Hoyt Axton Movies

Oklahoma-born singer/composer Hoyt Axton was the son of Mae Boren Axton, the highly respected country-and-western artist who wrote Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel." Upholding family tradition, Axton has penned several hit songs for performers other than himself, from the Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar" to Ringo Starr's "The No No Song." Axton's film career until the mid 1980s was confined to soundtrack contributions, notably for the 1969 groundbreaker Easy Rider. Switching to film acting in the late 1970s, Axton has appeared in good ole boy character roles in such films as The Black Stallion (1979) and Gremlins (1984). Hoyt Axton also sang the theme song for the TV sitcom Flo (1980-81). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
2008  
 
This third edition of the Country Fever Jukebox includes numbers by a host of musical legends including Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, Hoyt Axton, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandBilly Crash Craddock, (more)
1994  
 
In this coming-of-age drama follows a 13-year old girl living in Montana during 1946, as she copes with her father's adultery. Sally Mae Parker may be young, but she is not blind. She is quietly aware of the growing tension between her pregnant mother and her father, who recently returned from the war. Her mother is a strict, devout Christian. She is worried that both daughter and father are headed straight for hell. Her father is more worried about finding a decent job. Sally worries about her changing body and her crush upon a local teenage mechanic. Her father begins to have an affair with the widow next door; Sally soon finds out about it. During the rest of the film, she deals with the situation and becomes a young woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Michael MadsenNicholle Tom, (more)
1993  
 
The Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co. authorized this documentary commemorating the 90th anniversary of the company. Shown are film clips from news footage, movies and television shows that featured the company's motorcycles, and such stars as James Caan, Peter Fonda and Larry Hagman are interviewed and talk about their fascination with, and ownership of, Harleys. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide

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1993  
 
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In this finely crafted Canadian character study, filled with light comic touches, Graham (Kim Coates) is an out of work symphony violinist. About the only job he can find is playing the bass fiddle with the Harmony Cats, a just-barely making it country band, led by Frank Hay (Jim Byrnes). Graham is not the only non-fan of country music in the outfit. For instance, their drummer, Reg, is a loyal jazz afficianado, and their guitarist greatly prefers heavy metal. They are kept on track and on schedule by Alma, who alternately bullies and mothers the band members. Graham's girlfriend goes ballistic when she discovers that the band will be traveling with Frank's daughter Debbie (Lisa Brokop) as a featured singer. Graham is growing just a little too fond of the girl for her comfort, although this is usually expressed as appreciation for her musical gifts. Those same gifts are also appreciated by a Nashville producer (played by country great Hoyt Axton). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Kim CoatesJim Byrnes, (more)
1992  
 
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Each episode of this series offers different battles of the war. Each uses re-enactments, expert commentary, and readings by actors such as Burt Reynolds, Charlton Heston, and Richard Dreyfuss to bring the events of the war to vivid life. Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 3 concentrates on the campaigns surrounding the battles of Vicksburg, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

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1992  
 
Each episode of this series presents different battles from the war. Each uses re-enactments, expert commentary, and readings by actors such as Burt Reynolds, Charlton Heston, and Richard Dreyfuss to bring the events of the war to vivid life. This episode concentrates on the Wilderness campaign and Cold Harbor, as well as Sherman's vicious battle for the city of Atlanta and the brutal campaign of scorched earth he introduced to the Confederacy. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

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1991  
 
This 2 volume series examines the firearms used in the Old West as narrated by Hoyt Axton. The guns of outlaws and lawmen in the period from 1862-1898 are featured in Volume 2. ~ All Movie Guide

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1991  
 
This 2 volume series examines the firearms used in the Old West as narrated by Hoyt Axton. The guns of outlaws and lawmen in the period from 1803-1861 are featured in Volume 1. ~ All Movie Guide

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1991  
 
The American Civil War divided the nation and produced profound and lasting changes in the lives of its people. The issues and emotions of the times are reflected in this collection of songs from the era. The longing of slaves for freedom, the defiance of the South for a dying way of life, and the cry for the Union preserved of the North were expressed in music. Folk singers including Judy Collins, Waylon Jennings, Ritchie Havens, and Kathy Mattea interpret music of the period, from the Spoon River Anthology to Underground Railroad coded message songs. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

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1990  
 
Originally shot as a television series pilot, the made-for-television Rousters is about Wyatt Earp's great-grandson (Chad Everett) who is a bouncer for Captain Jack Slade's carnival in Sladetown. The carnival is upset when a rascal named Clayton drops by, looking to cause some trouble. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Chad EverettHoyt Axton, (more)
1990  
 
Jason (Alan Thicke) is surprised to discover that he has inherited a mountain cabin in Colorado from his Uncle George. Upon reaching the cabin, Jason recalls that he was the only member of the family to encourage George to "follow his dreams"--and now he himself in a position to do just the same. But will Jason's reconfiguring of his future plans have an adverse effect on the future of his son Mike? Singer Hoyt Axton guest stars in this, the final episode of Growing Pains' fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1990  
 
Produced for cable TV, this pedestrian thriller (also known as Till Death Do Us Part) purports to be a riff on Edgar Allen Poe's "The Premature Burial" but actually bears more of a resemblance to Diabolique. It stars Tim Matheson as a cheated-upon husband who can't stay down after his wife's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) unsuccessful attempt to poison him results in his being buried alive. The film's one real moment of horror comes in a claustrophobic sequence where Matheson desperately claws his way out of his coffin. The story then settles into a standard revenge motif, capped with an admittedly potent payoff that, though intriguing, is probably not as shocking as the filmmakers had intended. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Tim Matheson
1988  
 
Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge was the third in a sporadic series of TV westerns centered around fugitive do-gooder Duell McCall (Alex McArthur). Falsely accused of a whole litany of crimes, McCall is forced to drift from town to town, spreading a little goodwill wherever he happens to land. In this entry, McCall is about to be hanged. He is freed on one condition: That he head up a posse to rescue the kidnapped daughter of land baron Rod Steiger. Alice Adair plays the hostage (who isn't precisely what she appears to be), and Lise Cutter appears as McCall's romantic interest. Seven months after the 1989 premiere of Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge, there would be a fourth and final chapter in the saga of Duell McCall: Desperado: Badlands Justice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1988  
 
A pre-Will and Grace Megan Mullally guest stars in this episode as Molly Connors, the feisty daughter of West Virginia coal miner Eben Connors (Denver Pyle). When Eben dies in a suspicious mining accident, Molly sweeps into town to accuse the mine's owner of being responsible for her dad's death. Shortly thereafter, the owner is found murdered--and the murder weapon, a rifle, is located in Molly's car. All that is preventing Molly from being torn to pieces by the hostile local citizens is the presence of the girl's former creative-writing teacher Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who as usual suspects that someone else has perpetrated the foul deed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1987  
 
Dorian Harewood stars as real-life Texas engineer Lenell Geter, who in 1982 was accused of armed robbery. Beyond the fact that both he and the suspect are African-American, Geter looks nothing at all like the actual robber; still, he is identified as the culprit in a police lineup. Despite the testimony of six character witnesses, all of whom were with Geter at the time of the robbery, he is sentenced to life imprisonment. He very likely would have remained in prison had not the CBS investigative series 60 Minutes told Geter's story to millions of viewers. The authorities refuse to acknowledge the possibility that they have erred, and attempt to block a re-opening of the case. Even Geter's court-appointed attorney (Dabney Coleman) is unsympathetic to his client's plight. But Geter's somewhat ingenuous faith in the American justice system is eventually rewarded, and he is finally set free. Guilty of Innocence was originally telecast February 3, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1987  
 
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The Duke boys (John Schneider, Tom Wopat) return to play different characters: arguing brothers who are forced to take a shipment of toys to a remote Alaskan town. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
John SchneiderTom Wopat, (more)
1986  
 
Inspired by guess what television series, this made-for-TV movie traces the follies and fortunes of the Ewings and the Barneses all the way back to the 1930s. The familiar Dallas characters are played by unfamiliar (albeit very able) younger players: Miss Ellie, for example, isn't Barbara Bel Geddes (nor even Donna Reed) but the unknown Molly Hagan, while Jock Ewing is the slightly more recognizable Dale Midkiff. Larry Hagman, aka J.R. Ewing, appears long enough to introduce the film. As for J.R. himself, he shows up as an ominously nasty teenager, played by Kevin Wixted. Playing to fabulous ratings, Dallas: The Early Years debuted March 23, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1986  
 
Produced for the HBO Cable service, Act of Vengeance reenacts the 1969 murder of United Mine Workers leader Jock Yablonski. Yablonski (Charles Bronson) virtually writes his own death warrant when, after a "safe" mine collapses and 80 miners are killed, he rebels against the incumbent UMW boss Tony Boyle (Wilford Brimley) to campaign for presidency of the union. Boyle gets the word out that one less Yablonski in the world would be preferable. Yablonski is depicted as being fully aware of the danger he faces in challenging Boyle--and is supported in his decision by his courageous wife (Ellen Burstyn). Based on the book by Trevor Armbrister, Act of Vengeance premiered on April 20, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1984  
 
Rare filmclips of folksinger Woody Guthrie at work and at play provide the highlights of this 74-minute documentary. Hard Travelin' places Guthrie's musical contributions within the context of their times, utilizing harrowing footage of the devastation wreaked by the Depression and the Dust Bowl. It goes without saying, perhaps, that Arlo Guthrie is called upon to assess his father, both as an artist and a man. Also appearing to perform and converse are Joan Baez, Hoyt Axton, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger. Woody Guthrie is the ideal "warm-up" for the 1976 Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1983  
 
Director H. B. Halicki affords himself the lead in Deadline Auto Theft, playing a lover of fast cars and fast women, in that order. In search of new thrills, he gets involved with ring of thieves. There follows the usual film-length chase, with Halicki running from the law and the crooks. Veterans Hoyt Axton and Lang Jeffries (of the 1950s TV series Rescue 8) add a dash of professionalism to Deadline Auto Theft. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1983  
 
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A delightful episode from Shelley Duvall's popular family-oriented cable television series, this version of the classic children's yarn takes an unusual twist in that poor little Goldilocks is an ill-mannered, destructive brat who turns the lives and household of three kindly bears upside down. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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1981  
 
The Dukes find out that their personable new neighbors, Adam and Esther Venable (John Larch, Cynthia Leake) are actually in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Complicating matters are a band of vicious bounty hunters who are pursuing the Venables in hopes of tracking down $2,000,000 in stolen ransom money. Somehow or other, all this is tied in Boss Hogg's (Sorrell Booke) uranium-hunting expedition. This week's victim of Boss' "celebrity speed trap" is Hoyt Axton, who performs "Out-of-State Cars". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1979  
 
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This beautifully mounted adaptation of Walter Farley's story for children tells the tale of Alec (Kelly Reno), a young boy touring the world with his adventurous salesman father (Hoyt Axton). While travelling back to the United States by ship, Alec discovers a wild, beautiful Arabian stallion being brought along in the cargo hold. When disaster strikes at sea, the ship sinks, and Alec and the stallion are the only survivors. Alone together on a nearby island, the boy and the horse develop a relationship; wary of each other at first, they learn to trust each other, and they become close friends. When a rescue party finally finds Alec, he refuses to leave the island without the stallion, and the horse goes with Alec to the small town that is his home. Alec's mother (Teri Garr) is at a loss about what to do with this remarkable but difficult animal. Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney), an elderly horse trainer who lives in the neighborhood, senses a special connection between the boy and his horse; he's soon convinced that with the right training, and the boy as his jockey, the horse could be a champion on the race course. First-time director Carroll Ballard captures the mysterious relationship between humans and animals, treating the stallion with the same intelligence and respect as the rest of his cast; he also draws fine, understated performances from Kelly Reno and Mickey Rooney, and Caleb Deschanel's photography makes this a feast for the eyes. The Black Stallion is that rare contemporary family film that will fascinate adults as much as their kids, if not more so. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Kelly RenoMickey Rooney, (more)
1979  
 
When she was a little girl back in Rock Throw, West Virginia, Jennfer (Loni Anderson) promised to marry her childhood sweetheart T.J. Watson. Now T.J. is all grown up (and played by country singer Hoyt Axton), and he has come to Cincinnati to see Jennifer. Worried that T.J. will demand that she keep her marriage promise, Jennifer tries to pass off Johnny (Howard Hesseman) as her husband! Without tipping off the punch line of this episode, it can be noted that Hoyt Axton performs two of his own compositions, "I'm a Jealous Man" and "Della and the Dealer". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1979  
 
Popular country music stars from the late 1970s populate this updated adaptation of Dickens', A Christmas Carol. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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