Russ Conway Movies

One of the best of the early-1970s Disney farces, The World's Greatest Athlete stars Jan-Michael Vincent in the title role. A "wild boy" living off the land in the jungles of Africa, Vincent is discovered by coaches Tim Conway and John Amos. Cursed with a last-place college athletic lineup, Conway and Amos hope that Vincent will pull them out of their years-long slump. And he does, but not before several Disneyesque slapstick highlights, not to mention a handful of amusing special-effects gags (at one point, Conway is shrunk to mouse size by witch doctor Roscoe Lee Browne). Despite its formidable lineup of comedians-Conway, Billy DeWolfe, Nancy Walker, Vito Scotti et. al.--The World's Greatest Athlete's funniest line goes to guest star Howard Cosell! The script is the handiwork of Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso, late of That Was the Week That Was and Get Smart. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In a reversal of the situation in the sixth-season episode "Encore," in which a gangster was persuaded that he had gone back in time from 1971 to 1937, the IMF must jump forward some 27 years in the seventh-season Mission:Impossible entry "Two Thousand." Vic Morrow guest-stars as master thief Joseph Collins, who has stolen 50 kg of plutonium. To find out where Collins has stashed the deadly material, the IMF contrives to convince Collins that he has been in hibernation until the year 2000 --- and that a nuclear holocaust has tranformed the US into a police state. Most of this episode was filmed on location in the ruins of a hospital leveled by the California earthquake of February 1971. Written by Harold Livingston, "Two Thousand" first aired on September 23, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This episode marks the first series appearance of Elizabeth Baur as rookie policewoman Fran Belding. Anxious to prove that her murdered police-captain father is innocent of corruption charges, Fran tags along with Ironside and his team as they conduct their investigation of the killing. Though the overeager rookie proves to be more hindrance than help, Ironside is impressed by her diligence and dedication. Meanwhile, two-bit gambler Charlie (played by singer Bobby Darin in one of his last TV appearances) weaves in and out of the plotline, "helpfully" providing information that might clear Fran's dad--all the while pursuing a sinister hidden agenda. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) arrest young Bill Erickson (David Westberg) on a drunk-driving charge. Soon afterward, Bill's father (Del Moore), a wealthy industrialist, implores the two cops to drop the charges against his son--and promises to make it well worth their while if they do. Elsewhere, the two mobile officers investigate a possible case of euthanasia. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Charged with murdering her husband, Tracy Oliver (Dana Wynter) is set free because of a hung jury. But in some cases, "free" is only a relative term: Unable to withstand the innuendos and accusations of an insensitive public, Tracy attempts suicide, whereupon opportunistic TV reporter Len Leavitt (Mort Sahl) decides to capitalize on the woman's anguish. Tracy's old friend Ironside (Raymond Burr) is galvanized into reopening the murder investigation, hoping once and for all to establish the truth--even if the truth is not something that he wants to hear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Unable to recover valuable documents concerning America's missile system, the IMF must resort to a contingency plan. In order to convince enemy agents that the documents are worthless, Phelps and his cohorts work hand in glove with Susan Buchanan (Lee Grant), the wife of an American diplomat. Mrs. Buchanan's mission: To lure playboy-spy Roger Toland (Fernando Lamas) into a highly compromising situation. Originally broadcast on December 1, 1968, "The Diplomat" was written by Jerry Ludwig. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This drama centers on life in a small college. The hero is a folk singer from the backwoods. Because he saved the dean's daughter from a car accident, he received a scholarship. The school rebel uses the folk singer to entice students into attending his rally on free speech. The folk singer rallies back and punches the radical in the nose. He then allows the dean to tell the student body the reasons why they don't need more radical ideas concerning freedom. Songs include "C'mon, Let's Live a Little," "Instnat Girl," "Baker Man," "What Fool This Mortal Be," "Tonights the Night," "For Granted," "Back-Talk," "Over and Over," "Let's Go Go," and "Way Back Home." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Suspected of car theft, Richard Kimble (David Janssen), alias "Tom Barrett", is arrested in Wyler City, Montana and placed in a cell next to a rabid bigot named Carter (James Farentino), who is accused of a racially motivated murder. African American police deputy Dalton (Percy Rodriguez) bundles Kimble and Carter in his car and sets out for the capital in Helena, where both men are to be arraigned. But neither Dalton nor Kimble may survive the journey: The road to Helena is festooned with Carter's equally venomous friends, who are determined to free the killer and leave no witnesses behind. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi

James Coburn stars as super-spy Derek Flint in this action comedy which takes the tongue-in-cheek wit of the James Bond series and shifts it into high gear. Flint is an ultra-sophisticated operative of international intelligence agency Z.O.W.I.E. He's a master of martial arts, electronic gadgetry (his cigarette lighter can perform 83 special functions), languages both human and animal (he can communicate with dolphins in a pinch), and even gives ballet lessons to the dancers of the Bolshoi. So when his fellow agents begin dropping like flies, Z.O.W.I.E. assigns Flint the task of finding out who the killers happen to be. Eventually, Flint discovers that the killings are all part of the wicked machinations of G.A.L.A.X.Y., a cadre of world-wide villainy that plans to take over the world through weather control. Our Man Flint also stars Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan, and Edward Mulhare. A sequel, In Like Flint, followed two years later, and in 1976, the character was revived for a TV movie, Our Man Flint: Dead on Target, with Ray Danton taking over the role of Derek Flint. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The third season of The Beverly Hillbillies was launched on September 23, 1964, with the first episode of a four-part story arc. In "Jed Becomes a Movie Mogul," the Clampetts purchase Mammoth Pictures, a movie studio on the verge of bankruptcy. Not unexpectedly, the new owners can't convince the studio gateman that they are the new owners. Milton Frome guest stars as Mammoth's nepotistic CEO, Lawrence Chapman (a name "borrowed" from the real-life production manager of The Beverly Hillbillies). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While on a driving tour of America with her parents (Michael Wilding, Anna Lee), young English girl Loren Saunders (Katherine Crawford) heads to her folks' rented station wagon to take a nap. Unfortunately, she gets into the wrong car, and awakens somewhere in Mexico -- where she witnesses a murder. Thus does Loren find herself the object of two desperate searches: one conducted by her frantic parents, the other by the murderers. This episode is based on Encounter with Evil, a novel by Amber Dean. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi