Richard Baer Movies

I Take These Men is a variation on the 1941 Ginger Rogers theatrical feature Tom, Dick, and Harry. While being feted at a surprise 15th wedding anniversary party, Carol Sherwood (Susan St. James) startles the well-wishers by asking her dull dentist husband, Stuart (James Sherwood), for a divorce. As the party nervously continues, Carol fantasizes what her life might have been like had she married one of her three guests: pompous real-estate mogul Craig Wyler (Adam West), nerdish professor David Koenig (John Rubinstein), or good-natured truck driver Phil Zakarian (Brian Dennehy) -- who happens to be the husband of her best friend, Elaine (Dee Wallace). Just in case the viewer doesn't find all this funny, the producers have helpfully added a laugh track. I Take These Men was unveiled by CBS on January 5, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Alan Alda is divorced from Barbara Feldon. Doug McClure is divorced from Connie Stevens. While spending the weekend with their respective children, Alda and McClure meet and become fast friends. Then, surreptitiously, Alda begins squiring Stevens while McClure does the same with Feldon. More believable and three-dimensional than most quickie TV-movies of its ilk, Playmates benefits from the enthusiastic performances of its stars and the perceptive script by Richard Baer. The film originally aired October 3, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thanks to a molecular mix-up, Samantha and her friend, Louise Tate, exchange personalities. As Dr. Bombay seeks out a remedy (involving the marrow from a tiger's tooth), Sam endeavors to save Louise and Larry's marriage. The brief scene in which Elizabeth Montgomery (Sam) chastely shares a bed with David White (Larry) should amuse those viewers who can recall that 1960 episode of The Untouchables, wherein Montgomery played White's flashy mistress. First telecast on March 4, 1971, "Mixed Doubles" was written by Richard Baer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Samantha gives Darrin a magic amulet, which, when worn, forces Endora to be nice to him. When Endora discovers the source of her uncharacteristic good nature, she spitefully turns the tables on Sam and Darrin. Naturally, this fit of pique occurs just when Darrin is trying to curry favor with his latest client, greeting-card manufacturer Augustus Sunhsine (John Fiedler). Originally telecast on April 9, 1970, "Turn on the Old Charm" was written by Richard Baer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The singing/songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, whose other Screen Gems TV credits included episodes of The Monkees and The Flying Nun, appear as themselves in this episode of Bewitched. When Boyce and Hart's agent, Chick Cashman (Art Metrano), turns down Serena's invitation to appear before the Witches' annual Cosmos Cotillion, Serena retaliates by casting a spell which robs the performers of their popularity. Elizabeth Montgomery plays the dual role of Samantha and Serena, and in the latter guise performs the Boyce-Hart composition "I'm Gonna Blow You a Kiss in the Wind," while the duo themselves perform "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight?" Written by Richard Baer, "Serena Stops the Show" originally aired on February 19, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Frequent Bewitched supporting actor Steve Franken shows up on this occasion in the role of Samantha's prankish cousin Henry. Accompanying Sam and Tabitha on a shopping trip, Henry causes trouble not only for his loved ones but also an overenthusiastic salesman named Joey Hinkley Jr. (Jonathan Daly), who ends up transformed into a mannequin. Future Partridge Family regular Dave Madden is cast as Fred, while LA Rams player Jack Snow appears as himself, uniform and all. First telecast on April 17, 1969, "Samantha's Shopping Spree" was written by Richard Baer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Samantha's new baby son has been born, and no one is prouder than her father, Maurice. Determined that his will be the most beautiful grandson in the maternity ward, Maurice casts a special which causes everyone -- including other expectant fathers -- to go into paroxysms of delight when they see the baby. As a result, Larry Tate hires Sam's new arrival as a model for a baby-food company, and the Witches Council fumes at Maurice's irresponsible behavior. Written by Richard Baer, "And Something Makes Four" first aired on October 16, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this episode, the spelling of the name of Darrin and Samantha's daughter changed from Tabatha to the more familiar Tabitha (though the role continued to be played by Erin Murphy). Doting grandmother Endora casts a spell to transform four-year-old Tabitha into a piano prodigy, much to the astonishment of her music teacher Johann Sebastian Monroe, played by Jonathan Harris, fresh from his three-year stint on Lost in Space. Featured in the cast is Fritz Feld as hand-popping orchestra conductor Maestro Ferranini. Written by Richard Baer, "Samantha on the Keyboard" was first telecast on October 10, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Darrin wonders if his life would be any different if Samantha were to tell the world that she is a witch. To purge such thoughts from her husband's head, Sam conjures up a nightmare for Darrin, wherein he discovers that too much knowledge about Sam's magical powers would result in nothing but grief for everyone concerned. By the end of the dream, both Sam and Darrin have been forced to join the army under threat of being burned at the stake. Written by Richard Baer, "I Confess" originally aired on April 4, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having played an obnoxious kiddie-show host named Captain Crocodile on The Monkees, comedian Joey Forman goes through similar paces in the Bewitched installment "HoHo the Clown." With the surreptitious aid of Endora, little Tabitha wins all the prizes on HoHo's daily TV show. This puts Darrin in hot water when it turns out that his new client is HoHo's biggest sponsor. Written by Richard Baer, "HoHo the Clown" originally aired on January 12, 1967, the night that Bewitched moved from its traditional 9:00 p.m. timeslot to the more family-friendly 8:30 p.m. berth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A bolt of lightning from Grandpa's machinery causes Herman (Fred Gwynne) to become horribly "disfigured"--at least by Munster standards. Specifically, Herman now looks exactly like actor Fred Gwynne without his Munster makeup. Horrified at the prospect of going through life in this fashion, Herman seeks the aid of a plastic surgeon, who turns out to be none other than his old friend Dr. Dudley (previously played by Paul Lynde, and now enacted by Dom DeLuise). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Culture-conscious Herman (Fred Gwynne) demands that son Eddie (Butch Patrick) learn to play the trumpet, but the boy has no ear for music. Driven to near-madness by Eddie's nocturnal off-key trumpet blasts, Grandpa decides to conjure up another spell. As a result, Eddie becomes a "hot" jazz musician with a steady stream of hipster dialogue--and he's unable to return to his normal self. John Carradine makes another appearance as Herman's cadaverous employer Mr. Gateman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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