Robert C. Dennis Movies
- 1978
We'll confess not to having seen The Amazing Captain Nemo, principally because we can't find it anywhere. It's our loss, because it certainly sounds fascinating. Jose Ferrer stars as Nemo, the demented but essentially well-meaning technological genius created by Jules Verne in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In what seems to have been a one-time-only occasion, Ferrer costars with his namesake Mel Ferrer. Also in the star-heavy cast is Burgess Meredith as an eccentric professor and Lynda Day George as the all-around heroine. The film was largely photographed by Lamar Boren, the undersea expert responsible for the soggy cinematography of Creature from the Black Lagoon and Flipper. Given the cast and the director (Alex March), we suspect that The Amazing Captain Nemo was filmed for television, then deflected to theaters to make back its cost. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Rich widow Grace Rodeheaver (Gertrude Flynn) hires the Angels to find out who is systematically stripping her of her wealth. Our heroines soon determine that the culprit may be the shady medium who is "helping" Grace contact the spirit of her late husband. Kelly (Jaclyn Smith) poses as another wealthy widow in order to prove that the medium is neither rare nor well-done -- and nearly ends up in the spirit world herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Kate Jackson, (more)
- 1974
Leslie Nielsen guest stars as Michael Hagar, the mastermind of a million-dollar diamond heist. What Hagar doesn't realize is that he is being manipulated into adding murder to his list of crimes. Pulling the strings is Hagar's sexy partner Paula (Ja'net DuBois, a duplicitous loan shark who has planned all along to use the jewel robbery to cover up the killing of her husband. Kojak (Telly Savalas) has a high old time bringing the villains to justice in this episode, which also features an early appearance by Antonio Fargas, aka "Huggy Bear" on Starsky and Hutch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The terror begins when dewey-eyed Peggy O'Malley (Lynne Marta) enters the United States after a flight from Canada, her leg encased in a plaster cast. But Peggy has not broken or even sprained anything: she is using the phony cast to smuggle a 20-dollar plate, stolen from the Canadian mint, past US customs. All the while, the hapless girl is pursued by the man who killed her boyfriend, and who will leave a trail of death in his wake while tracking her down. By the time Kojak (Telly Savalas) picks up the villain's trail, a doltish innocent bystander (Chuck McCann) has been swept up in the intrigue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) encounters little difficulty catching up with Ed Benson (Ron Randell) the "inside man" for a $260,000 robbery at the Bayshore Park racetrack. Unfortunately, the Inspector's work is far from over: Benson reveals that he agreed to play along with the robbers only because they are holding his wife Ada (Antoinette Bower) hostage. Thus it is that Erskine once more goes undercover to catch a thief--and his disguise is a beauty! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
A fast-spreading wildfire impedes the efforts of the Rampart emergency staff to save an elderly woman suffering from dehydration, a seriously injured looter, and one of their own firemen trapped under a fallen tree. Further complications ensue from an emergency birth procedure in which the mother can't be moved, and an "A.P.B." for a lost dog. Gary Crosby makes his first Emergency! guest appearance in the role of John Conway, while former Leave It to Beaver costar Tony Dow shows up on a motorcycle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Perennial TV villain Monte Markham is up to his old tricks as James Devlin, a ski instructor who moonlights as a bank robber. Planning to pull off his biggest heist thus far, Devlin must first head East to link up with former girlfriend--and potential accomplice--Gilliam Norbury (Jessica Walter). Dogging Devlin's trail is, as always, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) of the FBI. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Friendly Middle Eastern potentate King Selim (Lloyd Battista) has been imprisoned by his lookalike brother Prince Samandal (also Lloyd Battista), the better to usurp Selim's throne and hand over the kingdom to enemies of the West. To rescue Selim and restore the status quo of his country, the IMF must throw a good scare into Samandal. Posing as a doctor, Phelps uses all the medical trickery at the IMF's disposal to accomplish his task. Michele Carey guest stars as female IMF agent Lisa, here impersonating an actress named Irina. Originally broadcast December 7, 1969, "The Brothers" was scripted by Leigh Vance, from a story by Robert C. Dennis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1969
Among the civilians encountered by Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) in this episode is elderly Mr. Saulsberry (Richard Hale) who is determined to leave Los Angeles and walk back to his home town--Deadwood, South Dakota. Elsewhere, the two patrolmen investigate a holdup at a service station, and shoot it out with three desperate criminals. Future Emergency! regular Marco Lopez appears unbilled. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The title character in this Mexico-based I Spy episode is the infant daughter of a murdered secret agent. Much to their dismay, Kelly and Scotty are ordered to babysit little Carmelita while they conduct an exhaustive search for the microdot hidden by their late predecessor. Interfering with the boys' nursery duties is a carload of paid killers, which pops up at the most inopportune times. When all is said in done, the most startling aspect of "Carmelita is One of Us" is the revelation that Carmelita is a boy! Written by Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barrett, this episode originally aired on April 8, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The three-person Mayberry Church Finance Committee wonders how best to spend an unexpected $500 endowment. It all boils down to a decision whether to purchase new choir robes or invest in some much-needed exterior church repairs. Andy must cast the deciding vote, but it is Howard who thinks up the ultimate solution. First telecast on January 22, 1968, "The Church Benefactor" was written by Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
World-renowned humanitarian Juliet Sinclair (Ruth Roman) has arrived in America to deliver a cute Chinese orphan girl named Linh (Cherylene Lee) to loving couple named Kenyon (Gene Hackman, Phyllis Love). What the general public doesn't know is that Juliet is also a Communist courier, and that her American contacts are none other than Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon. Unfortunately, Linh has learned the truth about her benefactor--and unless Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) can act quickly, the Kenyons will follow orders and silence the girl permanently. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Arlene Golonka makes her first series appearance in the role of bakery worker Millie Hutchins. Falling in love with Millie, Howard sets himself up for a potentially painful experience when he runs afoul of Millie's former boyfriend, tough guy Clyde Plaunt (Allan Melvin). Best line: "It doesn't always work, Howard!" (in context, it's hilarious). Written by Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret, "Howard's Main Event" originally aired on October 16, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Dodson
- 1966
Acting on orders from American embassy official Sanders (Philip Bourneuf, Kelly and Scotty are obliged to kidnap matronly US undersecretary Maude Murdock (Jeannette Nolan), ostensibly as a test of departmental security. Only after the dithery Ms. Murdock is in their clutches do the agents discover that they've been set up by the traitorous Sanders. Filmed in Mexico, "The Conquest of Maude Murdock" was written by Robert C. Murdock and Earl Barrett. The episode was originally broadcast on March 2, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Kent Smith guest-stars as James Winthrop, a prominent American diplomat-and shameless womanizer. Agents Kelly and Scottie are assigned to keep Winthrop away from the girls during a delicate series of financial negotiations in Japan. France Nuyen, soon to become Mrs. Robert Culp, is seen as Sada. Written by Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barrett, "Always Say Goodbye" made its network broadcast debut on January 26, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Quitting the police force when his father dies of a heart attack, detective Danny Talbert (Robert Quarry of Count Yorga, Vampire fame) holds his shiftless brother Carl (Chris Robinson) responsible for their dad's demise. Up to his ears in debt, Carl has begged his father to get him off the hook with mobster Steve Radom (Gregory Morton)--and it was the stress of this situation which, Danny believes, brought about the fatal coronary. Later on, Radom is murdered with Danny's gun, prompting Perry Mason (Perry Mason) to plunge into this unpleasant situation and ferret out the facts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
This is the second of two Season Eight episodes in which a "special guest attorney" takes over from Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), who is ostensibly in Europe on business. This time the substitute is Perry's lawyer pal Ken Kramer (Barry Sullivan), who is hired by Lona Upton (Kathie Browne) to bail out her "friend "Maxine Nichols (Nina Shipman). It seems that Maxine has swiped a necklace worth $50,000 from Lona's half-sister Amy (Bettye Ackerman), who in turn is the widow of a yachtsman who'd died several years earlier under suspicious circumstances. But Lona isn't as kind-hearted as she seems: she hopes that Maxine will provide her with the combination to Amy's safe. Instead, Maxine is murdered and Lona is charged with the crime, prompting Kramer to figure out if someone else might have had a motive to bump off the "thermal thief." This episode was removed from the Perry Mason syndication package prepared in 1966, and was not seen again until the mid-1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
In Volume 47 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, a computerized form of space travel is discovered. The hitch: a human brain is required before the system can be activated. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In Volume 45 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, a futuristic bounty hunter creates an identical twin of himself to help track down his alien prey. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Recovering alcoholic William Sherwood (Peter Breck) falls off the wagon when he sees his wife Ruth (Janet Dey)--who was supposed to have died five years ago! Later, Sherwood finds Ruth's body--again--and calls Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) for help. He'll need all the help he can get: with his bloody fingerprints all over the murder scene, Sherwood is charged with his wife's murder (and she's dead for keeps this time). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In Volume 38 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, a couple finds themselves the target of alien stalkers. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In Volume 41 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, a robot goes on trial following charges it killed its creator. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1964
A pre-Man From UNCLE, pre-NCIs David McCallum is cast as Phillipe Bertain, an incredibly naïve young Frenchman who gives a "belle femme" named Ninette (Roxane Berard) a great deal of money so that she can afford to divorce her husband Armand (Jacques Bergerac). Instead, the duplicitous Ninette hands the cash to Armand, who immediately purchases a ski resort. The outraged Phillipe heads to the slopes to confront Armand, but before this can happen the scoundrel is killed in a plane crash. When the police determine that Armand was killed before the crash, Phillipe is arrested for the crime. Sacre bleu! Ou est Monsier Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), s'il vous plait? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Wealthy Sumner Hodge (Philip Ober) accuses erstwhile folksinger Con Bolton (Paul Carr) of taking a shot at him. It seems that Hodge had threatened to disinherit his stepdaughter Irma (Natalie Trundy) unless she broke off her romance with Con. Later, Hodge is killed in an automobile "accident" caused by someone tampering with the brakes. Inevitably, Con is charged with the crime--and in mounting the boy's defense, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) arrives at the conclusion that the murder was actually a case of mistaken identity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Appearing in Santa Barbara with her Shakesperean acting troupe "A Company of Four", former Broadway star Ramona Carver (Virginia Field) is confronted by a man who claims to be the son she gave up for adotion. Whether or not this is good news to Ramona seems inconsequential when she accused of murdering an old enemy, ex-drama critic Ogden G. Kramer (Sherwood Keith). Originally hired to help Ramona locate her son, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must now defend her life in court. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
