Mark Richman Movies

Leslie Nielsen returns as the intrepid (and accident-prone) Lt. Frank Drebin in Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear, "un film de David Zucker." This second feature film from the "Police Squad!" series finds Drebin as a guest at a White House dinner, receiving an award for shooting his 1,000th drug dealer, although he admits to shooting only 998 -- he ran over the last two in his car. ("Luckily, they turned out to be drug dealers"). Also at the White House dinner is energy czar Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer (Richard Griffiths), whom President George Bush (John Roarke) has chosen to start a new national energy policy. Since Meinheimer believes in promoting alternative energy resources, the evil leaders of the polluting energy industries (coal, oil, and nuclear power--or the lobby groups SMOKE, SPILL and KABOOM) are horrified at Bush's choice. Joining together with arch-villain Quentin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet), they plan to kidnap the real Meinheimer and substitute a fake Meinheimer in his place who will enact energy policy according to the dictates of the energy lobby. Drebin becomes deeply involved in the conspiracy when he runs into his ex-girl friend Jane (Priscilla Presley), who is not only Meinheimer's public relations director but also Hapsburg's current paramour. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Bonanza: The Movie originally went out as Bonanza: The Next Generation. That title accurately reflected the film's content: death and previous commitments prevented the cast of the original Bonanza TV series of 1959-1973, thus the talent roster of The Next Generation was brand-new. John Ireland took over from Lorne Greene (who signed for this movie, but died before production commenced) as the brother of Greene's character Ben Cartwright. Home from the sea, Aaron Cartwright (Ireland) stupidly turns the drilling rights to the Ponderosa over to those perennial 1980s movie villains, the "evil land developers". It's up to the sons of Adam, Little Joe and Hoss Cartwright to save the ranch (One wonders how the Cartwright boys could have had sons, given the mortality rate of their sweethearts on the old series). Michael Landon Jr., son of the original series' Little Joe, is here cast as Benj. This 1988 Bonanza TV movie sequel was supposed to have been spun off into a weekly syndicated series, but for various reasons this project never came to fruition, despite station clearance and sponsorship in virtually every major market. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this fact-based drama, the quiet life of an average family is torn apart when a SWAT team bursts in and arrests them for drug dealing. Though they plead their case in court, no one believes them and they undergo a terrible ordeal as they try to prove their innocence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The title of this Mission:Impossible episode refers to a Gypsy tribe indigenous to the European country ruled by youthful King Victor (Barry Williams). Intent upon seizing the throne, Regent General Aragas (Mark Richman) hatches a scheme to murder the young monarch and to frame Victor's uncle for the crime. To prevent this, the IMF kidnaps Victor and turns the boy over to a pair of gypsies--actually IMF agents Paris and Zorka (Margarita Cordova). Written by Laurence Heath, "Gitano" first aired on February 1, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Captured by brainwashing expert Dr. Paul Tabor (Mark Richman), IMF agent Paris is transformed into a human killing machine. Released from captivity, Paris remembers nothing of his ordeal, and returns to his colleagues--unaware that he has been programmed to assassinate IMF leader Jim Phelps. Jill Haworth costars as Enid, a beautiful double agent with whom Paris falls in love, and who may or may not be willing and able to prevent Jim's death. Scripted by Gene Kearney from a story by Kearney and William Wood, "My Friend, My Enemy?" was first broadcast on October 24, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Going undercover, and armed with plenty of James Bond-like paraphernalia, Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) investigates an illegal gambling operation on a Gulf Coast cruise ship. In the course of events, the Inspector unearths a Mafia plot to seize political control of a major American state. When it originally aired on April 7, 1968, this episode ended with star Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) issuing his monthly "Wanted By the FBI" bulletin: the fugitive spotlighted on this occasion was James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Surviving an assassination attempt, Mob functionary Vincent Gray (Mark Richman) may be in the right pscyhological frame of mind to give testimony against his bosses in exchange for FBI protection. The problem facing Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is locating Gray, who has gone deep into hiding somewhere in Milwaukee. Dorothy Provine is especially effective in the role of Gray's unwitting landlady Irene Minnick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Joining Saunders (Vic Morrow) on a mission to destroy a German radar installation are two new men: Sgt. Rawlings (H.M. Wynant), a radar expert, and Marchand (Mark Richman), an important member of the French resistance. Everyone's role in the mission is clearly defined: Marchand is to guide the two Americans to the installation, and Saunders and Rawlings are to sabotage the place. But there's a slight hitch: Marchand isn't the real Marchand at all, but instead a Nazi lieutenant in disguise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This spy-thriller pokes fun at James Bond movies as it tells the story of a master American spy who must protect a scientist from Russian agents who want his formula for stopping alien spores that turn human flesh into fungus. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The FBI swoops down when saboteur Maury Maddock (Mark Richman) attempts to blow up a Government warehouse full of supplies headed for Vietnam. Complicating the Feds' efforts is the curious behavior of Maury's fiercely loyal Japanese-born wife Akiko (Miiko Taka), who is totally unaware of her husband's criminal activities. Jason Evers appears as Special Agent Allen Bennett, a role later played on a recurring basis by Lew Brown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While in American-held territory, Saunders (Vic Morrow) and Caje (Pierre Jalbert) and taken prisoner by a pair of SS officers (one of whom is played by future daytime-drama leading man Eric Braden, here billed under his real name Hans Gudegast). The Germans will return their hostages only if Doc (Conlan Carter) agrees to secure them a vehicle that will allow them to escape back to their own lines. Ken Berry, still one year removed from F Troop, appears as an ebullient motor sergeant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Investigating a strange series of occurences -- eerie noises, flashing lights, reports of giant monsters -- state trooper Robert Franklin (Mark Richman) is forced to take refuge in a mountain cabin occupied by vacationing fashion designer Charlotte Scott (Hazel Court). Though Charlotte has seen and heard the weird noises and images, Franklin remains skeptical, until he too is barraged by these seemingly extraterrestrial cannonades. Before long, both Franklin and Charlotte are fighting for their lives against a huge, apparently invulnerable space alien. . .but this being Twilight Zone, all is not quite what it seems. Written by Rod Serling, "The Fear" first aired May 29, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide