Carolyn Jones Movies

Like the 1960 theatrical feature of the same name, the made-for-TV Midnight Lace was inspired by Matilda Shouted Fire, a novel by Janet Green. Mary Crosby stars as Cathy Preston, the role originally essayed by Doris Day in the 1960 film, while Gary Frank steps into the old Rex Harrison role as Cathy's husband Brian, a recording executive. Though convinced that someone is trying to murder her, Cathy is unable to persuade anyone else of the danger she is in; even her beloved Brian insists that his wife is merely hallucinating. By the time it becomes obvious that Cathy has indeed been targeted for death, it is nearly too late, thanks to the clever machinations of the heretofore well-hidden instigator of the plot. Also in the cast is Celeste Holm as Cathy's wealthy aunt Sylvia, a part played by Myrna Loy in the earlier version. The TV adaptation of Midnight Lace debuted February 9, 1981, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The original TV Addams family reunites in this comedy. The trouble begins when the bizarre clan hold their annual party and are so busy with the guests that they fail to notice three inept burglars attempting to rob them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Several deaths have occurred at Valleyview Sanitarium--which in and of itself is not unusual, in that most of the patients are very old and very ill. Even Quincy (Jack Klugman) is persuaded that the recent, slightly mysterious death of an elderly man was simply a coronary rather than foul play. But when a much-younger patient dies under similar circumstances, Quincy changes his mind and launches an investigation--and in the process confronts a self-styled "Angel of Mercy" who is practicing wholesale euthanasia. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Director Tobe Hooper's follow-up to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre presents yet another Southern-fried psycho (this time in Louisiana) in the form of a scripture-mumbling, one-legged cracker named Judd (Neville Brand). The proprietor of a seedy bayou inn, Judd keeps a pet gator in the nearby swamp, to which he frequently tosses the remains of his unfortunate victims -- including anyone who offends his delicate sensibilities. One such casualty is Harvey Wood (Mel Ferrer), arriving at Judd's hotel in search of his missing daughter... who, unbeknownst to her old man, has already met her own doom courtesy of the scythe-wielding madman. Other patrons include one of the most annoying families on record -- with Chainsaw veteran Marilyn Burns as the strangely-bewigged mom, William Finley as the browbeaten husband and future Halloween tyke Kyle Richards as the endlessly-shrieking daughter (whose adorable puppy becomes a light gator-snack). Nightmare on Elm Street fans can spot a young, pre-Freddy Robert Englund in a small role as a lecherous cracker. Originally titled Death Trap and known by many aliases, including Starlight Slaughter, Horror Hotel Massacre and Legend of the Bayou. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

The Demon and the Mummy is a jerrybuilt "TV movie" comprised of two episodes from the 1974-75 TV series Night Stalker. As always, reporter Karl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) stumbles onto evidence of the Supernatural. And as always, his editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) refuses to believe Kolchak. The "Demon" of the title is a Succubus, a devil in female form (Carolyn Jones). The "Mummy" is of the Aztec variety, requiring fresh human hearts to stay alive. The original titles of the two Night Stalker episodes included herein were "Demon in Lace" and "Legacy of Terror." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of Ironside's Season Eight opener, Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) now knows that college coed Susan Todd (Sian Barbara Allen) was not truly responsible for the murder of her mother. The real villain of the piece is Susan's deranged psychiatrist Theodore Gallin (Bill Bixby), who specializes in brainwashing his patients to do his bidding. The situation takes a truly sinister turn when Gallin "programs" policewoman Fran Belding (Elizabeth Baur) to kill Ironside! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Frank Bigelow (Tom Tryon) is an accountant who mistakenly discovers some wrongdoing by an unscrupulous uranium development company. His drink is spiked with a slow-acting poison, which he discovers after stomach pains bring him in to the hospital. While Frank searches for the antidote, he uncovers other victims who have already died. The trail leads back to the uranium company and the shady board of directors. Frank races against borrowed time to save his own life in this routine crime drama. Carolyn Jones appears as Paula, the sympathetic girlfriend and loyal secretary. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

This Swedish melodrama is set upon a small fortresslike island. Upon the island lives a bitter artillery captain, his wife and his family. The officer is angry at never receiving the promotion he felt was his due. He constantly argues with his wife. Complicating matters is the captain's illness, which he has kept secret. His wife cousin, a quarantine officer, comes to the isle with his son. The captain immediately begins trying to destroy him socially, professionally, and financially. More trouble ensues when the cousin's son and the captains daughter fall in love. The two perceptive youths observe the twisted relationship between the fathers. As the daughter finally chastises the father for his behavior, the captain has a stroke, writhes about upon the floor with foam dripping from his mouth, and dies. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Filmed in panoramic Cinerama, this star-studded, epic Western adventure is a true cinematic classic. Three legendary directors (Henry Hathaway, John Ford, and George Marshall) combine their skills to tell the story of three families and their travels from the Erie Canal to California between 1839 and 1889. Spencer Tracy narrates the film, which cost an estimated 15 million dollars to complete. In the first segment, "The Rivers," pioneer Zebulon Prescott (Karl Malden) sets out to settle in the West with his wife (Agnes Moorehead) and their four children. Along with other settlers and river pirates, they run into mountain man Linus Rawlings (James Stewart), who sells animal hides. The Prescotts try to raft down the Ohio River in a raft, but only daughters Lilith (Debbie Reynolds) and Eve (Carroll Baker) survive. Eve and Linus get married, while Lilith continues on. In the second segment, "The Plains," Lilith ends up singing in a saloon in St. Louis, but she really wants to head west in a wagon train led by Roger Morgan (Robert Preston). Along the way, she's accompanied by the roguish gambler Cleve Van Valen (Gregory Peck), who claims he can protect her. After he saves her life during an Indian attack, they get married and move to San Francisco. In the third segment, "The Civil War," Eve and Linus' son, Zeb (George Peppard), fights for the Union. After he's forced to kill his Confederate friend, he returns home and gives the family farm to his brother. In the fourth segment, "The Railroads," Zeb fights with his railroad boss (Richard Widmark), who wants to cut straight through Indian territory. Zeb's co-worker Jethro (Henry Fonda) refuses to cut through the land, so he quits and moves to the mountains. After the railway camp is destroyed, Zeb heads for the mountains to visit him. In the fifth segment, "The Outlaws," Lilith is an old widow traveling from California to Arizona to stay with her nephew Zeb on his ranch. However, he has to fight a gang of desperadoes first. How the West Was Won garnered three Oscars, for screenplay, film editing, and sound production. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Based on the Edna Ferber novel, this engrossing period piece covers the triumphs, tragedies, loves, and sorrows of a few generations of Alaskan settlers between the first World War and the granting of statehood in 1959. Zeb (Richard Burton) is a local despot whose tough personality dominates the region. He is openly bigoted against the Inuit, and his greedy nature has led him to reject the woman he really loves to marry another with plenty of money. Thor (Robert Ryan) starts out as Zeb's ally and friend, but due to their diametrically opposed natures, that friendship turns into an entrenched hatred. In this unpredictable, harsh wilderness Zeb discovers that he ultimately cannot control his daughter and irony of ironies, he and Thor end up connected through the marriage of a son and daughter. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Although the main character, Tony Manetta (Frank Sinatra), in this light comedy tends to tip the scales towards being unbelievably unrealistic, the story is pulled off because everyone else is convincing. Tony is a widower in need of a financial bailout for himself and his son, so he asks for help from his brother Mario (Edward G. Robinson), a wealthy New Yorker. Tony owns a small hotel in Miami Beach but his impractical ways have made it a losing proposition. After Mario and his wife (Thelma Ritter) arrive in Miami, thinking of taking custody of Tony's son, they suddenly decide to try to match Tony up with the widowed Mrs. Rogers -- maybe that will teach him some responsibility. This was one of the last movies directed by Frank Capra. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi