Mariette Hartley Movies
Never the typical ingénue, American actress Mariette Hartley was distinguished by attractively offbeat facial features and a full, throaty voice -- acting tools that enabled her to play a wide spectrum of ages and personalities even when she was barely out of her teens. The granddaughter of behavioral psychologist John B. Watson, Hartley began her training at Carnegie Tech, then studied acting under Eva LeGalleine . Shakespeare was Hartley's forte in her salad days; thus, she was a full-blown professional before the age of 21. Hartley's first film, Ride the High Country (1961), may well have been her best; as the runaway bride of a mentally deficient mountain man, Hartley was permitted to forego cutesiness and glamour, spending most of the film in dusty male western garb. She was so good in this first appearance that MGM literally had no idea what to do with her; the solution was to cast her as a garden-variety damsel in distress in Drums of Africa (1963), which Hartley now regards as her worst film (and it is -- far worse than the more obvious candidate, 1971's The Return of Count Yorga). Then as now, Hartley was better served on TV than in films. Appearing with regularity on such programs as Twilight Zone and Bonanza, Hartley exuded an intelligence and versatility rare in so young an actress. She gained a following with her recurring role on the nighttime soapera Peyton Place (1965), then provided the only bright moments of the misfire satirical sitcom The Hero (1966), in which she played the wife of a bumbling TV cowboy (Richard Mulligan). Her TV work load increased in the '70s, during which time she appeared as futuristic heroine Lyra-a in Gene Roddenberry's TV pilot Genesis II, a role which gained a great deal of press attention due to Hartley's exotic midriff makeup (her character was endowed with two navels). She also won an Emmy for her appearance in a 1978 installment of The Incredible Hulk. A popular talk-show raconteur, Hartley was able to parlay her no-nonsense persona into a series of lucrative camera commercials, in which she co-starred with James Garner. Her easy rapport with Garner led many to believe that she was married to the Rockford Files star, compelling her to make public appearances wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the message "I am NOT Mrs. James Garner" (she was, in fact, married to producer/director Patrick Boyriven). Her high audience "Q" rating led certain TV producers to believe that Hartley would be ideally cast as a news reporter on the 1983 sitcom Goodnight, Beantown. The casting was good, the show wasn't. Nor were follow-ups in this vein, including a foredoomed hitch as co-host of the 1987 revamping of CBS Morning News titled The Morning Program and the very short-lived newsroom-oriented weekly drama WIOU (1990). That the actress took to kidding about her many TV failures only added to her upbeat public image -- an image which masked a surfeit of grief brought on by the alcoholism and suicide of Hartley's father, which formed the basis of her 1990 book Breaking the Silence. Audiences were able to see this serious side of Mariette Hartley in her frequent TV-movie appearances, notably her performance as grieving mother Candy Lightner in M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Mariette Hartley remained busy on films and in television into the '90s; once again, the TV work was more rewarding than the movie assignments, which included such negligible entertainments as Encino Man (1992). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ernest Thompson, the playwright responsible for the Pulitzer Prize winning On Golden Pond, makes his directorial debut with 1969. Kiefer Sutherland plays a draft-age youth who undergoes an epiphany when one of his friends is killed in Vietnam. Sutherland's subsequent antiwar stance causes a great deal of tension within his own family, though his mother, Mariette Hartley, tries her best to understand. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Downey, Jr., Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
- 1979
In this drama, a well-known actress goes home to attend her father's funeral and finds herself haunted by unhappy childhood memories. It is these dark reminiscences that force her to take an honest look at herself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mariette Hartley, Collin Wilcox, (more)
- 1999
In this independent drama, aging Sandy Westphall (M. Emmet Walsh) and twenty-something Martin Kessler (Christian Leffler) accidentally pick up each other's suitcases at the baggage claim center of a busy airport. Before Sandy realizes what's happened, the suitcase he claimed is stolen by a pair of teenagers, Tyler (Spencer Vrooman) and Quinn (Jesse Roach). Sandy, who does not have long to live, is trying to tie up loose ends with the girl he loved in high school, while Martin has decided he needs to take a fresh look at his life and become more assertive. As Sandy and Martin find and lose each other's things, their stories begin to intersect and change. Baggage also stars Mariette Hartley and Vincent Schiavelli. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mariette Hartley
- 1970
Lee Van Cleef plays a fiercely independent river ferryman in the Old West. Bandit Warren Oates, fresh from decimating a local town, rides up with his gang and demands that Van Cleef transport the crooks and their booty across the river. He refuses, and is taken prisoner. Biding his time, Van Cleef is able to turn the tables on the vicious gang. Heavily influenced by the ultraviolent "spaghetti western" school, Barquero attempts to add a contemporary note to the proceedings by having Warren Oates take an hallucinatory "trip" after smoking an unidentified weed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Van Cleef, Forrest Tucker, (more)
- 1970
In her third Bonanza appearance, Mariette Hartley is here cast as Jennifer, the daughter of Ben Cartwright's old friend Harry Carlis (John McLiam). Slated to be wed to influential banker Tuttle Ames (Burr DeBennings, Jennifer leaves her intended at the altar and makes a beeline to the Ponderosa, insisting that she's been in love with Ben all her life. Even though Ben refuses to marry the girl, the vengeful Ames does everything in his power to destroy the Cartwright's financial empire. B.W. Sandefur's script makes a passing reference to Ben's son Adam, who hadn't been seen on Bonanza for nearly five years when "Is There Any Man Here?" first aired on February 8, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
Adam Cartwright rescues long-suffering schoolteacher Barbara (Mariette Hartley), who has been tied to a burning post by her unruly pupils. While Barbara recovers from her ordeal, Adam takes over her classroom, determined to teach her contentious charges the history of the Nevada Territory. In so doing, he unexpectedly unearths some deep, dark and ugly secrets about several of the territory's leading citizens. First shown on March 7, 1965, "Right is the Fourth R" was written by Jerry Adelman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1971
In her fourth Bonanza appearance, Mariette Hartley is cast as Lola, a temperamental touring actress. When Lola is forced to kill her abusive boyfriend, Hoss Cartwright gallantly shoulders the blame. This brings down the wrath of Senator Carson (Peter Whitney), the ruthlessly powerful father of the dead man, upon the Cartwright clan. Featured in the cast are Stefan Gierarsch as Grady, Allen Garfield as Charlie, and Mills Watson as Fontaine. First broadcast on November 28, 1971, "The Iron Butterfly" was written by Harold Swanton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1968
Mariette Hartley makes a return visit to Bonanza in the November 10, 1968 episode "The Survivors." This time, Hartley is cast as Alicia, a former captive of the Paiutes. During her captivity, Alicia had been forced to bear a son to one of the braves, and as a result is shunned by the townsfolk-and rejected by her husband Wayne Purcell (John Carter). It is up to the Cartwrights to defend Alicia in the face of raw, ugly bigotry. "The Survivors" was written by S.H. Barnett, Colin MacKenzie and John Hawkins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1992
A terrible secret is uncovered in a child's past in this made-for-cable drama. Based on a true story, Ashley Peldon stars as 7-year-old Catherine, the newly adopted child of the Tylers. When Catherine turns increasingly violent towards her new parents and her natural brother, the Tylers try everything in their power to uncover the mysterious root of her anger. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, Dwight Schultz, (more)
- 1992
In a 1991 episode of Jake and the Fatman, Dick Van Dyke guest-starred as Dr. Mark Sloan, who couldn't seem to keep his nose out of a murder investigation. Diagnosis of Murder is the two-hour TV-movie spin-off of that episode. This time, Dr. Sloan tags along with his police-sergeant son (Barry Van Dyke, the real life son of you-know-who) on another homicide case. The victim is a powerful business magnate whose questionable ethics have given plenty of people plenty of motive for the killing. Somehow or other, Dick Van Dyke finds time between his hospital rounds and his clue-hunting to perform a brief soft shoe. Diagnosis of Murder was the pilot for a potential series, which was sold under the slightly truncated title Diagnosis Murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Van Dyke, Mariette Hartley, (more)
- 1982
Dick Van Dyke is the Drop-Out Father in this lighthearted TV movie. A successful but unsatisfied insurance executive, Van Dyke decides one day to kick over the traces. As his wife (Mariette Hartley) and family listen in fascinated horror, our hero announces his plans to move from the suburbs to a Manhattan loft, there to "find himself." With the exception of his loyal youngest daughter, Van Dyke's family elects to stay put, permitting him to carve out a new life on his own. Peter Matz won an Emmy nomination for his sprightly musical score. Originally telecast September 17, 1982, Drop-Out Father was followed in 1988 by a made-for-TV sequel, innovatively titled Drop-Out Mother. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Spliced together with plentiful strips of old footage from previous films set in Africa, this routine romantic drama takes place on the east, equatorial region of the so-called "dark continent," in 1897. The story features Mariette Hartley as Ruth Knight and Lloyd Bochner as David, an engineer and Ruth's romantic interest during a safari. Frankie Avalon plays another safari member. Aside from the spliced-in scenery and animals, and the romance between Ruth and David, there is a dash of adventure here and there as slave traders enter into the action. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frankie Avalon, Mariette Hartley, (more)
- 1971
The all-purpose science fiction title Earth 2 was utilized in 1971 for this TV pilot film. Producer/writers Allan Balter and William Read Woodfield consulted both NASA and the Rockwell Corporation to guarantee a modicum of authenticity for their futuristic teleplay. The story takes place in "Earth II", a self-contained space station orbiting the earth which houses 2000 people. Gary Lockwood, star of 2001: A Space Odyssey, appears as the commander of the station (note to fans of "Alvin and the Chipmunks": Lockwood's character name is David Seville!) The anecdotal plot explores the everyday operations of Earth II and the various trials and tribulations of its denizens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
The Rampart emergency team try to save a suicidal youngster from leaping off an apartment ledge. Elsewhere, the paramedics rescue a man who has been trapped in a doughnut machine. And in what would normally be a less stressful moment, John (Randolph Mantooth) suffers from a terrible bout of stage fright when he appears on a live TV show. Jo Anne Worley makes a return visit as Maude Grayson, the "scream therapy" lady (at least, she does in the uncut network version of this episode). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A clueless caveman meets his intellectual match in the form of Pauly Shore in this teen-oriented comedy. Dave Morgan (Sean Astin) is a high school student in Encino, California, where he spends most of his time with his dazed-and-confused buddy Stoney Brown (Shore) and tries to figure out why his girlfriend Robyn (Megan Ward) left him for thick-headed jock Matt (Michael DeLuise). Hoping to boost his low status in the High School pecking order, Dave wants to put in a swimming pool at his family's home for a massive post-prom party. While Dave and Stoney are digging the pit, an earthquake strikes that unearths a frozen caveman (Brendan Fraser). To Dave and Stoney's surprise, the frozen Neanderthal soon comes to life, and after a bath, a shave, and a new set of clothes, the boys are passing off their dim-witted-but-friendly companion "Link" as an exchange student from Estonia. Link soon becomes the most popular guy at school, and Dave is determined to use Link's social success as a way to win back Robyn and foil Matt. Encino Man marked the directorial debut of Les Mayfield, who previously produced the critically acclaimed documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Astin, Pauly Shore, (more)
- 1995
The made-for-TV Falling From the Sky: Flight 174 was based on a true story that occurred high over Canada in July of 1983. While en route from Montreal to Edmonton, a brand-new Boeing 767 runs out of fuel in mid-flight. With only a cursory knowledge of the jet's inner works, the crew is forced to desperately improvise a means of rescuing the passengers by gliding the aircraft to a runway in Winnipeg--35 miles away. Although the actual story has enough inherent drama for five TV movies, the producers felt the necessity to add a few overly melodramatic touches to heighten the suspense; also, aviation enthusiasts weren't too happy with the script's inaccuracies, nor were movie purists impressed by the surprisingly shoddy computer enhanced special effects. Nonetheless, the film boasts excellent performances, especially from William Devine as Captain Bob Pearson. First broadcast by ABC on February 20, 1995, Falling From the Sky was adapted from William and Marilyn Hoffer's book Freefall, and has since been retitled Freefall: Flight 174 for cable-TV play. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Devane, Shelley Hack, (more)
- 1973
On three occasions between 1973 and 1975, Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry attempted to launch a new science-fiction series. All three pilot films were predicated on the premise of a modern-day scientist awakening after nearly two centuries in suspended animation. The first of these feature-length pilots was Genesis 2, which debuted March 23, 1973. Alex Cord stars as Dylan Hunt, who opens his eyes to discover that he now resides in a post-apocalyptic world. He is reluctantly recruited into a resistance movement, aimed at toppling the present despotic regime. The film's "money scene" involved leading lady Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley), who at a crucial plot juncture lifts her blouse to reveal that she has two navels. When Genesis 2 failed to click as a series, Roddenberry and company tried again with Planet Earth (1974); when that didn't sell, the property was reworked as Strange New World (1975). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
From Hanna-Barbera's animated series depicting the tales of the bible, "Joshua and the Battle of Jericho" tells the tale of Joshua's leadership and determination to follow his God. The story demonstrates Joshua leading the Hebrews through a battle with the Canaanites, who built a wall to prevent them from passing through to the Promised Land. The video is recommended for older children, along with parental guidance. ~ Sarah Sloboda, All Movie Guide
- 1991
This Hanna-Barbera animated video tells a version of the Bible story about Esther, whose heroism is commemorated annually by the feast of Purim. Esther, a Jewish orphan girl, is chosen by King Ahasuerus of Persia to be his queen. Meanwhile, the king's counselor schemes to bring about the death of Jews throughout the realm. With the help of God, her courage, and her wits, Queen Esther devises a plan that saves her people. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Inspired by Mary Ellen Pinkham's profound self-help book How to Stop the One You Love From Drinking, this insightful video uses dramatized situations and straightforward commentary to explain the process of intervention. Mariette Hartley takes viewers through the practical steps they can take to start the healing process. This enlightening program can benefit anyone who lives with the day-to-day pain of someone else's alcohol or drug abuse. ~ Scott Albright, All Movie Guide
- 1981
- PG
Alan Arkin plays a hapless architect named Jeffrey Martley, separated from his sprightly writer wife Diana (Mariette Hartley) and his wise-beyond-her-years five-year-old daughter Nancy (Sarah Stevens). When Nancy is injured in Jeffrey's camper, she is taken to the hospital where a misunderstanding leads doctors to believe she is the victim of child abuse. An imperious social worker, Gloria Washburn (Monica Parker), compiles a computer dossier on Jeffrey, and Nancy is taken away from him and put in an orphanage. When Diana finds out the situation, she gets back together with Jeffrey in order to try to get their daughter out of the orphanage. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Arkin, Mariette Hartley, (more)
