John W. Bloch Movies
- 1976
In a rare dramatic appearance, Desi Arnaz Jr. appears as B.J. Palmer, the lead singer of a popular rock group. When the group's avaricious manager David Breen (Conrad Janis) is bludgeoned to death, B.J. is convinced that he himself is the guilty party. After all, the troubled young singer suffers from congenital insanity--or at least, that is what he has been led to believe by certain other parties! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The Passion of the Christ screenwriter Benedict Fitzgerald travels back to Biblical times once again to tell the life story of Mary, the woman who gave birth to the Christian savior. Beginning in Mary's childhood and presenting vivid recreations of every major moment in the virgin mother's life, Myriam, Mother of Christ follows the Holy Family as they return from Egypt to Galilee following the death if King Herod. In telling the story from Mary's perspective, screenwriter Fitzgerald allows the viewer to follow along as she gradually begins to perceive of God's plan and struggles to realize the mystery of her calling. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In this made-for-TV thriller, a vacation for two men turns deadly when their wives are kidnapped by several escaped convicts. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Seven in Darkness has the distinction of being the first made-for-TV "ABC Movie of the Week." The "seven" are all blind people, passengers on a flight en route to a convention for the visually impaired. The plane crashes, forcing the sightless seven to struggle for survival in the hostile wilderness. Arthur O'Connell is given "special guest star" billing, a reliable tip-off as to which of the seven dies first. The rest of the party includes Dina Merrill, Barry Nelson, Sean Garrison, Milton Berle, Alejandro Rey and Lesley Ann Warren. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Solo and Illya travel to Latin America to prevent T.H.R.U.S.H. from orchestrating a revolution against a popular Evita-like ruler named Angela (Madlyn Rhue). The plot thickens when the principal instigator of the revolt turns out to be Angela's own husband, power-hungry General Abaca (Joe Sirola). Plots and counterplots and counter-counterplots abound in John W. Bloch's teleplay. The 100th episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., "The Fiery Angel Affair" first aired on November 6, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
A vague clue provided by a dying spy prompts Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to investigate the possibility of espionage within the hierachy of corporate America. The villain of this piece is Steve Ramsey (Andrew Duggan), a veteran Communist agent posing as a top-ranking CEO. Also figuring into the intrigue is Ramsey's missile-scientist brother Alec (Richard Anderson), who may or may not be as corruptible as Steve. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Missiles fired from somewhere in the United States are destroying the Soviet wheat crop. To prevent a third world war, Solo adopts a clever disguise and infiltrates the underwater missile site maintained by germ-warfare specialist Vincent Lockridge (Henry Jones). This time around, the "innocent bystanders" assisting Solo include Felicia Lavimore (Marta Kristen), daughter of scientist Jonas Lavimore (Alexander Lockwood), and Felicia's boyfriend Gabe Melcroft (Jeremy Slate). Scripted by Henry Sharp from a story by John W. Block, "The Neptune Affair" originally aired on December 8, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
From at least the 1930s on to the 1970s, the upbeat protestant minister, Reverend Norman Vincent Peale, ministered to the well-heeled and upwardly mobile of the United States from his pulpit at the Riverside church on Fifth Avenue in New York City. At least as positive-thinking as the similarly cheery Dale Carnegie (How To Win Friends and Influence People), his lift-yourself-by-your-bootstraps message of good cheer was perceived as unorthodox by many within the churches he grew up in. After many decades of preaching his message, summed up in his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking, he was enshrined as a sort of secular saint. His influence reached to Presidents and corporate heads, and his name became synonymous with a kind of extraverted wholesomeness which has long since vanished. This biopic traces his career in the most respectful possible manner. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Murray, Diana Hyland, (more)
