Jack Dodson Movies

When a woman murdered over fifteen years ago is again found dead, a small-town Arizona policeman (John Beck) must solve the case without stepping on the tender toes of procedure, courtesy of a federal agent from Phoenix (Steven Bauer). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Quincy (Jack Klugman) is invited to appear on the talk show emceed by Dick Wilcox (Ron Masak). Also appearing on the same show is Corinne O'Connor, the author of a best-selling diet book. Almost immediately, Quincy goes on the offensive against Corinne, claiming that her controversial diet was a contibuting factor in the death of young model Gretchen Stone (Lori Street). Although no real crime is committed on this episode, there is plenty of punishment to go around--especially when Corinne slaps Quincy with a multimillion-dollar libel suit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A former friend betrays a legendary outlaw in Sam Peckinpah's final Western. Holed up in Fort Sumner with his gang between cattle rustlings, Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) ignores the advice of comrade-turned-lawman Pat Garrett (James Coburn) to escape to Mexico, and he winds up in jail in Lincoln, New Mexico. After Billy theatrically escapes, inspiring enigmatic Lincoln resident Alias (Bob Dylan) to join him, the governor (Jason Robards Jr.) and cattle baron Chisum (Barry Sullivan) requisition Garrett to form a posse and hunt him down. Rather than flee to Mexico when he can, Billy heads back to Fort Sumner, meeting his final destiny at the hands of his friend Pat, who, two decades later, is forced to face the consequences of his own Faustian pact with progress. With a script by Rudolph Wurlitzer, Peckinpah uses the historical basis of Billy's death to eulogize the West dreamily yet violently as it is desecrated by corrupt capitalists. Both Pat and Billy know that their time is passing, as surely as Garrett's posse knows that they are participating in a legend. Using familiar Western players like Slim Pickens and Katy Jurado, Peckinpah underscores the West's existence as a media myth, and he even appears himself as a coffin maker. Just as the bloodletting of Peckinpah's earlier The Wild Bunch (1969) invoked the Vietnam War, the casting of Kristofferson and Dylan alluded to the chaotic late '60s/early '70s present; the counterculture has little place in a corporate future. Also like The Wild Bunch, Pat Garrett was truncated by its studio; the cuts did nothing to help its box office. Key scenes, particularly the framing story of Garrett's fate, have since been restored to the home-video version. In this director's cut, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid stands as one of Peckinpah's most beautiful and complex films, killing the Western myth even as he salutes it. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

In Sam Peckinpah's version of Walter Hill's script, from Jim Thompson's novel, an ex-con and his wife go on the lam after a Texas bank heist. Denied parole after four well-behaved years, Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) sends his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) to dirty politician Jack Benyon (Ben Johnson) to get him out of prison. Carol secures Doc's freedom, on the condition that he does one more bank job for Benyon. Doc and his accomplices Rudy (Al Lettieri) and Jackson (Bo Hopkins) get the cash, but Doc soon discovers how Rudy intends to keep it all for himself and how Carol convinced Benyon to get him sprung. While Rudy hijacks a veterinarian and his wife (Sally Struthers) to take him to get Doc in El Paso, Doc and Carol make their own embattled way south with the money, threatening to desert each other before reaching a trash dump rapprochement after a harrowing garbage truck episode. All sides converge in El Paso for a shootout, but trust a happily married old-timer (Slim Pickens) to help Doc and Carol have a future. With violence shot in his trademark balletic style, Peckinpah does not hide the damage that Doc can do, whether to a cop car or an enemy. Still, as in such other morally relative outlaw movies as Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Peckinpah's western The Wild Bunch (1969), Doc may be a criminal and killer when necessary, but his and Carol's loyalty to each other elevates them above their crooked milieu. With its non-traditional traditional couple played by the then hot (and notoriously adulterous) stars McQueen and MacGraw, The Getaway was a substantial hit. It was lackadaisically remade with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger in 1994. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Incredible but true: While attending college, Mayberry schoolteacher Helen Crump was arraigned on a felony charge! Andy tries to cover up this skeleton in the closet, but since it was he who dug up the story in the first place, he manages only to make things worse. To save her job, Helen has to tell all to the school board-and her explanation makes a lot more sense than anyone would have previously suspected. Written by Doug Tibbles, "Helen's Past" first aired on February 19, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast March 11, 1968, this episode served to introduce future Mayberry RFD star Ken Berry in the role of widowed farmer Sam Jones (in fact, it was Berry's second appearance on The Andy Griffith Show, but the first to be shown). When town councilman Herb Bradshaw retires, Sam and Emmett Clark both run for Bradshaw's vacant seat. Old Emmett is a tough and not altogether scrupulous campaigner, but Sam has the advantage of youth and sincerity-and more importantly, he has Andy in his corner. Former musical-comedy star Gil Lamb appears as Lou. "Sam for Town Council" was written by Dick Bensfield and Perry Grant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dub Taylor guest-stars as Ben, the brother-in-law of Mayberry's fix-it man Emmett Clark. Conspiring with Emmett's wife Martha (Mary Lansing), Ben tries to convince Emmett to go into the insurance business. Soon, however, Martha realizes that Emmett will never be happy without a hammer or screwdriver in his hand. First shown on January 8, 1968, "Emmett's Brother-in-Law" was written by a decidedly pre-Taxi James L. Brooks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The three-person Mayberry Church Finance Committee wonders how best to spend an unexpected $500 endowment. It all boils down to a decision whether to purchase new choir robes or invest in some much-needed exterior church repairs. Andy must cast the deciding vote, but it is Howard who thinks up the ultimate solution. First telecast on January 22, 1968, "The Church Benefactor" was written by Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Fed up with his humdrum existence, Howard Sprague decides to kick over the traces and leave Mayberry for good. He heads to the Caribbean, where he has elected to become a carefree beachcomber. Before long, however, Howard realizes that a life without responsibilities can have its disadvantages-and besides, he misses his old friends. Featured in the supporting cast are Harry Dean Stanton and Calypso singer Sir Lancelot. Originally networkcast on December 18, 1967, "Howard's New Life" was written by Dick Bensfield and Perry Grant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Howard and Millie have decided to get married, and accordingly ask Andy and Helen to stand up at the wedding. All four Mayberryites purchase train tickets and head to Millie's home town of Wheeling, West Virginia. En route, however, the soon-to-be-bride and groom begin having second thoughts. Elizabeth Harrower and Steve Pendleton appear as Millie's mom and dad. Written by Joe Bonaduce, "Howard and Millie" was originally broadcast on November 27, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Confined to bed with the flu, Andy is obliged to put Mayberry in the hands of the newly formed Police Emergency Committee: Goober, Emmett and Floyd. The boys immediately go to work, messing things up royally in the process-especially Goober, who alienates everyone in town by issuing 14 tickets in a single day. Worse still, a steady parade of uninvited visitors make it impossible for poor Andy to convalesce in peace. Written by Jack Raymond, "Suppose Andy Gets Sick" first aired on December 11, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Assigned to write a school essay about his "most unforgettable character", Opie pens a paean to his father Andy, while his classmate Arnold does likewise using his own father. Alas, both boys get a failing grade-and their dads, Andy in particular, can't figure out what went wrong. As Opie endeavors to rewrite his paper, a self-conscious Andy works overtime to provide him with "inspiration." A neat and satisfying plot twist caps this episode, which was scripted by Michael Morris and Seaman Jacobs. "Opie's Most Unforgettable Character" was originally broadcast on April 3, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide