Christa Denton Movies

In this followup to the previous episode "A Star is Born", Mike (Kirk Cameron) and his classmate Monica (Christa Denton) have scored a major success as stars of their high school's production of "Our Town." Figuring that they're ready for the Big Time, the couple heads to Broadway to try out for a professional staging of the same show. But during their long and agonizing wait for their names to be called at the open audition, Mike and Monica begin to wonder if they've got the "right stuff" for stardom. Former Gilligan's Island ingenue Dawn Wells appears as the casting receptionist--and look fast for an unbilled cameo by Kirk Cameron's real-life mother Barbara Cameron. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

During a boring, routine weekend, young Glen (Stephen Dorff) and his best buddy, Terry (Louis Tripp), decide to explore Glen's backyard. Before long, the boys come across a strange hole in the ground which yields all manner of sinister prizes. Consulting one of his heavy-metal record albums, Glen comes to the correct conclusion that the hole is actually the Gate to Hell. Offering a sacrifice in the form of a dead dog, Glen further opens the portals of Hades, through which pass some of the most hideous demons imaginable. A surprise box-office hit, The Gate yielded a sequel, predictably titled Gate II. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The first day of school yields a myriad of reactions from the children of the Seaver clan. Ten-year-old Ben Seaver (Jeremy Miller) runs up against the proverbial classroom bully, in this case a bruiser named Louie (played by Jamie Abbott, who ironically would later pop up in the recurring role of Ben's best friend Stinky Sullivan). Fifteen-year-older Carol (Tracey Gold) tries to come up with ways to enliven what promises to be an excruciatingly dull school year. And sixteen-year-old Mike (Kirk Cameron) finally links up with his summertime "dream girl" Debbie (Lisa Capps), only to have his head turned by another lovely young lass named Shelley (Rachel Jacobs). Bill Kirchenbauer makes his first appearance as Coach Graham Lubbock, a role he'd carry into the Growing Pains spinoff Just the Ten of Us. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Farrah Fawcett earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Francine Hughes in the television movie The Burning Bed. The film is structured as a series of flashbacks while Francine's character endures a murder trial after she poured gasoline on her sleeping spouse and burned him to death. Her husband Mickey (Paul Le Mat) drove her over the edge after years of physical and emotional abuse when he rapes her. Television regular Richard Masur has a prominent co-starring role. Fawcett parlayed her work in this film into a series of more serious movies, including Extremities and Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The 1985 TV movie The Bad Seed is the second film version of Maxwell Anderson's 1956 Broadway play. Carrie Wells plays Rachel Penmark, a 9-year-old girl who is perfection itself--unless she's crossed or challenged. Several disturbing recent incidents have led Rachel's mother Christine (Blair Brown) to suspect that her child is a latent murderess. Upon discovering that she herself is the daughter of a convicted killer, Christine becomes convinced that sweet little Rhoda is a "bad seed"--an inherent killer who feels no remorse because she doesn't know any better. David Carradine co-stars as a moronic handyman who comes too close to Rhoda's secret to live, while Lynn Redgrave essays the Evelyn Varden role of Monica Breedlove, a garrulous landlady. Originally aired February 7, 1985, this version of The Bad Seed avoids the many cop-outs in the 1956 theatrical film version by retaining Maxwell Anderson's ironic final scene. Film historians will note that producers changed the title character's name from "Rhoda" to "Rachel" for this version, perhaps to lend the story a more contemporary feel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi