Harry Holcombe Movies

Dick Harper (George Segal) and his wife Jane (Jane Fonda) have always lived way beyond their means. Just because Dick has just lost his high-paying job is no reason for Jane to stop spending like there's no tomorrow. To make ends meet, Jane takes up a new career: armed robbery. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Big Bus is set aboard a nonstop, nuclear-powered luxury bus commandeered by Joseph Bologna. Naturally, Bologna is a tortured hero with a deep dark secret (he keeps insisting he didn't eat all those passengers on his last disastrous drive). Stockard Channing and Harold Gould play the designers of the big bus, and of course they have a few skeletons in their closet. In fact, there isn't a passenger on the all-star manifest that isn't hiding something. The supporting cast features contributions by René Auberjonois (parodying his M*A*S*H role), Ned Beatty, José Ferrer, Ruth Gordon (doing a devastating send-up of Airport's Helen Hayes), Sally Kellerman, Richard Mulligan, and many others; Murphy Dunne contributes a memorable bit as a smarmy cocktail pianist. Unfortunately, The Big Bus was dumped onto the summer 1976 release schedule without fanfare by Paramount, and it sank without a trace. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This fast-paced Disney endeavor stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann as two adolescents with acute psychic powers. The kids are actually space aliens, but suffer from amnesia and are unaware of their origins. Pursued by greedy business-mogul Ray Milland, who wants to harness their special powers for his benefit, Kim and Ike are rescued by likeable camper Eddie Albert. He and the kids escape to the mountain of the title when Albert's RV suddenly acquires the power of flight. In 1978, the film spawned the sequel Return from Witch Mountain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Circuitously commenting upon the drug culture of the 1970s, this Bonanza episode probes the dangers of the onetime "wonder drug" morphine. Future MASH regular Mike Farrell is cast as Dr. Will Agar, who is revealed to be a morphine addict after he inadvertently causes the death of a young patient during routine surgery. Also in the cast are Gary Busey as Dr. Agar's hapless victim Henry Johnson, David Huddleston as Henry's father, Melissa Murphy as Agar's wife Nancy, and Mons Kjellin (the son of director Alf Kjellen) as Agar's son Chris. Written by Stanley Roberts and Jack B. Sowards, "The Hidden Enemy" first aired on November 28, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Roscoe Lee Browne guest-stars as Joshua, the crippled grandfather of a black youngster killed in a bank robbery. Struggling to overcome his bitterness against the white race in general, Joshua accepts the assistance of Joe Cartwright and Jamie in tracking down his grandson's killers. Featured in the cast is Richard Farnsworth as Troy. Michael Landon, who plays Joe Cartwright, also wrote and directed this compelling episode. "He Was Only Seven" made its network broadcast debut on March 5, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Blinded in an explosion, Joe Cartwright, uncertain as to whether his sight will ever be restored, bitterly cuts himself off from the rest of his family. Enter Miss Ellen Dobbs (Jo Van Fleet) from San Francisco, who specializes in teaching the blind how to cope with the "sighted" world. Electing not to tell Joe that Ellen is herself sightless, Ben wonders if he made the right decision as Joe's anger-and unwillingness to learn from Ellen--threatens to permanent divide the Cartwright clan. Written by Suzanne Clauser, this episode was given the full approval of the Braille Institute of America, several of whose representatives acted as technical advisers. Directed by Michael Landon (who of course played Joe Cartwright), "The Stillness Within" first aired on March 14, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

"Movies like Getting Straight are ceasing to be tolerable" complained one conservative movie magazine of 1970. Today, the once-relevant but now merely entertaining Getting Straight is not only tolerable, but downright user-friendly. Elliot Gould plays a Vietnam vet who decides to attend college after his tour of duty. Though much too old and worldly to truly fit in with the naive flower-power generation, Gould becomes swept up in the various activist movements on campus. The leading character's crisis of conscience concerns his field of study: he wants to be a teacher for idealistic reasons, while his Establishment professors try to convince him that it's just another job, and hardly the best one at that. He finally chooses which side he's on while attempting to act as a mediator between students and faculty during a campus riot. Candice Bergen plays Gould's girlfriend, while Robert F. Lyons steals every scene he's in as a draft dodger who'll go to any lengths to avoid military service. Getting Straight represents the final screen appearance of Cecil Kellaway, here cast as a hidebound tenured professor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Carri Sturgis (Jewel Blanch), a young friend of Ben Cartwright's adopted son Jamie, lives in terror under the cruel supervision of her Aunt Vella (Madeleine Sherwood) and Uncle Gifford (William Bramley). Inasmuch as the couple hates children, Jamie can't understand why they so desperately desire custody of Carri. Before long, the truth is revealed: The girl is heir to her late grandfather's gold mine. Also in the cast are Paul Fix as Buford and Peggy Rea as Clara. Written by B.W. Sandefur, "For a Young Lady" initially aired on December 27, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Pirosh's teleplay for this Bonanza episode was based on an actual 19th century phenomenon. In the years following the Civil War, many young and disillusioned ex-soldiers formed nomadic groups called the "Weary Willies", who roamed throughout the west living off the land and avoiding "proper" employment. In other words, they were the hippies of their time, something with which viewers could instantly relate when this episode first aired on September 27, 1970. In the course of the story, the Ponderosa welcomes the Willies to their property, but their neighbors do not. When a girl is attacked, the Willies are accused of the crime, but the truth lies closer to home. The cast includes a pre-Waltons Richard Thomas as Billy, Lee Purcell as Angie, Elisha Cook Jr. as Marcus, and Kevin Tighe as Krulak. In keeping with its flower-child ambience, "The Weary Willies" features several songs, including "Man Passing Through", "Blood Brothers" and "It Won't Be Very Long". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Candy is forced to kill the rancher husband of Lisa Campbell (Charlotte Stewart) in self-defense. Hoping to overcome Lisa's bitterness, Candy goes to work for her as a ranchhand. Ultimately, love blossoms between the two-but Lisa has already hired gunslinger Jake (Lloyd Battista) to kill Candy, and Jake refuses to back down from the job. Scripted by Star Trek stalwart D.C. Fontana, "The Stalker" first aired on November 2, 1969, then was selected by NBC for an encore presentation in the summer of 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Joe Cartwright's coquettish former fiancee Emily Anderson (Beth Brickell) returns to town, quickly wrapping the moonstruck Joe around her little finger once more. Unfortunately, Emily has neglected to inform Joe that she is now married to Deputy Marshal Wade McPhail (Ron Hayes). Furthermore, the girl is an habitual liar, and before long a wounded Joe has been accused of robbery and murder. Written by Preston Wood and Elliot Gilbert, "Emily" originally aired on March 23 1969. It is currently unavailable in most circulating Bonanza rerun packages. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ben Hecht's reminiscences from his youth as a cub reporter in 1910 Chicago makes an uneasy transition to the screen in this Norman Jewison production. During the Galena, Illinois, Independence Day celebration of 1910, Ben Young (Beau Bridges) determines that it is time to seek his fortune and sets out by train to Chicago. Once in Chicago, Ben has his money stolen, and he faints from hunger. To his rescue comes Queen Lil (Melina Mecouri), a local madam, who takes him to her brothel, where he is allowed to stay on the top floor of the house. Queen Lil gets Ben a job on the Chicago Journal and he meets the gruff, but kind, editor Francis X. Sullivan (Brian Keith). Sullivan takes Ben on a drinking tour of the Tenderloin, where Ben's naiveté is given a good working-over as Ben experiences the political realities of the city. Ben decides to devote his life to reforming the shady politics of Chicago. Meanwhile, reform leader Axel P. Johanson (George Kennedy) is trying to obtain a ledger of civic corruption compiled by Honest Tim Grogan (Hume Cronyn). During a party for Grogan at Queen Lil's, Ben inspires friendly prostitute Adeline (Margot Kidder) to change her evil ways. Her first act as a reformer is to steal Grogan's ledger and join the Salvation Army mission. But everyone thinks that Ben has stolen the ledger, and soon Sullivan, Queen Lil, Grogan and Johanson are all after him to get the ledger back. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi