Don Reed Movies

Rising star Rita Hayworth puts in a little box-office duty in the Columbia "B" Juvenile Court. The star of the proceedings is Paul Kelly as crusading public defender Gary Franklin, who hopes to establish a Police Athletic League to give street kids a new chance in life. His toughest charge is Stubby (Frankie Darro), a born leader with potential for either the White House or the Electric Chair. Once he's won over Stubby, Franklin is able to get the rest of the neighborhood kids to attend his new athletic outfit. The far- reaching influence of Franklin's pet project is proven when a group of young punks change their minds about committing a robbery. As Franklin's girl friend Marcia Kelly, Rita Hayworth has virtually nothing to do but stand around and look pretty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A US Army Colonel (Cesar Romero) and his wife (Barbara Hale) relate their stories about the all black 10th cavalry unit formed after the Civil War. Eli (Robert Do'Qui) is one the new recruits being trained by two veteran troopers (Rafer Johnson & Isaac Fields). Julie (Janee Michelle) is the young beauty who tries to tame Eli's wild romantic heart. Eli befriends a local Indian chief (Robert Dix), but is unable to save him and the tribe from military cruelties. Lincoln Kilpatrick and Isabel Sandford also appear in this period film that is the directorial debut for John Cardos. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This satirical look at the ambivalent relationship between Hollywood power brokers and African-American performers marked the writing, producing, and directing debut of Robert Townsend. The filmmaker also stars as Bobby Taylor, a struggling actor looking for his big break despite his family's and co-workers' reservations about his chosen career path. While working a day job flipping burgers, Bobby heads out to insulting cattle calls where white casting agents pass judgement on whether he seems "black enough." Meanwhile, he imagines himself playing Sam Spade, Rambo, and other movie heroes rather than the stereotypical roles actually available to him. When Bobby actually does win one such pimp-daddy part, however, he is forced to choose between accepting work that opens doors, but ultimately demeans him and returning to obscurity with his principles intact. Hollywood Shuffle's enormous supporting cast includes a wealth of black actors, from then-unknowns such as Damon Wayans to veterans such as 227 star Helen Martin. Self-financed and filmed on scraps of hand-me-down celluloid, the film helped establish actor Townsend as a director of note and also kick-started the career of co-screenwriter and co-star Keenen Ivory Wayans, who would cast Townsend in his own directorial debut the following year. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) leaves the comfort and security of her family's home as she begins her sophomore year at Hillman College in this debut episode of the Cosby Show spinoff A Different World. Moving into the all-female Gilbert Hall dorm, Denise almost immediately clashes with her brash roommate, 26-year-old divorcee Jaleesa Vinson (Dawnn Lewis). But things aren't much better for our heroine when she transfers to a different room occupied by the very wealthy and very annoying Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy). Adding to her burden of woe, Denise must somehow keep girl-crazy freshman Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) at arm's length. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Ron (Darryl M. Bell) are anxious to join a fraternity, but are worried about their chances of getting in. So Dwayne turns to Whitley (Jasmine Guy), who has caught the eye of a lovelorn frat member, to find out what the rest of the "brothers" think of him and Ron. What follows threatens to shatter Dwayne and Ron's friendship--at least until the climactic "big show" scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dance to Win is set in the outer fringes of Hollywood. A gang of delinquents, jealously observing the "haves", see no way out of their lot other than petty thievery. The gang is redeemed when they are organized into a dance troupe specializing in interpreting vintage rock 'n' roll themes. Charles Gomez, Daniel Quinn and Sally Stewart are among the leading players; the film's choreography was handled by no less than Paula Abdul. Filmed in 1989, Dance to Win remained on the shelf until picked up for cable exposure in 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Townsend's superhero action comedy underwent much tinkering during post-production, employing four editors to whip the film into shape. Townsend wrote, directed, and produced this urban fable and also stars as Jefferson Reed, a meek substitute teacher in an inner-city neighborhood dominated by a gang of leather-jacketed, peroxided blonde goons who call themselves the Golden Lords. The residents of the neighborhood feel they can do nothing about the gang. But then a meteor hits Jefferson, who finds that he can fly, has super-strength, and can retain all the information in a book in thirty seconds. As a result, Jefferson, who normally is afraid of heights and runs from danger, becomes a reluctant superhero. The word about the "Meteor Man" gets back to the Golden Lords, who intend to rid the neighborhood of this milquetoast crime-fighter. The Meteor Man contains a cornucopia of cameos appearances, including Bill Cosby, Luther Vandross, Sinbad, Big Daddy Kane and Nancy Wilson. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Writer/director Rusty Cundieff's satire of gangsta rappers, focusing on a hiphop trio who release a Christmas album called "Ho Ho 'Hos." ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide

A near-perfect example of how American network TV relentlessly cannibalizes itself, the weekly, half-hour NBC series The Rerun Show was devoted to retro re-enactments of such "classic" sitcoms as The Partridge Family and Diff'rent Strokes. On each program, a comic repertory troupe performed vintage scripts from selected episodes of earlier series, but "without the boring parts" -- and with a pronounced satiric, savage edge. At least two abridged scripts were performed per show, sometimes with veterans of the actual series being skewered (notably The Partridge Family's inimitable Danny Bonaduce). Rerun Show made its first appearance on August 1, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide