Karen Williams Movies
- 1997
- PG
Scripter Robert W. Lenski adapted G.D. Gearino's novel What the Deaf-Mute Heard for this Hallmark Hall of Fame comedy. It was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, by director John Kent Harrison. During the '40s, single mother Helen (Bernadette Peters) boards a bus for Barrington, Georgia, with her 10-year-old son Sammy (Frankie Muniz). She tells him not to say a word. The two are separated when she exits the bus and is carried away, leaving the sleeping Sammy to travel to Barrington by himself. Because Sammy won't speak, bus-station manager Norm assumes he's mute and deaf. Norm gives Sammy a cot in the back of the station, and he's fed by widower Norm's friend Lucille (Judith Ivey), owner of the adjacent cafe.
Years pass, but the grown Sammy (Matthew Modine), working as a handyman, still remains silent. Well-to-do widow Tynan (Claire Bloom) orders him about when she has him clean porch furniture. Her snobbish son Tolliver (Jake Weber), who steals church money, treats Sammy with contempt. Tolliver's sister Tallasse (Anne Bobby) likes Sammy, and she confides in Sammy, thinking he can't hear what she's saying. Her father and Sammy's mother, they learn, both loved the Weill-Gershwin song, My Ship. Throughout Barrington, the locals have learned to trust Sammy, but eventually, joyful junkman Thacker (James Earl Jones) stumbles onto Sammy's secret. Bernadette Peters is heard singing My Ship during the closing credits. What the Deaf Man Heard first aired November 23, 1997 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
Years pass, but the grown Sammy (Matthew Modine), working as a handyman, still remains silent. Well-to-do widow Tynan (Claire Bloom) orders him about when she has him clean porch furniture. Her snobbish son Tolliver (Jake Weber), who steals church money, treats Sammy with contempt. Tolliver's sister Tallasse (Anne Bobby) likes Sammy, and she confides in Sammy, thinking he can't hear what she's saying. Her father and Sammy's mother, they learn, both loved the Weill-Gershwin song, My Ship. Throughout Barrington, the locals have learned to trust Sammy, but eventually, joyful junkman Thacker (James Earl Jones) stumbles onto Sammy's secret. Bernadette Peters is heard singing My Ship during the closing credits. What the Deaf Man Heard first aired November 23, 1997 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Modine, Claire Bloom, (more)
- 1997
Munch (Richard Belzer) is convinced that a student has committed suicide. Brodie (Max Perlich), however, thinks that the boy's death was caused by his drug-dealing classmate Alan Schack (a decidedly cast-against-type Neil Patrick Harris) -- and Brodie ends up risking his life to prove this theory. Elsewhere, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) suspect that two recent bombings are linked to their longtime nemesis, drug kingpin Luther Mahoney. And a marriage counseling session ends disastrously when Frank and Mary Pembleton (Andre Braugher, Ami Brabson) argue over the baptism of their baby daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
This episode introduces Michelle Forbes in the role of new chief medical examiner Julianna Cox. Descending upon a murder scene being investigated by Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor), the outspoken Cox makes no secret of her contempt for the detectives' methods of investigation. Meanwhile, the FBI probe of possible corruption in the arson unit so unnerves Kellerman (Reed Diamond) -- one of the Feds' chief targets -- that he begins lashing out at everyone close to him. And on the domestic front, Brodie (Max Perlich) throws a party for Lewis and his wife, which turns out to be a disaster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
A radio talk show host who "dared" his audience to seek revenge for his volatile opinions is found murdered. Investigating the case, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and Howard (Melissa Leo) come up with a likely suspect -- or do they? Elsewhere, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) reacts strongly when he is told that Lewis (Clark Johnson) is going to be married, while Munch (Richard Belzer) is convinced that Kellerman is being set up for an elaborate practical joke; and Pembleton's (Andre Braugher) nervousness increases as his pregnant wife's due date rapidly approaches. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
Among the stolen loot recovered from a purse snatcher is a handbag belonging to a missing model. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) pursue the likelihood that the woman is not only missing, but dead. Though the purse thief is quickly dismissed as a suspect, the detectives have several others to choose from, including a limo driver and a pro basketball player. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A threatening phone call leads to censure proceedings against Joel Thayer (David Groh), a prominent New York judge. When the case arrives at the office of D.A. Adam Schiff (Steven Hill), his subordinate Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy) surprises him by resigning. It seems that Kincaid once clerked for Judge Thayer -- and there is talk that a romance developed, one that may have been decidedly (and injuriously) one-sided. Future Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek appears as Janet Rudman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
The father of celebrated baseball star Pat Williams (Malik Yoba) is murdered. Following the trail of clues, detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Logan (Chris Noth) determine that the killing was tied in with gambling debts and not-so-veiled threats against the dead man's relatives. All roads eventually lead to big-time bookie "Papa Doc" Doniel (Ray Aranha) -- but that's hardly the end of the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Left to their own devices, Cliff (Bill Cosby) and his new son-in-law Martin (Joseph C. Phillips) find common ground in their individual Navy experiences--a male-bonding session which culminates with Cliff arranging a celebration to "officially" give his daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) away in marriage. Elsewhere, the Huxtable women pressure Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) into dressing up as an elf to bring some Holiday cheer to a group of hospitalized kids. And little Olivia (Raven-Symone) asks a very pointed question about the ethnic origin of Santa Claus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
