William Kendis Movies
- 1967
Out of necessity, Samantha shows up in New York and Chicago simultaneously. Her gift for instant duplication ends up jeopardizing her husband Darrin's job when his new client, Springer (Herb Voland), accuses Darrin of "stepping out" with a strange blonde. In the course of events, Larry Tate's wife, Louise, becomes convinced that she is seeing double and is in dire need of psychiatric help. Written by Rick Mittleman, "That Was No Chick, That Was My Wife" first aired on November 9, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1967
Coming in for an emergency landing while flying important documents to the Mother Superior, Sr. Bertrille drops into the middle of a secret Mob conclave. Her sudden arrival has a profound effect on a gangster chieftain (Noam Pitlik), who is convinced that Sr. Bertrille is a sign from Heaven. Insisting upon giving up his evil ways, the gangster may also give up breathing if his cronies have anything to say about it. Written by John McGreevey, "It's an Ill Wind" was first telecast on November 16, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
The twins (Anissa Jones, Johnnie Whitaker) enter a cereal contest, in hopes of winning an outboard motor. Instead, they receive a consolation prize: a very noisy baby lamb. When the neighbors complain about the lamb's incessant nocturnal bleating, Bill (Brian Keith) is faced with the problem of getting the kids to give up their new pet without breaking their hearts. With this episode, Sebastian Cabot returns to the role of Bill's butler Mr. Giles French--and as a bonus, Cabot's real-life daughter Annette Cabot also appears in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
When babysitter Endora is called away to the Taj Mahal on emergency business, little Tabitha amuses herself by bringing her toys to life. Convinced that the Stephenses are holding a costume party, a tipsy Larry Tate tries to strike up a friendship with the "humanized" toy soldier (Jim Brooks), whom he thinks has joined a new agency formed by Darrin. Written by Ed Jurist, "Toys in Babeland" was scripted during Bewitched's third season and originally scheduled to air on April 13, 1967. Because of an AFTRA strike, the episode was not ready for broadcast until season four, and not shown until September 14, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1966
Abner and Gladys Kravitz give the Stephenses' newborn baby Tabitha a birthday present: a single share of stock, purchased by Gladys' broker brother. When the stock suddenly rises in value, Darrin wonders if Samantha "arranged" this good fortune via witchcraft. And then, an even more alarming thought strikes him -- what if Tabitha herself caused the stock's unexpected upsurge? Written by Richard Baer, "My Baby, the Tycoon" was first telecast on January 20, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1963
In the conclusion of a two-part strory, the death of Lars Christian has drawn his niece Karen even closer to fugitive Richard Kimble (David Janssen). At the same time, Karen's spiteful half-brother Eric (Robert Duvall) has let slip Kimble's whereabouts to his relentless pursuer Lt. Gerard (Barry Morse). In an act of desperation, Kimble and Karen plan to escape by boat in a stormy sea--and in the ensuing tempest, Gerard ironically finds his life in Kimble's hands. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Originally titled "Nobody Here but Us Martians," this darkly comic Twilight Zone episode was a rewrite of (and vast improvement upon) an unfilmed Rod Serling script from 1958, "The Night of the Big Rain." Having spotted what they think is a UFO, two highway patrolmen converge upon a roadside diner, where an interesting cross-section of humanity has gathered. The patrolmen plant the suggestion that one of the patrons is actually a "spy" from another planet, a suggestion scoffed at by such likely suspects as taciturn Mr. Ross (John Hoyt) and scraggly vagabond Avery (Jack Elam). The check-checkmate ending is one of the series' most memorable, thanks to the skillful underplaying of Barney Phillips as the diner's sarcastic counterman. "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" first aired May 26, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hoyt, Barney Phillips, (more)
- 1960
Everett Sloane, who previously starred in Rod Serling's award-winning TV play Patterns, was reunited with Serling for this January 29, 1960, Twilight Zone installment. Having won an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas, parsimonious Franklin Gibbs (Everett Sloane) refuses to enter into the spirit of things by gambling. Alas, Franklin is not strong enough to resist the lure of a strange-looking slot machine -- and thus begins Franklin's slow but inevitable descent into poverty and madness, as his wife Flora (Vivia Janiss) looks on in helpless horror. This may well have been the first TV program in which a slot machine ever "spoke." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Everett Sloane, Vivi Janiss, (more)
- 1960
Having double-crossed his mob associates, popular newspaper reporter Jake Lingle (Herb Vigran) is gunned down in a subway. Investigating the murder, Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) is advised by the higher-ups to prevent the public from learning the truth: that the "crusading" Mr. Lingle had his fingers in several crooked pies. Meanwhile, ex-convict turned private detective Bill Hagen (played by a pre-Hawaii 5-0) offers to help Ness nab Lingle's killers, but the price he asks for has very little to do with the $25,000 reward posted by the authorities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Hoping to divorce her husband Walter (Walter Prescott) so she can marry her sweetheart Jimmy McLain (Biff Elliot), Ruth Prescott (Stacy Graham) is terrified that Walter is trying to kill her. Actually, it may be the other way around: Walter turns up dead, and Ruth is charged with the crime. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is convinced that Ruth is innocent, and that there is more to this seemingly open-and-shut case than meets the eye. Based on a 1936 novel by Erle Stanley Gardner, this is the final episode of Perry Mason's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Beaver (Jerry Mathers) talks Ward (Hugh Beaumont) and Wally (Tony Dow) into building him a soapbox racer, powered by an old lawn mower motor. Once the job is done, Ward cautions Beaver not to ride his racer in the street unless he, Ward, is around. Unfortunately, Larry (Rusty Stevens) goads Beaver into breaking his agreement with his dad -- and the result is a traffic ticket and a court date for our mortified hero! This episode originally marked Leave It to Beaver's move from Fridays to Wednesday on the CBS prime time schedule. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Wilcox, William Kendis, (more)
- 1956
The higher-ups exert a great deal of pressure on Sgt. Friday's boss Captain Donahoe (Walter Sande) to nab the two men who beat city councilman Jeffrey Hanks to death outside a bar. Working on a tip provided by a drunken witness, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) take into custody one Derwin Holbrook--but they've been led up the entirely wrong path. This episode was adapted from the Dragnet radio broadcast of March 15, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
