Billy Greene Movies

Stopped by a policeman while driving down a one-way street ("I am only going one way!"), Jeannie (Barbara Eden) is cited for not having a driver's license--and Tony's car is impounded. In order to get his vehicle back, Tony (Larry Hagman) tells the cops that the back seat is full of secret government documents. Hasn't Tony learned by now that a little white lie snowballs into disaster whenever Jeannie is involved? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Written by Dick Carr, "The Spotlight" is a showcase for Viveca Lindfors in the role of long-retired opera diva Angela Drake. Appointed entertainment-committee chairman of the Virginia City anniversary celebration, Ben persuades Angela to come out of retirement for a command performance. Angela is so euphoric that she accepts the offer, neglecting to admit that she has completely lost her singing voice. Sharp-eared fans will hear a brief but pointed "inside joke" referring to recently departed series regular Pernell Roberts (Hint: It has something to do with Shakespeare). Also seen are Ron Randell as Carleton, Winnie Coffin as Mrs. Brown and Jean Determann as Mrs. Finch. "The Spotlight" originally aired on May 16, 1965, and was rebroadcast as the Christmas offering for Bonanza's 1965-66 season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When people refer to Doris Day as "the world's oldest professional virgin," they generally have the 1962 comedy That Touch of Mink in mind. It isn't that Cathy Timberlake (Day) is above a bit of hanky-panky; it's just that she wants such tangibles as a marriage license and wedding ring first. Thus, when playboy businessman Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) begins actively pursuing Cathy (they "met cute" when Philip's limo splashed mud on the hapless Cathy), she won't say "I will" until he says "I do." She is of the idealistic opinion that she can bring out the best intentions in him, even when he repeatedly tips off his worst intentions by inviting her to accompany him to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Bermuda. After not a few complications and misunderstands, Cathy finally finagles a proposal out of Philip. The film is essentially much ado about nothing, but it is so well-acted and attractively photographed that the audiences are willing to go along for the ride. The high-powered supporting cast includes Gig Young as Roger, Philip's moralistic financial advisor; Audrey Meadows as Connie, Cathy's wise-cracking roommate; Alan Hewitt as Dr. Gruber, a confused psychiatrist; John Astin as Beasley, Cathy's slimy would-be beau; Dick Sargent as a neurotic honeymooner; and an unbilled Richard Deacon as an all-around letch. Best scene: the baseball-dugout rhubarb involving New York Yankees Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A kick from an angry horse knocks out the town bully, but it is Bret Maverick who is given credit for the blow--and that's how Bret becomes the new sheriff of Duck 'N' Shoot. His contract calls for him to stay on the job for six months, but the locals give odds that Bret won't last the week. Surprisingly, Bret proves to be an efficient if somewhat unorthodox peacekeeper (thereby foreshadowing James Garner's similar role in the 1969 comedy western Support Your Local Sheriff), but ultimately he is toppled from his perch by beautiful-but-larcenous Melissa Maybrook (Peggy McCay) and ends up locked in his own jail. Fortunately, brother Bart (Jack Kelly) shows up to give Bret a helping hand...but there's a hefty price to pay for his services. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though Slaughter on Tenth Avenue's background music relies heavily on the Richard Rodgers composition of the same name, the film itself bears no relation to the ten-minute ballet for which Rodgers wrote the piece. Instead, this Albert Zugsmith-produced crime meller attempts to expose waterfront union racketeering. In trying to solves a murder on the docks, deputy DA Richard Egan runs up against the stevedores' code of silence. It also dawns on Egan that his own boss (Sam Levene) shows little interest in pursuing justice in this instance. The DA is finally able to mount a case, but at the crucial courtroom moment he may have to pull out due to lack of evidence--a lack engineered by crooked boss Walter Matthau, who has several local politicians in his pocket. A last-minute dockside battle enables Egan to bring the racketeers to justice. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue was based on New York district attorney William J. Keating's memoirs The Man Who Rocked the Boat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While linked with Lippert Studios in the 1950s, producer-director Ron Ormond seemed determined to revive every form of old-fashioned American entertainment, from vaudeville to country hoedown. In Yes Sir, Mr. Bones, Ormond re-creates a vintage minstrel show. Veteran troupers strut their stuff and reminisce about their glory days in the late 19th and early 20th century. Among those present are Cotton and Chick Watts, Ches Davis, Flournoy E. Miller, and the Hobnobbers. In addition to the many white performers in blackface, the film also features several genuine African-American entertainers, including the great Jester Hairston. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

With a title like Violence, the audience knew what it was in for from the get-go. Nancy Coleman plays Ann Mason, troubleshooting journalist for an illustrated newsmagazine. Going undercover, Ann infiltrates the United Defenders, a so-called patriotic organization comprised of thugs and extortionists. Preying on disillusioned war veterans, the United Defenders are able to spread their own brand of bigoted propaganda on a wide scale. In the midst of her investigation, Ann is injured in an auto accident, and as a result loses her memory. It's up to government investigator Steve Fuller (Michael O'Shea) to apprise Ann of her true identity, and to rescue her from the clutches of the villains (including such powerhouse "heavies" as Sheldon Leonard and Peter Whitney). Violence would seem to be inspired by the final sequence in RKO Radio's Till the End of Time, wherein a trio of ex-GIs dukes it out with a small band of hate-spouting "patriots". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this crime drama, a former card shark finally gets paroled and decides to take his singing niece to Chicago to make a new start. Unfortunately, the musical niece ends up working at a gangster's nightclub and the gambler, unable to resist the lure of easy money, returns to card playing. Later an investigating attorney falls in love with the singer whose boss he has been assigned to ultimately prosecute. Songs include: "In Love with Love," "Mam'selle Is on Her Way" (George Waggner, Milton Rosen), "Tango" (Edgar Fairchild), and "Cuddle Up a Little Closer" (Karl Hoschna, Otto Harbach). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide