Lenore Kingston Movies
- 1970
Woe betide the criminal who ever makes the mistake of victimizing a friend of Chief Robert Ironside (Raymond Burr)! In this case, the friend is a fruit seller named Dora Copeland (Ann Doran). A syndicate of protection racketeers has swarmed into town in hopes of gaining control of San Francisco's produce market--and their first step is to blackmail Dora by framing a compromising situation involving her son Paul (Stewart Moss), a prominent attorney. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
The death of an ex-serviceman appears to be accidental, but Ironside (Raymond Burr) suspects murder when he finds six GI dog-tag numbers scratched in the dead man's watch case. It turns out that five former soldiers are desperately trying to cover up their complicity in a robbery which occurred several years before. Ironside's assistant Ed risks his job--and his life--to bring the criminals to justice. Martial arts icon Bruce Lee appears as a karate instructor in this episode, which is climaxed by a heart-pounding showdown in San Francisco's huge cable-car barn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Kate (Bea Benaderet) is outraged when she is given a jaywalking ticket in Pixley. Rather than "pay the two dollars", Kate decides to fight the ticket in court. Unfortunately, not only does the legal system seem to be stacked against her, but also the local citizens are demanding that she pay up and shut up! Frequent Petticoat Junction guest star Parley Baer) shows up as the flustered judge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
A bolt of lightning from Grandpa's machinery causes Herman (Fred Gwynne) to become horribly "disfigured"--at least by Munster standards. Specifically, Herman now looks exactly like actor Fred Gwynne without his Munster makeup. Horrified at the prospect of going through life in this fashion, Herman seeks the aid of a plastic surgeon, who turns out to be none other than his old friend Dr. Dudley (previously played by Paul Lynde, and now enacted by Dom DeLuise). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Preparing to embark on a three-week trip to Rome, Tony (Larry Hagman) orders Jeannie (Barbara Eden) to remain home. Certain that Tony will succumb to the charms of some fair senorina or other, Jeannie resorts to every trick in the book to force Tony to stay in Cocoa Beach. Finally, Tony gives up and tells her she can go along--but only if she can obtain a passport legally, something that her "genie" will not permit her to do. Meanwhile, Roger (Bill Daily) eagerly awaits the opportunity to have Jeannie all to himself...as if! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Hoping to prepare Billie Jo (Gunilla Hutton) for a job as public stenographer, Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) encourages her to enroll in a secretarial school. To practice her typing skills, Billie types up a letter from her mom Kate (Bea Benaderet) that she finds lying around the house. Unfortunately, the letter is an extremely nasty and insulting one, and Kate had never intended for it to be delivered--but delivered it is, placing poor Kate at the mercy of Post Office bureaucracy as she tries to retrieve the embarrassing missive! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Singer Bobby Pickett of "Monster Mash" fame makes his second Petticoat Junction appearance, this time in the role of shy high school student Walter Thorp. As the only male in Hooterville High's home economics class, poor Walter is subjected to a lot of teasing by his fellow students. Things get so bad that Walter is in danger of flunking the class. Fortunately, Bobbie Jo (Gunilla Hutton) takes pity on Walter, and enlists the help of her mom Kate (Bea Benaderet) to secure the boy a passing grade. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Fred Clark returns in the role of Dr. Clyburn, still anxious to prevent Granny from practicing her own brand of mountain medicine. But even Clyburn is impressed when Granny announces that she found a cure for the common cold nearly 50 years ago, with one of her own special potions -- which, amazingly, seems to work like a charm! The supporting cast includes sci-fi film perennial Tom Browne Henry as Parker and radio actor Olan Soule as the salesman. "The Common Cold" originally aired on December 29, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this classic episode, Beaver (Jerry Mathers) is en route to Gilbert's house while his folks are having a party. Suddenly, Beaver and Gilbert (Stephen Talbot) are attracted by a huge, three-dimensional billboard, depicting a woman holding a gigantic, steaming bowl of soup. Anxious to find out where the steam is coming from, Beaver climbs up the billboard -- only to become stuck in the enormous soup bowl! This is the Leave It to Beaver episode that everyone remembers, and for good reason -- the iconic image of Jerry Mathers "in the soup" perfectly encapsulates all of the series' charm and hilarity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Osmond, Frank Bank, (more)
- 1961
Beaver (Jerry Mathers) and his buddy Gilbert (Stephen Talbot) conspire to make "funny faces" when their class picture is taken. But when the flash-bulb goes off, Beaver is the only one who is contorting his face and sticking out his tongue! Undoubtedly, dad Ward (Hugh Beaumont) is going to blow his top when he finds out that his son is responsible for "wrecking" the photo session. In the end, however, Beaver is rescued by the unexpected intervention of classmate Myrtle Jarvis (who doesn't even get a mention in the closing credits). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Talbot, Sue Randall, (more)
- 1960
Beaver (Jerry Mathers) sells raffle tickets in hopes of winning a contest. Luck of luck, Beaver is rewarded with third prize -- a brand-new sports car, worth thirty-five hundred dollars! As Beaver eagerly prepares to get behind the wheel of his car, Eddie tauntingly informs him that his dad will never let him keep such a valuable "grown-up" gift. Beav figures that Eddie's just gas-bagging again -- until he is informed by his dad Ward that the car will be sold and the money placed in Beav's college fund. This episode marks the final appearance of Rusty Stevens in the role of Larry Mondello. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Mustin, Ken Osmond, (more)
- 1956
Mrs. Sarah Vesper (Grace Field), a lifelong friend of police detective Frank Smith (Ben Alexander), reports that several items in her home have been stolen, apparently by her new maid Margaret. It turns out that the name "Margaret" is as artificial as the references which the thief supplied to Mrs. Vesper and her other victims. When Smith and his partner Joe Friday (Jack Webb) catch up with the phony maid, she provides them with a most curious "excuse" for her misdeeds. In a sequence more bizarre than amusing, Friday tries to suppress his laughter as Mrs. Vesper recalls that Smith had been quite a poet in his younger days! This episode was adapted from the Dragnet radio broadcast of July 26, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
The Christmas, 1955 presentation of the CBS anthology Climax! was based on a true story in the lives of the ancestors of co-scenarists Dale and Katherine Eunson. Set in rural Wisconsin in the 1860s, the story begins on a somber note, as both parents of 12-year-old Robbie Eunson (Brandon De Wilde die within a few months of each other. Now the man of the family, Robbie sets about to honor his mother's dying wish, that proper homes be provided for Robbie and his five younger siblings. Thus it is that on Christmas eve, Robbie visits several of his neighbors, offering to give away his brothers and sisters. Joan Evans, actress daugher of the Eunsons, serves as narrator. Adapted from the authors' Cosmopolitan magazine article, "The Day They Gave Babies Away" was later transformed into a theatrical feature film, All Mine to Give (1957); of the TV play's cast, only Stephan Woolton repeated his role (as Jimmie Eunson) in the movie, though Allen Reisner directed both versions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
