Bob Barbash Movies
Screenwriter Bob Barbash penned many scripts for television series and also for a few feature films, notably Disney's epic sci-fi adventure The Black Hole (1979). Barbash made his screenwriting debut with The Plunderers (1960). His television credits include episodes of Gunsmoke, Playhouse 90, and Starsky and Hutch. During the 1960s, Barbash also produced the Tarzan adventure series. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 2009
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Two mortal enemies must band together to defend the ranch they've both staked their claim on in this rollicking western comedy starring Dean Cain and Natasha Henstrige. When B.J. (James Tupper) wagered half of his ranch in a bet with Shea (Cain), he never thought he'd come out on the losing end. Now that ownership of the ranch is split down the middle, the two gamblers can't quite agree on anything. The most hotly contested debate to result from the wager isn't the ranch, however, but the hand of the lovely Liz Calhoun (Allison Hossack). Both men want Liz, but neither man can have her. When a gang of bandits makes a bid for the ranch, B.J. and Shea momentarily put their differences aside to fight shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, James Tupper, (more)
An ambitious sci-fier from the Disney folks, The Black Hole takes place in the future. A quintet of space travelers stumble across a "black hole." Not wishing to be sucked into the void, the crew prepares to flee, but stops long enough to investigate a mysterious space vessel near the entrance of the hole. Manning this craft is mad scientist Dr. Hans Reinhardt (Maximillian Schell), who intends to explore the black hole in hopes of finding the universe's energy source. The cast includes Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Yvette Mimieux, and others. The Black Hole marked one of the Disney company's first PG-rated films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, (more)
- 1969
- R
Set up like a version of the Maltese Falcon, this routine detective yarn by Roger Corman features Vic Morrow as Harry Black, a hard-living, tough-skinned American in trouble. Two dangerous factions want to get their hands on some engraving plates stolen from the British mint, and Harry is trapped in the middle. The staged car chases, the seductive woman (Suzanne Pleshette) who wants Harry for her own reasons, Monte Carlo and Istanbul locations, the dramatic musical score, and all the earmarks of a low-grade James Bond spy thriller date this drama to the 1960s. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vic Morrow, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1968
- G
As king of the jungle, Tarzan (Mike Henry) helps the female journalist Myrna (Alizia Gur) look for a mysterious jungle boy. Eric (Ronald Gans) has survived a plane crash which killed his father seven years earlier. To find the boy, the two team up to battle evil native Magambi (Rafer Johnson) and the usual jungle dangers. The party must travel into the wilds of Zagunda to save the boy, who for the last seven years has managed to get along just fine on his own in this predictable, routine jungle romp. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Henry, Rafer Johnson, (more)
- 1967
- G
A joint U.S.-Swiss production in the waning days of the 35-year-old Tarzan series, this film stars Mike Henry in the second of his three film appearances as the jungle king. The film is set in South America, where one of Tarzan's friends is murdered at Tarzan's favorite zoo. The culprits are the Leopard Men, a group of tribal humans dressed and behaving like jungle animals. They are headed by Chief Barcuna (Rafer Johnson). Tarzan recruits Captain Sam Bishop (Jan Murray) and some animal friends to help defeat Barcuna, who is planning on leading a revolt of his Leopard Men against peaceful tribal leaders. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Henry, Jan Murray, (more)
- 1960
The Plunderers is a fairly slow-paced, uneven western about a group of young toughs who run amok until they are brought up short by a one-armed Civil War vet. The leader Jeb (Ray Strickland) is accompanied by his three cohorts, Mule (Roger Torrey) a hulking Paul Bunyan type, Rondo (John Saxon), and Davy (Dee Pollack), the most innocent of the quartet. When the young men arrive in the small town, they take it over and rule the roost like four despots. Sam (Jeff Chandler), a shell-shocked veteran of the Civil War, slowly gets his act together and begins to take the four down, one at a time. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Chandler, John Saxon, (more)
- 1959
Showing up in Virginia City to collect a $4000 debt from Captain Rory Fitzgerald (David Frankham), Bart has trouble believing that the prosperous-looking Fitzgerald is as penniless as he claims. Rather than absorb the loss, Bart decides to hang around in town until the Captain is able to make good his debt--which proves to be a big mistake when our hero ends up kidnapped and bound hand and foot. Roxane Berard appears in another of her duplicitous-damsel roles, while Robert Shore goes through much the same ingenue paces as in her later costarring gig on TV's The Virginian. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
