John S. Ragin Movies

Told in flashback, this episode reveals why Dr. Crusher may well end her career in disgrace. It all began when renowned Ferengi scientist Dr. Reyga (Peter Slutsker) mysteriousy died while attending a conference. All evidence pointed to natural causes, but Crusher suspected that Reyga was murdered and that his killer was one of his own respected colleagues. Flying in the face of regulations (and possibly common sense) Crusher performed an autopsy, which is why she's on the brink of professional ruination as the episode heads into the home stretch. First telecast May 15, 1993, "Suspicions" was written by Joe Menosky and Naren Shankar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this Stephen Cannell-produced pilot for a potential TV detective series, Mac Davis plays an ex-highway patrolman and Joseph Cortese an ex-trucker, related by marriage. Their wives were twin sisters--were, because in addition to all the other "ex" qualifications in their lives, Davis and Cortese are ex-husbands. Still pals after their group divorce, the boys become private eyes. Their first case is to get the goods on a shady tycoon (Robert Culp), who happens to be their former father-in-law. Brothers-in-Law was the first Steven J. Cannell independent production which failed to sell as a series, but it wouldn't be the last. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The loquacious Dr. Quincy (Jack Klugman) continues to crusade against medical stupidity, thick-witted bureaucracy, and implicit and overt prejudice of all kinds in his capacity as medical examiner in the L.A. County Coroner's Office as Quincy, M.E. launches its seventh season on NBC. Noteworthy episodes this year include the season opener, "Memories of Allison," guest-starring Sharon Acker as a murder witness suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. A few weeks later, we are offered the two-part nail-biter "Slow Boat to Madness," in which Quincy and his lady friend Dr. Janet Carlisle (Diana Muldaur) are among the passengers and crew members trapped on a holiday cruise liner cursed with a deadly epidemic. In subsequent episodes, Quincy targets an habitual drunk driver who may get off with a slap on the wrist after committing vehicular homicide; he befriends a young boy with a malignant tumor, who leads him to formulate a plan to help terminal patients meet death with comfort and dignity; he tracks down a gun that had passed from hand to hand, leaving a trail of violence and death along the way (the devastating conclusion to this episode was clearly inspired by the 1974 TV movie The Gun); he attempts to prove that a so-called schizophrenic may be feigning insanity to beat a murder rap; and he goes out of his way save a woman who served as a nurse in Vietnam from falling into the abyss of alcoholism when she begins experiencing horrific flashbacks. The final episode of the season, "The Mourning After," puts Quincy in the problematic position of proving both involvement and complicity in the "accidental" killing of a fraternity pledge. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jack Klugman is back as the titular L.A. County Coroner's Office medical examiner and self-appointed detective and social crusader as Quincy, M.E embarks upon its fifth season. In the opener, "No Way to Treat a Flower," Quincy seeks out clues as to the source of a chemical that brings out the very worst in marijuana. In the next episode, "Dead Last," (which must have been near and dear to the heart of onetime chronic gambler Jack Klugman) Quincy probes the death of a jockey at a race track -- and "clears" the jockey's horse of complicity in the crime. In subsequent episodes, Quincy uncovers a deadly strain of doctored diphtheria vaccine; he draws a bead on a outwardly avuncular middle-aged man who is actually a serial killer of young runaways; he investigates the supposedly drug-induced death of a controversial evangelist; he proves that a jail fire in Sacramento was deliberately set (while he himself in locked up in the same jail); he runs smack-dab into the brick wall of diplomatic immunity while endeavoring to solve the murder of a foreign attaché; and, along with his restaurateur pal Danny (Val Bisoglio), he is held hostage by insurgent prisoners who hope to expose the murderer of one of their own. The season finale finds Quincy in full messianic mode, as he races against time to protect 90,000 innocent people from a botulism epidemic that has broken out in a football stadium during a championship game. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Introduced as one of four rotating components of the crime anthology NBC Mystery Movie, Quincy, M.E. proved so popular with viewers that the network gave the series its own weekly, one-hour Friday night time slot, beginning with its second season -- which, in answer to public demand, was launched less than a month after its first season! With Jack Klugman still holding down the fort in the role of Dr. Quincy, crusading medical examiner with the Los Angeles Coroner's Office, the weekly version of the series commenced with the two-part episode "Snake Eyes," in which Quincy; his lab assistant, Sam (Robert Ito); and his restaurateur pal, Danny (Val Bisoglio), attend a pathologists convention in Lake Tahoe -- where the trio unearths some shocking evidence when several guests and staffers succumb to a mysterious illness. In later episodes, Quincy meticulously reconstructs a capital crime from a single thigh bone; he reluctantly goes head to head with his mentor, Dr. Stone (Barry Sullivan), during a murder trial; he rescues a youngster from his abusive parents; he goes on an extended guilt trip when a rape counselor is herself assaulted as punishment for Quincy's outraged verbal attack on a suspected rapist; and he theorizes that a body donated to medical science is that of a murder victim -- and that the crime was committed in a supposedly impenetrable protective custody prison cell. The most unusual episode of the season is "Has Anybody Here Seen Quincy," one of the very few entries of any series in which the star never appears! As in season one, season two of Quincy features Lynnette Mettey as the protagonist's girlfriend, Lee Potter. Though Lee would not return for a third season, John S. Ragin would be carried over in the role of Quincy's superior and chief antagonist, Dr. Robert Astin, who at this juncture of the series is still an obnoxious, thick-eared windbag. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

First seen on October 3, 1976, as a component of the rotating crime anthology series The NBC Mystery Movie, Quincy, M.E. starred Jack Klugman as the title character, a one-time private medical practitioner who, after the death of his wife, gave up his profitable practice to become a medical examiner with the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Using his vast knowledge of forensic medicine, Quincy (whose first name was never revealed on the series) frequently came up against cases of normal or "accidental" death, or suicide, that he suspected to be murders. Whenever this happened, Quincy went into full detective mode, ruffling the feathers of everyone in any sort of authority, from the police to the D.A.'s office to the medical establishment itself. Contentious and persistent, Quincy never let up until he proved his theories or solved the case at hand, even when facing public censure, the loss of his license or a stiff prison term.

Once the series ceased its sporadic NBC Mystery Movie schedule and became a weekly, one-hour NBC offering in the spring of 1977, Quincy broadened his range of outrage to include suspected cases of child abuse, drug and/or alcohol addiction brought about by flaws in the bureaucracy, governmental red tape, incompetent doctors, corrupt politicians, shifty lawyers, gangland chieftains, and those who would prey on the helpless and infirm in all walks of life. While Quincy's intentions were honorable and his results were often laudatory, he proved to be a major pain in the neck to his superior in the coroner's office, Dr. Robert Astin (John S. Ragin). Originally a pompous, preening obstructionist bureaucrat, Dr. Astin mellowed into an intelligent and avuncular character as the series wore on, and became one of Quincy's closest friends. Another "friendly adversary" was police lieutenant Frank Monahan (Garry Walberg), who frequently found himself both resisting Quincy's intrusions into his territory and welcoming his meticulous detective work and razor sharp deductions. Others in the supporting cast included Robert Ito as Quincy's young and ambitious assistant, Sam Fujiyama; Val Bisoglio as restaurateur Danny Tovo (who owned Quincy's favorite watering hole, Danny's); and Joseph Roman as police sergeant Brill.

Although he lived alone on his personal boat which he kept docked at a marina, Quincy did not want for female companionship. His girlfriend during the series' first two seasons was Lee Potter (Lynnette Mettey); she was followed by a steady stream of lovely ladies, including Dr. Emily Hanover (Anita Gillette), who ended up marrying Quincy after innumerable delays and breakups in the series' final season. Created and produced by Glen A. Larson, Quincy, M.E. remained a popular NBC attraction until its cancellation on September 5, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A young couple (Stephen McHattie, Kay Lenz) witness the murder of a police officer by the local sheriff (Lonny Chapman). When the sheriff figures out that they have seen him commit the crime, he tries to frame them as terrorists and the murderers of his deputy. ~ John Bush, Rovi

Los Angeles is the natural site for a film about earthquakes: they happen there frequently, and the landscape is familiar to moviegoers from thousands of films. A huge number of ongoing vignettes which include cameos from numerous celebrities and stars are tied together by the ongoing efforts of architect Graff (Charleton Heston) to rescue his estranged spoiled-rich-girl wife (Ava Gardner), while helping out with the ongoing rescue efforts taking place around him and while trying to determine what has happened to his mistress Denise (Genvieve Bujold). The rumbling sound effect designed for this film (Sensurround) won a "Best Sound" Oscar for the film in 1975. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This episode may remind some viewers of the much-later theatrical feature Fargo--minus the grim humor, of course. Hoping to escape from an unhappy marriage, wealthy executive Alan Graves (Michael Graves) fakes his own kidnapping. Graves plans to collect $200,000 in ransom money from his hated father-in-law, then run off to New York with his mistress Dana Evans (Karen Carlson). Not surprisingly, things go horribly wrong for Graves long before the FBI catches up with him. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

John McIntire is cast as Michael "Doc" Lacy, a lifelong criminal whose career stretches back to the Dillinger era. Having never truly succeeded in his chosen profession, Lacy escapes from prison in hopes of pulling off one last "dream" robbery. Inasmuch as the old man's target is a huge military payroll, the FBI takes a more than passing interest in his movements. Appearing as Lacy's wife Helen is John McIntire's real-life spouse Jeanette Nolan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

San Francisco is rocked by a brace of explosions; one of these knocks out a major power station, while another plunges Police headquarters into total darkness. Despite the citywide electrical blackout and the utter lack of police backup, Ironside (Raymond Burr) must figure out who is responsible for the sabotage--and why. This episode marks the TV acting debut of former LA Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

John Colicos makes another guest-star appearance on Mission:Impossible, this time as Manuel Ferrar, the would-be dictator of small Caribbean island republic. To prevent Ferrar from assassinating the republic's rightful ruler, the IMF stages an elaborate and often bizarre ruse. The spotlight is on Barney, who almost single-handedly creates a simulated airline flight--and a deadly mid-air crisis. First telecast on October 17, 1970, "The Flight" was scripted by Harry Livingston, from a story by Leigh Vance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi