Jean Innes Movies
Film star Gloria James (Lynn Borden has disappeared and her maid Janet Loomis (Ena Hartman) is kidnapped just before relating some vital information to Mark (Don Mitchell). These events, coupled with a conspicuously phony letter and an attempt on Mark's life, lead Ironside to suspect that the key to the mystery is Gloria's estranged husband, a fiercely possessive mob kingpin named Frank Rich (William Smithers). But Ironside had better confirm his suspicions in a hurry; if Gloria James and Janet Loomis aren't already dead, they soon will be! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In Roman Polanski's first American film, adapted from Ira Levin's horror bestseller, a young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. Waifish Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her struggling actor husband, Guy (John Cassavetes), move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and only elderly residents. Neighbors Roman and Minnie Castevet (Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon) soon come nosing around to welcome the Woodhouses to the building; despite Rosemary's reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, Guy starts spending time with the Castevets. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Minnie starts showing up with homemade chocolate mousse for Rosemary. When Rosemary becomes pregnant after a mousse-provoked nightmare of being raped by a beast, the Castevets take a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castevets' circle is not what it seems. The diabolical truth is revealed only after Rosemary gives birth, and the baby is taken away from her. Polanski's camerawork and Richard Sylbert's production design transform the realistic setting (shot on-location in Manhattan's Dakota apartment building) into a sinister projection of Rosemary's fears, chillingly locating supernatural horror in the familiar by leaving the most grotesque frights to the viewer's imagination. This apocalyptic yet darkly comic paranoia about the hallowed institution of childbirth touched a nerve with late-'60s audiences feeling uneasy about traditional norms. Produced by B-horror maestro William Castle, Rosemary's Baby became a critically praised hit, winning Gordon an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Inspiring a wave of satanic horror from The Exorcist (1973) to The Omen (1976), Rosemary's Baby helped usher in the genre's modern era by combining a supernatural story with Alfred Hitchcock's propensity for finding normality horrific. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, (more)
Once again, Ironside (Raymond Burr) comes to the aid of an old friend, in this case an outwardly solid citizen who faces extradition to New York on a murder charge. Although Wally Stowe (Victor Jory) is a fugitive from justice who has been living under an assumed identity for nearly two decades, Ironside is convinced that Stowe was wrongly convicted of the killing--and he intends to scour the length and breadth of Manhattan Island to prove his point. Featured in the cast as Stowe's son Tom is a young Harrison Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Written by Thomas Thompson and Marc Michaels, "The Pursued" was the second of Bonanza's two-part stories. In Beehive, Nevada, the Cartwrights arranged to buy horses from Mormon rancher Heber Clawson (Eric Fleming). Soon they become involved in Clawson's stubborn determination to remain in Beehive with his two wives Susannah (Dina Merrill) and Elizabeth Ann (Lois Nettleton), despite religious persecution from the townsfolk in general and a fanatical self-ordained minister (Booth Colman) in particular. Things go from bad to worse when ruthless town boss Grant Carbo (Vincent Beck) falls in love with Elizabeth Ann. Part One of "The Pursued" originally aired on October 2, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
When the ladies of Mayberrry complain about the hootchie-kootchie dancers at a travelling carnival, Andy is forced to close the show down. As a result, the carnival's "one man band", Jerry Miller (Jerry Van Dyke) is thrown out of work. Feeling sorry for Jerry, Andy hires the man as a potential replacement for departing deputy Barney-and lives to regret it. Written by Bob Ross, "Banjo-Playing Deputy" originally aired May 3, 1965, as the final episode of The Andy Griffith Show's fifth season; it was also the series' last black-and-white episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This 100th episode of Bonanza begins as Susan Blanchard (Pat Breslin) is injured in a wagon crash. Though there is nothing physically wrong with her, Susan is psychosomatically incapable of leaving her bed. Enter faith healer Garth (Ed Nelson), who promises to make Susan walk again if she will agree to marry him. Caught in the middle is Hoss Cartwright, who knows that Garth is a fraud but is unable to say so lest Susan suffer permanent emotional damage. Known variously as "The Miracle Worker" and "The Miracle Maker", this episode originally aired on May 20, 1962, as the final entry of Bonanza's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
Versatile character actor Jay Novello is cast as Otto Von Albrecht, a German nobleman who hires Paladin (Richard Boone) in order to fulfill a debt of honor. On Von Albrecht's behalf, Paladin is dispatched to locate another German expatriate, a killer named Carl Frome (Will Corey). This episode, the last of Have Gun, Will Travel's fifth season, is filled to overflowing with the sort of introspective, philosophical dialogue that the series' fans had come to know and love. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
"Jamaica Ginger" is the street name for a dangerous grade of wood alcohol, capable of blinding or killing anyone who consumes it. Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) must prevent this lethal rotgut from being brought into the United States and distributed by bootlegger Rafael Torres (Michael Ansara). Meanwhile, Torres has problems of his own with rival gangster Jerry LaCava (Alfred Ryder), so he brings in a pair of out-of-town torpedoes named Jim Martinson (Brian Keith) and Dennis Garrity (James Coburn). Ness finally gets the opportunity to smash Torres' operation when the trigger-happy Garrity commits the fatal blunder of murdering Martinson's schoolteacher sweetheart (June Dayton). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the third episode of Walt Disney's four-part miniseries based on the life of frontiersman Daniel Boone, the Cumberland Gap has been successfully negotiated, and Daniel (Dewey Martin), his family, and a group of settlers are on their way to a permanent settlement in Kentucky. Unfortunately, the little band is attacked by Indian chief Crowfeather (Dean Fredericks), an old enemy of the Boones. Daniel is forced to postpone his westward journey in order to rescue his son from the boy's Indian captors. "The Wilderness Road" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the concluding episode of Walt Disney's four-part miniseries based on the life of frontiersman Daniel Boone, several members of Boone's wagon train are angered when Daniel (Dewey Martin) orders them to lighten their loads so they can negotiate the mountains and have turned back to North Carolina. Only a tiny band of faithful followers remain with Daniel and his family as they begin the last leg of the arduous journey to Kentucky. Alas, once again the wagoneers are attacked by vengeance-seeking Indian chief Crowfeather (Dean Fredericks), who has a personal score to settle with Daniel. "The Promised Land" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
After speculating on the possibility that a person can travel back in time and change history, Peter Corrigan (Russell Johnson) bids farewell to his friends and prepares to head home from his club. As he walks through the doors, he is unexpectedly transported from 1961 to 1865. Once he gets his bearings, Corrigan finds himself in a position to prevent the assassination of Abraham Lincoln -- but this "wrinkle in time" turns out to have entirely different results. Scripted by Rod Serling, "Back There" is one of the lesser offerings of Twilight Zone's 1960-61 season, though it does boast an excellent musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, which would remain in the standard TV stock-music repertoire throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The episode first aired January 13, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Johnson, Bartlett Robinson, (more)
This Biblical epic stars Elana Eden as Ruth, who serves in the temple where the High Priestess (Viveca Lindfors) leads the worship of the Pagan idols of the people of Moab. When Ruth falls in love with Mahlon (Tom Tryon), a Hebrew, she must come to terms with his spiritual beliefs, but in time she embraces his faith and converts to Judaism when they marry. Ruth travels with Mahlon and his mother Naomi (Peggy Wood) to their homeland of Bethlehem. Ruth suffers hardship and religious persecution, and when Mahlon dies, Ruth's faith is severely tested. But her belief in God survives this trial by fire, and in time Ruth finds a new love with Boaz (Stuart Whitman). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stuart Whitman, Tom Tryon, (more)
In the eighth episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, John (Tom Tryon) and his new friend, Kentucky horse breeder Ashley Carstairs (Darryl Hickman), have managed to survive the ordeal of being stranded in the New Mexico desert. This experience has only strengthened John's resolve to capture the stallion leader of a valuable wild-horse herd -- provided that Ashley does not blunder in releasing the stallion as he did before. Meanwhile, crooked rancher Jason Hemp (John Vivyan) continues his efforts to rid the territory of Slaughter and his friend so that he can control the local horse business himself. The conclusion of a two-part story which began with the previous week's "The Robber Stallion," "Wild Horse Revenge" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the seventh episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, the recently widowed Slaughter (Tom Tryon) arrives in New Mexico to purchase a herd of cattle and bring it back to Tombstone, where hungry silver miners will pay top dollar. Upon his arrival, he is talked into participating in a wild-horse roundup by Easterner Ashley Carstairs (Darryl Hickman), who hopes to breed Thoroughbreds for steeplechase racing in Kentucky. Ultimately, however, John and Ashley are stranded in the desert without horses or water, thanks to machinations of an outlaw and the capriciousness of an unbridled stallion. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "The Robber Stallion" was the first of a two-part story, culminating with the subsequent week's episode, "Wild Horse Revenge." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Mark Stevens doubles as star and director of the compact western Gun Fever. Lucas (Stevens) and his partner Simon (John Lupton) set about to capture the renegade white man who caused the deaths of Lucas' parents in an Indian raid. The villain turns out to be Simon's own father Trench (Aaron Saxon), setting the stage for reams of quasi-Freudian dialogue. Larry Storch does a nice semicomic turn as a laconic Mexican, while Jana Davi supplies the love interest. The European prints of Gun Fever were augmented with several steamy sex scenes, with Jana Davi displaying far more than her acting skills. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Stevens, John Lupton, (more)
A 15-year old boy dies as the result of a cruel prank during a high school club initiation. It is up to Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) to determine whether the boy's death was accidental, or a deliberate act of murder--and if the latter is true, to figure out who exactly is to blame. Featured in the cast is character actor Joe Forte, best rememembered as the stern anti-marijuana lecturer in the 1936 camp classic Reefer Madness. This is one of a handful of sixth-season Dragnet episodes written directly for television, with no prior radio adaptation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this dark drama, a schizophrenic is forced out of his hospital due to overcrowding, and his doctors tell him to avoid stressful situations. He goes to a beachside motel and likes both the area and the owner's daughter. Her father discovers that he is a mental patient and threatens to have him recommitted unless he leaves his daughter alone. The schizophrenic snaps momentarily, killing him, and he and the daughter flee down the beach. He tries to kill her by pushing her into the water, but comes to his senses and rescues her. He ends up turning himself in. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Danton, Colleen Miller, (more)
This drama is set inside a girl's reformatory. When one of the teens has a baby, the other girls rally together to conceal and care for the infant. The troubled young women soon become as a family until the guards discover the child and take it away. This angers the inmates who begin rioting and destroying their prison. During the scuffle, a young woman escapes and is able to join up with her lover. As they flee the police, their car crashes and both of them die. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Oliver, Beverly Long, (more)
Adapted from the best-selling novel by Jessamyn West, Friendly Persuasion is set in Southern Indiana in the early days of the Civil War. Gary Cooper plays Jess Birdwell, patriarch of a Quaker family which does not believe in warfare. Birdwell's son Josh (Anthony Perkins) wishes to adhere to his family's pacifism, but is afraid that if he doesn't sign up for military service, he'll prove to be a coward. Josh joins the Home Guard, which disturbs his mother Eliza (Dorothy McGuire). But Jess Birdwell realizes that his son must follow the dictates of his own conscience. Josh proves his courage to himself when he is wounded during a Rebel raid, while the elder Birdwell is able to stay faithful to his religious calling by not killing a Southern soldier when given both a chance and a good reason to do so. Allegedly, writer Jessamyn West nearly scotched her deal with producer/director William Wyler and distributor Allied Artists when Gary Cooper, taking his fans into consideration, insisted upon including a scene in which he forsakes his pacifism and takes arms against the Rebels. If true, then wiser heads prevailed, since no such scene exists in the final release print. Though uncredited due to his status as a blacklistee, Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay for Friendly Persuasion--and even won an Oscar nomination. Also nominated was the film's chart-busting theme song, "Thee I Love" (by Dmitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster). The story was remade as a 2-hour TV pilot film in 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, (more)
Acting in self defense, Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) is forced to shoot down a rampaging farmer named Stoner (Paul Newlan). Not long afterward, Stoner's vengeance-driven widow (Helen Wallace) offers a $1000 dollar reward for anyone willing to kill the Marshal. With every would-be gunman in the territory out to get Matt, the Marshal's nerves are frayed to the breaking point--and, as expected, Mrs. Stoner's bounty results in even more needless bloodshed. This episode is adapted from the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of April 30, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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
This distaff variation of the Goodbye Mr. Chips theme is based on a novel by Frances Gray Patton. While confined to a sickbed, ageing New England schoolteacher Miss Dove (Jennifer Jones) recalls the many students who passed through her classroom. Among her now-grown-up prize pupils are surgeon Tom Baker (Robert Stack), policeman Bill Holloway (Chuck Connors) and playright Maurice (Jerry Paris), all of whom were able to overcome difficult childhoods and strive for success with the help of Miss Dove. As it turns out, it is Dr. Tom Baker who is to perform the operation that may save the life of his ailing former teacher. A 60-minute TV adaptation of Good Morning Miss Dove, with Phyllis Kirk in the Jennifer Jones role, was seen in 1956 as part of the weekly anthology The 20th Century-Fox Hour. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Jones, Robert Stack, (more)
Set in 19th-century New York, this mystery begins when a Frenchwoman shows up at the home of one of Napoleon's former marshals. The alcoholic man is badly crippled and slowly dying, but this doesn't stop the forthright lady from pushing him to change his will to include his estranged grandson so that he can help out the struggling French Republic. Unfortunately, the dying man's conniving housekeeper and butler, already planning murder to get the money themselves, overhear her and begin plotting her demise. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, (more)
In this inspiring drama, William Thompson (William Lundigan) is a minister from the deep South who has recently married Mary Elizabeth (Susan Hayward), a woman from the city. William is assigned a new parish and moves with Mary Elizabeth to a small town in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains, where he tends to the spiritual and emotional needs of his small flock. William's faith and inner strength helps guide the town through a major epidemic, while he must also deal with the troubles of Jenny (Barbara Bates), a woman who loves roughneck Jack (Rory Calhoun) against the will of her father; and Mr. Salter (Alexander Knox), a bitter atheist who resists William's attempts to teach him and his children the message of God's love. I'd Climb the Highest Mountain was adapted from the popular novel by Cora Harris. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Hayward, William Lundigan, (more)
In this classic noir-influenced Western, Gregory Peck stars as an aging gunslinger, sick of killing but haunted by punks wanting to make a name for themselves by slaying a legend. After being warned by his old friend the Sheriff, Peck decides to return East to see his estranged wife and the child he left behind. Knowing his death is an inevitability if he stays, Peck leaves but before he can reach his destination his past catches up with him in the form of a young outlaw. A showdown-cum-Greek tragedy follows and the film ends on a haunting, bleak note. Nominated for an Academy Award in Best Motion Picture Story, The Gunfighter was often imitated by other Westerns, most notably by High Noon, and its minimalist, morally difficult, and compelling tale made it one of the most important films produced in the 1950s. ~ Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Cliff Clark, (more)















