Jack Kenny Movies

The most controversial -- and one of the shortest-lived -- series of the 2005-2006 network season, The Book of Daniel concerned the troubled family of an Episcopalian priest. Aidan Quinn starred as Reverend Daniel Webster, who dealt with most crises by popping prescription pills and brooding over his inability to "reach" his parishioners. Daniel's wife, Judith (Susanna Thompson), spent much of her time drinking martinis and complaining about lost opportunities; his 23-year-old son, Peter (Christian Campbell), was a neurotic homosexual, still plagued by guilt over the death of his twin brother; 16-year-old daughter Grace (Alison Pill) was a would-be manga artist who sold marijuana on the side; and the Websters' adopted Chinese son, Adam (Ivan Shaw), was more concerned about scoring with chicks than anything else. Adding to Rev. Webster's burden was the remonstrative input of no-nonsense Bishop Beatrice Congreve (Ellen Burstyn) and rule-bound senior parish warden Roger Paxton (Dylan Baker). Whenever things became too much to bear for Rev. Webster, he would solicit the advice of his "best friend," Jesus Christ (Garret Dillahunt) -- yes, that Jesus Christ, beard, white robes, and all. It was the calculatedly irreverent portrayal of the Son of God (who trafficked in wisecracks rather than parables) that stirred up the bulk of the controversy surrounding the series. While many big-city critics liked the show, general audiences could not warm up to it at all. Debuting January 6, 2006, on NBC, The Book of Daniel had been slated for a six-week trial run before going to full series; slaughtered in the ratings and roundly condemned by conservative media commentators, it lasted only four episodes before cancellation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having barely survived a devastating car crash, and still reeling from the breakup of his engagement to girlfriend Erin (Cynthia Watros), hapless auto mechanic Christopher Titus (played by comedian Christopher Titus) manages to summon up the energy and will to appear in the third season of the Fox sitcom bearing his name. The season opener finds Christopher anxious to return to his hobby of street racing, despite the fact that he has not regained full use of his injured left arm. In the next episode, Christopher's hopes of restoring tranquility to his relationship with Erin are dashed when her mixed-up niece Amy (Rachel Roth) moves in with the couple. And in subsequent installments, Christopher plays peacemaker when his pal Tommy (David Shatraw) discovers that his father is gay; Erin inadvertently hurts Christopher's feelings when she trains to become a social worker; and Elizabeth Berkeley guest stars as Christopher's much-talked-about "perfect" sister Shannon, who has always been held up as an example to our disgruntled hero by his own father, the boozing, foul-mouthed, evil-spirited Ken Titus (Stacy Keach). Speaking of Ken, he is anxiously looking forward to testifying against his ex-wife (and Titus' mother) Juanita, who at the end of the previous season had murdered her newest hubby at Christopher and Erin's disastrous wedding ceremony. Played in earlier episodes by Christine Estabrook and Frances Fisher, the role of Juanita Titus is this season essayed by Connie Stevens--but only long enough for the character to commit suicide! Although not technically the series finale, the two-part "Insanity Genetic" is a fitting end for the weekly exercise in daffy dysfunction known as Titus. Returning from Juanita's funeral, Christopher is obsessed with the notion that he has inherited her insanity--then proceeds to "prove" it by causing a disturbance which results in all of his friends and family members being arrested en masse! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Standup comedian Christopher Titus was the titular star of this FOX network sitcom, which could be described as "Seinfeld Dark"--very, very, VERY dark! Opening each episode with a vitriolic, self-deprecating monologue (taped in black in white, in contrast to the dingy colors prevalent during the rest of the proceedings), Titus was cast as "himself"--not a comedian, but instead the owner of Titus High Performance, a garage catering to the sportscar and racing crowd in Southern California. Most of the episodes were inspired by the well-publicized dysfunctional family life endured by Titus in his pre-stardom days, with special emphasis on the fractious relationship between Christopher and his drunken, disreputable, much-married father Ken (Stacy Keach). Christopher's coworkers included his brainless younger brother Dave (Zach Ward) and his obnoxious best friend Tommy Shafer (David Shatraw). Dropping in on occasion was the hero's girlfriend Erin Fitzpatrick (Cynthia Watros), whose primary function was to prevent the various members of the Titus family from killing each other. She nearly failed in this endeavor when Titus' manic-depressive mother Juanita (played at one time or another by Christine Estabrook, Frances Fisher and Connie Stevens), who'd been driven into a mental institution by the overbearingly nasty Ken, escaped from bondage and attempted to murder her loved ones. Ken's reprehensible attitude towards the opposite sex was further demonstrated when, after suffering a heart attack, he inaugurated an affair with his nurse Kathy (Mary Lou Rosato), who proved to be every bit as repulsive and alienating as Ken. Christopher's own love life was scuttled first by an explosion which briefly rendered him brain dead, and then by Erin's terrified reaction to the news that Christopher's mom Juanita has recently bumped off her new husband (Juanita later committed suicide. Boy, that Titus was sure a barrel of laughs!) Near the end of the series, Christopher himself displayed his family's lunatic streak by inciting a riot that resulted in the arrest of practically everyone he knew. In addition to his monologues and various asides to the audience, Christopher would frequently flash back to his miserable childhood, in which was played at various ages by Adam Hicks and Dylan Capannelli. Given the morbid nature of these and other series setpieces, it should not be surprising that Titus was more of a cult favorite than a howling ratings success. Popping up in no fewer than five different timeslots, the series managed to remain on Fox's schedule from March 20, 2000 through August 12, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This TV sitcom is premised on the notion that men are inept at parenthood. The storyline focuses on upper-middle-class father Gordon Stiles (Jon Patrick Walker), left to take care of six-month-old Daniel after his wife runs off with another guy. His brother, actor Jimmy (Eddie McClintock) resides at the same address but is more interested in the pediatrician than the baby. With no nanny in sight, Gordon takes Daniel to his workplace, run by boss Stan Peterson (Ron Liebman). When Kelly (Jennifer Westfeldt) interviews for the firm's receptionist job, Gordon quickly realizes he's found his much-needed nanny. Taped in LA, this series premiered August 23, 1998 on Fox. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

This romantic-comedy satirizes the advertising industry while chronicling the exploits of a would-be writer trying to break into commercials. As he tries to land an role in an ad he must contend with a variety of obstacles including dancing snacks, a domineering female director and Nicole the ad executive who slowly, after a good deal of initial conflict, becomes his lover. He also must deal with Nicole's hyper macho boyfriend Roger and her overbearing father, a junk-food magnate. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In a VERY SPECIAL Valentine's Day show, Peg (Katey Sagal) achieves fame by publishing a cartoon of Al (Ed O'Neill) in a magazine. At first upset over being identified as "Mr. Empty Pants", Al is soon basking in the popularity commensurate with being an overnight sex symbol--and even agrees to pose in a Tarzan outfit on a bearskin rug. In addition to a cute reference to the "other" Fox network hit The Simpsons, this episode features a solo appearance by Swedish Bikini Team member Avalon Anders. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

For various reasons, some of them legitimate, Frank (Joe Regalbuto) and Jim (Charles Kimbrough) turn down the opportunity to be Murphy's Lamaze class partner, while Murphy (Candice Bergen) herself turns down Corky's offer to help out (the fact Corky [Faith Ford once assisted in a calf's birth does not qualify her as an expert). Thus it is that Eldin (Robert Pastorelli) shows up to assist Murphy in preparation for natural birth. However, the prospect terrifies them both--especially Murphy, who pays next to no attention to the instructor--and to top it off, the rest of the class is fed up with our heroine's imbecilic wisecracks! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One year before he was reunited with Cheers regular Kelsey Grammer on Frasier, John Mahoney guest starred on Grammer's earlier series as Sy Flembeck, a hack songwriter hired by Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) to compose a jingle for Cheers. As for the main plot of this episode, a pregnant Maggie (Annie Golden) returns and insists that Cliff (John Ratzenberger) is her baby's father. Meanwhile, mercurial ex-convict Andy (Derek McGrath) pops up at the bar, looking for the long-departed Diane Chambers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bette Davis goes the "kitchen sink drama" route in The Catered Affair. As the frowsy wife of Bronx cabdriver Ernest Borgnine, Davis insists that her daughter Debbie Reynolds have a high-class wedding--caterers and all. Reynolds and future hubby Rod Taylor want a simple ceremony, but Davis' mind is made up. The wedding snowballs into an unwieldy affair as Davis and Borgnine find that they must invite everyone they know or risk incurring the wrath of their neighborhood. When the cost of the affair exceeds the family's bank account, Davis rails at Borgnine for failing to be a good provider. It takes her till the very end of the film to realize what a fool she's been. Gore Vidal, of all people, adapted The Catered Affair from a TV drama written by Paddy Chayefsky; the original telecast had starred Thelma Ritter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Shemp Howard-era Three Stooges comedy was a remake of the boys' 1937 film Three Dumb Clucks, made when Curly Howard was part of the lineup. The only real difference (other than the lineup change) is that this time around the Stooges aren't in jail, they're living with their mother. She wakes them up with the lament, "Now that I'm old your father has divorced me!" Pop Stooge (Shemp in gray hair and muttonchop sideburns) is getting ready to marry Daisy (Connie Cezon), a golddigger. But he's unaware that she's part of a gang who plan to murder him for his money. The Stooges don't realize this either, and when Pop goes to the barber's to shave off his sideburns and dye his hair, they have Shemp impersonate him for Daisy. Too late, Shemp discovers the murder scheme and the moment the wedding is over he tries to make an escape. This is complicated -- for the crooks, at least -- by the fact that Pop Stooge has arrived. Just when the crooks get rid of one Shemp, another Shemp appears. All three Stooges try to make an escape by climbing a flagpole, which the crooks break over the side of the high rise apartment building. The boys are headed towards the pavement but their fall is broken first by an awning, and then when they fall on somebody -- it's their Pop, who emerges from a patch of wet cement with his cigar coming out of his nose. "I'm mortified!" he barks in a Jimmy Durante rasp before the boys cart him off to Ma. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide