Danny Dayton Movies

Barry Sullivan plays an eager young lawyer who is willing to sacrifice any and all scruples on the upward climb. He is put on retainer by a gangster, and soon is ankle-deep in an insurance racket. When he wants to pull out, Sullivan is framed for a gangland murder. No Questions Asked was in line with the harsher, less frothy fare produced by MGM during the Dore Schary regime. The screenplay was by former radio gagman Sidney Sheldon, who would later carve a literary niche for himself in the best-seller market of the 1970s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 1955 film began life as two Runyon short stories, the most prominent of which was "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown." This material was fleshed out into a 2-act libretto by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling, then set to music by Frank Loesser and directed by George S. Kaufman. Opening late in 1950, Guys and Dolls was one of Broadway's hottest tickets for several seasons. The plot involves a certain Broadway citizen by the name of Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra), who maintains the "Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York." Seeking a location for his latest high-stakes game, Nathan has an opportunity to rent out the Biltmore Garage, but he needs $1000 to do so. He decides to extract the money from high-rolling Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), known for his willingness to bet on anything. Nathan wagers that Sky will not be able to talk the virginal Salvation Army lass Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) into going on a date with him. While Sky goes to work on Sarah, Nathan endeavors to fend off his girlfriend Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine, repeating her Broadway role), who has developed a psychosomatic cold because of her frustrating 14-year engagement to the slippery Mr. Detroit. Thanks to some fast finagling, Sky is able to take Sarah on that date, flying to Havana for this purpose. By the time they've returned to New York, Sky and Sarah are in love, but their ardor cools off abruptly when Nathan, unable to secure the Biltmore garage, attempts to use Sarah's mission as the site of his crap game. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pair of shapsters persuade Fred (Redd Foxx) to invest in a shady sales promotion. The plan is to hold a fund-raising sweepstakes raffle -- without a winning ticket. The scheme backfires when a winner unexpectedly shows up, leaving Fred holding the bag. It is up to Bubba (Don Bexley) and an unwitting Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page) to bail our hero out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Archie's ordeal as a surgical patient is alleviated somewhat when he finds out that he has been rehired by his former employer -- and with a raise and promotion in the bargain. Alas, Archie's elevated financial situation is brought back to earth by his staggering hospital bill. Liz Torres makes her second appearance as soon-to-be series regular Teresa Betancourt, while future Archie Bunker's Place supporting player Danny Dayton is introduced in the role of Hank Pivnik. Written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine, part two of "Archie's Operation" first aired on October 27, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Surprise, surprise! It is Archie Bunker, who, as head of his lodge's membership committee, demands that a minority-group member be allowed to join. Actually, Archie is covering his own behind: The lodge has been threatened with legal action from various civil-rights groups if it does not open its doors to either a Jew or an African American. Hoping to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak), Archie lobbies for the membership of a black Jewish man named Solomon Jackson (James McEachin). Written by Ben Starr and Charles Stewart, "Archie the Liberal" originally aired on March 5, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of a two-part story, the pressures of the saloon business lead Archie to begin taking unprescribed pep pills. Inevitably, he develops a dangerous addiction to amphetamines. The script was written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine in collaboration with medical consultant William C. Rader, M.D. The guest cast includes A. Martinez as Manuel and Arny Freeman as Watkins. Part one of "Archie's Bitter Pill" first aired on November 6, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on the book by Bob Thomas, this made-for-television comedy/drama profiles the careers of the famous comic duo, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello starring Harvey Korman and Buddy Hackett. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

Archie fully expects that his bar will make a fortune on Super Bowl Sunday. What Archie hadn't counted on was the fact that two holdup men would likewise covet the contents of the bar's cash register. This is the episode in which virtually the entire cast is stripped to their undies. Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf, "Archie and the Super Bowl" originally aired on January 15, 1978, right after CBS' telecast of Super Bowl XII (Broncos vs. Cowboys, in case you need a reminder). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Hamilton confounded his detractors by turning in a first-rate comic performance in Love at First Bite. Hamilton plays Count Dracula, who is evicted from his Transylvanian domicile when the Communist government decides to nationalize his castle. With faithful toady Renfield (Arte Johnson) at his side, Dracula heads for the Big Apple, where he finds the vampire pickings radically different from those on his home turf: for example, ol' Drac suffers the mother of all hangovers when his sinks his fangs into the neck of a wino. Klutzy Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James) falls in love with Dracula, not fully aware of his colorful background. But Cindy's stuffy fiance Dr. Jeff Rosenberg (Richard Benjamin), a descendant of Dracula's perennial foe Professor Van Helsing, knows what Dracula's up to and does his best to thwart the vampire's plan. This proves very difficult, since such time-honored remedies as the stake through the heart are frowned upon by the New York City authorities. So successful was Love at First Bite that Hamilton was encouraged to have a satiric go at another literary icon in 1982's Zorro, the Gay Blade. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The made-for-TV Advice to the Lovelorn stars Cloris Leachman as a "Dear Abby" type newspaper advice columnist. Walter Brooke costars as her editor, who discourages her efforts to follow up her advice in person. But follow she does, trying to untangle the problems of guest stars Melissa Sue Anderson, Lance Kerwin, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Donna Pescow. She even finds time for a romantic episode with special guest star Paul Burke. Intended as the pilot for a weekly series, the 2-hour Advice to the Lovelorn was telecast November 30, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

M*A*S*H launched its tenth season with an episode originally slated to air during episode nine. When a USO troupe arrives at the 4077th, at least two of the staffers have reason to celebrate. Klinger (Jamie Farr) has long idolized the troupe's lead comic Fast Freddie Nichols (Danny Dayton), while Col. Potter has harbored a secret crush for head dancer (and ex-stripper) Brandy Doyle (Gwen Verdon). Originally telecast as a 60-minute "special", "That's Show Biz" has since been re-edited as two half hour episodes for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although penned by the same screenwriter, David S. Ward, this sequel to The Sting (1973) is tarnished by comparisons to its predecessor. Jackie Gleason fills the shoes of Paul Newman as Harry Gondorff and Mac Davis slips into the Robert Redford role of Johnny Hooker, two con men pals whose latest "sting" involves Hooker pretending to be a down on his luck boxer. Their goal is the fixing of a prizefight, which will rook a tacky nightclub owner (Karl Malden) out of a fortune while simultaneously getting revenge on their old nemesis, Doyle Lonnegan (Oliver Reed). On their side is Veronica (Teri Garr), a seasoned scam artist, but what Gondorff and Hooker don't know is that Lonnegan is manipulating events behind the scenes. Director Jeremy Paul Kagan followed up this terribly unfunny and inferior sequel with the much better received The Journey of Natty Gann (1985), while Ward became a director of such comedies as Major League (1989) and King Ralph (1991). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide