B.W. Sandefur Movies

This made-for-TV movie was not, as has sometimes been reported, a remake of the 1938 Spencer Tracy film Boys Town. It was filmed on location at Father Flannagan's Nebraska-based home for troublesome and troubled youths, but the story is strictly contemporary. Art Carney stars as a crusty, outspoken priest on the verge of being forcibly retired. But before he is put out to pasture, Carney vows to provide comfort and guidance to a hostile new arrival at Boy's Town (Casey Siemaszko), who has been abandoned by his abusive, alcoholic mother. Miracle of the Heart: A Boys Town Story was syndicated to local TV stations beginning on March 31, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Westerns may have been dead at the box-office in the late 1970s, but the TV-movie market still kept grinding them out. Legend of the Golden Gun includes elements of fantasy in its formula tale of a young man (Jeffrey Osterhage) who becomes the protege of an aging gunman (Hal Holbrook) The plotline contrives to include cameo appearances by guerilla leader William Quantrill (who kills the hero's parents) and General Custer (portrayed a la Douglas MacArthur, corncob pipe and all, by Keir Dullea). That this film is meant to be tongue-in-cheek is indicated by a scene in a frontier saloon, which in the manner of Sardi's restaurant is decorated with the caricatures of famous outlaws and lawmen! TV-movie expert Lee Goldberg has further noted that Legend of the Golden Gun is constructed along the lines of Stars Wars--an appropriate decision, since Star Wars was partially inspired by the western classic The Searchers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Mary Ingalls (Melissa Sue Anderson) is in dire need of a life-saving operation. Lacking the necessary funds, Mary's father, Charles (Michael Landon), signs up for a high-paying -- and highly-dangerous -- new job. Working shoulder to shoulder with his neighbor Mr. Edwards (Victor French), Charles becomes a "powder monkey," part of a team blasting a tunnel for the railroad. Inevitably, disaster befalls Charles and Edwards in the form of a sudden cave-in. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The classroom rivalry between Mary Ingalls (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim) reaches its peak when both girls run for school president. Also in the electoral race is nerdy, unpopular student Elmer Dobkins (Eric Olson), who was nominated as a cruel practical joke. Things take a peculiar turn when the "slow-witted" Elmer gradually emerges as the best possible candidate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Posing as a prison pathologist, Quincy (Jack Klugman) conducts an investigation of the death of a convicted embezzler who was about to provide testimony against his mob bosses. The man's death has been ruled accidental, but Quincy doesn't believe it. The trick now is to figure out how a murder was committed in a maximum-security prison wing, without any tangible evidence (hint: the episode's title is a key to the solution). This episode was originally scheduled to air on April 15, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the most successful and beloved of all TV family drama series, the weekly, 60-minute Little House on the Prairie was based on the autobiographical books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Michael Landon, the series' executive producer and occasional writer/director, headed the cast as Charles Ingalls, a Wisconsin farmer who moved himself and his family to the small town of Walnut Grove, MN, in the early 1870s. Karen Grassle co-starred as Charles' wife, Caroline; Melissa Sue Anderson was seen as eldest daughter Mary; Melissa Gilbert played middle daughter Laura (aka "Half-Pint"); and twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush shared the role of youngest daughter Carrie. As the series progressed, there were several more additions to the Ingalls household: Caroline bore a fourth daughter named Grace (played by twins Wendi and Brenda Turnbaugh); Charles and Caroline adopted an orphan named Albert (Matthew Laborteaux), and later took in another brace of orphans named Cassandra and James Cooper (Jason Bateman, Missy Francis); and during the series' final season, grown-up daughter Laura took charge of her niece Jenny (Shannon Doherty). Inasmuch as the series remained on NBC for nine seasons, it hardly needs saying that the two oldest Ingalls daughters literally grew up in full view of millions of fans. Mary eventually went blind due to a progressive disease, whereupon she relocated to a school for the blind in the Dakota Territory. There she met and fell in love with her teacher, likewise blind, named Adam Kendall (Linwood Boomer). They would later marry and have a child, who was killed in a fire. Ultimately, Adam regained his sight and relocated himself and his wife to New York, there to practice law. As for Laura, she became a schoolteacher in Walnut Grove, and in this capacity met another teacher, Almanzo Wilder (Dean Butler); they too would marry and have a child, named Rose.

Others in the large supporting cast included Victor French as the Ingalls' neighbor and friend Isaiah Edwards and Bonnie Bartlett as Mrs. Grace Edwards; Katherine MacGregor as the ridiculously haughty town gossip Harriet Oleson; Richard Bull as Harriet's good-natured storekeeper husband, Nels; Alison Arngrim as the Olesons' bratty daughter, Nellie (who, upon growing up and "reforming," wed a Jewish boy named Percival [Steve Tracy]); and Allison Balson as Harriet and Nels' equally obnoxious adopted daughter Nancy. Other cast included Merlin Olsen as headstrong farmer Jonathan Garvey, and Hersha Parady and Patrick Laborteaux as Garvey's wife, Alice, and son, Andy; Karl Swenson as Lars Hanson, owner of Walnut Grove's mill; Charlotte Stewart as schoolteacher Miss Beadle; Dabbs Greer as Reverend Alden; Jonathan Gilbert as Dr. Baker; Ketty Lester as Hester Sue Terhune, head instructor at the blind school established in Walnut Grove by Mary and Adam; and, in the final season, Michael Landon's daughter Leslie Landon as new schoolmarm Etta Plum.

In the course of the series, the Ingalls and several of their neighbors briefly moved to Dakota Territory when Walnut Grove was devastated by a series of financial reverses, but they all returned to rebuild the town and restore its economy. And in the ninth and final season, Michael Landon and Karen Grassle relinquished their starring roles (though Landon remained on the project as executive producer) and Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder) was promoted to the leading role. At that time, the series' title was changed to Little House: A New Beginning, and Stan Ivar and Pamela Roylance became regular cast members as John and Sarah Carter, the couple who moved into the Ingalls' now-vacant family farm. After Little House on the Prairie completed its run in the spring of 1983, three two-hour specials were produced for the 1983-1984 television season to tie up loose plot ends. The series has managed to sustain its popularity in syndicated rerun form, and as a fixture of the PAX TV network and a number of top cable-TV services. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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, All Movie Guide

The eleventh season of Bonanza was wrapped up on April 19, 1970 with the powerhouse episode "A Matter of Circumstance." Though several prominent actors-notably young Vincent Van Patten-appear in the supporting cast, the episode is virtually a one-man show, focusing on Michael Landon as Joe Cartwright. Left alone at the Ponderosa to await the arrival of a new cook, Joe is injured by a fall from his horse. Dazed and confused, Joe tries to stay conscious and treat his own injuries-even if it means amputating his own arm! The episode is distinguished by the subjective-camera direction of William F. Claxton, wherein we see most of the action through Joe's eyes. "A Matter of Circumstance" was written by B.W. Sandefur. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ben Johnson guest-stars as Sgt. Samuel Bellis, accused of desertion, murder, and selling guns to the Indians. Bellis insists that he's innocent, and Candy believes him-but before he can clear Bellis' name, he must elude the Army patrol that is hot on the fugitive sergeant's heels. In a further plot complication, Bellis is married to an Indian woman named Nanata (Evelyn Davalos), whose own loyalties are greatly in doubt. Written by B.W. Sandefur and John Dunkel, "The Deserter" frist aired on March 16, 1969. The episode was rebroadcast by NBC on June 18, 1972, to capitalize on Ben Johnson's recent Oscar win for his performance in The Last Picture Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Former cop turned assistant DA Mel Grayson (Simon Oakland) uses his experitise in the realm of "circumstantial evidence" to sinister advantage. Murdering his wife, Grayson arranges the evidence to make it seem as though the woman has been killed by a burglar. By the time Ironside (Raymond Burr) figures out that something is amiss, a new wrinkle has been added: the fabricated "murder clues" could very well put the noose around the neck of Grayson's own nephew Paul Deke (Dennis Cooley) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide