James Darren Movies

The 152nd and final episode of Hunter focuses on the titular detective's superior officer, Captain Charles Devane (Charles Hallahan). For reasons that he cannot possibly understand, Devane has been asked to be best man at the wedding of a small-time crook named Jake Hutton (played by frequent Hunter director Tony Mordente).At the same time, several of Hutton's former cellmates are pressuring him to participate in a crime, intending to frame him for murder. Blissfully unaware of all these intrigues is Jake's intended, dance instructor Wanda Crebbs (Jean Kasem). As for Hunter (Fred Dryer)...well, he manages to find himself in the thick of things long before the couple exchanges their final vows. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hunter (Fred Dryer) is given the responsibility of mentoring fledgling detective Jack Ryan (Eric Larson)--the son of his own mentor, police commissioner Bill Ryan (Harry Guardino). Unfortunately, during the search for a robber-murderer who preys upon businessman at check-cashing stores, young Jack commits a number of serious errors. Regretfully, Hunter must inform Jack that he hasn't got what it takes to be a cop--but how can he bring himself to break the news to the boy's father? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season Four of Hunter begins as police detectives Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) investigate the seemingly motiveless murder of a skid-row derelict. It turns out that the "bum" was anything but, and that he had been deliberately targeted by a hit man. Despite the interferences of the Feds, Hunter is determined to get the whole truth--and to save the life of the hapless bag lady (Beah Richards) who witnessed the hit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) and an informant are gunned down during a police investigation of a prostitution ring operating out of RV's on the Los Angeles Freeway. Working on available evidence, Hunter (Fred Dryer) becomes convinced that a notorious pimp named Big Jack Hemmings ordered the hit. As McCall hovers between life and death, Hunter heads to Mexico in search of Big Jack--and it seems a certainty that only one of the two men will come back alive! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The A-Team's Thanksgiving celebration is put on hold when Stockwell (Robert Vaughn) orders our heroes to capture exiled political adviser A.J. Bancroft (Jeff Corey), who carries a diary implicating several high-ranking government officials in a sinister conspiracy. It turns out that Bancroft is willing to trade the diary for a reunion with a young woman who claims to be his long-estranged daughter Ellen--a woman whom Face (Dirk Benedict) is presently wooing. The situation reaches the crisis stage when the possibility arises that Bancroft is actually Face's father...which of course radically alters his relationship with Ellen! This is the famous episode in which the ending was originally determined by the call-in votes of the viewers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Canceled by ABC at the end of its fourth season, the weekly, hour-long cop drama T.J. Hooker was picked up by CBS for 19 additional episodes, to be telecast during the 1985-1986 season. Because the series would now be seen in the late night hours rather than in prime time, the producers were forced to cut budgetary corners. Stars William Shatner (Sgt. T.J. Hooker), Heather Locklear (Officer Stacy Sheridan), and James Darren (Officer Jim Corrigan) were willing to take salary cuts in order to keep their series alive. But co-star Adrian Zmed said "no" to a lowered salary -- and thus, T.J. Hooker did without the services of Zmed and his character, Officer Vince Romano, for its fifth and final season. The initial CBS episode is built around the kidnapping of T. J. Hooker's daughter Chrissie, played by Jennifer Beck (taking over from Nicole Eggert, who'd outgrown the role). In another domestic development, John McLiam is seen as T.J.'s ex-police detective dad, John P. Hooker, in "Return of a Cop." Also, William Shatner doubles as star and director for a brace of episodes, "Shootout" and "Partners in Death," the latter written by Shatner's daughter Lisabeth Shatner. Finally, co-star James Darren likewise gets to wield the megaphone in another episode, "Into the Night." Of the remaining fifth-season installments, the two-part "Blood Sport" has since its original telecast sometimes been syndicated as a stand-alone "TV movie." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As T.J. Hooker launches its third season, the titular Hooker (William Shatner), a police sergeant, can take justifiable pride in the fact that two of his trainees, Officers Vince Romano (Adrian Zmed) and Stacy Sheridan, have both graduated to street patrol. Hooker remains partnered with Romano, while Stacy's partner is veteran officer Jim Corrigan (James Darren) -- introduced at the end of season two, and now a full series regular. Recognizing Heather Locklear's popularity (she was then also appearing on the nighttime soap opera Dynasty), the producers made certain that viewers would see more of Stacy during T.J. Hooker's third season -- sometimes literally so, as when our heroine goes undercover as an exotic dancer. Evidently not to be upstaged, Adrian Zmed likewise poses as a male stripper in another episode, while William Shatner also gets to don an unusual disguise -- as a department store Santa! Beginning this season, Hugh Farrington, a real-life paraplegic, makes a number of memorable appearances in the recurring role of wheelchair-bound Detective Pete O'Brien, a longtime pal of T.J. Hooker with an uncanny talent for sniffing out clues at any crime scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a famous criminologist draws from his amazing bag of scientific and technical tricks to locate a psycho-killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Looking like a million dollars in a series of fabulous outfits, Shirley Jones plays Jenny Dolan, an ex-investigative reporter. The widow of a wealthy businessman, Jenny suspects her husband met with foul play, and returns to reporting to prove her theory. She uncovers a political assassination plot, but never does solve her husband's murder...because this made-for-TV movie was the pilot for an unsold series, in which Jenny would have spent each week trying to get at the truth. She also would have gone from one exotic foreign locale to another, with an expensive change of wardrobe for each occasion. It should come as no surprise that Lives of Jenny Dolan was the first TV project of famed "glamour film" producer Ross Martin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide