William Wintersole Movies
The late journalist Randy Shilts' best-selling book on the burgeoning AIDS crisis was adapted for cable TV by Arnold Schulman. In 1981, researchers begin discerning a mysterious new disease that apparently affects only homosexual males (or so they thought at that time). Working independently, and with marked hostility toward one another, an American and a French research team manage to identify and name the dreaded HIV virus. The long-range effects of AIDS is experienced through the first- and secondhand experiences of several unfortunates, including a choreographer (Richard Gere) whose character is said to be based on Michael Bennett. The all-star cast (most of whom eschewed their usual high salaries) includes Lily Tomlin as San Francisco health official Selma Dritz, Matthew Modine as Centers for Disease Control researcher Don Francis, Alan Alda as NIH official Robert Gallo (who emerges as the villain of the piece), Ian McKellan as gay activist Bill Kraus, and Glenne Headley, Steve Martin and Anjelica Huston in cameo roles. And the Band Played On debuted September 11, 1993, on HBO. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Quincy (Jack Klugman) finds himself between the proverbial rock and a hard place after a prize horse named Star Chaser dies mysteriously after a big race. Insurance investigator Annie O'Connor (Katherine Justice) accuses wealthy Nelson Spencer of killing the horse to collect on a huge policy, and also of murdering a veterinarian to cover up his crime. Trouble is, Spencer is one of Quincy's best friends--and Annie is Quincy's current sweetheart. Real-life jockey Chris McCarron plays a key role in this episode, which was partially filmed at the fabled Santa Anita racetrack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
This episode may well have been inspired by the 1979 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Cincinnati, which claimed the lives of 165 persons. Insurance investigator Aaron Zacharian (Val Avery) suspects that the "accidental" fire which killed nightclub owner Lou Chesler (Borah Silver) was no accident. Zacharian believes that Chesler was murdered by his wife Elizabeth (Darleen Carr)--who may in fact be a "black widow" who specializes in knocking off husbands for their insurance. Complicating matters is the fact that medical examiner Quincy (Jack Klugman) has fallen in love with the bewitching Elizabeth. This episode may well have been inspired by the 1979 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Cincinnati, which claimed the lives of 165 persons. Insurance investigator Aaron Zacharian (Val Avery) suspects that the "accidental" fire which killed nightclub owner Lou Chesler (Borah Silver) was no accident. Zacharian believes that Chesler was murdered by his wife Elizabeth (Darleen Carr)--who may in fact be a "black widow" who specializes in knocking off husbands for their insurance. Complicating matters is the fact that medical examiner Quincy (Jack Klugman) has fallen in love with the bewitching Elizabeth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A feisty, feminist intern uncovers a medical conspiracy in this icy thriller about mysterious goings-on at Boston Memorial Hospital. When her best friend and aerobics partner, Nancy Greenly (Lois Chiles), emerges in a vegetative state from a routine abortion, Dr. Susan Wheeler (Genevieve Bujold) does some digging and discovers an overabundance of anesthesia-induced comas among otherwise healthy young patients. The male authority figures who challenge Susan's technically illegal tampering with medical records include her boss, Dr. Harris (Richard Widmark); the chief anesthesiologist, Dr. George (Rip Torn); and even her boyfriend, Dr. Mark Bellows (Michael Douglas), who doesn't want Susan's shenanigans to get in the way of his shot at chief resident. As Susan continues her crusade, the paper trail leads to the Jefferson Institute, a mysterious, experimental facility in which vegetative patients are stored en masse, suspended from the ceiling by wires threaded through their long bones, in order to reduce the cost of long-term care. A shadowy assailant begins to stalk Susan just as she uncovers the link between the Jefferson Institute and the comas at Boston Memorial, setting the stage for climactic suspense scenes involving morgues, malpractice and endless institutional corridors. Writer/director Michael Crichton adapted his second feature film from Robin Cook's bestseller of the same name. Tom Selleck, who would star in Crichton's Runaway several years later, appears briefly in Coma as another victim of lethal anesthesia. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geneviève Bujold, Michael Douglas, (more)
- 1975
Travelling from New York to the small Nevada town of Cory, Kojak (Telly Savalas) and Crocker (Kevin Dobson) set about the task of extraditing mob witness Arnold B. Saxler (Vincent Baggetta). Unfortunately, several hired thugs are already in the vicinity, with loaded guns at the ready. The remainder of the episode is devoted to a grueling gantlet, with Kojak never entirely sure who the good guys and bad guys really are. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
In the opening episode of Emergency!'s fifth season, paramedic John Gage (Randolph Mantooth) falls in love with stewardess Sue Hickman (Gretchen Corbett), whom he meets during a flight in which another passenger has a heart attack. Alas, the couple is thereafter kept apart by Sue's out-of-town flights and John's emergency calls as a member of LA County's Squad 51. In other developments, the emergency team rushes to a chemical fire, and tends to an injured motorcyclist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The inspiration for the made-for-TV movie was an actual event which occurred in June of 1973. A crew of four sinks in a minisub off the Florida coast. As half the nation (apprised of the disaster by TV and radio) holds its breath, a daring rescue mission is organized. Lee J. Cobb and Martin Balsam are among the rescuers. Paul Michael Glaser, Joshua Bryant, Cliff Potts and Roger Kern are the helpless rescuees. Trapped Beneath the Sea was telecast fifteen months after the real-life crisis was resolved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Roy (Kevin Tighe) reluctantly serves as nursemaid for some plants cultivated by a "matron" who turns out to be much younger than he expected. More seriously, the Ramparts team performs emergency field surgery on a man with a live grenade imbedded in his abdomen, and on another man who has swallowed his dental plate. Also, the doctors and paramedics team up to break down the resistance of a family of religious zealots, who refuse to allow their daughter to receive medical treatment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Orphan Hobie Shanks (Michael McGreevey), who years earlier had briefly stayed with the Waltons, returns to the Mountain brimming over with braggadocio. Everyone is impressed by Hobie's claim that he is about to be given a pitching tryout with a professional baseball team--everyone, that is, except the envious John-Boy (Richard Thomas), who thinks that Hobie is full of hot air. Surprisingly, it turns out that Hobie is telling the truth . . .but he may never get the chance to become a "pro" thanks to a freak accident. (Trivia note: guest star Michael McGreevey is the son of frequent Waltons scriptwriter John McGreevey--who, incidentally, did NOT write this episode). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Once again, Bonanza ranch hand Candy has been thrown in jail on a trumped-up murder charge. As his trial approaches, Candy must put his life in the hands of attorney Oscar Hammer (Stephen Nathan), a 20-year-old fresh out of law school. The outcome of the trial hinges on the testimony of an eyewitness named Kate (Sally Kemp), who has good reason not to appear in court. Originally broadcast on January 2, 1973, "The Witness" was written by Joel Murcott and Arthur Heinemann. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1973
A decidedly pre-Naked Gun Leslie Neilsen guest stars in this episode as veteran cop John T. Connor. Upon learning that he has a terminal illness, Connor vows to murder the slick racketeer whom he has been unsuccessfully trying to put behind bars for the past eighteen months. Thus are Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) forced into the uncomfortable position of saving a notorious criminal from one of their own colleagues. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Required to wear braces on her teeth, Laurie (Susan Dey) is worried that her unsightly dental adornments will turn off her new boyfriend, so she goes to great lengths to hide them. Trouble is, she can't go through life covering her mouth and refusing to talk. And besides, the Partridges have been booked to appear on a TV show hosted by Wink Burgess (Alan Oppenheimer) --who demands that all his guests flash big, toothy smiles! Featured as Laurie's beau Jerry is a young Mark Hamill, six years removed from Star Wars. Song: "The Love Song" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
This time it's personal for IMF agent Barney Collier: His brother Larry (Marc Hannibal), a crusading newspaper editor has been murdered at the behest of a crooked police chief. Larry had been on the verge of proving the chief's connection with a ghetto gang that is in the employ of the Syndicate. To help Barney avenge Larry's death, the IMF masterminds a trap for the corrupt cop and his Syndicate higher-up. Hari Rhodes and Abbey Lincoln are among the guest stars in "Cat's Paw", which was written by Howard Browne and was first broadcast on January 9, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1970
Conspiracy to Kill was one of two pilot films for the Jack Webb-produced TV series The D.A. Robert Conrad stars as LA deputy district attorney Paul Ryan. This time around, Ryan reopens a case that he's already won. New evidence indicates that a supposedly victimized drugstore owner (William Conrad) was the brains behind a robbery and murder that occurred at his own establishment. The D.A. series proper ran from September 17, 1971, through January 7, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Johnny Cash makes a cameo appearance in the premiere episode of The Partridge Family. Told in flashback, the episode details how an ordinary family from Ohio managed to become a popular singing group performing at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Things begin percolating when attractive widow Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones) discovers that her five kids--Keith (David Cassidy), Laurie (Susan Dey, Danny (Danny Bonaduce), Chris (Jeremy Gelbwaks) and Tracy (Suzanne Crough)--have organized a garage band, with neighborhood youngster Gloria Steinman (Debra Pearce) sitting in as lead vocalist and drummer. When it turns out that Gloria is unable to sing, the Partridge kids get an inspiration: "Waitaminute! Why don't we let Mom sing Gloria's part?" From here on in, all the familiar pieces fall in place, including the acquisition of a "psychedelic" school bus to transport the Partridges from one gig to another, and the entrepreneurial Danny's engagement of kid-hating Reuben Kincaid (Dave Madden) as the family band's manager. Songs in this inaugural episode include "Together", "Let the Good Times In", and the first-season theme tune "When We're Singin'" (which in time would be rewritten as the more familiar "Come On, Get Happy". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Hoping to expose a card sharp named Martino (Herbert Rudle), Tony (Larry Hagman) insinuates himself into a card game along with Roger (Bill Daily), Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke) and Gen. Schaeffer (Vinton Hayworth). But thanks to the intervention of Jeannie (Barbara Eden), Bellows and Schaeffer become convinced that Tony is the cheater, and not Martino. Worse still, a mobster muscles into the action, relegating poor Roger to a dunk in the ocean with his feet in cement! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
In desperate need of money to square a debt, Neil Stryker (Bradford Dillman) enters into an unholy alliance with Communist spy Bryan Carlson (Wayne Rogers). Stryker agrees to steal top-secret information from the Boston research firm where he works. A discarded cellophane cigar wrapper puts FBI inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) on the trail of the spies, with dire consequences for Stryker and his wife Elaine (Antoinette Bower). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Stephen McNally guest-stars as Nazi war criminal Kruger Schtelman, the only man who knows the whereabouts of a fortune hidden by the Germans during WW2. To prevent Schtelman from using the money to finance a neo-Nazi revolt, the IMF must trick him into revealing the whereabouts of the hidden cash. The solution: To convince Schtelman that the War is still in progress--and that he is on board a Nazi submarine (meticulously recreated by Mission: Impossible art director Gibson Holley). Lee Meriwether makes her second appearance as IMF agent Tracey. Written by Donald James, "Submarine" first aired on November 16, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1969
Michael Callan guest stars as Harry Springer, an otherwise honest salesman who becomes an amateur extortionist. Actually, Springer's intentions are honorable: He intends to save his brother from a trumped-up murder charge by putting the heat on Alexander York (Simon Scott), prosecution witness whom Harry suspects of being the real killer. Unfortunately, Springer gets in way over his head--and as a result, it's likely that not even Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) can save the salesman from a Mob rub-out. In a rare TV appearance, film favorite Laraine Day is cast as the murder suspect's wife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The IMF agents are assigned to recapture $1,000,000 in gold bullion, which was targetted for a pro-Democracy underground group but has been confiscated by the Communists. The money is being held under maximum-security conditions at a hotel where an important chess tournament is being held. Complications ensue when Nicholas Groat (Don Francks), an international thief posing as a chess master, draws up plans to steal the bullion himself. Originally broadcast on January 14, 1968, "A Game of Chess" was written by Richard M. Sakal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
Mickey Rooney guest stars as Charlie Paris, a former standup comedian and Syndicate bookie who has "gone straight" and is running the Yonkers laundromat where Richard Kimble (David Janssen) is presently employed. Unfortunately, some gamblers who knew Charlie back in his mob days have come to town to get even for his testifying against him. Though nervous about this turn of events, Charlie is confident that no matter what happens he can count on the undying devotion of his girlfriend Paula (Nita Talbot)--who at this very moment is planning to double-cross Charlie for a hefty sum. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The first of Mission: Impossible's multipart adventures, "Old Man Out" began its two-episode run on October 8, 1966. The IMF agents disguise themselves as a carnival troupe in order to rescue 80-year-old freedom fighter Anton Cardinal Vossek (Cyril Delevanti) from an impregnable Balkan prison. Aiding the agents this time out is Briggs' old friend Crystal Walker (Mary Ann Mobley), a hire-wire artist. Part One of "Old Man Out" was written by Ellis Marcus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
In hopes of smashing a Red spy ring, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) poses as Adam Rogers, a foreign service worker. As expected, the undercover Erskine is approached by Chinese agents and asked to spy on his own country. The "maguffin" in this story is a document known as the Forsythe Memo. As often happens on The FBI, star Efrem Zimbalist Jr. is flanked by a veritable honor roll of scene-stealing character actors, including Patrick O'Neal, Kevin McCarthy and Keye Luke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Bruce Dern guest stars as Hutch, the vicious leader of a motorcycle gang known as The Devil's Disciples. Abducting Richard Kimble (David Janssen), Hutch plans to use the fugitive as a fall guy in a scheme to murder the old man who was indirectly responsible for the death of a gang member. Kimble's only hope for escape is in the hands of cyclist Don (Lou Antonio) and his girlfriend Penny (Diana Hyland), who are slightly less sociopathic than Hutch. In addition to its "Hell's Angels" trappings, this 1960s time capsule also manages to weave the Vietnam War into the storyline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) is a listless Manhattan businessman who lives with his wife in the New York suburbs. One day, he runs into an old friend (Murray Hamilton) whom he thought had died. The friend leads him to The Company, a secretive operation run by The Old Man (Will Geer). The Company is a high-tech service which, for a price, provides older men with plastic surgery, a beefed-up body, and a fresh start in life. To cover the "disappearance," a middle-aged male cadaver is "killed" in a hotel fire. Hamilton submits to the operation that will turn him into a "Second," and when the bandages are removed, he's shed twenty years, renamed Tony Wilson and is portrayed by Rock Hudson. The Company creates a new identity for Hamilton, relocating him in a hedonistic California beach community with an identity as a painter. Celebrating during a local wine festival, Hamilton has his revelry cut short when he learns that all his new young friends are Seconds like himself and suddenly feels trapped in these surroundings. Unfortunately, finding a way out isn't nearly as easy as it was to find a way in. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, (more)
