Colin Hamilton Movies

Never released in the theaters, this film consists of a series of short skits and parodies of television and the movies, and stars Richard Belzer, Martin Mull, and Harry Shearer. The film's 1981 production date explains the presence of Joan Hackett, who died in 1983. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

Adapted by John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion from Dunne's novel, True Confessions uses the still-unsolved "Black Dahlia" murder as the foundation for a devastating attack on big-city corruption -- in which it appears that many of the perpetrators wear clerical collars. In, 1948 Los Angeles detective Tom Spellacy (Robert Duvall) is assigned to investigate the death of a priest, who apparently suffered a heart attack while being serviced by a prostitute. Meanwhile, Tom's brother, young Catholic monsignor Des Spellacy (Robert De Niro), is reluctantly currying favor with crooked contractor Jack Amsterdam (Charles Durning), the better to finance an expansion of Des' church. The unifying factor between Tom and Des, beyond their sibling relationship, turns out to be the grisly murder of a hooker. The key words in the labyrinthine proceedings are power, ambition, and hypocrisy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

First aired March 13, 1977, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years was the brilliant follow-up to the equally praiseworthy 1976 TV movie Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years. The film is framed in a flashback experienced by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Jane Alexander) while accompanying the casket carrying the body of her husband Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Edward Herrmann) to its final resting place in Hyde Park. Elected in 1933, FDR endeavors to pull the country out of the Depression with the New Deal during his first term, while Eleanor emerges as a formidable public figure in her own right during the second term, tirelessly working on behalf of social change and reforms. Ever under the baleful eye of his mother Sara (Rosemary Murphy), Roosevelt tries to maintain family equilibrium in the White House as he seeks an unprecedented third term. Sara dies in December of 1941, two days before Roosevelt, in his "Day of Infamy" speech, declares war on Japan. Despite health problems, FDR successfully pursues a fourth term in 1944; he dies in office in April of 1945, a scant few months before the end of World War II. Despite her long-standing displeasure over her husband's long-ago affair with artist Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey), a stiff-lipped Eleanor puts on a brave front when Roosevelt dies in the company of Deakins at a health spa in Georgia. Based on Joseph P. Lash's Pulitzer prize-winning biography, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years earned Emmies for "Outstanding Special" and for director Daniel Petrie. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While in the furniture shop for repairs, Archie's beloved easy chair is accidentally given to the wrong customer. Tracking down the precious piece of furniture, Archie discovers that the chair become the centerpiece of an avant-garde exhibition created by an artist named Lichtenrauch (Michael Pataki). Written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine, this episode inadvertently anticipated the real-life honor bestowed upon Archie's celebrated chair, when it was enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution in 1978. "Archie's Chair" originally aired on January 15, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Larry Peerce directed this tired disaster movie about a mad sniper loose in a football stadium. At the beginning, the sniper picks off a cyclist for practice and then takes roost in the top tower of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Sent in to stop the terror is Captain Peter Holly (Charlton Heston), who wants to get his hands on the sniper without endangering the lives of the people in the stadium. Unfortunately, there is a second group of law enforcement officers, a tactical commando group, who want to go into the stadium and rush the sniper -- regardless of the danger such an action would cause to the crowd watching the game. The sniper plans to start blasting at the two-minute warning signal of the football game. Holly has to find the sniper before the two-minute warning is given -- not merely to prevent the killings threatened by the sniper but to head off the tactical force before any other unnecessary deaths are incurred by the force's bulldog techniques. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Angelique (Lara Parker) causes Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) to think that Quentin (David Selby) killed Bruno, and vice versa. Later, Quentin escapes from jail, secretly helped along by Angelique, who is still pursuing her own demonic agenda. This episode initially aired on June 22, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Inspector Hamilton (Colin Hamilton) steps up his investigation of William's death, his suspicions aroused by the curious behavior of Julia (Grayson Hall). Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) continues seeking out the link between Roxanne and Claude North. Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) reveals to Roger (Louis Edmonds) that Alexis is really Angelique (Lara Parker). This episode originally aired on July 1, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As Claude (Brian Sturdivant) revives Roxanne (Donna Wandrey), Angelique (Lara Parker) dies. Barnabas uses the evidence at hand to clear Quentin (David Selby) of murder charges and to prove that Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) is not a witch. Though the Inspector (Colin Hamilton) does not believe all of Barnabas' story, Quentin and Maggie are at least reconciled. This episode was first broadcast on July 13, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi