Gretchen Corbett Movies

Injured in a hit-and-run accident, John (Randolph Mantooth) ends up in a Rampart hospital bed, where he proceeds to drive the staff crazy. Meanwhile, Roy is saddled with John's replacement Craig Bice (John R. Richardson in his first series appearance), an unsufferable perfectionist whose strict adherence to rules and regulations does more harm than good. This week's case load includes a possible heart attack victim and a raging fire. Series costar Randolph Mantooth pulled double duty as actor and director in this final episode of Emergency's fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Farewell to Manzanar recounts a dark chapter in American history from the point of view of those most closely affected by it. This made-for-TV movie concentrates on the Wakatsukis, a Japanese-American family living in Santa Monica, California in the early 1940s. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the family's father (Yuki Shimoda) is accused of selling fuel to Japanese submarines and is thrown in jail. His wife and children are shipped off to the internment camp of Manzanar in California, along with thousands of other American citizens of Japanese descent. Based on the autobiographical book co-written by Jeanne Wakatusi (played in the film by Dori Takeshita as a child and Nobu McCarthy as an adult) and her husband James D. Houston, Farewell to Manzanar explores not only the humiliations suffered by the Wakatusis behind barbed wire, but also their fears as to how they'll be treated by the white populace upon their release. Understandably one-sided, the film works best when celebrating the indomitability of the human spirit. Farewell to Manzanar was originally telecast March 11, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

High Ice is a made-for-television adventure thriller about an Army helicopter rescue team who has to race against time and the elements to save three mountain climbers who are stranded on a small, icy mountain ledge in Washington. Along the way, a lieutenant colonel and a forest ranger engage in a battle of wills, which only makes the rescue more difficult. High Ice has also been shown with the title Challenge of the High Ice. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

While still grieving over the murder of her son, Joanna Portman (Kim Hunter) is visited by a young girl (Gretchen Corbett) claiming to her daughter Gail--who for several years has been presumed dead. Though Joanna is delighted by the girl's arrival, Ironside suspects that Gail's sudden reappearance is too good to be true. Sure enough, it turns out that there are sinister forces who are trying to kill off Joanna's entire family...and that the girl calling herself Gail may be at the center of the carnage! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While investigating "dirty work" at an urban redevelopment project, an undercover cop is murdered. Kojak (Telly Savalas) wants to put the project on hold until his investigation of the killing is completed. Unfortunately, he meets with stiff resistance from several high-profile personalities--at least one of whom is covertly involved in a large-scale graft operation. Heading the guest cast is Broadway star Larry Kert, best known for his portrayal of Tony in the original 1956 stage production of "West Side Story." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

During a major surf-ski competition, a Kahuna named Makua (Sol Bright) places a curse on Rick's club. At first, neither Rick (Larry Manetti) nor anyone else takes the curse seriously, but soon bad things begin happening--including at least one death. In his efforts to investigate this phenomenon, Magnum (Tom Selleck) is periodically stymied by overeager news reporter Christine Richards (Gretchen Corbett) and a grouchier-than-usual Higgins (John Hillerman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This feature-length pilot for an unsold TV series was based on Mandrake the Magician, the long-running comic strip created by Lee Falk and Phil Davis in 1934. Raised in the Himalayas, the orphaned Mandrake (played as a child by David Hollander, and as an adult by Anthony Herrera) is taught the secrets of magic and mass hypnosis by the wizard Theron (James Hong), and is given an enchanted amulet that will protect him from harm. With the help of his loyal assistant Lother (Ji-Tu Cumbuka), the caped, top-hatted Mandrake attempts to thwart an insane extortionist who threatens to kill innocent amusement-park patrons unless he is given 10,000,000 dollars. Princess Narda, Mandrake's exotic vis-à-vis from the funny papers, is here replaced by a feisty female cohort named Stacy (Simone Griffeth). Earning no plaudits from devotees of the original comic strip, Mandrake was little heard from after its initial NBC telecast on January 24, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Eugene Roche is cast as veteran reporter Billy Simms, yet another longtime friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). While recovering from a heart attack, Billy expresses the wish that something very, very bad would happen to the slimy publisher who took over Billy's former newspaper and turned it into a trashy tabloid. Sure enough, the publisher is murdered, casting suspicion not only on Billy but also Jessica, whose reputation had recently been slimed by the newspaper. Gretchen Corbett delivers a sharply honed performance as aggressive police investigator Lt. Caruso. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

High school students struggle for social status and acceptance from the opposite sex in Out Of It. Paul (Barry Gordon) is the shy boy who asks the blonde cheerleader Christine (Lada Edmund Jr.) for a date. The two see Romeo and Juliet, but Christine tells Paul she is feeling ill. After he brings her home, he discovers she made the excuse to keep a date with Russ (John Voight), the quarterback on the football team. As the rivalry between the two teenage boys heats up, Russ injures Paul during football practice and later burns his varsity jacket. Paul retaliates by grabbing a toy handgun and humiliating Russ in front of his friends. This feature was made in 1967 and purchased for release by United Artists in the wake of Voight's role in the massively successful Midnight Cowboy. Gretchen Corbett and Peter Grad also appear in the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

No, the "three hungry wives" in this made-for-TV movie aren't in search of a square meal. It's sex they're after, though much is talked about and little is shown. The eponymous wives are played by Jessica Walter, Gretchen Corbett and Heather MacRae; their respective husbands are Richard Roat, Craig Stevens and John Reilly. When multimillionaire James Franciscus is murdered, we learn that each of the wives has had an affair with him. Produced by the folks at Penthouse magazine, Secrets of Three Hungry Wives debuted October 9, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A lovely young woman becomes imprisoned in a warlock's 18th century castle in this horror film. ~ Rovi