Yvonne Craig Movies
American actress Yvonne Craig trained for a ballet career from age 10 onward. While in high school, Yvonne was accepted by George Balanchine for the School of American Ballet, but she chose instead to tour with the Ballet Russe. Stopping over in Los Angeles, Ms. Craig was approached by a producer asking if she'd like to be in movies. She turned him down, but was more responsive to Hollywood after she later broke her contract with the Ballet Russe. Yvonne's first film was The Young Land (1957), but it remained on the shelf for two years, thus Eighteen and Anxious (1957) was the moviegoers' first introduction to the actress. The Young Land earned Yvonne a contract with Columbia pictures, where because of her exotic looks and flowing black hair she was cast in teen-aged "femme fatale" roles, such as the seductress in The Gene Krupa Story (1960) (though quite thin, she was actually larger than her frail Krupa co-star Sal Mineo, which caused a minor crisis when the script called for Mineo to hold Yvonne in his arms). Amidst movie assignments of off-and-on quality, Yvonne tested for West Side Story, but lost out to Natalie Wood. She did, however, hold the distinction of appearing with Elvis Presley twice in It Happened at the World's Fair (1962) and Kissin' Cousins (1964). In 1967, Yvonne was called upon to replace an incapacitated Mary Ann Mobley as Batgirl (aka Barbara Gordon) on the once-popular TV series Batman. Ms. Craig did her best in a sketchily written part, and was proud of the fact that she handled her motorcycle-riding scenes without a double, but Batman was on its last legs, and was cancelled in early 1968. When acting roles became repetitive--and few and far between--Yvonne drifted out of show business, making her last film in 1971. She co-produced industrial shows for a time, then went into the real estate business, where she did quite well for herself. Though she did appear (at the producer's request) in a low-budget video film in 1991, Yvonne Craig elected not to play the Hollywood Game anymore, and was content to limit her public appearance to film-fan conventions and Batman retrospectives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine explore the remarkable history of the legendary dance troupe Ballets Russes in this meticulously researched documentary that traces the evolution of the group from their 1909 debut performance in Paris until their final 1962 show in Brooklyn, NY. Performing at venues both large and small, the Ballets Russes opened the world's eyes to the art of dance in a manner never even conceived by vaudeville. Detailing everything from the involvement of such legendary artists as Picasso and Matisse to the quarrels between choreography giants George Balanchine and Leonid Massine -- and including interviews with such historical Ballets Russes dancers as Yvonne Chouteau, Raven Wilkinson, and other surviving members of the troupe -- this documentary pays tribute to some of the biggest names in the world of dance while simultaneously showcasing the remarkable influence that Ballets Russes had on generations of dancers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- PG
When her grandfather the mortician goes on holiday, a young woman must run the family business. The comedy begins when she goes through grandpa's books and finds out that he is a wanted man and is nearing bankruptcy. Hoping to save him, the clever girl comes up with a few crazy ideas and begins staging extremely creative funerals. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Disaster follows Nurse Ridgely (Catherine Burns) when she spreads a rumor about Dr. Morton's (Ron Pinkard) financial status, while Roy (Kevin Tighe) hopes that everyone else will follow John (Randolph Mantooth) when he participates in the Fireman's Olympics track event. The emergency-call manifest includes a case of peach-pit cyanide poisioning, and the rescue of a man trapped in an overturned armored car. Finally, another emergency patient suffers not only from a fracture, but from the consequences of having two wives at the same time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Glenn Ford is Jarrett, a former boxer with an artistic streak. He becomes a private detective, specializing in cases that will allow him to breath the rarefied air of art galleries and museums. Anthony Quayle is Jarrett's "Moriarity," a wealthy art collector who will stop at nothing to build up his collection. Jarrett was written to accommodate a younger actor, but the producers owed a commitment to Glenn Ford. As a result, the storyline, involving the search for some rare scrolls, became an endurance test for both the venerable Mr. Ford and the audience. To be fair, the star does manage to handle the glib dialogue well (when he's not out of breath). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Anthony Quayle, (more)
- 1973
After a routine heist, two-bit car thief Artie Fowler (Mark Alaimo) is killed in cold blood. Kojak suspects that there's something bigger than a standard robbery going on--especially after Artie's girlfriend Maria (Lara Parker) lets slip that an upcoming "caper" will make fools of the authorities. It turns out that a $500,000 heist is in the works, masterminded by mob leader Hugh Jellicoe (Paul Lambert) and an unknown party whose theatrical bravado astonishes even the professional crooks. Future Dallas costar Ken Kercheval appears in a significant role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this comedy, a bungling bookkeeper's assistant works in the Dalton city hall and finds himself framed for embezzling by his corrupt superiors. A sweet young woman helps him clear his name. He is also assisted by Leo the computer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Several of the Enterprise's top crew members, including Captain Kirk, are held captive by a madman in this episode from the third season of the 1960s science fiction series. The starship is entrusted with the shipment of supplies to a mental-hospital planet, including a new, powerful drug used to treat the dangerously insane. When Kirk, Mr. Spock, and several other crew members visit the planet's surface, however, they unwittingly stumble into a trap -- too late they discover that the man they believe to be the hospital's director is in fact a disguised patient. This patient, himself a former starship captain, activates the planet's security devices to keep the Enterprise crew captive, forcing Kirk and the others to attempt to outwit a brilliant madman. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Derek Flint (James Coburn) is back in this James Bond-styled spy spoof sequel to Our Man Flint. Flint's boss Cramden (Lee J. Cobb) assigns him to stop a group of felonious females on the Virgin Islands who hope to take over the world; the bad femmes are kidnapping astronauts and replacing them with doubles to gain access to the world's missile sites. Andrew Duggan plays the U.S. President and his nefarious double. The feature was typical of the spoofs that followed in the wake of the successful James Bond spy films of the 1960s. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, (more)
- 1966
In this episode from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. series, the two good guy spies must stop a criminal mastermind from altering the course of the Gulf Stream. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this sci-fi film, lonely Martians wire Earth in hopes of finding fertile women to repopulate their dying world. They are particularly interested in a voluptuous dancing scientist. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1966
One of Our Spies is Missing was cobbled together from a two-part episode of the American TV series Man From UNCLE, then shipped overseas as a feature film. Robert Vaughn and David McCallum head the cast as Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin, U.N.C.L.E's top agents. The original two-parter, "The Bridge of Lions Affair" (telecast February 4 and 11, 1966), concerns a biochemist who develops a rejuvenation process. The chemist disappears, so it's up to Solo and Kuryakin to recover or destroy the process before it falls into the hands of the enemy spy organization THRUSH. Padding out the proceedings in One of Our Spies is Missing is a newly-filmed subplot concerning the niece (Yvonne Craig) of U.N.C.L.E. head honcho Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
This feature-length espionage thriller is an expanded version of an episode of the TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. entitled "The Alexander the Great Affair." Mr. Alexander (Rip Torn) is a power-hungry multi-millionaire who wants to take over the world from his compound in Greece, with Alexander the Great serving as his role model. Alexander starts his bid for world domination in a small but strategically crucial Asian nation, where he plans to assassinate the President and render his chain of command helpless with a chemical weapon that destroys a person's will to win. International agents Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) are sent out to stop him, while Alexander's wife Tracey (Dorothy Provine) has her own ideas of how to deal with him. The original airing of "The Alexander The Great Affair" led off the second (and most popular) season of the TV series; the theatrical release of One Spy Too Many proved somewhat less successful. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, (more)
- 1965
Ski Party is essentially a beach-party flick with snow and capri pants replacing the surf and bikinis. Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman decide to crash a girls-only party at a skiing lodge. You know what happens next--and boy, are Avalon and Hickman a sight in lipstick and high heels. Avalon's usual vis-a-vis Annette Funicello has a mere guest role here, allowing Deborah Walley and Yvonne Craig to supply the pulchritude. All that's really missing are the usual Beach Party guest stars: Robert Q. Lewis is hardly a fair exchange for Buster Keaton and Don Rickles. One of the songs in Ski Party was co-written by no less than Marvin Hamlisch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, (more)
- 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
Elvis Presley plays a double role in Kissin' Cousins. When the U.S. government wants land owned by the hillbilly clan headed by Pappy Tatum (Arthur O'Connell), they send Air Force Lieutenant Josh Morgan (Presley), a cousin of the Tatum's, to try and secure the land for a proposed missile base. Josh comes face-to-face with Jody Tatum, his blonde-haired look-alike. Glenda Farrell plays Ma Tatum, and distaff interest for Elvis is provided by Cynthia Pepper, Yvonne Craig, a busty Beverly Powers, and Hortense Petra. Watch for Maureen Reagan as one of the Kittyhawks, a group of desperate, man-hungry females out to get some love. This film was the first of the low-budget movies that would unfortunately plague the rest of Elvis' movie career. The song selection also reflects a decline in the quality of both recording and acting parts offered to Presley. Once he fulfilled his contractual obligations for the forgettable features, Elvis ended his film career and devoted his efforts exclusively to live shows and recording. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, (more)
- 1964
Union Colonel Brackenby (Melvyn Douglas) and his second-in-command, Captain Heath (Glenn Ford), attempt to command a rather inept cavalry unit during the Civil War. General Willoughby (Jim Backus) heads them out West on assignment rather than allowing them to foul things up where it counts. They soon get involved with Martha Lou, a confederate spy (Stella Stevens) posing as a prostitute, and her boss, Jenny (Joan Blondell) as well as a group of renegades and an Indian chief. In spite of their ridiculous slapstick antics, they manage to carry out their mission. This comedy was based on Company of Cowards, a novel by Jack Schaefer. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Stella Stevens, (more)
- 1964
In this comedy, an introverted journalist for a prominent magazine is assigned to do a story on "Little America" in Antarctica. Once there he gets in all sorts of trouble with the army, a rival, and the penguin Milton Fox. He also finds himself embroiled in a plot to ship some Kiwi women to the base, and in the attempted defections of a number of Russian scientists. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Maharis, Robert Morse, (more)
- 1964
The Seaview rescues a survivor (Nick Adams) from an Antarctic expedition who seems to be suffering tropical exposure, and claims to have seen live dinosaurs. Nelson (Richard Basehart) and Crane (David Hedison) find a prehistoric veldt, filled with creatures presumed to have been extinct for millions of years. They uncover the truth about the fate of the other members of the expedition, but are trapped by the newly active volcano towering over the primordial veldt. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1963
- Add It Happened at the World's Fair to QueueAdd It Happened at the World's Fair to top of Queue
This Elvis Presley vehicle is close to a lemon, even for his die-hard fans. Elvis is Mike Edwards, a pilot of a small plane who has a faithful sidekick, Danny (Gary Lockewood), and a penchant for singing. The story, such as it is, takes place in-between a total of ten different songs, the most memorable being "One Broken Heart for Sale". Mike is tough on the outside but he is willing to take up a good cause when he finds Sue Lin (Vicky Tiu) temporarily abandoned at the Seattle Worlds Fair. Aside from Sue Lin, he also finds an attractive nurse who is not abandoned but might still need attention. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Joan O'Brien, (more)
- 1961
The actors do the best they can with this undistinguished wartime melodrama about a group of women caught in New Guinea just when the Japanese are taking over Indonesia and its contiguous islands in 1942. The women range from an ornithologist, to a nurse, to a thief, and a waitress, all captured and put into a Japanese prison camp. But the women manage to escape, though not all survive, and later on they encounter a double-dealing plantation owner (Cesar Romero) who unknown to them, is collaborating with the Japanese and plans on sending them back to their captors. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Owens, Denise Darcel, (more)
- 1961
There's always something simmering beneath the quaint and placid surface of small-town New England lives -- and that includes the usual maladies of alcoholism, rape, and suicide. At least this is the case if you go by the tortuous tale told in By Love Possessed, a Peyton Place knock-off, directed with glossy intensity by the usually reliable action director John Sturges (Bad Day at Black Rock and The Magnificent Seven). The tale chronicles the miserable lives of Arthur Winner (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.), Julius Penrose (Jason Robards Jr.), and Noah Tuttle (Thomas Mitchell) -- legal counseling partners in a law firm that could probably use some good counseling themselves. Arthur's wife Clarissa (Barbara Bel Geddes) has nothing but contempt for poor Arthur because she considers their marriage as more a business deal than a love match. Then there's Julius's wife Marjorie (Lana Turner) who has become a full-time alcoholic ever since Julius has been rendered impotent by an automobile accident. Arthur and Marjorie's frustrations both gel into an illicit romantic union. Arthur certainly needs some kind of diversion since his son Warren (George Hamilton) refuses to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a lawyer. As if that weren't enough, he also refuses to marry Helen Detweiller (Susan Kohner), the girl Arthur wants him to marry because she is rolling in money and is also the ward of Noah. Instead, Warren runs off with the local town whore (Yvonne Craig), who accuses Warren of raping her. Despondent, Helen resorts to desperate measures when she is rejected, and Arthur realizes that he must begin to reconsider his life choices. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lana Turner, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., (more)
- 1960
Bing Crosby plays a widowed millionaire who decides that it's "high time" he got himself a college education. Enrolling as a freshman, Crosby is forced to endure the anachronistic initiation stunts dreamed up by his fraternity buddies, and at one point is required to dress up as Scarlett O'Hara (that's the level of humor here). Unlike the other students, Bing displays no interest in romantically pursuing the lovely coeds. Instead, he woos a teacher (Nicole Maurey) who is -- relatively speaking -- closer to his own age. Bing rounds out his first year in college as the most popular man on campus (he's certainly the best singer, since his only competition is the redoubtable Fabian). Though about 15 years out of date, High Time is brightly directed by Blake Edwards and includes at least one memorable song, ""The Second Time Around."" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bing Crosby, Fabian, (more)
Although it revolves around a crucial issue in the history of California, this subpar drama misses its targets somehow. The time is 1848 in California when an American justice system has to try Californians who are either Mexican in culture and speech and heritage, or not. Hatfield Carnes (Dennis Hopper) is a sorry example of the "not" side of the equation, and he is on trial for murdering a Mexican. The Mexican-Americans who back California's U.S. government are anxious to see if American justice is racially and ethnically blind. In the meantime, there is a romance or two to divert attention as Hatfield's accusers get ready for the trial. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Wayne, Yvonne Craig, (more)
- 1959
Teenager Francie Lawrence (Sandra Dee) is known to her surfing friends as "Gidget" or a "girl midget" (she is kinda on the short side). Unable to compete with the curvaceous bikinied lasses at the local beach, Gidget is assured by her understanding parents (Arthur O'Connell, Mary LaRoche) that boys will eventually pay attention to her. Turns out that Mom's right on the money, as surfers Moondoggie (James Darren) and Kahoona (Cliff Robertson) vie for Gidge's attention during the summer of her 16th birthday. Based on the novel by Frederick Kohner (who based the title character on his own daughter), Gidget was one of the surprise hits of 1959. The film spawned a host of theatrical and TV-movie sequels, not to mention the 1966 TV series starring Sally Field -- and the 1987 sitcom starring Caryn Richman. In addition, Gidget boosted the careers of several stars-to-be, including Yvonne Craig, Doug McClure and Tom Laughlin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson, (more)
