Ronnie Dapo Movies
- 1966
Captivated by her niece Martha's baby, Aunt Bee offers to take care of the infant. Andy expresses reluctance at this notion, but Bee is insistent-only to have the baby burst into tears whenever she picks the kid up. Heartbroken, Bee is convinced that the child hates her, but the real reason for the baby's crying jags have nothing to do with likes or dislikes. Alvy Moore, better known as Hank Kimball on Green Acres, is here cast as a salesman. First telecast on March 7, 1966, "A Baby in the House" was written by Bill Idelson and Sam Bobrick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Follow Me, Boys!, Disney's paean to the Boys Scouts of America, leaves no cliché unturned: we're even offered the old reliable "kid hanging over cliff by rope" bit. Corny, sentimental and obvious though it may be, the film is a delight to watch, especially whenever Fred MacMurray dominates the screen. MacMurray plays Lem Siddons, a 1930s musician who decides to settle down in a small Midwestern town. Here he meets pretty bank teller Vida Downey (Vera Miles), who bemoans the fact that the local boys have no organized activities with which to occupy their time. Volunteering to be a scoutmaster, Lem begins a local scout troop. There are some tense moments when banker Ralph Hastings (Elliot Reid) demands that Lem's scouts vacate their headquarters, but Reid's feisty millionaire Aunt Hetty (Lillian Gish) comes to the rescue. The film's throughline is the regeneration of local "tough kid" Whitey (Kurt Russell), who, after joining the Boy Scouts, straightens out and matures into a solid citizen. The film's lachrymose climax is kept "honest" by the sincere underplaying of Fred MacMurray. Though lambasted by reviewers, Follow Me, Boys! struck a responsive chord with filmgoers, to the tune of a $5.5 million box-office take. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1965
Eddie (Butch Patrick) hopes to enter his beloved bat Igor in a school pet contest, but Igor flaps away in anger after being insulted by Herman (Fred Gwynne). Resourcefully, Grandpa (Al Lewis) changes himself into a bat and takes Igor's place. Unfortunately, Grandpa neglects to inform Eddie about this metamorphosis--and soon regrets this lapse in judgement when Eddie trades his "new" bat for a squirrel! Alvy Moore, best remembered by TV fans as self-contradictory agriculture agent Hank Kimball on Green Acres, appears as Dr. Grant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
In the first episode of a two-part story, Lt. Gerard (Barry Morse) briefly suspends his search for fugitive Richard Kimble (David Janssen) to take a long-overdue vacation with his wife Marie (Barbara Rush). But when Girard abandons her to follow up a new lead on Kimble, the frustrated Marie goes off on her own. Boarding a bus, Marie is unaware that among her travelling companions is Kimble himself, posing as "Steve Carver." Things take a potentially deadly turn when the bus crashes, rendering Marie temporarily blind--and there's a flood approaching. (Trivia note: the last time we saw Mrs. Gerard in the episode "Never Wave Goodbye", she was played by Rachel Ames...and her name was Ann). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Forced into retirement, disgruntled truck driver Harold K. "Smitty" Smith (Arthur O'Connell) decides to get even with his employers. Assisted by two old friends, Smitty hijacks one of the company's trucks. It was supposed to have been a harmless gesture, but things become dangerous for Smitty when it turns out that the stolen vehicle contains a $500,000 shipment of furs--making him not only a fugitive from the FBI but also from some nasty professional thieves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Ham-radio enthusiast Herman (Fred Gwynne) picks up two kids conversing on their walkie-talkies. Misunderstanding the boys' "secret" message, Herman is convinced that he has contacted the planet Mars--and once they catch on, the capricious youngsters decide to have some fun with dumb-dumb Herman. A superb closing gag caps this memorable episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Behind every great woman, there's a man who isn't so sure he's happy to be there -- or at least that's the state of affairs in this gender-switch comedy. Leslie McCloud (Polly Bergen) makes history when she becomes the first woman elected to the office of President of the United States. However, while Leslie's achievement is a great step forward for women, her husband Thad McCloud is less enthusiastic about his own role in closing the gender gap. Thad soon finds his daily schedule is filled with meeting women from garden clubs, his official quarters are still filled with pink and frilly furniture from the previous resident, and Leslie's extremely busy schedule is putting a severe crimp in their love life. While Thad stews over his lowly status as a male "First Lady," Leslie is attempting to avoid an international incident by negotiating with Latin dictator Valdez (Eli Walach), who develops a less-than-diplomatic interest in the Leader of the Free World. Kisses For My President also features Arlene Dahl, Edward Andrews, and Ana Capri. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred MacMurray, Polly Bergen, (more)
- 1963
Child actor Ronnie Dapo delivers a disturbingly realistic performance as young Arnold Winkler, an obnoxious brat who has been spoiled rotten by his widowed father (Harlan Warde). When Opie expresses admiration for Arnold's new bicycle, Arnold helpfully advises Opie that he can get a bike as well-if only he'd learn how to throw temper tantrums in front of his own father Andy. The climactic scene, in which Arnold finally receives his comeuppance, is priceless. First shown on February 18, 1963, "Opie and the Spoiled Kid" was written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Opie loses his baseball on the grounds of the foreboding Rimshaw mansion, which is rumored to be haunted. Pooh-poohing this, Barney and Gomer gallantly offer to retrieve the ball, only to be frightened away by what seems to be a veritable army of spooks and goblins. It is up to Andy to uncover the source of all those moans, groans and rattling chains. First telecast on October 7, 1963, "The Haunted House" was written by Harvey Bullock. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Strapped for cash as usual, Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) cook up yet another get-rich-quick scheme. This time, the girls set up a business arranging children's birthday parties in the Danville area. What could go wrong with such a foolproof scheme? Well, just about everything--including Lucy's unexpected trip into the clouds when she grabs a bunch of helium balloons! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lyle Talbot, Jimmy Gaines, (more)
Meredith Wilson's hit 1957 Broadway musical was transferred to the screen in larger-than-life fashion in 1962. Robert Preston repeats his legendary stage performance as fast-talking con man Harold Hill, who goes from town to town selling citizens on starting a "boy's band," then extracts money from them by ordering instruments and uniforms, with the promise that he'll teach the kids how to be musicians. Once he's collected his bankroll, Hill skips town, leaving the kids in the lurch. Looking for new suckers in Iowa, Hill arrives in River City, where he declares that the only way to save the youth of River City from the lure of the poolroom is to organize a boy's band. He charms the mayor's wife Eulalie (Hermione Gingold) into forming a "ladies' dance committee" and sets his sights on winning over local music teacher Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones). Marian rightly considers Hill a fraud, especially when he espouses the "Think System" of learning music: if you think a tune, he claims, you can play it. But Marian becomes Hill's staunchest ally when her young brother Winthrop (Ronny Howard), sullen and withdrawn since the death of his father, exuberantly comes out of his shell at the prospect of joining Hill's band; and Marian's budding romance with the charming but unreliable Hill ultimately brings her out of her own shell as well. Marion Hargrove's script uses most of the original play, with a handful of amusing expansions, especially in the roles played by Gingold and by Buddy Hackett as Hill's comic sidekick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, (more)
During a Los Angeles Christmas, a group of 82nd Airborne vets assembles under the leadership of gamblin' man Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) to rip off four Las Vegas casinos just after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. Playboy Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) joins in the scheme because he's sick of needing his oft-married mother's money, especially now that she's about to wed Duke Santos (Cesar Romero), a self-made man with all sorts of underworld ties. After he receives the news that he could die at any time, newly released convict Anthony Bergdorf (Richard Conte) reluctantly agrees to participate so he can leave some money to his estranged wife and young son. Ocean's own wife, Beatrice (Angie Dickinson), doesn't think much of her husband's promise of a big score to come, but her quiet protests don't dissuade him. With Las Vegas garbage man and fellow vet Josh Howard (Sammy Davis Jr.) and several casino employees among their number, the titular band of thieves have just a few days to get ready for their caper. When Duke Santos, Jimmy's mother, and one of Ocean's discarded paramours all show up in Sin City at the same time as the veterans, the crew's perfect plans face some serious hurdles. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, (more)
