Tony Craig Movies

Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), a brilliant but troublesome New York actor, has managed to alienate every producer on both coasts. Michael's agent George Fields (Sydney Pollack) can't even get his client a commercial since Michael complained that the tomato he was playing wasn't properly motivated. "You were a tomato!" screams George in desperation, adding that Michael is so obnoxious that he will probably never work again. Dorsey thinks otherwise; when he hears of an opening on a popular soap opera, he applies for the job--even though the job is for a woman. Posing as "Miss Dorothy Michaels," Michael wins the part and becomes a widely-known actress. Yet complications ensue when Michael falls for his co-star Julie (Jessica Lange, in an Oscar-winning performance) but, as Dorothy, is courted by Julie's widowed father (Charles Durning). Michael ultimately finds that his disguise as a woman has made him a better man. One of the classic comedies of the 1980s, Tootsie's gender-bending premise boasts a screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, and by a host of memorable supporting comic performances from Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, George Gaynes, and Bill Murray. Future Oscar-winner Geena Davis makes her screen debut as a daytime drama queen, which indeed she had been before Tootsie came along. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This amateur, poorly interpreted psychological drama features Pat Stuart (Pat Russell, also the director) a young Midwestern woman with acting ambitions who travels to New York City in the hopes of turning around her current misfortune. Her parents have died, and her marriage to a businessman is ending. With nothing left for her at home but a depression she cannot handle, New York at least offers the possibility of a different life. When she meets John Stevens (Tony Craig), an actor and sculptor, he seems to give her the encouragement she needs. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Nearly three decades after the cancellation of the original Untouchables TV series, Robert Stack reprises his role as gangbuster Eliot Ness, who returns from retirement to hunt for the killer of a former colleague and finds himself caught in a war between rival mob kingpins in 1947 Chicago. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Hoping to stop Chinatown restauranteur Henry Lee (Yu Kun Lu) from exhorting his fellow tradesmen to rise up against the tyranny of gang boss Charlie Wong (Joel de la Fuente), Wong orders his minions to kidnap Henry's son David (Michael Hong). Fraser (Paul Gross) and Ray (David Marciano) make it their mission to return David to his family unharmed. This mission, alas, is seriously compromised by the well-intentioned interference of overzealous FBI agents Ford and Deeter (played respectively by Alex Carter and Mark Melymick, in their first joint series appearance). First telecast on Canadian television, this episode made its US network premiere on November 3, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of a two-part story, Fraser (Paul Gross) is assigned to act as bodyguard and baby-sitter to Christina Nichols (Lisa Jakub), the spoiled teenage daughter of a visiting Canadian diplomat. Slipping away from Fraser, the impulsive Christina runs into a tough customer named Janice De Luca (Stacey Haiduk). Before she quite knows what has happened, Christina is in possession of a dead mobster's contact list--something that criminal Eddie Beets (Stephen Shellen) would dearly like to get his hands on, and never mind whom he has to kill to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a youngster falls victim to food poisoning, Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) traces the source of the tainted meat ingested by the child. The trail ultimately leads to a gang of crooks trafficking in illegal horse meat. Along the way, Fraser makes the acquaintance of gorgeous horsewoman Stephanie Cabot (Teri Polo), but this pleasant diversion is forgotten when he and his partner Ray Vecchio (David Marciano) find themselves trapped in a meat locker. While the freezing cold has a devastating effect on city-boy Ray, the Canadian-born Fraser is less perturbed--and it is the resourceful Fraser who hits upon a unique but effective way of staying warm until help arrives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Caroline and Lloyd (Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey) are a married couple constantly at each other's throats, masters at crafting acid-tongued barbs at the other's expense. Indeed, they are so obsessed with belittling each other that they never stop -- not even at gunpoint. Such is the premise of the acerbic comedy The Ref, which shows what happens when this quarrelsome duo is taken hostage. The gunman is Gus (Denis Leary), a thief on the run from the police, who kidnaps the couple as an insurance policy, planning to use their home as a hideout. But their incessant bickering proves more than Gus bargained for, forcing him -- for the sake of his own sanity -- into the unenviable role of peacemaker. To make things even worse for Gus, he discovers that he has taken the couple hostage the night of their big Christmas party, and the guests are already on the way. Not wanting to leave Lloyd and Caroline unattended, Gus opts to attend the party, pretending to be the couple's marriage counselor. This naturally leads to a series of comic confusions, as the hostage crisis and marital tensions head towards their inevitable conclusion. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Rick Rossovich guest stars as Canadian pro hockey player Mark Smithbauer, an old friend of Benton Fraser (Paul Gross). Alas, Mark is not the Mark that Fraser remembers from his youth: Where once he played for love of the game, Smithbauer has become an arrogant, money-grubbing jerk. Even worse is the fact that Mark has apparently been bribed to lose a game by vicious bookmaker Broda (Miguel Fernandes). It should surprise no one that this episode ends with a wild car-and-skate chase through the icy streets of Chicago. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A homeless derelict named Garret (Jonathan Banks) may hold the key to locating a kidnapped woman. Unfortunately, Garret is nowhere to be found--and there's every possibility that he abducted the woman himself. As Fraser (Paul Gross) conducts a city-wide search for Garret with the bumbling assistance of FBI agents Ford (Alex Carter) and Deeter (Mark Melymick), Ray (David Marciano) wrestles with another dilemma--mainly, finding out if his sister Francesca (Ramona Milano) and Fraser have gone "all the way." First broadcast on Canadian television, this final episode of Due South's inaugural season made its US debut on June 16, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shoemaker Joey Paducci (Rod Wilson) is arrested for stealing from a church collection box. It turns out that Paducci has been reduced to poverty by a gang of extortionists, headed by Frank Zuko (Jim Bracchita), childhood classmate and schoolyard tormentor of Detective Raymond Vecchio (David Marciano). In order to free Paducci and others from Zuko's iron grip, Ray must personally stand up to the bullying gang boss. Meanwhile, Fraser (Paul Gross) has quite a time avoided the amorous advance of Ray's sister Francesca (Ramona Milano). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Fraser's (Paul Gross) former lover Victoria (Melina Kanakeredes reveals her true colors when she kills her former partner Jolly (Denis Forest) and frames Fraser (Paul Gross) and Ray (David Marciano) on a charge of passing stolen money. But is it truly her scheme to destroy Fraser, or does she have something entirely different in mind. A shocking denoument may spell the end of Fraser and Ray's careers--not to mention their friendship. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on June 2, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A teenage girl named Andy (Amy Stewart) filches a brooch belonging to Fraser's boss Thatcher (Camilla Scott). Even worse, the young pickpocket has also made off with an electronic appointment book belonging to a murdered madam, containing information that could destroy the career of a prominent senator. Fraser (Paul Gross) and Ray (David Marciano) attempt to retrieve the book (and of course the brooch), all the while protecting the fugitive Andy and her partner-brother Sid (Shawn Mathieson) from the senator's murderous minions. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on January 12, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Due South regular Daniel Kash exits the series in spectacular fashion when his character, Chicago detective Louis Gardino, is killed by a bomb intended for Ray (David Marciano). His grief exacerbated by a thirst for vengeance, Ray goes after the man whom he thinks is responsible for Gardino's death: Mafia boss Frank Zuko (Jim Bracchita), who grew up in Ray's neighborhood. Complicating matters is the growing romantic relationship between Ray and Zuko's sister Irene (Carrie-Ann Moss)--a relationship that leads inexorably to another tragedy. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on February 2, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide