Sandy Balson Movies
- 1980
Quincy (Jack Klugman) performs an autopsy on a high school gymnast who has died of cerebral hemorrhage. Finding evidence of amphetamines and other stimulants, Quincy suspects that the gymnast was supplied with drugs by her "win-at-all-costs" athletic coach. The challenge now is to prove his suspicions and risk public censure by bringing the very popular coach to justice. This is one of the first TV dramatic episodes to delve into the serious (and still timely) issue of steroid use. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1977
Quincy (Jack Klugman) is under pressure from an insurance company to determine the time of death of a patient who drowned in a bathtub at the Thalep Clinic, an "alternative" health spa. In the course of his investigation, Quincy uncovers evidence of gross medical negligence--and also butts heads with shifty attorney Walter Kingman (Peter Mark Richman), who specializes in shielding the clinic from negative publicity. Originally scheduled to air on September 30, 1977, this is one of a handful of second-season Quincy,M.E. episodes to be afforded two network rerun showings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1976
Roy (Kevin Tighe) gets into big trouble when he agrees to temporarily provide a home for the bratty son of an accident victim. Emergency calls in this episode include a huge traffic accident on an isolated canyon road, requiring the combined services of Squad 51 and an air-rescue unit. Also, the passengers of a boat on fire must be airlifted to safety; and Dr. Early (Bobby Troup) treats a particularly nasty case of spinal meningitis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1976
No one can drive John (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy (Kevin Tighe) crazier in less time than their fellow parmedic, the insufferably orderly Craig Brice (James G. Richardson). Brice's rigid by-the-book approach to his work proves doubly irritating when he is assigned to a paramedic advisory committee. Elsewhere, the emergency team is called to an accident scene involving a power-pole worker, a tall building where a stunt climber is trapped, and a mountain where two other climbers are stranded. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1975
A desperate young mother wants to reclaim the baby she sold into adoption. The woman approaches undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake), begging for his help. Baretta takes on the case, and in so doing exposes a "black market baby" racket. This episode was first telecast on November 19, 1975, in place of the scheduled Baretta installment "The Big Hand's on Trouble," which was moved to December of the same year. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1973
- PG
A man feels obligated to hijack the plane his boss is on after he has gambled himself into overwhelming debt. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- 1973
Not long after a brand-new staff goes to work at the Duchess Jewelry Company, the owner is found murdered. At first, it looks like a simple mugging, but Kojak (Telly Savalas) suspects that something more sinister is afoot. Launching an investigation, Kojak ends up targeting a smuggling ring trafficking in stolen jewelry--but first he must find out the identity of the inevitable "inside" person, and figure out how the crooks are transporting their illicit cargo without arousing suspicion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
Two TV films were shown during the 1973-1974 season dealing with the emotional and legal ramifications of rape. While the Elizabeth Montgomery vehicle A Case of Rape was closer to Real Life, Cry Rape! also had a lot going for it. Andrea Marcovicci stars as Betty Jenner, whose world is rent asunder when she falls victim to a rapist. Equally as humiliating as the violation itself is the aftermath; Betty must withstand the adversarial questions of the police on the case, and then must relive her nightmare in court. Filmed in a semidocumentary fashion, Cry Rape! veers dangerously close to discouraging any woman from reporting sexual assault, inasmuch as it demonstrates the step-by-step process by which the accuser often ends up the accused. Only its contrived melodramatic conclusion robs the film of its verisimilitude. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Based on a play by Neil Simon, this comedy concerns Barney Cashman (Alan Arkin), the owner of successful seafood restaurant who is stuck in the depths of a mid-life crisis. Barney's marriage is no longer providing him with a sense of romantic adventure, and when he discovers his mother's apartment is empty one day a week, he decides that a series of extra-marital affairs is just what he needs. However, Barney's career as a spoiler of women quickly proves to be laughably unsuccessful; he's able to lure three different women to his make-shift love nest -- Elaine (Sally Kellerman), Bobbi (Paula Prentiss), and Janette (Renee Taylor) -- but try as he might, he can't convince any of them to sleep with him, and in the end, Barney has to settle for seducing his wife. Last of the Red Hot Lovers was the fourth of five Neil Simon adaptations that director Gene Saks would bring to the screen; Saks also directed a number of Simon's successes on Broadway. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Arkin, Sally Kellerman, (more)
