James Allardice Movies
- 1966
Mrs. Brown's ne'er-do-well brother Alvin (Gavin McLeod) persuades Martin (Ray Walston) to collaborate in the marketing of a "domestic" robot, the Wannamaker's Widdle Wife Saver. Unfortunately, the device turns out to be a worthless piece of junk, foisted on the gullible Alvin by con artist Dr. Dunlap (Arthur Malet). In his efforts to turn the tables on the crook, Martin succeeds only in making a bad situation worse! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Herman (Fred Gwynne) decides to buy a car for niece Marilyn (Pat Priest). This brings him to the used-car establishment run by Fair Deal Dan (played by impressionist Frank Gorshin), who not unexpectedly belies his name by selling Herman a lemon. Even worse, the car is stolen, and Herman finds himself a fugitive from justice. Featured in the cast is Johnny Silver as a character named Blinky, a full three years before the diminutive Silver donned the costume of "Dr. Blinkey" on Sid and Marty Krofft's H.R. Pufnstuf. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Tony (Larry Hagman) is startled when Jeannie (Barbara Eden) starts fading away before his eyes. It seems that it is the annual Day of the Ramda, and unless Jeannie returns post-haste to ancient Mecca to utter certain sacred words,she will disappear forever. Watch for future MASH regular Jamie Farr and "lovable lush" Foster Brooks in supporting roles. This episode was cowritten by frequent Alfred Hitchcock collaborator James Allardice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Sandy Kenyon is cast as Major Hans Kuehn, who has been assigned as Klink's new adjutant. The ruthlessly ambitious Kuehn may well mess up Hogan's plans to destroy a German mobile anti-aircraft battery. Hogan's dilemma this week is to simultaneously pull off the mission and discredit Kuehn. The script was co-written by Tom Adair and James Allardice, the man responsible for most of Alfred Hitchcock's droll opening comments on Hitch's weekly TV anthology. "The 43rd, a Moving Story" originally aired on February 25, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1965
Angry at Herman (Fred Gwynne) for staying out too late at an office party, Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) locks her hulking hubby out of the Munster mansion. Hoping to patch things up, Herman seeks out the help of a marriage counselor (Elliot Reid). Shortly thereafter and without informing Herman, Lily visits the same counselor--but since her version of the crisis doesn't match Herman's, Mr. and Mrs. Munster fall victim to a bombardment of contradictory advice! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Herman (Fred Gwynne) wants to escort Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) to a dance at Marilyn's college, but is self-conscious about his lack of terpsichorean skills. Entering the portals of a crooked dance school operated by one Happy Havemeyer (played by legendary insult comic Don Rickles), Herman gleefully--and stupidly--signs up for 1500 lessons at a cost of $7.50 each. Making matters worse, Herman has somehow become convinced that he has been hired by Havemeyer as an instructor! Appearing as Havemeyer's partner-in-crime is Joyce Jameson, one of Hollywood's favorite "dumb blondes" (who of course was dumb like a fox!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Eddie (Butch Patrick) would like to make the school track team, but unfortunately everyone is faster than he is. In order to help Eddie qualify, Herman (Fred Gwynne) volunteers his services as athletic coach--and as usual he bungles the assignment. Meanwhile, Grandpa (Al Lewis) tries to solve the dilemma by conjuring up a "speed pill" (no, not THAT kind of "speed"). Featured in the cast is Emmaline Henry, who would soon be seen as Mrs. Bellows on another fantasy-based sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
When Marilyn (Pat Priest) fails to catch the bridal bouquet at a wedding party, the Munsters are more convinced than ever that their "homely" niece will never get a beau. Hoping to remedy this situation, Grandpa (Al Lewis) attempts to turn a frog into a handsome prince. The effort fails, but Grandpa is unaware of this when a good-looking stranger appears outside the Munster Mansion. . .and we need not elaborate any further! Appearing in a supporting role is Jackie Coogan Jr., whose namesake father was concurrently starring on the "other" supernatural sitcom of the 1965-66 season, The Addams Family. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Martin (Ray Walston) takes a picture of Tim (Bill Bixby) with his "futuroid" camera, the result being a photo showing Tim getting married the very next day to a mysterious woman whose face is obscured. To avoid this fate, Tim swears off girls for the next 24 hours. Alas, he has reckoned without sexy hat-check girl Louise Babcock (Yvonne Craig), a haughty lass who has never given Tim the time of day...until now! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Eddie (Butch Patrick) volunteers Herman (Fred Gwynne) to do an act at his school's talent show. With no discernable talents, Herman turns to Grandpa (Al Lewis) for help--and emerges as a ballet dancer of questionable prowess. When it turns out that Eddie wants Herman to perform a magic act, Grandpa is upset that he wasn't asked to do so, setting up an episode climax that is suprisngly touching for a series of this nature! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Thanks to Martin's malfunctioning CCTBS time machine, Tim (Bill Bixby) is stuck in the Kansas of 1870. In his efforts to repair the machine, Tim zaps outlaws Jesse and Frank James (Mort Mills, L.Q. Jones) forward to 1965--where they materialize in Tim's kitchen and promptly take Martin (Ray Walston) and Mrs. Brown (Pamela Britton) hostage. Revelling in the situation, the James boys draw up plans to rob and plunder throughout history, forcing Martin to come up with some creative chicanery to scare the brothers back to their own time! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Jesse White and Walter Burke guest star as a pair of swindlers who stage and film phony accidents in order to defraud insurance companies. Needing a patsy to pose as their "victim", the two crooks convince Herman (Fred Gwynne) that they are Hollywood producers and that they want him star in a remake of Double Indemnity. As Herman's head swells at the prospect of stardom, the crooks realize that they must quickly bump off their "discovery" lest they end up in the hoosegow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Sight unseen, the staff of "Event" magazine chooses the Munsters as a "typical American family." Not wishing to be part of this enterprise, a sullen Grandpa (Al Lewis) sabotages the interview and photo shoot--and Herman (Fred Gwynne) and Lily (Yvonne Carlo) manage to make things worse purely by accident. This episode marks the final appearance of Beverly Owen as Marilyn Munster, a role played for the remainder of the series by Pat Priest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Suffering from insomnia, Marilyn (Beverly Owen) takes a sleeping potion which, unbeknownst to her, has been "improved" by her Grandpa (Al Lewis). The result: Marilyn goes into a deep and possibly permanent slumber, prompting Herman (Fred Gwynne) to seek out a "Prince Charming" who will be able to awaken his niece with a kiss. Somehow this plotline also involves a brace of unemployed actors (one played by future Love Boat leading man Gavin McLeod, the other by The Incredible Shrinking Man star Grant Williams)--not to mention Grandpa's scheme to convert water into gasoline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Hoping to snare a bride, Grandpa (Al Lewis) places a classified ad in a lonely-hearts magazine. Soon thereafter, who should come knocking at the Munsters' door than a sweet, matimony-minded old lady named Lydia Gardner (Linda Watkin). Unbeknownst to Grandpa, Lydia is actually "The Black Widow", who has kept herself in clover by murdering her husbands and cashing in their insurance policies! Future Batman costar Neil Hamilton appears in this episode, which was written, appropriately enough, by two former Alfred Hitchcock Presents stalwarts, James Allardice and Tom Adair. (And keep an eye out for the uncredited--and unintentional--appearance by a member of the TV tech crew!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Frightening though the prospect may sound, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis appear in Technicolor and 3-D in the musical comedy Money from Home. Cashing in on the success of Guys and Dolls, the script is based on a Damon Runyon story. Martin plays gambler Honey Talk Nelson, whose "markers" have been called in by gangster boss Jumbo Schneider (Sheldon Leonard). In need of money in a hurry, Honey Talk tries to honey-talk his gawky assistant-veterinarian cousin Virgil Yokum (Jerry Lewis) into "fixing" the outcome of an upcoming Maryland steeplechase competition. Along the way, Virgil is forced to impersonate British jockey Bertie Searles (Richard Haydn), and also gets mixed up with a visiting Arab potentate (Romo Vincent) and his harem. Pat Crowley and Marjie Millar fulfill the leading-lady obligations, while Dean Martin gets to sing three songs, one of them co-written by Guys and Dolls composer Frank Loesser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, (more)
- 1952
Although The Stooge had been filmed right after Martin and Lewis' Sailor Beware, the film was temporarily shelved so that the team could continue their winning streak of military comedies with Jumping Jacks. This time, Dean Martin plays Chick Allen, a paratrooper-in-training whose commanding officer intends to do away with all camp variety shows. In desperation, Chick sends for his old nightclub partner Hap Smith (Jerry Lewis) to change the CO's mind. In order to gain entry to the military base, Hap is forced to pose as a GI, and thus the plot proper gets under way. Most of the "awkward squad" gags are straight out of Abbott and Costello, with Lewis messing up at each and every turn while Martin lags behind for damage control. The film concludes with a routine from Abbot and Costello's Keep 'Em Flying, wherein Martin and Lewis bail out from a plane in flight, with one parachute between them. Robert Strauss repeats his Sailor Beware duties as Lewis' irascible topkick, while nominal leading lady Mona Freeman does practically nothing magnificently. Dean's songs include the deathless "Do the Parachute Jump". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, (more)
- 1951
Using elements of two earlier films, The Fleet's In and Lady Be Careful, Paramount came up with the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis vehicle Sailor Beware. As usual, Jerry Lewis is the helpless goof and Dean Martin the suave ladies' man; this time Lewis is a navy recruit while Martin is his submarine-officer buddy. The film skips from one comic setpiece to another (the best is a parody of radio audience participation shows) until it reaches the slapstick climax: A boxing match pitting Lewis against the navy champion. After a few very funny moments in which Lewis pretends to be a punch drunk pug, the match commences, much to the dismay of Lewis and the delight of his fervent fan following. Martin makes good use of his screen time by romancing an "ice princess" movie star (Corinne Calvert), who of course melts once Dino turns on the charm. Betty Hutton, star of Sailor Beware's precursor The Fleet's In, pops up at the beginning and end of the Martin/Lewis epic as "Hetty Button." And watch for an unbilled James Dean as one of the team's shipmates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, (more)
- 1950
Grounds for Marriage is another attractively packaged sausage from the MGM assembly line. Van Johnson is a doctor, while Kathryn Grayson is an opera singer. They marry, but the pressures of their careers lead them to the divorce court. But they still love another, so any and all prospective "outside" romantic interests are dissolved by fade-out time. Grounds for Marriage allows Kathryn Grayson to sing and sing, and Van Johnson to smile and crinkle his dimples. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Johnson, Kathryn Grayson, (more)
Though At War With the Army was the third film appearance of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, it was the team's first starring vehicle. A pattern is set herein for all the Martin-Lewis flicks to follow: Martin plays a self-assured romeo, forever bursting into song, while Lewis is a hopeless screw-up unable to perform the simplest task without wreaking havoc (in this one, he can't even operate a Coke machine properly). Mike Kellin repeats his Broadway role as M&L's tough topkick while Polly Bergen makes a very brief appearance. Because it has lapsed into public domain, At War with the Army is one of the most available of the Martin and Lewis films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, (more)
