William Vaughan Movies
Saving the homestead is the essential plot of this Christmas movie in which a Welsh teenager fights a land developer who wants her dead grandfather's horse ranch. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sian McLean, Daniel J. Travanti, (more)
- 1988
Filmed on location in Wales, On the Black Hill is adapted from the novel by Bruce Chatwin. This is the story of two Welsh brothers, identical twins. The film covers 80 years in the sibling's lives, touching upon their hopes, disappointments, romances and political entanglements. Rather than going the traditional split-screen route, two genuine twins are cast in the leads: Mike and Robert Gwilym. The stellar supporting cast includes Gemma Jones and Catherine Schell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Gwilym, Robert Gwilym, (more)
With the Jerry Zucker-Jim Abrahams-David Zucker team absent, this sequel to the cash-cow 1980 spoof Airplane once again finds garrulous man-with-a-past Ted Striker (Robert Hays) compelled to take over the controls of crippled aircraft, all the while trying to patch up his relationship with stewardess Elaine (Julie Hagerty). This time, the first passenger space shuttle is launched into orbit -- and takes off for the moon - but the on-board computer malfunctions and sends the craft hurtling toward the sun, threatening the lives of everyone on board. Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves return from the first Airplane, while William Shatner, Chad Everett, Sonny Bono, Raymond Burr and Chuck Conners join the cast, as they too lampoon their established images. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, (more)
- 1978
Originally made for television, this western concerns three unjustly convicted female prisoners. While being transported to prison, their guards die of water poisoning and a former contract killer helps them survive. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Ex-convict Gordy Brokaw (Earl Holliman), a demolitions expert, is being strongarmed into helping a gang of revolutionaries steal a huge cache of dynamite and assemble a time bomb. To bind the bargain, the rebels kidnap Gordy's young son (Vincent Van Patten). Though Ironside (Raymond Burr) is able to rescue the boy, he must still locate the explosives--and defuse them himself--before it is too late! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Twice every year, wealthy mountaineer Shep Montrose (Roy Barcroft) invades a small town, throws money in every direction, and wreaks havoc upon the townsfolk and their property. The locals like the fact that Shep is so generous, but they're tired of cleaning up the damage he leaves in his wake. With Shep scheduled to make another of his calamitous weekend visit, Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired to curb the mountain man's predilection for violence--if he can survive the assignment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Despite the glut of TV westerns in 1958, 20th Century-Fox's Regal Films subsidiary continued grinding out profitable sagebrushers. In Ambush at Cimarron Pass, cavalry sergeant Scott Brady is ordered to escort a prisoner through treacherous Indian territory. A diehard Union sympathizer, Brady is forced to rely upon a group of ex-Confederates to successfully complete his mission. This may be difficult, however: the Apaches drive off the troop's horses, forcing them to complete the arduous journey on foot. Billed third in Ambush at Cimarron Pass is Clint Eastwood, no longer a bit player but not yet a star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Brady, Margia Dean, (more)
- 1956
Some two dozen men have been killed by Comanches just outside of Dodge; the only survivor of the attack is Amos Cartwright (Eduard Franz), a white Indian scout who has lived with the tribe for years. Will Bailey (DeForest Kelley), brother of one of the dead men, accused Cartwright of betraying the victims for the sake of his Indian bride. Matt (Dennis Weaver) tries to intervene before Amos and Will end up killing each other, but full justice is delayed until the episode's shocking conclusion. "Indian Scout" is based on the same-name Gunsmoke radio broadcast of August 20, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
A nightclub manager has been murdered, and it is the job of Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) to find the killer. At first, it appears that there were no witnesses to the murder. Ultimately, however, someone steps forward with an eyewitness account of the crime, sending the detectives on the trail of two most likely perpetrators. Featured in the cast is future TV producer-director Bill Idelson of M*A*S*H fame. This episode was adapted from the Dragnet radio broadcast of September 21 1952. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
A particularly vicious "strong-arm" bandit has been preying on innocent downtown pedestrians. Police detectives Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) take turns as "decoy" and "lookout" in hopes of bringing the miscreant out in the open. Despite its violent nature, this final episode of Dragnet's fourth TV season (which was based on a radio broadcast originally heard on January 4, 1955) was among those adapted by author Richard Deming for a 1957 children's paperback book based on the TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
