Stanley Clements Movies
American actor Stanley Clements pursued a showbiz career immediately upon graduation from Brooklyn's PS 49, appearing in vaudeville and in radio. After a lean year in which he supported himself as a panhandler, Clements was signed by 20th Century-Fox in 1941, earning choice juvenile roles from his first film (Accent on Love) onward. Stan's most memorable teenage role was as the tough kid "humanized" by Bing Crosby and encouraged to organize a boy's choir in the Oscar-winning Going My Way (1944). Due to his small stature, he was most often cast as jockeys, even as late as 1952's Boots Malone. In 1956, Clements was hired by Allied Artists to replace Leo Gorcey in the "Bowery Boys" B-picture series; though compelled to take second billing to comic patsy Huntz Hall, Stanley was ostensibly the group's leader, fast-talking wiseguy Duke Covaleske. Clements played Duke in six pictures, included the final Bowery Boys installment, In the Money (1958). After that, Stanley Clements concentrated on movie and TV supporting roles, including a characteristic appearance as a shifty shoe salesman on an early '60s installment of Leave It to Beaver. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this Disney western, Jim Dale plays Eli Bloodshy, and his twin sons Wild Billy and Jasper. The older man has founded the town of Bloodshy, and now that he has apparently died, his sons must battle for control of his legacy in a wild train race. One of them is a city-slicker, a mild-mannered, bible-spouting fellow; the other is a gun-fighting, drunken, hot-tempered lad, more at home with outlaws than with law-abiding citizens. When they settle with each other, they still have to battle venal Mayor Ragsdale (Darren McGavin) for real control. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Dale, Karen Valentine, (more)
- 1975
- PG
When a couple of ruthless businessmen threaten her logging camp, a defenseless widow is aided by a group of Alaskan lumberjacks. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- 1975
A desperate young mother wants to reclaim the baby she sold into adoption. The woman approaches undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake), begging for his help. Baretta takes on the case, and in so doing exposes a "black market baby" racket. This episode was first telecast on November 19, 1975, in place of the scheduled Baretta installment "The Big Hand's on Trouble," which was moved to December of the same year. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1970
The titular "architect" in this episode is Arthur McBride (Monte Markham), so named for his brilliant execution of complex crimes. Escaping from a federal prison with two cohorts named Borden (Billy Dee Williams) and Deal (Dabbs Greer), the brash McBride laughs at the fact that he's "graducated" to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. In fact, McBride intends to make fools of the Feds by pulling off a racetrack robbery right under their noses! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
A murder investigation uncovers a plot that could destroy the world as we know it in this thriller. When a scientist doing research on nuclear weapons is murdered during a hospital stay, federal investigator Dave Pomeroy (Howard Duff) is called in to find out who killed him and why. With the help of Dr. Paula Stevens (Linda Cristal), the late scientist's assistant, Pomeroy learns that the scientist fell victim to a group of communist renegades whose members include two brilliant but unstable weapons experts, August Best (Nehemiah Persoff) and Myra Pryor (Anne Jeffreys). Pomeroy discovers that Best and Pryor have constructed an atomic bomb of their own -- and that they're threatening to use it to start World War III, forcing the detective to take swift action to prevent worldwide devastation. Panic in the City also features Dennis Hopper in the small role of Goff, just a year before Easy Rider would make him a star. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Howard Duff, Linda Cristal, (more)
- 1968
Most of this episode was filmed on location at California's Riverside Raceway. Having financed his racing activities by selling his garage business to the Mob, John Stanton (Tom Bosley is now under pressure to do the Mob's bidding--or else. FBI agent Colby (Stephen Elliott) goes undercover as a racer (and puts his life on the line in the bargain) to find out what the villains are up to. Featured as a minor hoodlum is Stanley Clements, the former "Duke" of the 1950s Bowery Boys comedies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1966
Art-gallery owner Francis Clune (Donald Murphy) is the victim of theft and fraud, while his girlfriend Bobbie Dane (Francine York) is nearly killed by a "careless" motorist. The couple's woes are exacerbated when both are charged with killing a detective (Allan Melvin) and a hijacker (Peter Mamakos). Determined to prove the innocence of Francis and Bobbie, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), literally puts his own life on the line. This is the second Perry Mason episode based on Erle Stanley Gardner's 1952 novel The Case of the Moth-Easten Mink, previously filmed under that title in 1958 (and incidentally, the painting identified as "Sausalito Sunrise" had likewise appeared in at least two earlier episodes!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1965
Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is taken by surprise when a young woman (Mary Mitchell) sweeps into his office, begging him to "identify" her. Claiming to be Dorrie Ambler, the girl explains that she has been hired by private eye Joe Billings (Paul Lambert) to pose as her lookalike, heiress Minerva Minden, allegedly to verify if Minerva was involved in a hit-and-run accident. It turns out, however, that Dorrie really is Minerva, and that Billings is blackmailing her. Before long, Perry is not only defending Minerva on a charge of murdering Billings, but also of bumping off the "real" Dorrie Ambler, who may or may not have perished in the accident. Wesley Lau makes his farewell appearance as Lt. Anderson in this final episode of Perry Mason's eighth season, which is based on a novel by series creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1963
Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) goes undercover again, this time motivated not so much by a sense of duty as by loyalty to his old friend Captain Johnson (Robert Bice). The captain's own son has been picked up in a drug raid, and Ness vows to track down the supplier of the illegal narcotics, a particularly slimy character named Peepers (Robert Ellenstein)--who turns out to be only a flunkey for the "big boy", Sal Rudin (Robert Emhardt). And that is how Ness ends up in New Orleans, wearing a bow tie and straw hat and impersonating a jazz musician named Artie Tresh. Unfortunately, Ness' cover may be blown when sexy singer Lorna Shaw (Jacqueline Scott) falls for the incognito Fed. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1963
This time around, Tammy, played by Sandra Dee, becomes a nurse's aid to care for an old rich woman and causes a commotion. Since she is charming and warm, everyone likes her--especially Dr. Mark Cheswick (Peter Fonda)--who is warned by boss Dr. Bentley (MacDonald Carey) of the consequences of his pursuit. Fearing for his job, Doc Cheswick backs off, but everything gets complicated by romantic inclinations between head nurse Rachel Coleman (Margaret Lindsay) and head Doc Bentley. After Tammy saves the elderly woman's life and Bentley and Rachel get together, she and the Doctor soon are left to bask in the glow of new love. Third in the series of four, Tammy and the Doctor spun from the original Tammy and the Bachelor (1957)--starring Debbie Reynolds, and is followed by the last Tammy and the Millionaire (1967). ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sandra Dee, Peter Fonda, (more)
- 1962
This sentimental Western finds Father Dan (Don Beddoe) as a kindly priest in a lawless town. He reforms a colorful cast of crooks, convincing them their thieving ways will keep them from enjoying the fruits of heavenly paradise. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Bryar, Stanley Clements, (more)
- 1961
Although limited by a low-budget, this is a respectable wartime drama by director John A. Bushelman, set on the front lines at the end of the Korean War, just before a truce is called. In spite of the pending truce, a gung-ho captain in need of leave time (John Goddard) decides to take his men on a useless patrol, convinced that it is necessary. Before the men can be led into any dangerous situations, the captain accidentally steps on a unique type of landmine (called a "bouncing Betty"). He is suddenly frozen with his foot on the mine because unlike all other mines, these lethal weapons are designed to go off after the pressure on them is released. A corporal long anxious to get out of Korea overcomes his desire for a safe and happy exodus to tackle the problem of disentangling the captain without killing either of them in the process. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jack Ging, John Goddard, (more)
- 1961
After borrowing 13 dollars from his father, Beaver (Jerry Mathers) demands the right to go to the store and choose his own pair of ice skates. Unfortunately, there are no skates Beaver's size (six), and an unscrupulous salesman (played by former "Bowery Boy" Stanley Clements) pressures Beav into buying a pair of skates that turn out to be three sizes too large. Already nervous about his dad's reaction to this turn of events, Beaver shifts into full panic mode when the salesman refuses to return his money. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Stanley Clements, Richard Correll, (more)
- 1958
In this comedy, an auto mechanic and a horse trainer successfully steal $30,000 from a bank and squander it. They buy a race horse with the remainder, but need money to train it, so they rob another bank and are caught this time. The bank takes over ownership of the horse, which becomes a big winner. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
- 1958
This is the very last entry in the long-running Bowery Boys saga. This time the gang gets involved with English diamond smugglers after they are hired to safely escort a valuable poodle on a Transatlantic voyage. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
In this occult obscurity, an old hillbilly named Pete Jensen (Ed Nelson) makes a pact with the Devil and returns to the town of Furnace Flats, NM, as a much younger man. Claiming to be his own nephew, Nick Richards, he romances pretty Nell Lucas (Jean Allison). Her fiancée David (Richard Crane) is mauled by his own dog, leaving him scarred and bitter. Doc Lucas (Edgar Buchanan) and Sheriff Fuller (Spencer Carlisle) figure it out and shoot Richards down after he turns into a snake and a horse. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- 1957
In this entry in the long-running "Bowery Boys" series Sach sells his soul to the Devil so he can atone for spending a charity fund at the track. The bargain enables the young man to successfully predict winning horses at the track. Soon Sach finds himself pursued by greedy mobsters who want him to work with them. Sach demurs and then ends up riding a horse in the big race. Despite his efforts to force the steed to slow down and lose, it wins. Fortunately, the horse is disqualified because Sach was an illegal rider. This has the added benefit of proving the Devil wrong and nullifying their contract. To pay for his crimes, Sach must work in a diner. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1957
In this entry in the long-running series, The Bowery Boys must help their leader after he becomes hypnotized by an unscrupulous mesmerizer who sends him back in time to the swashbuckling days of Blackbeard the pirate. There he is to find a buried treasure. The lad finds it, but upon awakening, he finds the hypnotist holding a gun on him. The crook then escapes to find the loot. Fortunately the other boys beat him to it. At the location, they learn that the treasure is really the hidden loot from an old theft of a jewelry store. The honest boys hand the crook, and the treasure over to the police. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1957
When a city cafe owner buys himself a peaceful country manse to relax in, the Bowery Boys are quite excited. Unfortunately, they arrive to discover the house in a terrible stage of decay and so agree to help fix it up. No sooner do they begin repairs than they find a fortune hidden inside the house. The boys use the money to pay off the house. The makes the greedy real estate agent suspicious. Suspecting there is more money hidden around, the agent decides to convince the gang to sell back the house by making it seem as if it were haunted. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1957
In this episode of the long-running "Bowery Boys" series, Sach reminisces about the time he and the gang spent helping the Allies in North Africa during WW II. The boys were working as spies and were assigned to bring in "The Hawk" a key member of the African underground. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1956
The Bowery Boys find themselves up to their unwashed necks in international intrigue when they agree to help the exiled king (Sig Ruman) and the lovely princess (Lisa Davis) of the mythical country of Truania. It seems that sweet shop owner Louie (Bernard Gorcey) was born in Truania and is still loyal to its monarchy, thus Bowery boys Slip (Leo Gorcey) and Sach (Huntz Hall) are entrusted with a valuable half-coin that will be conjoined with its other half when it is safe for the king to return to his homeland. The king's "faithful" retinue (Leon Askin and Veola Vonn) turn out to be traitors, hoping to trap the king by doctoring the coin. Plots and counterplots are hatched in and around Louie's sweet shop, but the Bowery Boys vanquish the traitors and save the throne. The best scenes involve Sach, who is periodically put under a hypnotic spell by the wily female traitor. Spy Chasers isn't exactly John Le Carre, but as a Bowery Boys epic it's one the best. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1956
In this entry in the long running Bowery Boys series, the boys begin working as free-lance photographers. Trouble ensues when they take a picture of a crime lord. They are in such a rush to get the picture back to the paper they work for that they accidently destroy the negative. To get another photo, one of the boys begins impersonating a Chicago gangster. He then sneaks his camera into a nightclub. While there he gets fake money from the crimelord, which he gives to the police as evidence. Thanks to his efforts, the boss and his gang are brought to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1956
Also known as Wiretapper and The Jim Vaus Story, this low-budget production begins as a crime melodrama, then bumpily segues into a religious tract. Bill Williams stars as the real-life Jim Vaus, who for many years was a minor functionary in two major crime syndicates. The wastrel son of a minister, Vaus was "born again"late in life, and as a result he agreed to gather evidence against his mob bosses--including the notorious Mickey Cohen. The Rev. Billy Graham appears as "himself", whom the real Jim Vaus credited for his latter-day conversion to Christ. Wiretapper was adapted from Vaus' autobiography, Why I Quit Syndicated Crime. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Williams, Georgia Lee, (more)
- 1956
This is one of the last episodes of the long-running Bowery Boys film series. This time the trouble begins when a spoiled child television star swipes their car. They go to get it back and in so doing teach the kid a lesson or two. TV executives, frustrated from trying to deal with the youth on their own are so impressed that they hire the boys to keep the kid in line. Of course, that's not nearly as easy as it sounds, especially after the little star gets kidnapped. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1956
James Craig plays Sheriff Pat Garrett, the man who gunned down Billy the Kid. We always thought that was the end of the story, but Last of the Desperados informs us that Garrett was forced to flee from the vengeance of Billy's gang (we also never knew that Billy had a gang). Everywhere he goes, Garrett is dogged by his pursuers, who leave a trail of corpses in their path to dissuade anyone from helping the former lawman. Finally Garrett puts on his badge again and picks off Billy's buddies one by one. Last of the Desperados was written by western movie "regular" Orville Hampton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Craig, Jim Davis, (more)
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