of religious zealots, who refuse to allow their daughter to receive medical treatment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
C.C. Ryder (Joe Namath) is a biker who rescues Ann McCalley (Ann-Margret) from a rape attempt by a gang of malevolent hippies. She makes love with him to show her appreciation, but their romance meets with obstacles when gang-leader Moon (William Smith) seeks revenge for C.C.'s interference. They battle for control over both the gang and Ann in this truly bad biker movie. Namath was chosen because of his hero status as a football player in the 1970 Super-Bowl upset by the New York Jets over the highly favored Baltimore Colts. Brash Broadway Joe predicted a win and made sure it was not an idle boast. One of the producers of this dog was Margret's husband Roger Smith which explains her appearance in this forgettable film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Namath, Ann-Margret, (more)
- 1969
Hollywood film favorite Gene Tierney makes a rare TV appearance in this episode, in which she plays one of three witnesses to a Mob murder. The victim was an ex-FBI agent who just before his death had informed Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) that the Mafia was in the process of taking over an isolated retirement village. Despite a marked lack of cooperation from the witnesses, Erskine endeavors to prevent their extermination at the hands of fugitive killer Leonard King (Ken Lynch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
A trio of Las Vegas go-go dancers are pursued by a homicidal maniac in this suspenseful murder thriller. Alan Morris (Luke Askew) murders his wife when she seeks a divorce then goes after her three friends. Believing the women have turned his wife against him, Alan hunts down the dancers and kills one of them. A terrified Michele (Raquel Welch) flees to Los Angeles where she takes a job at a club called The Losers. She falls for the parking-lot attendant Joe (James Stacey) and romance blossoms between the two. Unfortunately, the vengeful husband Alan tracks her down and threatens to kill Joe before her eyes, but Michele is ready for him; she douses the killer with gasoline and lights a match. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raquel Welch, James Stacy, (more)
- 1967
Escaped killer George Bellamy (Bradford Dillman) covers his tracks by setting a series of forest fires. Bellamy's strategy is to throw the FBI off the trail; while they're searching for an unknown arsonist, he will be able to flee the country. It is up to Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to capture Bellamy before he sparks a final conflagration that will kill thousands of innocent people. Filmed on location in Angeles National Forest, this episode benefits from the strong supporting performances of TV stalwarts Lynda Day and Charles Grodin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Wealthy Adelaide Snow (Patricia Collinge) confronts her nephew Bruce (Don Chastain), who has been passing bad checks to pay his gambling debts. Rather than allow Adelaide to notify the authorities, Bruce locks the old woman in her own money vault and leaves her there to suffocate. Bruce has taken the precaution of locking one of Adelaide's pet cats in the vault as well, reasoning that the police will conclude that she entered the vault to retrieve her cat and was trapped by accident. What our "hero" hadn't figured on was that his own wife, Lorna (Jessica Walter), does not possess his sociopathic streak. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Collinge, Jessica Walter, (more)
