Brian Keith Movies
The son of actor Robert Keith (1896-1966), Brian Keith made his first film appearance in 1924's Pied Piper Malone, when he was well-below the age of consent. During the war years, Keith served in the Marines, winning a Navy Air Medal; after cessation of hostilities, he began his acting career in earnest. At first billing himself as Robert Keith Jr., he made his 1946 Broadway debut in Heyday, then enjoyed a longer run as Mannion in Mister Roberts (1948), which featured his father as "Doc." His film career proper began in 1952; for the rest of the decade, Keith played good guys, irascible sidekicks and cold-blooded heavies with equal aplomb. Beginning with Ten Who Dared (1959), Keith became an unofficial "regular" in Disney Films, his performances alternately subtle (The Parent Trap) and bombastic. Of his 1970s film efforts, Keith was seen to best advantage as Teddy Roosevelt in The Wind and the Lion (1975). In television since the medium was born, Keith has starred in several weekly series, including The Crusader (1955-56), The Little People (aka The Brian Keith Show, 1972-74) and Lew Archer (1975). His longest-running and perhaps best-known TV endeavors were Family Affair (1966-71), in which he played the uncharacteristically subdued "Uncle Bill" and the detective series Hardcastle & McCormick (1983-86). His most fascinating TV project was the 13-week The Westerner (1960), created by Sam Peckinpah, in which he played an illiterate cowpoke with an itchy trigger finger. Keith's personal favorite of all his roles is not to be found in his film or TV output; it is the title character in Hugh Leonard's stage play Da. Plagued by emphysema and lung cancer while apparently still reeling emotionally from the suicide of his daughter Daisy, 75-year-old Brian Keith was found dead of a gunshot wound by family members in his Malibu home. Police ruled the death a suicide. Just prior to his death, Keith had completed a supporting role in the TNT miniseries Rough Riders. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The real-life story of Teddy Roosevelt's role in the Spanish-American war is re-told in this made-for-television movie. Tom Berenger stars as Roosevelt, who in 1898 formed his own volunteer calvary to go into Cuba and fight the expansion of Spanish rule. Thousands of men from all walks of life volunteered, but Roosevelt honed the team down to over 500 fighting men. When they finally arrived in Cuba, they faced a well-equipped Spanish army and squared off in the famous Battle of San Juan Hill. Berenger is strong as the charismatic leader, and the supporting cast shines with familiar names. The film clocks in at four hours and was originally shown in two parts. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, (more)
- 1996
Posing as a caregiver, Monica (Roma Downey) is hired to look after elderly author Leonard Pound (Brian Keith), who is in a state of profound grief over the death of his wife. As the story progresses, both Monica and Leonard find themselves uncomfortably reliving the night of October 30, 1938, when Orson Welles' infamous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast panicked the entire nation. While Monica recalls with embarrassment how her well-meaning efforts to calm the populace only made matters worse, Leonard looks back in despair at a devastating personal tragedy. Ultimately, however, Leonard realizes that the chaotic events of that long-ago October evening culminated in the happiest event of his life! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1996
- PG13
This biographical drama was based on the true story of Dorothy Day, a devout Catholic who devoted much of her life to working with the poor and homeless on New York City's Lower East Side. Born in an Episcopalian household in 1897, Day (played by Moira Kelly) was a free-thinking agnostic in her young adulthood; she contributed to radical leftist journals and was friends with the likes of Eugene O'Neill (James Lancaste) and Mike Gold (Paul Lieber). After undergoing a painful abortion and giving birth to another child out of wedlock after her lover, Foster Batterham (Lenny Von Dohlen), abandoned her rather than marry, Day embraced Catholicism, a faith she would cling to strongly for the rest of her life. Day's leftist politics and her sense of personal activism remained; she established a political journal, "The Catholic Worker," in association with self-described Christian anarchist Peter Maurin (Martin Sheen), and was a tireless and outspoken champion of the rights of the poor and disenfranchised. Day came under heavy criticism for her political and social activism; as she put it, "If you feed the poor, you're called a saint, but if you ask why they're poor, you're called a Communist." However, Day continued her mission undaunted until her death in 1980, when she was called America's Mother Teresa. Entertaining Angels was produced by Paulist Pictures, a Catholic organization who also produced Romero, another film about a noted Catholic activist. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Moira Kelly, Martin Sheen, (more)
Paralyzed after a riding accident, young Paige finds renewed hope after she attends a clinic where animals are used to help with the emotional recovery of patients such as herself. This inspirational and heartwarming drama centers on the initially embittered, depressed Paige's relationship with the extraordinary horse that restores her will to live. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, Matt McCoy, (more)
- 1993
Evacuating a planet in preparation for a mining project, Kira confronts a curmudgeonly old farmer named Mullibok (Brian Keith). His pointed words force Kira to look within herself to determine if she has changed for the better or worse since aligning herself with the Federation. Meanwhile, Nog and Jake get mixed up in a series of trades, with curious results. Written by Peter Allan Fields, "Progress" was originally broadcast on May 8, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
A rich New England family succumbs to a twisted web of jealousy and greed when the family patriarch, (Brian Keith) catches everyone by surprise and leaves his business to Suzy (Liz Vassey), his daughter whom he hasn't seen in ages. Now every covetous member of the brood is swarming on the household like vipers, including Suzy's long estranged mother, who hasn't returned to the family she abandoned in years. They all want a piece of the pie-or better yet, the whole thing. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- 1992
- Add Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 2 to Queue Add Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 2 to top of Queue
Each episode of this series presents different battles of the war. Each uses re-enactments, expert commentary, and readings by actors such as Burt Reynolds, Charlton Heston, and Richard Dreyfuss, to bring the events of the war to vivid life. Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 2 focuses on the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Second Manassas, the Peninsula Campaign, and the series of battles fought for the city of New Orleans. ~ Rob Ferrier, Rovi
- 1992
Each episode of this series presents different battles from the war. Each uses re-enactments, expert commentary, and readings by actors such as Burt Reynolds, Charlton Heston, and Richard Dreyfuss to bring the events of the war to vivid life. Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 5 focuses on the siege of Vicksburg and the bloody Battle of Chickamauga. ~ Rob Ferrier, Rovi
- 1991
- Add The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw to Queue Add The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw to top of Queue
The fourth of Kenny Rogers' Gambler TV movies, 1991's The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw is regarded by many Western diehards as the best. This time, gambler Brady Hawkes is en route to a high-stakes poker game in San Francisco. His travelling companions are a trouble-prone frontier Romeo (Rick Rossovich) and a feisty ex-saloon gal (Reba McEntire). Never mind that: The real attraction of Luck of the Draw is its enormous guest-star lineup of famous TV cowboy heroes of yore: Gene "Bat Masterson" Barry, Hugh "Wyatt Earp" O'Brien, Brian "The Westerner" Keith, Chuck "The Rifleman" Connors, Jack "Maverick" Kelly, Clint "Cheyenne" Walker, David "Kung Fu" Carradine, and "Virginian" co-stars James Drury and Doug McClure. The first portion of this two-part movie concentrates on setting up the plot; Part two is the card game itself, preceded by a boxing match refereed by Bat Masterson (Gene Barry). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, (more)
- 1990
- PG
The Canadian-financed Escape was directed by TV veteran Lamont Johnson. Brian Keith plays a deceptively happy-go-lucky Irish officer put in charge of a Scottish POW camp during World War II. The toughest and most fearsome of the prisoners (Helmut Griem), makes no secret of his escape plans. The breakout is inevitable, but the battle of wills leading up to the breakout is almost as tense as the actual event. The violence in Escape is kept carefully in check within the film's PG-13 limits. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1989
- R
In this drama, Lt. Jake Robbins (Kris Kristofferson) was presumed to have been killed in action during the Vietnam War. His wife, Sarah (JoBeth Williams) and his son were forced to get on with their lives; however when Jake turns up in Thailand many years later with a Cambodian wife and two children, the two families must struggle to deal with this complication. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kris Kristofferson, JoBeth Williams, (more)
- 1989
The sole reason for watching the made-for-TV Lady in a Corner is star Loretta Young, looking as youthful and stunning as ever in the role of a powerful magazine publisher. The plot introduces a British "sleaze lord" based on you-know-who, who inaugurates a hostile takeover of Young's publishing empire. Lindsay Frost, one of Young's most trusted editors, is actually an "inside man" for the British mogul and is undermining Ms. Young at every opportunity. Despite the entreaties of marriage from faithful chief editor Brian Keith, Young digs in her designer heels and fights off the takeover. Lady in a Corner is nothing to write home about, but as the last TV appearance to date of Loretta Young it's worth an hour or so of your time. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, Lindsay Frost, (more)
- 1989
In this entry in the long-running mystery series, Perry Mason has a conflict with an old friend after he begins representing the law student who is the prime suspect in the murder of his friend's son. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1989
When she becomes pregnant, Annie May Bonner (Alexandra Paul) is kicked out of the house by her wealthy, intolerant father Matthew (Ned Beatty) in this Depression-era melodrama. Annie May marries Jesse (Dee Law), the father of her baby and the son of Matthew's lumber foreman Byron Monroe (Brian Keith), but Annie May's father considers Jesse an undesirable. Even when Matthew's wife Rachel (Barbara Barrie) dies of heartbreak, the stubborn father refuses to allow Annie May and Jesse into the family. The happy couple soon produce four children who may never know their grandfather. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alexandra Paul, Ned Beatty, (more)
In this Western based loosely on actual events and people, Emilio Estevez stars as William H. Bonney (aka Billy the Kid). Sought for a petty crime in Lincoln County, Billy is taken in by John Tunstall (Terence Stamp), a British ranch owner seeking to make it in the cattle business. Tunstall employs a group of "regulators," comprised of wayward youths he's gathered over the years, to watch over his ranch; in turn, he teaches them how to read and reforms them into better men. Tunstall's business interests come into conflict with those of corrupt and murderous businessman Lawrence Murphy (Jack Palance), whose widespread connections make him a power to be reckoned with. When Tunstall won't budge from his right to pursue a living, Murphy's henchmen stage an ambush and kill him. This triggers a vow of vengeance from the quick-tempered Billy and his five fellow regulators, who are deputized to serve arrest warrants in the murder. However, when Billy decides to gun down the suspects instead of detaining them, his loyal pals become accessories in a vigilante spree to wipe the territory clean of Murphy and his web of conspirators. Soon, the supposed lawmen are on the run from bounty hunters, henchmen, and government soldiers, from all directions of the compass. This box-office hit also stars Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulroney, and Casey Siemaszko. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi
- Starring:
- Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
In this actioner, a battle-hardened Marine sergeant finds himself faced with single-handedly rescuing his former colonel from Middle Eastern terrorist abductors. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fred Dryer, Brian Keith, (more)
- 1987
The valor and anguish of the Alamo is resurrected in this '80s effort that features a considerably accomplished cast. Brian Keith plays Davy Crockett and James Arness is Jim Bowie who, although at odds at times with his leader Colonel William Travis (Alec Baldwin), is able to focus upon the battle against the Mexican soldiers. Highlights of this film are the battle action scenes. ~ Rovi
- 1986
The acronymic B.R.A.T. Patrol originally aired as a 2-hour entry on The Disney Sunday Movie. The appropriately named title characters are the children of a group of Marine non-coms. Running roughshod around a UMC base, the "patrol's" reputation is so bad that no one believes the kids' story about overhearing a plot to steal valuable government equipment. In true Disney fashion, the kids take on the baddies themselves. Sean Astin is cast as the head BRAT, while Brian Keith (the ostensible "star," though he's billed fifth) does his usually over-loud overacting as the General. The B.R.A.T. Patrol first assembled for inspection on October 26, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
The two-hour debut episode of Murder, She Wrote finds former substitute teacher Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) reluctantly thrust into the limelight when her first mystery novel, "The Corpse Danced at Midnight," becomes a best-seller. Invited to a costume ball held by her publisher, Jessica comes face to face with a genuine murder when guest Dexter Baxendale (Dennis Patrick), wearing a Sherlock Holmes costume, turns up dead. Suspicion immediately falls upon Jessica's nephew Grady (Michael Horton), forcing our heroine to turn sleuth herself. Throughout the story, the widowed Jessica must also wrestle with her growing attraction to handsome Preston Giles (Arthur Hill). Watch for future Murder, She Wrote semi-regular Herb Edelman in a role other than Lt. Artie Gelber, and also for a young Andy Garcia in a bit part as a tough guy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
In this stock, low-budget occult horror film, a tiny 2-inch-high Aztecan idol is stolen from a professor and ends up in the experimental hands of three high-school students who use it in some creative attempts to get in touch with the spirit world. Things start to go wrong when a cemetery worker dies during one of these spirit sessions, and everything goes wrong after the Aztecan god possesses the body of a young man who steals the idol for his own purposes. Special effects create the appropriate flying objects and body bulges where needed, and makeup is grotesque enough by anyone's standards, but these pluses cannot erase the lack of interesting characters or situations or the uninspired acting. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Susan Stokey, Warren Lincoln, (more)
- 1982
World War III is an ambitious if unnecessarily protracted speculative TV movie. Set in a "future December," the film prophesies an American grain embargo levied on Russia. US President Rock Hudson is entreated by the Soviet higher-ups to drop the ban; meanwhile, a group of renegade Russian military officers begin sending expeditionary forces into Alaska. While the countdown to Doomsday begins, the film insists upon cutting back to several expendable romances in both the American and Soviet camps. Boris Sagal, the original director of World War III, was killed in a freak helicopter accident while on location. To make up for lost time, the production was moved to the soundstages of Zoetrope Studios and overseen by ultra-efficient TV director David Greene. Part Two finds novice American president Rock Hudson trying to effect an honorable peace with Soviet premiere Brian Keith. But insurgent military officers endeavoring to seize the Alaska Pipeline as a bargaining chip continue to escalate the hostilities. It develops that the fate of the world may rest in the hands of American colonel David Soul. Also appearing is Cathy Lee Crosby, endearingly miscast as an intelligence officer. A heart-stopping surprise twist brings World War III to a close. While the film has its moments of genuine suspense, one can't help but feel that World War III would have been better an hour or two shorter--or at least with a few of the subplot romances removed. Originally running four hours, World War III was telecast in two parts on January 31 and February 1, 1982.
~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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