Buck Houghton Movies

In this supernatural thriller, a television director's boring life is spiced up by his girl friend who reveals that she is involved with the black arts and then teaches him the art of astral-projection. He becomes adept at freeing his soul from his body and really enjoys the experience until he discovers that his body takes off and begins killing people whenever he's not in it. The story is also titled Blue Man. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Escape Artist represents the laudable directorial debut of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Griffin O'Neal, the real-life son of Ryan O'Neal, plays Danny Masters, the offspring of a famed magician. Determined to match his dad's accomplishment, Danny runs into nothing but trouble. His biggest mistake is picking the pocket of the son of a corrupt town mayor. When not running from adults, the boy is being exploited by them. A critic's favorite, Escape Artist has slowly built up a cult following over the years, thanks largely to its eclectic supporting cast, including Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz Jr., Joan Hackett, Teri Garr, Jackie Coogan, Huntz Hall and M. Emmet Walsh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James Michener's Dynasty is aptly named. This TV movie is indeed based on a novel by Michener, which does indeed cover thirty five years (1820-1855) in the lives of a land-rich family. Harris Yulin and Stacy Keach play the Blackwood brothers, a pair of enterprising Ohio pioneers. The ongoing rivalry between the older Yulin and younger Keach is intensified when Yulin's wife Sarah Miles leaves her husband in favor of Keach. As the brothers try to outdo each other in business, the Blackwood land empire grows to epic proportions. Unfortunately, this TV movie does not; at 2 hours, there just isn't enough time to do justice to Michener's sprawling novel. James Michener's Dynasty is worth noting for the supporting-cast contributions of Amy Irving and Harrison Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Goulet plays David March, an American traitor living in Germany during World War II. Allowed to travel freely within the Nazi hierarchy, March is privy to secrets that would spell his doom were he on "our" side. What the Nazis don't know (but we do) is that March is on our side: he's a secret agent, posing as a turncoat in order to relay Nazi war plans to the allies. His main goal is to destroy a secret weapons factory, but he still has time to romance German scientist Jo Ann Pflug and French chanteuse Christine Carrere. I Deal in Danger was comprised of three half-hour episode of the 1966 TV series Blue Light; the seamwork shows at times, but the film runs a lot more smoothly than most such pastiches. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though he'd originally intended to write several scripts for the original Twilight Zone, Ray Bradbury's sole contribution to the series was this sensitive adaptation of his own short story "I Sing the Body Electric!" Hoping to fill the void left by the death of his wife, a widower (David White) takes his children to Robots Unlimited to purchase an "electric grandmother" for the kids. The younger children (Charles Herbert) and Dana Dillaway) are delighted with their robot granny (Josephine Hutchinson), but older daughter Anna (Veronica Cartwright) is sullen and resentful -- until "Grandma" proves herself to be more human than most humans. Though the episode is generally successful, no one connected with it was satisfied, least of all director James Sheldon, who felt that star Josephine Hutchinson was not quite right in the leading role. In addition, an earlier scene with June Vincent as the kids' aunt Nedra didn't "play" on film, necessitating an expensive reshoot, directed by William F. Claxton, with Doris Packer replacing Vincent. All in all, however, "I Sing the Body Electric!" pleased the crowd when it first aired on May 18, 1962, though a much-later 60-minute TV version, "The Electric Grandmother" (1980), was closer to the spirit of the Bradbury original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bearing traces of such earlier film offerings as The Great Gabbo and Dead of Night, the eerie Twilight Zone episode "The Dummy" was scripted by Rod Serling from a story by Lee Polk. Cliff Robertson stars as Jerry Etherson, a nightclub ventriloquist with a predilection for liquor and emotional problems. Weighing heavily upon Jerry is the fact that he feels threatened by his dummy Willy -- as well he should, since Willy seems to be doing all his talking on his own. Hoping to rid himself of his little nemesis, Jerry adopts a new wooden companion, Goofy Goggles, but Willy isn't about to be dismissed so easily. The supporting cast features future Gomer Pyle USMC regular Frank Sutton and perennial starlet Edy Williams. Stylishly directed by former actor Abner Biberman, "The Dummy" first aired May 4, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Written by Rod Serling, this nostalgic Twilight Zone episode was clearly inspired by Serling's student years at Ohio's Antioch College. Made up to look twice his age, Donald Pleasence stars as Prof. Ellis Fowler, the oldest teacher at an exclusive boy's school. Ordered by his headmaster (Liam Sullivan) to retire, Fowler is convinced that his life has been meaningless -- until he is paid a nocturnal visit by several ethereal-looking "alumni." Telecast June 1, 1962, "The Changing of the Guard" was scheduled as the final Twilight Zone of the 1961-62 season -- and at the time, it looked as if it would be the last Twilight Zone, period. Though the series would ultimately be renewed in January of 1963, it would never completely rescale the creative heights of its first three seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In his second Twilight Zone apperance of the 1961-62 season, Joseph Schildkraut stars as elderly John Holt, who, together with his equally aged wife Marie (Alma Platt), yearns to be young and vital again. Visiting the New Life Corporation, John and Marie are invited by unctuous salesman Vance (Noah Keen) to trade in their old bodies for newer models. Alas, the operation costs $5,000 per person -- and the Platts have only enough money for one "trade-in." Written by Rod Serling, "The Trade-Ins" was the final third-season Twilight Zone episode to be filmed, but not the last one to be telecast; rather, it was seen on April 20, 1962, with six more episodes still to go. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rod Serling adapted the teleplay for this Twilight Zone episode from a short story by Price Day, which first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Decked out in coke-bottle glasses and greased-down hair, Theodore Bikel is malevolence personified as Oliver Crangle, a self-appointed "social conscience" who spends all his waking hours persecuting innocent people whom he has designated as evil. After casually ruining several lives, this Crangle declares that he has in his possession the means to shrink all evil people in the world to a height of two feet -- and that this metamorphosis will occur exactly at Four O'Clock. Appearing as Crangle's landlady is Moyna McGill, the actress mother of Angela Lansbury. "Four O'Clock" was first telecast on April 6, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Awakening with "the grandaddy of all hangovers," David Gurney (Richard Long) is not amused when his wife Wilma (Shirley Ballard) emits a scream and insists that she'd never set eyes on David before. As the day progresses, it turns out that no one recognizes David, nor is their any record of his ever having existed -- and as a result of his "ravings," he is placed in a mental institution. Is David really crazy, or is his loss of identity merely a bad dream? Well. . .best to stick around until the very, very last scene. Written by Charles Beaumont, "Person or Persons Unknown" made its Twilight Zone bow on March 23, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of Charles Beaumont's most charming Twilight Zone scripts, this episode stars the ubiqitious J. Pat O'Malley as Old Ben, the only ray of sunshine in the life of crippled eight-year-old Jenny (Susan Gordon). Out of earshot of Jenny's harridan guardian Mrs. Gann (Nancy Kulp), Old Ben confesses that he is a fugitive from a distant planet, an assertion that seems to be verified when he miraculously heals Jenny's leg. The arrival of two mysterious strangers leads to an even more startling revelation -- albeit one with happy results. Keep an eye on that photograph in the final scene. "The Fugitive" first aired March 9, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Writer-director Montgomery Pittman's final Twilight Zone offering was the bucolic comedy "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank." As the youthful title character (James Best) lies in his coffin during his funeral, the assembled mourners listen to the droning words of the local pastor (William Fawcett) -- whereupon Jeff sits bolt upright, very much alive! Doc Bolton (Edgar Buchanan) assumes that he made a misdiagnosis when he declared Jeff dead, but the townsfolk are convinced that the boy has been possessed by the devil, especially after Jeff handily beats up his longtime antagonist Orgram Gatewood (Lance Fuller), something he has never been able to do before. Only Orgram's cousin Comfort (played by director Pittman's daughter-in-law Sherry Jackson) remains unafraid of Jeff, but even she begins to have her doubts during the diabolically amusing final scenes. Blessed with a semi-satirical harmonica score by Tommy Morgan, "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" made its first TV appearance on February 23, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Written by George Clayton Johnson, this elegiac Twilight Zone episode stars 72-year-old Ernest Truex as Charles Whitley, a reluctant resident of the Sunnyvale Rest Home. Becoming convinced that he'll never truly grow old so long as he "thinks young," Charlie begins indulging in such children's games as kick the can. Before long, Charlie has been joined in his youth-quest by the rest of Sunnydale's residents -- all except for his roommate Ben Conroy (Russell Collins), who pays dearly for his unwillingness to shed his inhibitions. Ernest Truex's real-life son Barry Truex appears in the opening scene as Charlie's insensitive son David, while the rest of the cast includes such familiar Hollywood "oldsters" as Burt Mustin, Hank Patterson, Marjorie Bennett, Anne O'Neal, and Earle Hodgins. Originally telecast February 9, 1962, "Kick the Can" was one of three Twilight Zone episodes that would be remade and included in the 1983 theatrical film Twilight Zone: The Movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide