Earl Holliman Movies

Director Michael Stevens debuts with this two-fisted ultra-violent crime drama about redemption and revenge. Adapted from British author Tim Willocks' 1991 novel, the movie weaves together four stories resulting from a botched bank robbery. Callilou (Judith Hoag), the wounded girlfriend of the robbery's mastermind Luther (Jim Metzler), seeks refuge with kind-hearted doctor Eugene Grimes (Michael Massee), who lives among the impoverished in New Orleans' worst neighborhood. Hot on Callilou's trail is rakish but corrupt Vice Squad Captain Clarence Jefferson (Michael McGrady), who is looking to horn in on the robbers. He eventually catches up with Eugene, and, after a great deal of physical and emotional abuse, Eugene reveals both his odd connection with the criminal ringleader and his hideout. Soon after Jefferson and his gang converge on Luther's lair, a bloody gunfight ensues. Bad City Blues was screened at the L.A./AFI Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

In Texas, a member of a truck-hijacking ring turns up murdered. The evidence points to Rob Platt (Patrick Cassidy), the son of Wayne Platt (Earl Holliman), owner of a small trucking firm that was being victimized by the crooks. Inasmuch as Wayne is an old friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), one can safely assume that the truth will soon be revealed and the actual murderer put in irons. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Imagine the astonishment of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) when she picks up a newspaper and reads that she has been killed in a Texas car accident! In truth, the dead woman was Marge Allen (Jane Withers), arguably the most obsessive member of the Jessica Fletcher Fan Club. While impersonating Jessica, Marge decided to investigate a scandal at a local dog-show, only to perish in the aforementioned "accident." Now that she's in the unique position of probing into her "own" murder, Jessica has time aplenty to grill the obligatory suspects, among them a kennel owner, the owner's wife, and a trigger-happy hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Made for television, American Harvest is set in the heartland of Kansas. Two proud, stubborn families have not spoken to one another because of an incident in the distant past. Wayne Rogers, the patriarch of one of the families, is in danger of losing his wheat farm. He knows that his land will be saved if he patches things up with rival farmer Earl Holliman, but such a reconciliation is out of the question--at least, until the film's final twenty minutes. American Harvest premiered on January 16, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This mammoth TV miniseries, based on the best-selling novel by Colleen McCullough, proved to be a ratings bonanza; indeed, its viewership was surpassed only by the 1978 blockbuster Roots. Set in Australia, the story covers 42 years in the life of Ralph de Bricassart (Richard Chamberlain), a Roman Catholic priest engaged in a constant struggle between his calling and his carnal desires. The women in de Bricassart's life include Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward, in her first American TV role) and Meggie's iron-willed grandmother Mary Carson (Barbara Stanwyck). Also in the cast are Jean Simmons and Richard Kiley as the Clearys, Sydney Penny as the young Meggie, Bryan Brown as Luke O'Neill, Mare Winningham as Justine (Meggie's daughter) and Christopher Plummer as the Archbishop. This 4-part, 10-hour presentation earned an Emmy award for Barbara Stanwyck, and Golden Globes for Stanwyck and Richard Chamberlain. Originally telecast March 27 through March 30, 1983, The Thorn Birds was followed 13 years later by The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years, again starring Richard Chamberlain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this musical drama a famed country singer and her newest competitor, a rising star, compete to become female vocalist of the year. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Where the Ladies Go is a TV movie set in a white-bread Oklahoma town, where most of the housewives suffer from terminal boredom. Good ol' boy Earl Holliman comes to the rescue by establishing the El Fidel, a bar which is open from 9 AM to 3 PM, or "ladies' hours." Karen Black, Candy Clark and Lisa Hartman are among the ladies who frequent the El Fidel, which, considering what goes on during business hours, could well have been renamed the "El Infidel." While the Southern accents come and go depending upon the skills of the individual actresses, the film maintains a fairly even entertainment keel. Where the Ladies Go was written by Carol Sobieski, who scripted many a "female bonding" TV flick of the 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Gorgeous LAPD undercover cop Pepper Anderson (Angie Dickinson) continues to put her life on the line while wearing some of the sexiest outfits of the 1970s in the fourth and final season of Police Woman. In the opener, Pepper foregoes assuming a false identity as she and her superior officer Lt. Crowley (Earl Holliman) go to the aid of a battered wife. Later on, of course, it's disguise time again, with Pepper variously posing as a congressional witness, a schoolteacher, a drug pusher, and a nun. Making guest appearances this year is a fascinating blend of familiar faces and talented newcomers, including Nipsey Russell, Keenan Wynn, Fernando Lamas, Lloyd Nolan, Nehemiah Persoff, Louis Nye, Paul Williams, Tab Hunter, Sandra Dee, Eartha Kitt, Catherine Bach, Debra Winger and Mare Winningham. The most offbeat bit of cast is comic impressionist Rich Little's chilling portrayal of a serial rapist. The funniest of the guest stars is Adam West, playing a cloddish thug who moves his lips while reading a "Batman" comic book! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season Two of Police Woman finds sexy undercover cop Pepper Anderson (Angie Dickinson) adopting a whole new slew of false identities and gorgeous costumes in the line of duty. In the course of the season, Pepper assumes such guises as a fashion consultant, a drug addict, a traffic cop, a Vegas showgirl, and even a little old lady. As "herself" in one poignant two-part episode, Pepper strikes a blow for woman's equality by training for the LAPD's motorcycle task force--and tragically losing her new boyfriend to a serial cop killer in the process. Among the guest stars appearing in the second season are Roddy McDowell, Bruce Boxleitner, Ida Lupino, Loni Anderson, Frank Gorshin, Henry Gibson, Amy Irving, Robert Loggia, Barry Williams, Donna Mills, James Darren and even psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sexy LAPD undercover officer Sgt. Pepper Anderson (Angie Dickinson) assumes a variety of identities and dons an exhausting array of stunning outfits during Season One of the iconic 1970s cop series Police Woman. In the first episode, however, Pepper must "dress down" a bit as a dowdy bank employee so that she and her superior officer Lt. Crowley (Earl Holliman) can nab a particular vicious gang of robbers. In later episodes, Pepper is seen as a model, a stewardess, a go-go dancer, a female convict, a nurse, a "desperate" housewife, a high school teacher, a jewel fence and a roadside café waitress. Occasionally, however, Pepper is simply Pepper, as in the episode in which she is given the unenviable task of guarding an outspoken Marxist during a particularly volatile student rally. During this season, Nichole Kallis makes sporadic appearances as Cheryl Anderson, Pepper's autistic sister, who lives at the Austin School for the Handicapped. Evidently the producers felt that this touching method of "humanizing" the heroine was dispensible, so Cheryl disappears without explanation by season's end. Like most dramatic series of its era, Police Woman benefits immeasureably from the talents of its guest stars. Appearing in the Season One episodes are such favorites as Cathy Rigby, Kathleen Quinlan, Elinor Donahue William Katt, Larry Hagman, Pat Morita, Rhonda Fleming, Hal Williams, Dane Clark, Bob Crane, Della Reese, William Shatner, Rory Calhoun, Annette O'Toole, Ruby Dee, Robert Vaughn, David Selby, Patty Duke, Shelley Berman, Don Meredith and Pat Harrington Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Trapped stars James Brolin as an casual shopper who is mugged in the men's room of a huge department store. Rendered unconscious, Brolin awakens late at night, long after the store has closed. That's when he discovers himself at the mercy of six vicious guard dogs, trained to tear apart any and all intruders. Instead of simply remaining in the bathroom until morning (that would be too logical), Brolin tries to outsmart his bare-fanged canine foes in order to make his way to the exit. The made-for-TV Trapped stretches its already attenuated premise way beyond its value by adding a gratuitous subplot. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Earl Holliman plays one of two disreputable insurance agents involved in a deadly scam. A wealthy philatelist has been murdered, an 1850 Guyana stamp worth $300,000 has been stolen, and the crooks are trying to turn a huge profit on a counterfeit of the missing stamp. Also prominent in the proceedings is Jessica Walter, fresh from her bravura villainy in Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this touching adventure, a remake of the popular 1940 film, two Georgia boys ignore their racial differences to team up and befriend a feral bird dog, whom they train to participate in a fence-jumping contest. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi