Ray Porter Movies
- 2001
Derek Jacobi won an Emmy award for his performance in this episode as a burned-out Shakespearian actor named Jackson Headley. Reduced to playing a thankless role on a TV sci-fi program, Headley is "rescued" by two of his biggest fans, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce). This obliges the Crane boys to underwrite Headley's "comeback" in a Seattle stage production -- a well-intentioned effort that has "disaster" written all over it. Daphne (Jane Leeves) was on pregnancy leave during filming of this episode and does not appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Originally scheduled for September 27, 2001, this ER episode was moved back to October 4 due to network coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Weaver (Laura Innes) heads to Doc Magoo's on personal business and fails to answer her pager when Chen (Ming-Na) and Malucchi (Erik Palladino) need her. An off-duty Carter (Anthony Edwards) deals with victims of a rock-concert stampede, tries to rectify a fatal error made by Chen and Malucchi in Weaver's absence, and injures his back. Weaver fires Chen for her error. Benton (Eriq La Salle) learns that the mother of his son, Reese (Matthew Watkins), has been killed in an accident. Vondie Curtis-Hall, who guest starred as a transvestite in an earlier ER episode, here replaces Victor Williams in the recurring role of Roger, the man who claims to be the true biological father of Reese. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Facing serious consequences for illegally prescribing pain medication for ALD patient Ricky Abbott (Kyle Chambers), Ross (George Clooney) is given an ultimatum by Greene (Anthony Edwards). The situation becomes more problematic when Ross forges papers allowing Ricky to be home-treated by his mother, Joi (Valerie Mahaffey). In other developments, Weaver (Laura Innes) thinks she has a line on her biological parents. Nigerian-born janitor Mobalage (Djimon Hounsou) reacts violently when Greene tries to treat the man's back pains. And Romano (Paul McCrane) is promoted despite the sexual-harassment investigation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Weaver (Laura Innes) tries to determine if elderly terminal patient Kathy Brennan (Connie Sawyer) is really her long-lost biological mother. In other developments, Carol (Julianna Margulies) wonders if she should keep her baby. And in his efforts to apply for chief residency, Carter (Noah Wyle) takes over Greene's 24-hour shift while Greene is off trying to prevent the deportation of Nigerian janitor Mobalage (Djimon Hounsou). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Murphy (Candice Bergen) intends to use her interview with a Wall Street trader (Alan Rosenberg) who has served jail time for illegal trading to verbally eviscerate the man. Instead, she finds herself accepting his offer to endorse a benefit run for breast-cancer research. As things develop, Murphy's fans are sharply divided over the ethics of her collaboration with a convicted criminal--and as a "bonus", the wily trader turns out to have a hidden agenda. Eleanor Mondale appears as herself in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
