Stephen Shortridge Movies
Ione Skye plays Diane Court, high-school valedictorian on the verge of heading to England on a prestigious scholarship. This is especially thrilling to Diane's divorced father, James (John Mahoney), who has always shared a special relationship with the girl, less father/daughter than friend/friend. When Diane begins dating irresponsible army brat Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), her father despairs at her choice of an "underachiever." Pressured by her dad to break off the relationship, Diane spends the rest of the summer being pursued by the lovestruck Lloyd, who does everything he can to win her back. Diane finally realizes there's more to life than perfection when her sainted father comes under the scrutiny of the IRS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Ione Skye, (more)
- 1985
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and Seth (William Windom) are collecting research for her latest novel at the New Mexico site of an archeological dig. The scientists believe that they are about to uncover Coronado's fabled "City of Gold"; instead, they unearth a corpse of more recent vintage. The victim is an Indian guide (Randolph Mantooth) who was violently opposed to the excavation; the main suspect is a bit too obvious for Jessica's taste, so she does a little "digging" of her own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In yet another futile effort by the higher-ups to keep Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) out of mischief, the two detectives are ordered to act as technical advisors for a TV cop show. Alas, mischief seems to follow our hero and heroine wherever they go--and sure enough, the star of the show turns up murdered, his face horribly disfigured. What begins as a standard murder mystery morphs into a delicious slice of Grand Guignol that could easily have been titled "The Phantom of the Soap Opera." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The fourth and final season of Welcome Back Kotter opens as capricious remedial-class teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan) is promoted to vice principal of Buchanan High School, replacing his long-time nemesis Mr. Woodman (John Sylvester White)--who in turn has moved up the food chain to full principal. Meanwhile, Kotter's students--aka the "sweathogs"--have all gotten off-campus jobs, following the example of self-appointed class leader Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), who has left school to work as a hospital orderly. This move was made primarily to accommodate the ever-increasing motion picture commitments of John Travolta, who makes only a handful of appearances this season. As a potential replacement for the swaggering Vinnie, Stephen Shortridge joins the cast as Southerner Beau De Labarre, a charming prankster with above-average intelligence who has landed in the remedial program because of his propensity for wreaking havoc--which he has done with considerable success in the seven previous schools from which he has been expelled. Another noteworthy cast addition is Irene Arranga, as lonely, insecure student Mary Johnson, who makes her first appearance in "Once Upon a Ledge" as a would-be suicide who is brought back to her sense by--of all people--Mr. Kotter's nerdiest student, Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo). By series' end, Arnold and Mary will have become husband and wife, much to the amazement of Horshack's "cooler" classmates Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, (more)
