Gene Kearney Movies
- 1978
The Joe Paxton referenced in the title is a hotshot photographer (played by Tige Andrews), currently being sued by a former movie queen (Antoinette Bower). When the woman is kidnapped along with her collection of priceless jewels, Paxton is suspected of being involved in the crime. Investigating, Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) unearths an elaborate swindle involving some very colorful (and a few dangerous) characters. Former Laugh-In star Arte Johnson appears in a quirky supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
There's been an attempted political assassination at a golf course, and the evidence indicates that a notorious international hit man has arrived in New York. In his effort to track down the killer, Kojak (Telly Savalas) is stymied by a jealous rival police lieutenant, George O'Mara (Kenneth McMillan). Things come to a head in New York's Koreatown district, where the deranged assassin is planning a revenge-driven "hit" of his own making. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Travelling to Las Vegas to pick up a criminal suspect for extradition, Crocker (Kevin Dobson), his prisoner, and sexy "topless" magcian Sally Addison (Priscilla Barnes) are all kidnapped. This the first stage of an elaborate scheme to throw the cops off the trail of what be a bigger crime. Arriving in Vegas to investigate Crocker's abduction, Kojak ends up interrogating Sally's twin sister (also Priscilla Barnes)--and even exchanges a few pointed words with the fabulous Liberace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
This final episode of Kojak's fourth season features Kathleen Widdoes as Sonia, a strong-willed gypsy who family was slaughtered in Eastern Europe. Now living in New York, Sonia is determined to exact her own special revenge against the man she holds responsible for her family's demise. To do this, she adroitly throws Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) off the trail of the selfsame felon--and in the process places her own life in jeopardy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Kojak moved from its traditonal Sunday-night timeslot to a new Saturday evening berth for this concluding episode of a two-part story. Though suspended from the force, Kojak is determined to track down a serial murderer known as The Clothesline Killer. It's a personal crusade for the troubled detective: Back in 1969, he allegedly shot the Clothesline Killer to death--and now there is every possibility that he gunned down the wrong man. Diane Baker appears in flashback as the detective's former love Irene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
In the first episode of a two-part story, Kojak recalls the events leading up to his shooting of a notorious serial murderer in 1969. Though convinced at the time that he had disposed of the "Clothesline Killer", Kojak has reason to wonder if he got the right man: someone is currently embarked upon a murder spree, using the Clothesline Killer's modus operandi. At the same time, the detective experiences poignant memories of a lost romance. This was the final Sunday-night Kojak episode; Part Two of "The Summer of '69" would be seen in the series' new Saturday-evening berth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Nightclub singer Francesca Milano (Andrea Marcovicci) is reunited with her father K.C. (William Windom), paroled after serving 14 years for a murder he didn't commit. Worried that her dad will wreak a terrible vengeance against the men who set him up, Francesca goes to Kojak (Telly Savalas), imploring him to help clear her father's name and prevent the old man from ruining what is left of his life. Guest star Andrea Marcovicci sings "You Don't Know Me" and "For All We Know". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Kojak (Telly Savalas) and his fellow detectives offer moral support to their police-officer colleague Richie Centorini (Joey Aresco), who is going through an unusually nasty divorce. The biggest thorn in Richie's side is his wife's sleazy attorney Everett Coughlin (played by future movie-studio executive David Ladd), who intends to take the hapless cop for every penny he has. When Centorini's private boat is torch--and a man killed in the process--suspicion falls upon Coughlin...and even worse, there's the possibility that Richie's ex-wife Sally (Shera Danese) may have been an accomplice. Future comedy star Joe Flaherty appears in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Several people overhear a phoned-in murder threat aimed at prominent ecologist Kenneth Krug (Eric Braeden). The caller seems to be a hooker with whom Krug is having an affair--and after a bloody shoot-out, it appears as if the woman has carried out her threat, even though no body is found. Investigating, Kojak (Telly Savalas) begins to suspect that the elusive "hooker" does not exist, and that the murderer was actually Krug's scheming wife Carol (Susan Sullivan). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Even though a gang of art thieves have been caught in the act, five priceless Rembrandt drawings have seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. To solve the case, Kojak (Telly Savalas) must work in concert with world-famous criminologist Dr. Anton Valentine (David Opatoshu)--a prospect that does not appeal to either man. Originally scheduled to air on March 7, 1976, this episode was moved up one week to accommodate an overall reshuffling of Kojak's Season Three manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Kojak (Telly Savalas) goes on a manhunt for "The Grim Reaper", a serial killer who preys upon merchants whom he feels have stiffed him financially. Six such murders occur before a hostile graffiti artist named Roger Villers (Ken Sylk) confesses to the crimes. Refusing to believe that Villers is actually guilty, Kojak decides to use the man as bait to trap the real murderer. "Out of the Shadows" was originally scheduled as the opening episode of Kojak's fourth season, but was moved back several weeks in favor of "Birthday Party". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The second and last TV pilot film to bear the Crime Club title, the 1975 Crime Club once again involves a state-of-the-art crime solving organization whose members are professional investigators from various public and private sectors. The principal characters are a detective (Scott Thomas), a reporter (Eugene Roche) and a criminal lawyer (Robert Lansing). The crime in question in this pilot concerned a social outcast who seeks public notoriety by confessing to a series of grisly ice pick murders. The three protagonists combine their brain power to solve the case, but their efforts failed to convince any network to pick up the project. Crime Club joined its 1973 predecessor in Universal's syndicated package of made-for-TV movies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Thomas, Eugene Roche, (more)
- 1975
In her first TV-series appearance, stage and screen star Ruth Gordon is cast as spiritualist Eudora Temple, who has had visions of women being strangled. Sure enough, a killing spree follows Eudora's grim prognostications, whereupon Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) contacts the woman to ask what else she's seen. But is Eudora truly a fortune-teller, or does she have "inside information" about the murders? Series star Telly Savalas directed this final episode of Kojak's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Travelling from New York to the small Nevada town of Cory, Kojak (Telly Savalas) and Crocker (Kevin Dobson) set about the task of extraditing mob witness Arnold B. Saxler (Vincent Baggetta). Unfortunately, several hired thugs are already in the vicinity, with loaded guns at the ready. The remainder of the episode is devoted to a grueling gantlet, with Kojak never entirely sure who the good guys and bad guys really are. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Crime doesn't take a holiday on Christmas Eve, and detectives Kojak (Telly Savalas) and Stavros (Demosthenes) have plenty to keep them busy. For starters, there's a gun-wielding man on the loose, determined to kill his cheating wife--and anyone else who gets in his way. At the same time, Stavros tries to help a young girl search for her boyfriend, who is likewise heavily armed and very dangerous. Keep an eye out for two future stars, John Larroquette and Edward James Olmos), in very minor roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
This episode was designed as the pilot for a proposed Kojak spinoff, starring Vincent Gardenia) as Lt. Kojak's former NYPD colleague Vince LaGuardia. Now working in Las Vegas, LaGuardia alerts Kojak (Telly Savalas) of his plan to extradite an elderly counterfeiter (Jeff Corey) to Manhattan. When the old man suddenly dies in his jail cell, Vince suspects foul play and launches a search for an unknown hitman. All the while, the veteran cop endeavors to balance his professional life with his personal responsibilities as surrogate father to his nephew Nick (Mike Darnell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Bruno Kirby, here billed as Bruce Kirby Jr., essays one of his first important roles as Keith Wicks, a deranged ex-soldier turned serial sniper. As Wicks embarks upon a citywide killing spree, he finds an unexpected co-conspirator in the form of Seymour Hayward (Eugene Roche), a bored accountant who hopes to add some excitement to his life. Needless to say, Kojak (Telly Savalas) works overtime to stop the carnage. (Trivia note: Bruno Kirby's father Bruce Kirby Sr. shows up in several other Kojak episodes in the recurring role of police sergeant Al Vine). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Zohra Lampert delivers a colorful performance as Marina Sheldon, a Gypsy fortune teller who, while trying to pass some counterfeit money, witnesses a bank robbery. Figuring that there's more profit in thievery than in crystal-gazing, Marina steals a mug shot of the robber from police files, uses the man to organize her own gang, and formulates a scheme to knock over six banks simultaneously--right under the nose of Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas). Appearing as one of the crooks is a young Lane Smith. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Judge Philip Mackie (John Randolph), a man long suspected of allowing favoritism to sway his courtroom decisions, dies under mysterious circumstances. The evidence points to suicide, but Kojak (Telly Savalas) suspects otherwise. The solution to the case rests in the hands of Mackie's son (Walter Stocker), likewise a judge--who may soon have to set a known murderer free to cover up for his father's misdeeds. Appearing as the killer is future Barney Miller costar Abe Vigoda, while showing up in a supporting role is soap-opera stalwart John Aniston, father of Jennifer Aniston. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
After one of his clients commits suicide, unscrupulous private eye Ray Coughlin (Martin Balsam hopes to cash in on the man's insurance policy. Conspiring with the victim's equally crooked business manager, Coughlin arranges the evidence to make suicide look like murder. In his efforts to foil this scheme, police lieutenant Kojak (Telly Savalas) makes little effort to hide his shame and disgust over the fact that Coughlin used to be a cop himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Suffering from psychotic depression, a woman named Lisa (Andrea Marcovicci) witnesses the murder of her boyfriend. Making matters worse, the killing was committed by one of Lisa's closest friends, who has always carried a torch for her. Kojak (Telly Savalas) tries to determine the name of the guilty party, only to find that Lisa has blotted out all memory of the murder--while the perpetrator weighs the option of adding Lisa to his list of victims. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Kojak (Telly Savalas) and his colleagues are perplexed by a mad bomber who has been striking various targets on Manhattan island. Not only are clues virtually nonexistent, but the bomber doesn't seem to be following any sort of pattern. However, the audience knows something Kojak doesn't: the perpetrator is targeting people whom he regards as personal enemies because they have done harm to his friends. A pre-stardom Dabney Coleman appears in a significant supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The plot is set in motion by a corrupt banker who has stolen several million dollars in US bonds. Also playing key roles in the intrigue are a mob fence and a professional assassin. Truly, crimefighting makes strange bedfellows: In his efforts to capture the banker and foil the other villains, NYPD lieutenant Kojak (Telly Savalas) is forced to team up with a cat burglar (Henry Darrow). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
A young James Woods delivers a powerhouse performance as Caz Mayer, a brilliant but demented college student. Feeling he has been humiliated in a police-science class conducted by Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas), Caz vows to get even by proving beyond doubt that he's capabe of committing the perfect robbery--and murder. As icing on the cake, the student arranges the evidence so that Kojak himself will be implicated. Pamela Hensley has a key role as another student who finds herself a helpless pawn in Caz's master scheme. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Return of Charlie Chan was subtitled Happiness is a Warm Clue, which should be warning enough for the discriminating viewer. Ross Martin, the disguise-happy "Artemus Gordon" of The Wild Wild West, here plays Earl Derr Biggers' scrupulously polite Chinese sleuth. Chan is dragged out of retirement to solve a baffling case, made less baffling by the guest star line-up (the killer all but wears a neon sign reading "IT'S ME!"). The victim is a possessive Greek shipping tycoon, who isn't named Onassis but you can't fool us. Rocky Gunn, Virginia Lee, Soon Teck-Oh and Ernest Harada are among the many actors playing Charlie's offspring, none of them any brighter than the "Number One" and "Number Two" sons in the old Charlie Chan B pictures. Return of Charlie Chan was the pilot film for a projected "Chan" TV series, but it was shelved due to pressure-group complaints over the casting of a Caucasian in the lead. The film was released theatrically in Europe in 1973, but didn't make it to American television until 1979. No pressure groups complained this time, mainly because no one was watching. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
