Hoyt Axton Movies

Singer Hoyt Axton made his dramatic debut in this episode of Bonanza, which first aired April 4, 1965. Axton is cast as drifter Howard Mead, whose singing skills are matched only by his predilection for running afoul of the law. While trying to straigthen Mead out, Adam Cartwright is forced to defend his new friend against a robbery charge. But Adam's troubles are only beginning: Mead has fallen in love with Hilda Brunners (Susanne Cramer), the sister of the man (Steve Ihnat) Mead is accused of robbing. Written by Paul Schneider, "Dead and Gone" was the last Bonanza episode in which Pernell Roberts appeared, though not the last one to be telecast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this coming-of-age movie from 1974 that mines the same territory as Summer of '42 and Class of '44, Joan Goodfellow plays Billie, an obliging blonde more than willing to dispense sexual favors for a group of horny high schoolers in rural Georgia of 1948. The only member of the high school group that doesn't seek out Billie is Buster (Jan-Michael Vincent), who is faithful to his fiancee, Margie (Pamela Sue Martin). But when Margie insists on preserving her virginity until their wedding day, Buster joins the crowd and seeks out Billie himself. Buster is so taken with her that he begins to openly date her. Because of their relationship, Billie has changed but the townspeople and the high school students react with disdain when they see Buster and Billie holding hands. The disdain turns to hate, then to violence. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

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

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

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

When a conniving Montana thief (Corbin Bernsen) decides to rob the local bank, he organizes a gang of four to meet at a remote cabin to initiate the crime. The ringleader is delayed, however, by a pair of ineffective cops. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Tossing wristwatches away, two bikers hit the road to find America in Dennis Hopper's anti-establishment classic. After a major cocaine sale to an L.A. connection (Phil Spector), free-wheeling potheads Billy (Hopper) and Wyatt, aka Captain America (Peter Fonda, who also produced), motor eastward to party at Mardi Gras before "retiring" to Florida with the riches concealed in Wyatt's stars-and-stripes gas tank. As they ride through the Southwest, they take a hitchhiker (Luke Askew) to a struggling hippie commune before they get thrown in a small-town jail for "parading without a permit." Their cellmate, drunken ACLU lawyer George Hanson (Jack Nicholson, replacing Rip Torn), does them a "groovy" favor by getting them out of jail and then decides to join them. Babbling about Venusians, George discovers the joys of smoking grass, but an encounter with Southern rednecks soon proves how right he is about the danger posed by Billy's and Wyatt's unfettered life in a country that has lost its ideals. With the straight world closing in, Wyatt and Billy try to revel in New Orleans with some LSD and hookers (Karen Black and Toni Basil), but the acid trip is shot through with morbidity. Once they reach Florida, Billy raves about attaining the American dream; Wyatt, however, knows the truth: "We blew it."

Produced and directed by two Hollywood iconoclasts with under a half-million non-studio dollars, Easy Rider shook up the languishing movie industry when it grossed over 19 million dollars in 1969; it captured the spirit of the times as it woke Hollywood up to the power of young audiences and socially relevant movies, along with such other landmarks of the late '60s as Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, and 2001. Shot on location by Laszlo Kovacs, Easy Rider eschewed old-fashioned Hollywood polish for documentary-style immediacy, and it enhanced its casual feel with improvised dialogue and realistically "stoned" acting. With a soundtrack of contemporary rock songs by Jimi Hendrix, the Band, and Steppenwolf to complete the atmosphere, Easy Rider was hailed for capturing the increasingly violent Vietnam-era split between the counterculture and the repressive Establishment. Experiencing the "shock of recognition," youth audiences embraced Easy Rider's vision of both the attractions and the limits of dropping out, proving that audience's box-office power and turning Nicholson into a movie star. The momentarily hip Academy nominated Nicholson for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and Fonda, Hopper, and Terry Southern for their screenplay. Though none of its imitators would match its impact, Easy Rider remains one of the seminal works of late '60s Hollywood both for its trailblazing legacy and its sharply perceptive portrait of its chaotic times. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

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

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

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

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