Kaj-Erik Eriksen Movies
- 1989
- R
In this chilling drama, the outbreak of a strange and virulent disease causes a tyrannical government leader to separate its victims from the rest of society by interring them in concentration camps where they will eventually be executed. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Garwin Sanford, Jerry Wasserman, (more)
- 1990
- PG13
Gregg Champion, the son of dance stars Marge and Gower Champion, made his feature film directorial debut with this sitcom-influenced cop comedy. Dabney Coleman stars as Burt Simpson, a police detective one week short of retirement, who is told he has a rare blood disease called Wechsler's Curtain and that he will be dead within two weeks. Before receiving the dire news, Burt was the kind of guy who made it a point to be cautious when in pursuit of criminals. He also was unable to tell his wife (Teri Garr) that he loved her. But now that he has only two weeks to live, Burt undergoes a complete personality reversal -- much to the shock of his partner Ernie Dills (Matt Frewer). Burt throws his well-known caution to the wind and volunteers for double-duty in the city's most dangerous neighborhood to take on the notorious psychotic Carl Stark (Xander Berkeley). The reason for this sudden turnaround? Burt figures that if he is killed in the line of duty, his son can go to Harvard on the $320,000 worth of department insurance, rather than die after retirement and collect a paltry $22,000 on his regular insurance policy. Paradoxically, Burt finds that comedy is easy but dying is hard. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dabney Coleman, Matt Frewer, (more)
Quite a lot of difficult cases cross the desk of Eastbridge, NY, police commissioner Tony Scali (Michael Chiklis) during season one of The Commish. Scali and his associates must tackle everything from rapists to child molesters to white supremacists -- and on a lighter note, the men in the department find themselves vying for the opportunity to pose for a "beefcake" calendar. Highlight episodes include the two-part "A Matter of Life and Death" (the series' pilot, though not the first episode to be shown), and "Charlie Don't Surf," which features a compelling performance by Hang S. Ngor of The Killing Fields fame. Changes occurring during the season's 22 episodes include the departure of Chief of Detectives Irv Wallenstein (Alex Bruhanski), who is almost immediately replaced by Paulie Pentangeli (John Cygan); and the announcement by Tony's wife, Rachel (Theresa Saldana), that she is about to become a mother -- again. ~ Rovi
Based on the life and career of Tony Schembri, police chief of Rye, NY, the weekly, hour-long ABC crime series The Commish starred Michael Chiklis as Tony Scali, police commissioner of the fictional New York community of Eastbridge. Although dedicated to his job and extremely tough on perpetrators, Tony often took an unorthodox approach to police methods, and he was often known to be quite a jovial fellow amongst his co-workers. Tony also enjoyed his "down time," especially with his wife, Rachel (Theresa Saldana), son David (Kaj-Erik Eriksen), and infant daughter Sarah (played by twins Dayna and Justine Cornborough), who was born at the end of the series' first season. Anoher member of the Scali household -- at least during the show's first year or so on the air -- was Tony's cheerfully indolent brother-in-law, Arnie Metzger (David Paymer). Back on the job, Tony's associates included three different Chief of Detectives: Irv Wallerstein (Alex Bruhanski), Paulie Pentangeli (John Cygan), and Cyd Madison (Melinda McGraw). Among the other crew members were officer Stan Kelly (Geoffrey Nauffts), who is killed by a car bombing at the end of season three, patrol car officer Ricky Caruso (Nicholas Lea) and his partner officer Carmela Pagan (Gina Belafonte), officers Jonathan Papdakis (Ray Scrivano), Gordy Tuefel (Michael Patten), and Mike Rose (Pat Bermel) and detectives Lopez (Jason Scott Schombing) and Hibbs (Ian Tracey). Another fine product from Stephen J. Cannell's production firm, The Commish was filmed in its entirety in Vancouver, despite its distinctively "New Yawk" setting and attitude. The series lasted four full season, plus a limited run of four "movie specials" in 1995. ~ Rovi
Season two of The Commish finds unorthodox, freewheeling Tony Scali (Michael Chiklis) still securely installed as police commissioner in the suburban New York community of Eastbridge. There have, however, been some changes within Tony's circle of associates: Chief of Detectives Paulie Pentangeli has been succeeded by Cyd Madison (Melinda McGraw), and officer Jonathan Papdakis (Ray Scrivano) has been added to the roster. Likewise, the population of Scali's own home has been altered somewhat: wife Rachel (Theresa Saldana) has given birth to daughter Sarah (played by twin infants Dayna and Justine Cornborough), and Tony's freeloading brother-in-law Arnie (played during Season One by David Paymer) will have moved out by season's end. In the two-part season opener "Adventures in the Skin Trade", Tony goes undercover in the porn-film industry to locate a missing person--and gets kidnapped in the process. Subsequent episodes touch upon such issues as vigilante justice, high-class call girls, 20th century witchcraft, TV reality shows and "blue flu." Guest stars include game-show host Pat Sajak as a psychiatrist in "The Two Faces of Ed," Stella Stevens as a faded movie star in "Eastbridge Boulevard," and, in one of his last TV outings, Telly Savalas as a retired (?) racketeer in "The Frame" and the two-part "Family Business." The second season ends on a cliffhanger as Tony's wife, Rachel, considers leaving her family to accept a job out of town. ~ Rovi
- 1992
When his brother is left in a coma after a near-fatal car accident, a young man decides it's time to do something on his own. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rick Schroder, James Farentino, (more)
- 1993
The two-part "Suffer the Children," all about the investigation of a runaway's death, opens the third season of The Commish. With his wife, Rachel (Theresa Saldana), pursuing a new career in Buffalo, Tony Scali (Michael Chiklis), police commissioner of Eastbridge, NY, considers quitting his job, joining his wife, and starting a new career of his own as a private eye. Though this doesn't happen, Eastside's PD does lose a couple of its best officers, Carmela Pagan and Gordy Tuefel (respectively played in previous seasons by Gina Belafonte and Michael Patten). And at the tail end of season three, officer Stan Kelly (Geoffrey Nauffts) makes a startling and spectacular exit in a car explosion. In other developments, Tony must come to the rescue of wife Rachel twice, first when she is framed for murder, then when she is taken hostage by bank robbers; Chief of Detectives Cyd Madison (Melinda McGraw) is drawn into a potential fatal attraction; Stan Kelly's fiancée is implicated in a robbery; and one of the cops shakes up the precinct when he comes out of the closet. As the season draws to a close, Tony must deal with the fallacies and failures of the court system when trying to protect a little girl from being molested by her wealthy and well-connected father. ~ Rovi
- 1993
In this domestic drama a young couple's life and relationship is nearly shattered after the wife gives birth three months early. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Moriarty, Pamela Reed, (more)
- 1993
A community is quick to condemn a father after his 11-year-old daughter claims he molested her, but during the ensuing courtroom trial, serious questions about the child's story and her motivation for telling it arise. This drama is based on a famous Canadian trial. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Art Hindle, Rosemary Dunsmore, (more)
- 1994
Season four of The Commish gets off to a harrowing start with the two-part "Against the Wind," wherein Eastbridge, NY, police commissioner Tony Scali (Michael Chiklis) is temporarily paralyzed in an assassination attempt. Though he manages to recover from this, Tony narrowly escapes death in a later episode when he comes too close to exposing a conspiracy to frame an innocent man. There has been quite a turnover since season three, with Chief of Detectives Cyd Madison (Melinda McGraw) leaving Eastbridge to accept another job, and Paulie Pentangeli (John Cygan), not seen since the series' first season, returning to take Cyd's place. Others missing from the roster this season are officers Ricky Caruso (Nicholas Lea), Mike Rose (Pat Bermel), and Jonathan Papdakis (Ray Scrivano) -- and, of course, the late officer Stan Kelly, who died in spectacular fashion at the end of season three. The cases crossing Scali's desk during this years' 22 episodes involve crooked cops, illegal immigrants, a possible ghost sighting, and, on an intensely personal note, the possibility that Tony's father (George Kennedy) may have killed the man dating Tony's mother (Carol Lawrence). In the two-part season finale (which was also planned as The Commish's very last episode), "Off Broadway," Tony teams with New York police officer Connie Muldoon (Lisa Vidal) to hunt down a serial killer. ~ Rovi
- 1995
Although The Commish officially came to an end at the end of its fourth season, the series was briefly revived in late 1999 with three new episodes advertised as "movie specials." "In the Shadow of the Gallows" finds Eastbridge, NY, police commissioner Tony Scali (Michael Chiklis) plagued by a past murder. The two-part "Father Image" reunites Tony with his onetime mentor Terry Boyle (Darren McGavin). And in "Redemption," Rod Steiger guest stars as a suspected arsonist. ~ Rovi
Rudyard Kipling's classic novel is re-told in this made-for-television adaptation. Robert Urich stars as Troop, the captain of a schooner who rescues a child (Kenny Vadas) after he falls overboard from a passing ship. The boy -- a spoiled, orphaned, rich kid -- learns valuable lessons about life and the sea as Captain Troop and his son make him earn his passage on their vessel. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- 1999
- Add Beggars and Choosers: Season 01 to Queue Add Beggars and Choosers: Season 01 to top of Queue
Season one of the racy Showtime sitcom Beggars and Choosers begins as Rob Malone (Brian Kerwin), the harried president of the LGT television network, pins all his hopes for high ratings and job security by greenlighting a reality series about a group of violent extroverts called the Mountainmen. Though Rob's strategy proves successful, it later bites him in the backside when LGT faces a lawsuit after a youthful fan imitates the Mountainmen's destructive behavior. If this wasn't migraine-inducing enough for Mr. Malone, he must also contend with the self-serving program ideas cooked up by Lydia Luddin (Carol Kane), the conniving trophy wife of LGT's comatose owner E.L. Luddin (Bill Morey). Then there are Rob's problems on the home front, namely the neverending efforts by his wife Cecile (Isabella Hoffman) to conceive a child, his son Cary's (Kaj-Erik Ericksen) attempts to have "phone sex" with a beautiful TV star, and his teenage daughter's romance with Parker Meridian (Paul Provenza), the egotistical star of the popular NGT sitcom "Parker's Pals." While the "Parker matter" would ultimately be resolved, there are plenty of other intrigues to keep the NGT employees in a state of constant hysteria. Lori Volpone (Charlotte Ross), the network's sharkish vice president of development, is swept off her feet by poetry spouting Russian gangster Nicky Krasnakov (Rudolf Martin), who is pitching a miniseries based on his career. Casting director Malcolm Laffley (Tuc Watkins) wiffles and waffles about declaring himself a homosexual, until an embarrassing sexual harassment suit forces him to "out" himself on a coast-to-coast network hookup. The lead character in the LGT ethnic soap opera "Puerto Vallarta," who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, runs afoul of the FCC as the result of her uncontrollable outbursts of profanity. And the much-beloved female star of the heartwarming LGT family drama "An Angel in the Family" is revealed to be sleeping with her teenaged co-star. Amidst all this fictional chaos, real-life TV favorite Bea Arthur makes an appearance as herself, showing up at LGT to pitch a TV biopic about Ethel Merman with herself in the lead -- only to end up competing for the role with a transvestite hooker! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Kerwin, Charlotte Ross, (more)
- 2000
Used to having his family jump at the sound of his voice, control-freak executive Tom Kincaid (William Devane) insists that his wife Carla (Patty Duke) and his three teenaged daughters accompany him on a weekend trip to the mountains. Flying in their private plane, the Kincaids crash in a remote area. With Tom barely surviving the disaster, it is up to Carla and the kids to take charge of the situation. Huddling in a tumbledown cabin, the family struggles to survive the elements--and an avalanche--and to forget their differences and work together as a team. But what of Tom's oldest daughter Carla (Elizabeth Rosen), who was left back home because she was late for the takeoff, and who may or may not be aware of her parents' and siblings' desperate plight? Filmed on location in British Columbia, Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story made its first CBS network appearance on April 26, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, William Devane, (more)
- 2000
Season two of the uninhibited, uncensored satirical cable sitcom Beggars and Choosers begins with yet another vicious power play between E.L. Luddin (Bill Morey), doddering owner of the LGT television network, and his avaricious trophy bride Lydia (Carol Kane). In the final analysis, both Luddins lose out when 53 percent of the network's stock is scooped up by flaky dot.com billionaire Dan Falco (Beau Bridges). This upheaval inspires LGT's predatory vice president of development Lori Volpone (Charlotte Ross) to put her romance with poetry-spouting Russian gangster Nicky Krasnakov (Rudolf Martin) on hiatus while she plays up to the fabulously wealthy Falco. Before long, however, Falco has departed the country to enter a Bhuddist monastery, leaving the network in the hands of his dimwitted brother Freddie (James Belushi), whose "experience" in television consists largely of turning his set on and off and changing the channels. Despite Freddie's ineptitude, popular LGT star Sandra Cassandra (Samantha Ferris) figures it is in her best interest to inaugurate an affair with the younger Falco. Meanwhile, long-suffering LGT president Rob Malone (Brian Kerwin) is given all sorts of new reasons to bash his head against the wall, not least of which is the breakup of his marriage to the demanding Cecile (Isabella Hofmann). Elsewhere, the network's "outed" cast director Malcolm (Tuc Watkins) once again stirs up negative publicity when he casts a gay actor in a straight role; Nicky Krasnakov makes a talk show appearance and manages to offend a powerful minority group; the inherent bitterness and backstabbing at LGT gets really up close and personal when the police seal off the network's headquarters during a bank robbery; and the sperm bank containing the "legacy" of late sitcom star Parker Meridian suffers a freezer breakdown. One of the most persistent of the season's many subplots involves a case of industrial espionage, when it appears that a "mole" in the network is leaking LGT's best series ideas to rival web NBC. Intimately involved in this intrigue are two of LGT's newest hires, bed-hopping staff assistant Kelly Kramer (Christina Hendricks) and opportunistic Britisher Nigel Gibney (Justin Carroll). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Kerwin, Charlotte Ross, (more)
The first season of USA Network's sci-fi thriller The 4400 begins (pardon the cliché) with a bang, as a huge, glowing object falls from the sky and lands near Highland Beach, Washington. The comet-like object then disgorges some 4400 human beings, all of whom had vanished from the earth over the past 58 years! After a brief quarantine, the "4400" leave for various parts of the world--and then several returns, exhibiting such paranormal abilities as telekinesis, mind control, supersensitve hearing, and even, in the case of Shawn Farrell (Patrick Flueger), the power to revive the dead. Another of the 4400, Lily Moore, is pregnant with the child of Richard Tyler (Mahershalahashbaz Ali) Acutely aware that the returnees' otherworldly powers can be used for evil as well as good, Dennis Ryland (Peter Coyote), head of the National Threat Assessment Command division of Homeland Security, dispatches agents Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch) and Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie) to locate the rest of the 4400 to make certain that nothing terrible happens. Unfortunately, the damage has already been done, as witness the serial killer who has the power to make others do his dirty work. Also, whatever has caused the 4400 to develop these skills also has a profound effect on the two NTAC agents--to say nothing of Tom's son Kyle (Chad Faust), whose erratic behavior turns is a harbinger of things to come. Meanwhile, another of the 4400, the mysterious Jordan Collier (Bill Campbell), offers protection and shelter to his fellow retunees at Arcadia Estates--an outward act of altrusim that may be a cover up for a sinister hidden agenda. The five-episode first season ends after several of the 4400 are assassinated once their identities are made public--and after the startling secret behind the 4400 is revealed (we won't give too much away here: suffice to say that, though the 4400 were definitely abduction victims, their abductors were NOT aliens from another planet!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote, Joel Gretsch, (more)
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