Seeleg Lester Movies

One of a handful of 1990s Outer Limits episodes based on stories from the series' original run in the 1960s, "The Inheritors" was adapted from a program that first aired as a two-parter in November 1964. Stricken in the head by a bullet-shaped meteorite particle, musician Jacob Hardy (Nicholas Lea) is rushed to the hospital, where he is pronounced dead -- only to suddenly return to life as if nothing happened. But of course, something has happened: Jacob has emerged from his ordeal with a super-advanced intellect, as have two other "victims" of the same meteorite. But for what purpose have Jacob and his fellow "geniuses" been chosen for this honor -- and by whom? This remake of "The Inheritors" was telecast on July 16, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Everest Julian, a dying lawyer, is the bearer of a brain which holds memories from before mankind lived on the planet, and all subsequent experiences. Before he dies, Julian must find some poor fool to receive this unwelcome legacy. He chooses David Reynolds, an artist who is slow to understand the implications of his request. One highlight of the film is the repeated appearance of a mysterious, problem-solving cat. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

It's 1951 in Korea, a time that the United States Army doesn't like to remember. The Communists, led by Chinese forces, are tearing up the battlefield and overrunning American and South Korean positions, and in the midst of it, Sgt. Paul William Ryker (Lee Marvin), decorated World War II hero, with medals that would be the envy of any man in uniform, has been convicted of treason for allegedly deserting, going over to the enemy, and spending weeks behind enemy lines. He's scheduled to be executed, but Capt. David Young (Bradford Dillman), the prosecutor in the case, begins to worry that Ryker wasn't properly represented at trial -- he believes Ryker was guilty, but wants him to be convicted fairly. It hardly endears Young to the men around him when he starts pressing his doubts, and then he meets Ryker's wife, Ann (Vera Miles), who doesn't have the best of marriages but believes her husband is innocent. They start working together and, in the process, become attracted to each other. Ryker claims that a now-deceased counter-intelligence officer, Colonel Chambers, recruited him for a secret mission that would take him behind enemy lines, allegedly as an American turncoat, all to help plug a leak in his own command -- but Chambers was killed just 24 hours after Ryker's mission started, and nothing in his effects verifies Ryker's story. Young is ordered to lay off the case by his commanding officer, the new head of counter-intelligence, and General Bailey (Lloyd Nolan), commanding the sector, but Young risks his career to get Ryker a new trial. Now he's got to defend the man himself, against his own commanding officer as prosecutor, and prepare for his own court martial for conduct unbecoming an officer, for his affair with Ann Ryker. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

In Volume 40 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, the speedy evolution of an alien culture is observed through a professor's telescope. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Widow Carol Taylor (Rebecca Welles) hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to prove that her late husband didn't steal $130,000 before his death in a plane crash. As it turns out, Carol will need Perry more than she imagined: when Howard Walters (Simon Oakland) turns up murdered, Carol is arrested for the crime. While mounting Carol's defense, Perry unearths a hotbed of intrigue involving (among other things) a double murder and some VERY creative bookkeeping. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It looks like suicide when hasbeen concert pianist David Carpenter (Gregory Morton) plunges off a cliff. Then the suspicion arises that Carpenter was actually murdered so that his wife Anita (Virginia Field) could collect his life insurance. But Anita is not the client of Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) in the subsequent preliminary hearing: instead, Carpenter's sexy protegee Donna Ross (Kathie Browne) has been charged with the murder. (Trivia note: the original TV Guide listings identify the suspect as "Donna Loring", a name presumably changed at the last minute for legal reasons). Robert Karnes makes his first appearance as Deputy DA Chamberlin, one of several temporary replacements for absentee regular William Talman (DA Hamilton Burger). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While vacationing in the mountain community of Fawnskin, Perry (Raymond Burr) becomes intrigued by the plight of recently paroled Phil Beecher (Ray Hemphill), who is despised by the townfolk because he was responsible for the death of Aggie Norris--who happened to be the daughter of Perry's good friend, Sheriff Eugene Norris (Barton MacLane). Apparently no one hates Phil more than Aggie's sister Charlotte (Ina Victor), who hopes to send the man back to jail by framing him for robbery. When Charlotte turns up murdered, Phil may end up the guest of honor at a lynching party unless Perry can prove his innocence. (Curiously, in the original TV Guide synopsis for this episode, the murder victim is identified as Aggie Norris' brother!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sarah Werner (Osa Massen) begs Perry to locate her husband Hugo (Kurt Krueger), who ran off with all her money, leaving her alone and destitute. Perry's secretary Della suspects that Sarah isn't being entirely truthful, especially since the woman is wearing a very expensive perfume. As for Hugo--or as he is now calling himself, Hans Breel--he is currently involved in an elaborate scam involving a priceless gem called the Pundit Stone. When Hugo turns up murdered, Sarah is accused of the crime, whereupon Perry does some diligent digging into the facts (some of which are actually fallacies) to clear his client. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When the body of wealthy Peter Baxter (Anthony Joachim) is found in the charred ruins of his mansion, caretaker James Hing (Benson Fong), who'd been made Baxter's sole heir in his will, is accused of the crime. Hing admits to burning down the mansion, but insists that he did so on the orders of Baxter, who'd planned to fake his death in order to test the loyalty of his heirs. Can it be that someone else got wind of Baxter's scheme and decided to bump him off for real? That's what Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must find out before the final commercial. This episode is based on Erle Stanley Gardner's novel The Case of the Black Cat, previously adapted as a 1935 theatrical feature, with Ricardo Cortez as Mason. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hoping to divorce her husband Walter (Walter Prescott) so she can marry her sweetheart Jimmy McLain (Biff Elliot), Ruth Prescott (Stacy Graham) is terrified that Walter is trying to kill her. Actually, it may be the other way around: Walter turns up dead, and Ruth is charged with the crime. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is convinced that Ruth is innocent, and that there is more to this seemingly open-and-shut case than meets the eye. Based on a 1936 novel by Erle Stanley Gardner, this is the final episode of Perry Mason's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Not long after trying to strike a deal with political "fixer" Wilfred Borden (George Neise), building contractor George Andrews (John Anderson) is in a car accident. When Borden is murdered and Andrews arrested for the crime, Perry (Raymond Burr) hinges his defense on locating swimsuit model Dawn Manning (Dolores Donlon), the girl who was with Andrews at the time of the accident--and that, folks, is why Mr. Mason is posing as a professional photographer. This episode is based on a 1958 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Philip Larkin (Terry Becker) is murdered, and his stepfather Joseph Harrison (John Hoyt) is charged with the crime. A key piece of evidence for the prosecution is a home movie showing Larkin and Harrison quarrelling; could their argument have been about sexy Lorraine Stevens (Andra Martin), whom Philip had earlier tried to seduce? Fay Wray of King Kong fame makes the first of three Perry Mason appearances as Harrison's former wife Ethel, who hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to defend her ex-husband in court. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide