Dodo Denney Movies
- 1977
One of the most famous and celebrated entries in the 24-year saga of the ABC Afterschool Special series, My Mom's Having a Baby handles a delicate subject with intelligence and impeccable taste. Ten-year-old Petey (Shane Sinutko) is both concerned and confused about his mother's pregnancy. Inevitably, the question arises: "Where do babies come from?" Real-life pediatrician Dr. Lendon Smith answers Petey's query in a manner both honest and straightforward, neither talking down to the boy nor talking over his head. After a cluster of discreetly handled and immensely entertaining animated sequences (produced by DePatie-Freleng) showing the conception and reproduction process, the episode ends with videotaped footage of a live birth -- actually drawn from the 1974 TV special Birth and Babies, with actress Candace Farrell (who went on to be cast as Petey's mom) delivering a healthy infant. Rebroadcast several times by ABC, the Emmy-winning My Mom's Having a Baby has since become a classroom staple on VHS and DVD. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shane Sinutko, Dr. Lendon Smith, (more)
- 1976
Child actor Ike Eisenmann, a frequent participant in the ABC Afterschool Special offerings of the 1970s, plays the title role in The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon. Shorter in stature than most of his classmates in the sixth grade, young Duffy decides to purchase a somewhat mystical book that, according to its advertising, will enable him to "THINK BIG." Among the book's suggestions is to speak in a robotic voice when confronted by an adversity (namely, the school bully). An unexpected incident involving an injured pet crow serves to prove that Duffy doesn't really need a book to tap the inner resources -- and strengths -- that he's had all along. The impressive adult supporting cast includes Jim Backus and Jerry Van Dyke. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ike Eisenmann, Lance Kerwin, (more)
- 1971
- G
- Add Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to QueueAdd Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to top of Queue
Promoted as a family musical by Paramount Pictures, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is more of a black comedy, perversely faithful to the spirit of Roald Dahl's original book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whoever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum), who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather (Jack Albertson). In the course of the tour, Willy Wonka punishes the four nastier children in various diabolical methods -- one kid is inflated and covered with blueberry dye, another ends up as a principal ingredient of the chocolate, and so on -- because these kids have violated the ethics of Wonka's factory. In the end, only Charlie and his grandfather are left. Ostensibly set in England, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was lensed in Germany (as revealed by the film's final overhead shot). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, (more)
- 1970
In order to raise extra money for her family, Betty Jo (Linda Kaye Henning) sets up a day nursery at the Shady Rest. Alas, her husband Steve (Mike Minor) is dead set against his wife going to work--and besides, those squalling infants are driving everyone crazy. This is the 222nd and final episode of Petticoat Junction, and it is clear throughout that none of the cast members were aware that the series was ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this collaboration between actor Gregory Peck and director John Frankenheimer, Peck plays Southern sheriff Henry Tawes, who intends to bring moonshiner Carl McCain (Ralph Meeker) to justice. Instead, Tawes falls in love with McCain's nubile daughter, Alma (Tuesday Weld), and arranges for the feds to keep their hands off McCain's still. The sheriff thus risks completely destroying his work life and home life. Not surprisingly, Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" is heard on the soundtrack at various crucial junctures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Tuesday Weld, (more)
- 1969
In the conclusion of a two-part story arc, Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram) watches the Douglas farm in Hooterville while Oliver (Eddie Albert), Lisa (Eva Gabor), Kimball (Alvy Moore), and Arnold the pig are in Washington. Seeking a quick financial turnover, Haney decides to temporarily transform the farm into a hotel. The result: while the Douglases are commiserating with the Secretary of Agriculture, their farm is being reduced to a shambles by the eight-member Holcombe family! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guy Raymond, Fran Ryan, (more)
- 1968
Samantha joins her neighbors in opposing a plan to build a new supermarket on the site of a children's playground. Alas and alack, Darrin has been hired to publicize the supermarket's owner, greedy Colonel Mossler (Arte Johnson). Sam refuses to resort to witchcraft until she realizes that Darrin is willing to lose his job rather than let down the neighborhood. Written by Rick Mittleman, "Samantha Fights City Hall" made its first network appearance on November 28, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1967
Harry Lucas (Jim Hutton) is a U.S. Mint employee who scrambles to recover $50,000 he accidentally destroyed in this underrated comedy of errors. After he mistakenly throws the money down the garbage disposal, a frantic Harry recruits retired mint employee Pop Gillis (Walter Brennan) to cook up a hot new batch of cold cash. The two have to hire a bunch of colorful crooks to pull off the caper. Soon the money paid out far exceeds the total of the original loss. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Hutton, Dorothy Provine, (more)
