Crahan Denton Movies
- 1966
Bruce Dern guest stars as Hutch, the vicious leader of a motorcycle gang known as The Devil's Disciples. Abducting Richard Kimble (David Janssen), Hutch plans to use the fugitive as a fall guy in a scheme to murder the old man who was indirectly responsible for the death of a gang member. Kimble's only hope for escape is in the hands of cyclist Don (Lou Antonio) and his girlfriend Penny (Diana Hyland), who are slightly less sociopathic than Hutch. In addition to its "Hell's Angels" trappings, this 1960s time capsule also manages to weave the Vietnam War into the storyline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In one of those bizarre twists of fate so beloved by the writers of The Fugitive, both Richard Kimble (David Janssen) and the elusive "one-armed man" Fred Johnson (Bill Raisch) are seriously injured in an explosion--and both end up in the same hospital. Temporarily blinded in the blast, Kimble must rely on young freelance photographer Howey's Keever (Tim Considine) to help him evade arrest long enough to bring Johnson to justice. But Kimble's efforts may come to naught thanks to Howey's uncle, who is all for turning the fugitive over to the police--thus allowing the murderous Johnson to escape scot-free again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The chase is on in New Mexico for five dangerous escaped convicts, led by Earl Clayton (Charles Bronson). The deranged Clayton has already killed two law officers in cold blood, and isn't about to let anyone impede his escape--not even his fellow escapees. Ultimately, only Clayton and his young cohort Lambert Hayes (Tim McIntire) are left alive, but this is enough to wreak homicidal havoc in an isolated hunting lodge. Filmed on location in San Bernardino National Forest, this episode features future Star Trek regular James Doohan in a pivotal role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The FBI investigates when a Maryland bank is robbed twice in the same day by the same bandit. This matches the modus operandi of Wayne Powell (Crahan Denton), who pulled off the same double-robbery strategy some twenty years earlier--and when Powell confesses to the more recent crimes, the Bureau figures that the case is closed. But Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) suspects that this time Powell is innocent, and that he is shielding the real criminal. Meanwhile, the romance between Erskine's daughter Barbara (Lynn Loring) and FBI agent Rhodes (Stephen Brooks) intensifies, while the good Inspector has relationship issues of his own with his erstwhile girlfriend Joanna Laurens (Lee Meriwether). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Posing as "Bob Mossman", Kimble (David Janssen) is forced to steal a wallet to pay his train fare. Unfortunately for him, the train is a shuttle to and from a local prison, and is chock full of guards and newly released prisoners. This makes things difficult for Kimble when attempts to repay the stolen money to its rightful owner, dairyman Roy T. Unger (Crahan Denton), who is currently up in arms over the fact that his daughter Betty Jo (Barbara Dana) has been impregnated by paroled convict Neil Hollis (Andre Prine). And if this isn't enough for Kimble to worry about, there's also the little matter of a local murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Still on the lam from the Law, Richard Kimble takes a refuge on a farm owned by the Braydon family. Attracted to the fugitive, Mattie Braydon (Tuesday Weld), a blind sculptress, shields him from the sheriff and her parents, claiming that he has agreed to model for her latest sculpture. What Kimble doesn't realize is that the neurotic Mattie is adept at using her blindness to manipulate everyone around her--and in her own way, she may prove to be even more dangerous to him than the authorities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Middle-aged shopkeeper George Davies (Dean Jagger) is responsive to the flirtations of local "fast girl" Lola (Cathy Merchant) -- but when Lola mocks him, he strikes her down and accidentally kills the girl. Later on, Lola's boyfriend, J.J. Fenton (Will Hutchins), is arrested for the murder...and George is chosen to serve on the jury. At first pondering the possibility of allowing Fenton to be accused of the crime that he himself committed, George instead devises a method to get the boy off without incriminating himself. In the end, however, both George and J.J. suffer mightily for their association with the unfortunate Lola. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Jagger, Will Hutchins, (more)
- 1963
Though irrefutably guilty of murder, Carl Soddenberg (Crahan Denton) escaped the hangman's noose when he was declared insane. Now "cured", Soddenberg is release from a mental institution in the custody of Dr. Weiser (Richard Shannon). Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired to escort patient and doctor to Soddenberg's home town, but the vengeful relatives of one of Carl's victims don't intend to let that happen. Originally filmed for the series' fifth season and scheduled to air on May 26, 1962, this episode was withheld from view until March 9, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Taking on the alias of Jim Fowler, fugitive Richard Kimble (David Janssen) finds work as a delivery man in a farming community. Unfortunately, he runs afoul of little Jenny Ammory (Gina Gillespie) a compulsive liar who accuses Kimble of trying to assault her. The only person in the community who believes in Kimble's innocence is schoolteacher Emily Norton (Patricia Crowley), who is jealously shunned by the local ladies because of her beauty. Later on, the spiteful Gina claims that Kimble and Emily are having an affair--and when Kimble steps forward to defend the beleagured teacher, he finds himself facing a lynch mob. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
A ferocious storm rages outside a remote wayside inn. The building's occupants include innkeeper Jeri Marcus (Jeanette Nolan), US Marshal Jim Buell (Crahan Denton), Buell's prisoner Davey Walsh (played by Gomer Pyle USMC's future "Sergeant Carter", Frank Sutton). . .and Paladin (ichard Boone), who has stopped at the inn during his search for a fugitive killer. Throughout the night, Walsh desperately insists that he is innocent--while Marshal Buell, convinced that Paladin has arrived to help Walsh escape, is nervously poised to shoot first and ask questions later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Paroled after serving 20 years for robbery, Harry Beggs (Crahan Denton) returns to his hometown, hoping to patch things up with his wife, Edith (Jeanette Nolan). Harry has managed to save 1,636 dollars during his sentence, and with this he hopes to jump-start his life. Unfortunately, he meets a sexy young girl (Susan Silo) at a bar -- and by the time he leaves, his money is gone. This is disturbing enough, but not nearly so disturbing as what happens when Harry finally arrives at Edith's doorstep. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
While traveling through the tiny community of Bugletown, traveling salesman Leon Gorwald (John Fiedler) is arrested for jaywalking. A little later, Leon finds himself with a cellmate: a local mechanic (Richard Jaeckel) who is suspected of murdering a young girl. As a lynch mob gathers outside the jail, the desperate mechanic coldcocks Leon and changes clothes with him -- hoping that it will be Leon and not himself who is dragged outside and "strung up!" Graced with a deliciously nasty climactic twist, this episode earned an Emmy nomination for film editor Edward W. Williams. "Incident in a Small Jail" was remade as a segment of the pilot film for the Alfred Hitchcock Presents revival of 1985, with Ned Beatty as the hapless salesman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
During the Civil War, Confederate soldier Jess Bradley (Buzz Martin) becomes separated from his outfit and wanders into a Union camp. Though the Northern troops are inclined to treat Jess like any other prisoner of war, sadistic Colonel Martin (Crahan Denton) has other ideas. Not only does Martin shoot Jess' pet dog in cold blood, but he also sentences the hapless Southerner to a firing squad for no other reason than he feels like it. But Martin will pay the price for his cruel behavior thanks to a "visitor" from another dimension. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
On the verge of marrying jazz musician Eddy King (James Drury), Polly Courtland (Jo Morrows) lets out a shriek and runs out of the church. It turns out that Polly had seen George Sherwin (Grant Richards]), who was waving an envelope containing compromising photos of Polly's sister Midge (Lorrie Richards). Later confronting Polly, Sherwin promises to destroy the photos if she will give up Eddy and marry him. Inevitably, Sherwin is murdered and Eddy is charged with the crime--obliging Perry Mason (Perry Mason), who'd been a guest at the interrupted wedding, to handle his defense. Cast as nightclub singer Jonny Baker, future daytime-drama diva Constance Towers) sings "The Man I Love" and "The Thrill is Gone"; also, Barney Kessel, who composed the episode's jazzy musical score, appears as Spec Hollister. Finally, Karl Held joins the cast in the semi-regular role of Mason's legal assistant David Gideon, a character introduced (as a defendant!) in the previous episode "The Case of the Grumbling Grandfather". (Trivia note: though originally listed in TV Guide as Perry Mason's fifth-season opener, this episode was actually that season's third entry, preceded by two "leftover" episodes from Season Four). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Stranded in the middle of nowhere without a horse, Paladin (Richard Boone) hitches a ride with Jack Burnaby (Crahan Denton), a flamboyant and extremely cynical puppeteer. Burnaby is en route to Fort Pawnee, home of General George Croft (Denver Pyle), who hopes one day to be President of the United States--and woe betide anyone who gets in his way. Initially hired to help Croft's campaign efforts, Burnaby begins to rethink his mission thanks to the intervention of Paladin. Peter Boone, son of series star Richard Boone, makes his acting debut as a physically challenged youngster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
To test the honesty of his two nephews, old Adam Thompson (William H. Wright) tells them about a secret map leading to a valuable piece of land, then lets them know that the map is locked in his safe. He then sets up an infrared camera in front of the safe to find out if either nephew is capable of robbery. Unfortunately, the map vanishes even though the safe is never opened--and when Adam's foreman Frank Jarrett (Crahan Denton), who ends up in possession of the map, is murdered, Adam's nephew Harry (a young Bert Convy) is arrested for the crime. It looks like Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is up against a good old-fashioned "locked room" mystery this time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
- Add Studio One: The Night America Trembled to QueueAdd Studio One: The Night America Trembled to top of Queue
The prestigious CBS dramatic anthology Studio One launched its tenth season on the air with this elaborate dramatization of the nationwide panic which ensued after Orson Welles' famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast of October 30, 1938. Welles had chosen to update the H.G. Wells science fiction classic and present the drama in the form of an actual newscast, replete with special bulletins, on-the-scene reports of the Martian invasion of Grover's Mills, NJ, and moments of "spontaneous" (actually carefully scripted and directed) horror. Unfortunately, the listening public, many of whom tuned into the dramatization in progress and as such were unaware that it was all make-believe, were convinced that America was indeed under siege from hordes of invading Martians -- and, as everyone now knows, chaos ensued. Like the later made-for-TV movie The Night That Panicked America, this TV recreation alternates between the War of the Worlds performance in progress at CBS's New York studios with vignettes of the reactions of the listeners -- reactions which generally ranged from plain terror to stark, raw terror. The huge cast includes several stars-to-be, among them Ed Asner, James Coburn, Vincent Gardenia, Warren Oates, and, as a youthful poker player, Warren Beatty. Narrated by legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow and originally telecast live, "The Night America Trembled" has happily been preserved in kinescope form and is available on videotape from several sources. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward R. Murrow, Alexander Scourby, (more)
