Fabian
- 1999
- NR
1950's Rock and roll disc jockey Alan Freed's life story is told in this made for television movie. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Murphy Brown returned from a four-month hiatus with this episode, originally telecast April 6, 1998. Now finished with chemotherapy, Murphy (Candice Bergen) hopes to celebrate her 50th birthday in grand style. Picking up on Murphy's high spirits, Frank (Joe Regalbuto) concocts a surprise party to end all surprise parties: A full-scale recreation of the classic TV dance party American Bandstand, replete with Dick Clark, Fabian, Chubby Checker and Lesley Gore. Also appearing is Sally Field as the 91th in a long line of Murphy's hired-and-fired secretaries (and as usual, Field's character has a minor character flaw--in her case, a VERY short-term memory!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A story about a career television journalist who eclipses her mentor, this drama's plot resembles that of A Star Is Born, and it shares the same screenwriters as those who penned the 1976 version of that film, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion. It's based loosely on the real-life story of newscaster Jessica Savitch. Sally Atwater (Michelle Pfieffer) gets a job at a Miami TV station based on a demo tape from her hometown of Reno, Nevada. The station's news director is Warren Justice (Robert Redford), a former high-profile Washington newsman whose career has suffered from his insistence on integrity. He makes Sally his gofer and criticizes her clothes and appearance while she begs him for a chance to go on-air. She becomes the station's weathercaster and Warren gives her the stage name of Tally. With Warren's constant advice, she breaks into news reporting and her star rises quickly as the two become romantically involved. She takes a better job in Philadelphia, with Warren's blessing, and there she soon eclipses the anchorwoman Marcia McGrath (Stockard Channing). From there, Tally's career continues to flourish, while her relationship with Warren takes some strange twists and turns. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Some teen girls take to the road in this made-for-cable remake of the 1956 original. Set in 1957, three guy-crazy friends take to the road in a stolen car, trying to track down one of their ex-lovers before he goes off into the Navy. The film is part of Showtime's "Rebel Highways" series of remakes. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Rudd, Julie Bowen, (more)
- 1986
A police chief becomes tangled in a web of corruption which also ensnares his family. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rodolfo De Anda, Ricardo Deloera, (more)
Two unusual children have a unique solution to the problem of living without a father in this offbeat horror vehicle. Tom Blanchard (Fabian Forte) is the new deputy in a small town along the California coast, and during his first day on duty he gets to know Nora Dennis (Marilyn Burns), who works with the local board of education. Among Nora's chores is looking in on Professor Nicholas (Bill Randa, aka Will Rand), an eccentric widower who home schools his two children, Beth (Nell Regan) and Michael (Patrick Regan III), but when Nora is unable to get in touch with Nicholas, she wonders if something is afoot. Nora's suspicions are well founded -- a handful of renegade bikers invaded the Professor's property, and one killed him during an argument. However, we soon discover why Nicholas was raising his children on his own -- Beth and Michael possess telekinetic abilities, and are able to use their powers along with spells from their late dad's books on the occult to re-animate father's corpse and make him do their bidding. Director Patrick Regan cast his children Nell and Patrick III as the telekinetic youngsters in what proved to be their only screen roles. Kiss Daddy Goodbye has also been released as Caution, Children At Play, The Vengeful Dead and Revenge Of The Zombie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- R
Acapulco bound swingers give their opening act position to a singer and previous teenage idol. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1978
In this romantic comedy, a news anchorwoman's prenuptial jitters increase dramatically when another man, a songwriter, falls deeply in love with her and decides that he would do anything to be her husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Bess Armstrong, (more)
- 1978
Kim Basinger was best known as a model when she starred in the made-for-TV Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold. She plays a green-as-grass Texas teenager who wins a beauty contest. Armed with nothing more than delusions, Basinger heads to Hollywood to become a star. As given away by the film's title, Ms. Basinger ends up as posing au naturel. While it received surprisingly good review in 1978, Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold is no more artistically advanced than those Kroger Babb VD exploitation movies of the 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Basinger
- 1977
As indicated by its title, this episode features 1950s pop idol Fabian as himself--a bit more mature than in his glory days, but no less charming and charismatic. Although Fabian's upcoming concert in Milwaukee is sold out, Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) are determined to not only attend the show but also go backstage and get their pictures taken with the singer. All this stems from a bet between the girls and their obnoxious rival Big Rosie (Carol Ita White)--and the stakes embarrassingly high! Fabian sings "Turn Me Loose". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
- PG
A con-man/preacher fools a bunch of naive folks. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- R
A pair of outlaws find both love and danger on the road in this period crime drama. John Ashley (pop singer-turned-actor Fabian Forte) grew up in a small town in the swamps of Florida, and carried a torch for his childhood sweetheart, Laura (Karen Black). However, in the '20s there wasn't much work to be had, and John turned to poaching to make money for Laura and himself. When John accidentally killed a man, he found himself facing a long stretch in prison, but with the help of his brother he escaped, and John and Laura hit the road, making a living robbing bands and bootlegging liquor until they became minor celebrities for their criminal exploits. The sole directorial credit for Luke Moberly, Little Laura & Big John was inspired by the real-life story of John Ashley, a Florida-based criminal who earned a certain fame in the Deep South during the depression. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- R
Faulkner (Christopher George) is an ATF agent who shut down the moonshine operation of Burl (Ralph Meeker) in his Southern state hideaway. Along with agent Martin (Ron Rifkin), the duo uses eight escaped prisoners for the job, promising their freedom should the mission succeed. Fabian stars as one of the more unlikely criminals and Leslie Parrish drips with sweet Southern charm as a honeysuckle rose in this routine adventure film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher George, Fabian, (more)
- 1968
This exploitation film about the evils of marijuana finds art teacher Phil Blake (Fabian) discovering some of his students are smoking pot. Although he admits to the students he tried it himself in college, he is dumber than a bag of hammers about student drug use. Phil has eyes for fellow teacher Ellie (Diane McBain) until he discovers she is the main dealer, along with the star of the football team. Included in the cast is actress (Patty McCormick), all grown up since her appearance in Bad Seed, and Terri Garr, who makes a brief appearance as a student. This unintentionally laughable film, a feeble attempt to cash in on the sensationalism of marijuana use, was co-written by Richard Gautier and Peter Marshall of "Hollywood Squares" television fame. This film, along with similarly overblown 1930s anti-marijuana diatribes, cost the "straight" world a great deal of credibility at the time, and it became an instant "camp" classic. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabian, Diane McBain, (more)
- 1968
Jo-Jo (Fabian) is a racecar driver recruited to drive for a wealthy racing promoter. When he's not on the fast track, he moves in on female interests with equal speed. His main love interest is played by Mimsy Farmer in this dull feature plagued by a general feeling of boredom from the cast and crew. The film relies heavily on stock footage of races to pad the thin plot. Talia Shire, the sister of the second-unit director Francis Ford Coppola plays a small roll. Both would leave features like this in the dust to make memorable films at later dates. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabian, Mimsy Farmer, (more)
- 1967
The fast-paced world of stock-car racing provides the backdrop for this drama that centers upon a driver who is forced to retire after a blackout causes the death of another driver. He then begins working at a "Thrill Circus" as a stunt driver. There he meets the proprietor's daughter, who also drives there, and her lover. The professional driver is bored by his new job and so begins training the girl's beau to be a professional. The training is good and the young man wins his first race. This causes the banished driver's gold-digging ex-girl friend to try to steal the hot young driver away from the daughter which creates some problems between the younger and the older drivers. They reconcile when they are paired up during a crucial 500-mile race. In the midst of the race, the older pro feels another blackout coming on. By the end of the film, he realizes that the fainting spells are a psychological reaction to a childhood trauma. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annette Funicello, Fabian, (more)
- 1966
The Amazing Dr. G is an alternate title for the Italian-American spoof Dr. Goldfoot and His Girl Bombs. Vincent Price repeats his characterization of the megalomaniac Goldfoot from 1965's Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, and also plays a secondary role as a kidnapped US general. This time, Dr. G. intends to undermine America by unleashing an army of voluptuous, exploding female robots. The detonation device is located in the girls' belly buttons, which should indicate the level of humor around these parts. The popular Italian comedy team of Franco and Ciccio do their frenetic best to raise a few yocks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Price, Fabian, (more)
- 1966
In this musical aimed at teenagers, Frankie Avalon, and Fabian battle it out for Annette Funicello's affections on the stock car track. The tale begins when smugglers trick Avalon into taking on contraband during a cross-country race. He catches on to their ploy and helps the Feds capture the crooks. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, (more)
- 1965
This family comedy stars James Stewart as Dr. Robert Leaf, a college professor who dislikes science and tries to instill in his children a love of art and music. So Robert and his wife Vina (Glynis Johns) are dismayed to discover that their eight-year-old son Erasmus (Billy Mumy) is tone-deaf and color-blind; what's worse, he has a genius-level talent for mathematics. Robert isn't sure what to do about Erasmus, but while his older sister Pandora (Cindy Carol) puts his skills to work by getting him to do her homework, his older friend Kenneth (Fabian) has a better idea. Kenneth and Erasmus come up with a foolproof plan for picking the winners in horse racing -- so foolproof that it draws the attention of two con men, Upjohn (John Williams) and Argyle (Jesse White), who want to use Erasmus's skills to clean up at the track. Robert at first refuses, and then relents only when they agree to use a cut of the proceeds to endow a humanities scholarship, though Robert is about the only one surprised when the men prove not to be good to their word. Meanwhile, Erasmus is head over heels in love with French screen siren Brigitte Bardot -- so much so that he's been writing her love letters. In return, the lucky boy has received an invitation to come meet her, and Robert and Erasmus use some of their racetrack winnings to fly to Paris and take her up on her offer. Nunnally Johnson, who received no credit, contributed to the screenplay; Miss Bardot, of course, plays herself (who else could?). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Fabian, (more)
The third of many film and TV adaptations of the popular Agatha Christie novel And Then There Were None (Ten Little Indians is the title of the American edition, the hit play, and most of the movies), this 1965 version moves the action from a remote island to an isolated ski resort and otherwise rearranges the plot. The basic premise, however, remains the same. Ten strangers, eight of them guests and two of them servants, are lured to a dinner party and then trapped there to be killed one at a time by an unseen host who wishes to punish them for their disparate perceived crimes. The old nursery rhyme provides both the framing device, and, in the source material, the method of execution for each victim. In this version, however, the revised murder scenes include a hapless servant (Marianne Hoppe) falling to her death from a booby-trapped ski lift. Ten Little Indians features a varied cast that ranges from future Bond girls Shirley Eaton and Daliah Lavi to former teen idol Fabian and former Wyatt Earp TV star Hugh O'Brian. It also reunites My Fair Lady co-stars Stanley Holloway and Wilfrid Hyde-White. The film was the final directorial effort of George Pollock, who had previously helmed several adaptations of Christie's popular Miss Marple mysteries, starting with 1962's Murder, She Said. Christopher Lee makes an uncredited appearance as the recorded voice of absentee host/villain Mr. Owen. Despite its mountain setting, the picture was filmed in Ireland. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh O'Brian, Shirley Eaton, (more)
Fabian, Tab Hunter, and Peter Brown star as three surfers--Jody, Steamer and Chase--who make a pilgrimage from California to the north shore of Oahu for a vacation. Surfers from all over gather here every winter to compete with each other for the title of "the last ride" champion. While surfing the gigantic waves of the Pacific, the three young men each find romance with attractive young ladies (Shelley Fabares, Susan Hart, and Barbara Eden). Ride the Wild Surf features extensive surf footage of the Hawaiian Islands by cinematographer Joseph Biroc. Biroc was credited for a total of five feature productions in 1964. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabian, Shelley Fabares, (more)
