Richard Kelton Movies
- 1979
Jim (James Garner) reluctantly serves on the jury in the trial of George Bassett (Mills Watson), who has been charged with manslaughter while driving drunk. When a mistrial is declaring thanks to a hung jury, Bassett hires Jim to prove his innocence. The key to the solution would seem to be in the hands of a woman claiming to be the victim's sister--but let's not discount those two brothers (Robert Sampson, James Karen) who run the law firm where George is employed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The made-for-TV Guide for the Married Woman was conceived by screenwriter Frank Tarloff as an "answer" to his frolicsome 1968 theatrical feature Guide for the Married Man. If the sequel isn't quite as much fun as the original, it may be because what was deemed "risque" in 1968 was kid's stuff in 1978. In her TV-movie debut, Cybill Shepherd plays a bored housewife who yearns for romance and excitement. With the help of a steady stream of celebrity guest stars, Shepherd is able to fantasize about extramarital hijinks to her heart's content. The supporting cast includes such luminaries as Peter Marshall, Eve Arden, John Beradino, John Byner, Bill Dana, Bonnie Franklin, George Gobel, Tom Poston, Barbara Feldon and Chuck Woolery (the guest-star list of the original Guide for the Married Man included Art Carney, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Carl Reiner, Terry-Thomas, Joey Bishop and Jayne Mansfield: guess which film had the bigger budget?) Guide for the Married Woman originally aired October 13, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
- R
This lively action-adventure, is set in the near future where the population of New York has been decimated by a terrible plague. The city is terrorized by violent street-gangs running amok. The tale centers on one leader who insists on keeping vast stores of potential valuables and a helpful wanderer who single-handedly takes on the gangs to help a scientist and his pregnant wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Undoubtedly having second thoughts after turning down Dirty Harry, John Wayne showed up in 1974 in his own "maverick cop" adventure, McQ. Wayne, playing McQ, a veteran detective, turns in his badge when he's officially denied the opportunity of clearing the name of his late best friend, who has been posthumously accused of drug pushing. Investigating on his own, McQ becomes romantically involved with his friend's widow (Diana Muldaur), who unbeknownst to him is up to her neck in police corruption. Considering the usual flag-waving content of John Wayne's 1970s films, it is rather startling to discover that the real villains in McQ are a coterie of crooked cops! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Eddie Albert, (more)
- 1974
Signe Hasso guest stars as Madame Vasiliev, a self-styled psychic operating out of her own "Chapel of the Mind." Though Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) suspect that Madame Vasiliev is a phony, they cannot deny that most of her prognostications have come true--and thus the two cops are forced to work alongside the Madame in hopes of locating a kidnapped girl. Cast as the victim's mother is Diana Douglas, the real-life mother of series costar Michael Douglas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
In this film, also released under the title Crazy Jack and the Boy, a young autistic boy, Eric (Ian Geer Flanders), loses himself in the woods while on a visit to the California wilderness. As his parents organize a search party for him, he is discovered by a hermit known as Crazy Jack, who manages to reach the troubled boy. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The debut episode of The Waltons is set in 1933, with the Walton family of Virginia coping as best they can with the ravages of the Depression. The emphasis is on eldest Walton son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), who is struggling to communicate with a melancholy deaf girl named Holly (Erica Hunton), whose mother Ruth (Charlotte Stewart) had abandoned the girl on the Walton doorstep. Almost miraculously, John-Boy and his siblings are able to break through to Holly and teach her sign language. Unfortunately, while trying to convey the information that John-Boy's sister Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) has gotten locked in a trunk, Holly is intercepted by her father Anson (Richard Kelton), who, failing to understand the girl's wild gesticulations, takes her home, leaving poor Elizabeth to her fate! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Ken Swofford guest-stars as corrupt political boss Charles Peck, who will stop at nothing to get his hand-picked flunkey Steve Tallman (Lloyd Bochner) elected governor. To accomplish this, Peck stirs up a violent campus riot, for which the gubernatorial incumbent will surely be blamed. The IMF infiltrates the campus to prevent Peck's plan from succeeding. Originally telecast on January 2, 1971 (some eight months after the Kent State debacle!), "The Takeover" was scripted by Arthur Weiss, from a story by Weiss and Jerry Thomas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1971
A pre-Dallas Donna Mills is cast as Mary Ann Collins, a rather empty-headed rich girl in search of excitement. Poor Mary Ann gets far more excitement than she bargained for when she hitches a ride with Jerry Williams, an AWOL soldier with delusions of grandeur who has just robbed a bank and seriously wounded a guard. Williams is played by a young Michael Douglas, who was helpfully identified in the original TV Guide synopsis as "Kirk Douglas' son". Within a year the up-and-coming Douglas would be more gainfully employed by F.B.I. producer Quinn Martin as Karl Malden's costar on Streets of San Francisco. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1946
Nostalgic and sweet, this tuneful comedy centers on a mother's reminiscence of her wild time as a 1920s teenage flapper. Margie is first seen fully grown telling her stories to her own teenage daughter. Back then, Margie was a typical adolescent, crazy about boys (especially those in raccoon coats) and an expert on the day's fashions. Margie was quite the cat's meow back then and found herself pursued by a handsome young man. Unfortuantely for him, Margie and the other girls only have eyes for the dashing new French teacher. Though busy vying for the teacher's affections, the teens still have time to perform many of the 1920's most popular songs. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lynn Bari, Vanessa Brown, (more)
