Fred Applegate Movies
The documentary Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter contains numerous clips from the film and television work of the beloved entertainer. These snippets are intercut with interview footage featuring people who worked with Hope as well as film historian Leonard Maltin who provides a context for Hope's career. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, (more)
- 1999
When this second annual "spot-the-mistakes" show was originally telecast on March 21, 1999, the home viewers were invited to send in their lists of deliberate errors spotted throughout the episode, with the usual Big Prize awarded the person who tallied up the biggest list (38 was the "topper"). The plot proper involves the death of the gang's favorite barber Phil, occuring just before Drew's parents are scheduled to arrive in Cleveland to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. At Phil's funeral, Drew (Drew Carey) is confronted with what seems to be irrefutable evidence that his mom Beulah (Marion Ross) once had an affair with the deceased barber--but the truth is even more startling! Meanwhile, Mimi ghoulishly keeps tabs as Mr. Wick orders the store employees to participate in a compulsory blood drive. (Note: the syndicated version of this episode removes one of the original "mistakes", involving the animated ABC network logo). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
On the eve of the "Civil Rights Day" celebration in Aynesville, Illinois, Monica (Roma Downey) stumbles across the dead body of an elderly black man, apparently the victim of a hate crime. Over the protests of Sheriff McKinsley (John Ritter) and his black deputy James (Rick Worthy), the organizers of the celebration choose to hush up the murder so as not to spoil the festivities--and for good measure, they order Monica to be locked up in jail "for her own good" until the whole thing blows over. The next morning, Monica awakens to discover that she is no long an angel, but instead a human being...a black human being. The reason for this metamophosis has as much to do with Monica's attitudes towards race as it does with the events of the past few days, but she does not realize this until she meets the celebration's guest of honor, Rosa Parks (playing herself, and appropriately making her first appearance on a bus). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Hicks (CCH Pounder) warns Benton (Eriq La Salle) that he's spending too much time worrying over his ailing mother and not enough time concentrating on his job. Ross (George Clooney) has a violent showdown with an abusive father. The rivalry between Carter (Noah Wyle) and Deb (Ming-Na) intensifies. And Carol (Julianna Margulies) and Taglieri (Rick Rossovich) consider adopting six-year-old AIDS victim Tatiana (Milana Vayntrub). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Al Franken brings his Saturday Night Live character Stuart Smalley to the big screen in this unexpectedly downbeat comedy about a man desperately trying to overcome his dysfunctional upbringing. Stuart hosts a TV show on public access TV in which he offers bits of New Age wisdom on self-help, often incorporating his trademark affirmation, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!" Too bad Stuart's advice doesn't work so well for himself; he barely supports himself as a waiter, his self-esteem is shaky at best, and his family is dominated by depressive alcoholics sunk in denial (for all his quirks, Stuart is the only Smalley willing to admit he has a problem). One day, Stuart's friend Julia (Laura San Giacomo) tells him that a cable network is looking for programming, and suggests he should pitch his show to them. Soon Stuart has a nationwide audience and is actually able to support himself, but that's small comfort when his family falls into another crisis. By turns a goofy comedy and a serious look at a dysfunctional family, Stuart Saves His Family does feature a few strong dramatic performances by Laura San Giacomo, Vincent D'Onofrio and Shirley Knight, and a distinctive comic turn by Julia Sweeney as a guest on Stuart's show. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Franken, Laura San Giacomo, (more)
- 1993
Remember way back when "Political Correctness" was merely a source of humor and not the official doctrine of the United States? In this episode, both Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Peter (Scott Bakula) get into trouble for making on-the-air comments that are labeled "insensitive" by certain special-interest groups. As a result, Miles (Grant Shaud) orders the enter "FYI" staff to attend a cultural-sensitivity seminar...and the results are guaranteed to offend just about everyone!. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The seventh and final season of Growing Pains begins as Mike Seaver (Kirk Cameron) launches his teaching career with an assignment at an urban high school attached to the Community Health Clinic. This allows the series' producers to introduce two new characters this season: Mike's boss Mr. Tedesco, played by Fred Applegate), and troubled student Luke Brower--played by no less than Leonardo DiCaprio). Elsewhere, Chrissy (Ashley Johnson) comes to grief following the advice of brother Ben (Jeremy Miller) when she enters the first grade; and Carol (Tracey Gold) likewise learns to regret her decision to move into a dorm. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In a rare Sunday-night telecast of Night Court, Harry (Harry Anderson) agrees to teach a law class on a part-time basis. His first class proves quite an eye-opener thanks to a bizarre aggregation of students. And back in Night Court, Dan (John Larroquette) prompts courtroom artist Tommy Gamble (Fred Applegate) to make a sketch of Christine (Markie Post) that is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows--among other things. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
All signs indicate a less-than-merry Christmas for the Seaver family. Mike ( is consumed by jealousy over the thought of his actress-model girlfriend Kate (Chelsea Noble) doing a "bikini shoot" in Jamaica with a notoriously libidinous photographer (Stewart Finlay McLennan) Also, Carol discovers that her boyfriend Dwight is playing the field. And finally, for the first time ever, the "perfectly" decorated Yuletide tree may be an impossible dream for control-freak Jason (Alan Thicke) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
This episode was designed to showcase the series' newest regular, 17-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, in the role of mercurial inner-city high schooler Luke Brower. Novice teacher Mike learns to his chagrin that Luke, his best student, has no home and is living in the school basement. His concern over Luke's plight is such that it begins to chip away at his relationship with his parents Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns)--to say nothing of his girlfriend Kate (Chelsea Noble)--when he skips an important family dinner prepared in his honor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
With Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns) out of town, Mike must handle a major family crisis all by himself. To wit: the long-absent father (Gary Grubbs) of Mike's foster-brother Luke (Leonardo DiCaprio) has come to town, demanding that the boy he deserted years ago be returned to him immediately. It soon becomes apparent that, without the input of his parents, Mike may do something very desperate and very foolish to keep Luke in the Seaver household. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This slapstick parody of space movies chronicles the riotous exploits of a group of dim-bulbed, misguided aliens under the mistaken impression that they are supposed to invade the Earth after they hear a rebroadcast of Orson Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" one Halloween night. Thinking they are late, they rush in with their ramshackle spaceship and end up in Big Bean, Illinois, a peaceful midwestern town. Naturally after they announce they want to kill the "Earth scum," the residents want to kill them. Fortunately, the town sheriff and his daughter try to keep the moronic Martians safe and help their captain get them safely back in space. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Barr, Royal Dano, (more)
- 1987
This is the first of four "Day in the Life" episodes, in which Harry (Harry Anderson) must judge a huge number of cases before a predetermined deadline. In this instance, Harry wants to dispense justice to 200 defendants in order to beat a midnight "general amnesty" ordered by a retiring federal judge. Among those appearing before Harry is NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff, who pleads on behalf of a Nielsen family that doesn't want to go to jail before they get a chance to watch Misfits of Science! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Comic magician Carl Ballantine (remember him as "Gruber" on McHale's Navy?) guest stars as The Fabulous Falconi, a childhood idol of Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson). Discovering that Falconi is broke and homeless, magic aficionado Harry hires the old prestidigator for a private performance in his apartment. Falconi returns the favor by making several things disappear--including most of Harry's valuables! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Florence (Florence Halop) has mixed feelings while celebrating her birthday, inasmuch as she has now reached the age of mandatory retirement. Surprised by this turn of events, Florence's coworkers plot and plan to keep her on the job--and nearly lose their own jobs in the process. This episode was designed to prepare viewers for the inevitable departure of costar Florence Halop, who was seriously ill at the time (she would pass away a few months later). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Child actor Christian Brackett-Zika appears as Jeremy, a preteen computer whiz who locks himself in Harry's chambers after an argument with his school principal. Unless Harry (Harry Anderson) can get through to Jeremy, the kid will use his computer knowhow to complete wipe out the school's "permanent" records--and possibly everything on record throughout New York City! This episode was of course taped long before the "young computer geek" became a standard sitcom character along with the "evil land developer" and "oversexed housewife". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
