Robert Douglas Movies
After two years' study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, British actor Robert Douglas ascended to leading-man status on the London stage. Among his earliest film appearances was a co-starring stint with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon in the Technicolor Alexander Korda production Over the Moon (1936). He spent six years as a pilot in the British Navy, then began his Hollywood career, playing dark-purposed, humorless villains opposite such swashbuckling leading men as Errol Flynn in 1949's The Adventures of Don Juan, Burt Lancaster in 1950's Flame and the Arrow, and Stewart Granger in 1952's The Prisoner of Zenda. He was starred as Benedict Arnold in The Scarlet Coat (1954) and as Agamemnon in Helen of Troy (1955). Rechanneling his energies into directing, Robert Douglas helmed several British and American TV productions, including 18 episodes of the 1960s series 12 O'Clock High. Robert Douglas' only big-screen directorial credit was 1964's Night Train, which starred Sean Flynn, the son of Douglas' Don Juan duelling opponent Errol Flynn. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The longest (26-1/2 hours), most expensive ($25 million) and most complicated (four directors, five producers, five cinematographers, almost 100 speaking parts, several hundred extras) project made for television up to that time, Centennial was shown in two- and three-hour installments over a period of four months. An adaptation of James Michener's best-selling novel, it told the story of the settling of the American West by looking at the founding of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado, from the settling of the area in the late 18th century to the present. Emmy-nominated for film editing and art direction, it boasts of sterling performances from Richard Chamberlain as frontiersman Alexander McKeag, Robert Conrad as the French-Canadian trapper Pasquinel, and a surprisingly powerful performance from former football star Alex Karras as compassionate but iron-willed immigrant farmer Hans Brumbaugh. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi
- 1978
Acting with more speed than usual, Dr. Astin (John S. Ragin) files an autopsy report declaring that a body found in the ruins of a fire was murdered. But Quincy subsequently discovers that the dead man suffered from a bad heart, which might have brought about his demise. This revelation gets Astin into hot water with his superiors--and now Quincy must determine the actual cause of death while simultaneously saving his boss' reputation. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1978
A murder has been committed, and a woman named Linda (Anne Scheeden) is the only witness. When undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) tries to get some information from Linda, he finds that she is in a virtual state of shock; it seems that just before the murder occurred, the woman had been brutally raped. Future Simon & Simon star Gerald McRaney plays a pivotal supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1976
Sanford and Son regular Whitman Mayo guest stars as John Rich, a ghetto father whose son is "on the junk." Witnessing the murder of the dope pusher who hooked his son, John takes credit for the killing, thereby becoming a neighborhood hero. He also becomes the next target of the pusher's real killers, obliging undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) to come to the rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1976
Most of this episode is related in flashbacks, as undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) reads a suicide note left behind by a close friend. The bulk of the story concerns policewoman Pat Harley (Anjanette Comer), who had teamed up with Baretta to investigate the death of her husband, likewise a police officer. The investigation dredges up frustrating memories of Pat's private turmoils, culminating in a shattering climax. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1976
Geraldine Brooks guest stars as Judge Anna Gavin, who years ago straightened out the life of an aimless teenage punk named Tony Baretta. Now all grown up, Baretta (Robert Blake) is an undercover cop, eternally grateful to the dedicated female jurist who directed him toward the straight and narrow. Alas, all is not well with Judge Gavin, who is being blackmailed by the slimy loan shark over whose trial she is currently presiding. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1975
A mental hospital is the scene of several strange and unexplained deaths. Hoping to determine the reason for the carnage--and to flush out a possible murderer--Steve Keller (Mike Douglas) goes undercover as a mental patient, after police doctor Murchison (Fred Sadoff) administers a drug that will temporarily transform Keller into a raving lunatic! Once he's inside the asylum, the detective finds that it is next to impossible to get out...alive. Among the supporting players are two former TV-series regulars: December Bride's Frances Rafferty and Ben Casey's Bettye Ackerman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1974
Taking time off from his villainous duties as "Wo Fat" on Hawaii Five-O, Khigh Deigh is no less sinister in this episode as a Hong-Kong based "fence" named John Chong. After a gang of hijackers led by Stan Chasen (Henry Silva) goes to a lot of trouble--including attempted murder--to steal an airborne cargo of blank travellers' checks, Chong double-crosses them by offering only a fraction of what he promised to pay for the checks. Meanwhile, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.conducts a wide-ranging search for the crooks, which comes to a rousing climax on the docks of Seattle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
This sci-fi film chronicles the exploits of an incredibly strong android that is totally devoid of emotion. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1973
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) poses as a caterer for a Syndicate wedding. In this capacity, Erskine hopes to gather information about a bloody internal power play instigated by Mob functionary Ed Haynes (Alex Cord). But the wedding may never come off--certainly not if Haynes is able to pull off his plan to murder the father of the bride, Boss Faber (Frank DeKova), just before the exchange of vows! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
Several years before achieving stardom in the TV miniseries Rich Man--Poor Man, Peter Strauss is cast in this episode as temporarily paroled convict Bobby Jepson. Ordered to find a job during a 36-hour-pass or return to prison, Jepson runs headlong into a stone wall of prejudice and hostility, with only Detective Stone (Karl Malden) willing to give the man a break. But even Stone's compassion is sorely tested when Jepson is accused of murder--and the evidence seems air-tight and irrefutable. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
This is the first of several episodes of The Streets of San Francisco in which the viewers bear witness to crimes in progress and are provided all the evidence virtually from the outset, placing them several steps ahead of Detectives Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas). In this case, the catalyst for the story is street vendor Wally Sensibaugh (David Wayne), who takes it upon himself to track down the muggers who have stolen his life savings. Sensibaugh's odyssey leads him down several strange paths--all of them linked with the murder of a city housing commissioner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
The Feds are hot on the trail of Arthur Blaisdell (Frank Hotchkiss) and Timothy Gage (Solomon Sturges), a pair of gunruners who break into a National Guard armory and steal several M1 rifles. The criminals' next move is to sell the weapons to a gang of extremists--but for what ultimate purpose? Featured prominently in the supporting cast is a decidedly pre-Annie Hall Diane Keaton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
Warren Oates guest stars as Richie Billings, a professional thief who ends up the only survivor of a bloody armored car robbery. As he escapes to Canada with $50,000 in stolen money, Billings undergoes a radical personality change--and it may not be for the better. It is up to the FBI's Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist to prevent the "new" Billings from wreaking any more havoc. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) and his date Ruth (Carla Borelli) hope to enjoy some quality "down time" at a backyard barbecue held by Pete's partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and his wife Jean (Mikki Jamison). But the evening is ruined when the party is crashed by a neighborhood youngster who is obviously high on drugs. Malloy and Reed must forget the barbecue and assume their duties as police officer to track down the boy's supplier. This episode features a pre-Patridge Family appearance by David Cassidy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
"One Adam-12. One Adam 12". That's the call which summons Officers Reed (Kent McCord) and Malloy (Martin Milner) to a daunting array of tense situations in tonight's episode. The case load ranges from freeing an elderly couple from a wall safe, to pursuing a gang of robbers--a task that finds the two officers joining forces with an elite police helicopter squad. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
With the "inside" help of misguided maid Maria Montoya (Pilar Seurat), a gang of thieves steals a 33-carat diamond from wealthy Everlyn Harcourt (June Vincent). The FBI enters the scene after one of the crooks is killed during the heist and the rest scatter to the four winds. Athough the gang's fence is captured, master thief Victor Amazeen (Jack Klugman) manages to elude a trap set by Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.)--but if Amazeen thinks his problems are over, he is sorely mistaken. Featured among the villains is future Hill St. Blues star Daniel J. Travanti, here billed as Dan Travanty. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
In their efforts to arrest an injured burglary suspect, Officers Malloy (Martin Milner) and Reed (Kent McCord) encounter resistance in the form of a rampaging street gang. Elsewhere, the two cops are summoned to an apartment house, where the residents are up in arms over a rather unusual family "pet"--a full-grown lion. The guest cast includes Art Metrano, a comedian on the verge of stardom by virtue of his classic "bad magician" routine. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
Freelance photojournalists Gurney (Carl Reindel) and Bowen (Paul Darby) are determined to do an expose of police brutality. To this end, they dog the trail of Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner), hoping to catch the two cops in the act of exceeding their authority--and even trying to provoke Jim and Pete into violence. This particular brand of "ambush journalism" has tragic consequences when Gurney and Bowen interfere in police procedure once too often. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
Officers Malloy (Martin Milner) and Reed (Kent McCord) swing into action when suspicions arise that a hit-and-run accident was actually a case of cold-blooded murderer. Witnesses insist that a young man had a violent quarrel with the female "accident" victim on the night before the tragedy. The guest cast on this occasion includes several reliable character actors, including veteran vaudevillian and master dialectician Benny Rubin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) are among those involved in the search for the "Mulholland Mauler." This savage serial killer preys upon young women, and has been most active in a heavily wooded "lover's lane" district. The problem facing Jim and Pete is to locate the elusive killer while simultaneously mollifying a panicky public. Featured in this grim, methodical episode is veteran character actor Joe Higgins, who in the late 1960s rose to fame as a redneck Southern sheriff in a series of popular car commercials. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
The FBI is summoned when a murder occurs on an Indian reservation. A local band of young Native American activists have accused a group of miners of ordering the killing, so that the miners can seize full control of the land. But Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) suspects the presence of a third party who is playing one side against the other. (Incidentally, in typical late-1960s Hollywood fashion the three main Indian characters are played by non-Indian actors), ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
In a situation drenched with irony, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) must prevent the murder of attorney Richard Bender, who at present is defending Arnold Toby (Linden Chiles), a mob boss whom the FBI has been trying to nail for five years. Bender's would-be assassin is Dennis Holland, who has a personal vendetta against the lawyer. Caught in the middle is Holland's employee Peter Zacharias (played by future Mary Tyler Moore Show costar Ed Asner), who has been set up as a fall guy for Bender's killing--and who is also the father of Arnold Toby's current girlfriend Carol (played by former Gilligan's Island regular Dawn Wells)! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
A young James Caan heads the guest cast in this episode, wherein the heir to a plastics fortune is kidnapped. Investigating, the FBI finds blood stains at the suspected abduction site, but their labs are unable to determine whose blood it is. In order to solve this mystery--and by extension, save the kidnap victim's life--Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) breaks from established FBI proctocol by attempting to capture the kidnappers before the ransom is paid. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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