Tony Swartz Movies

Fred Astaire guest stars as Chameleon, an intergalactic con artist on the run from the Boralean's Nomen henchmen. Hoping to find refuge on Galactica, Chameleon poses as Captain Dmitri--the long-lost father of Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict). But others on board are doubtful of "Dmitri's" claims. . .and the Nomen are rapidly approaching. "The Man With Nine Lives" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Baltar's Escape" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Space Prison. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Experiment in Terra is a 60-minute episode of the TV sci-fi series Battlestar Gallactica. Joining regulars Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict is guest villain John Calicos as the outer space "quisling" Baltar. In plotting his escape from Battlestar Galactica, Baltar also plans to free the imprisoned rebels of the planet Terra. You might get some fun guessing what planet Terra is really supposed to be and spotting how many plot elements are "borrowed" from Star Wars. Experiment in Terra was first shown March 11, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Part One of "Greetings from Earth", the Galactica encounters an "ancient" space shuttle that has seemingly originated on the elusive 13th Colony--namely, the Earth. On board the shuttle, six people are in a state of suspended animation. Once awakened, the six strangers hold out hope to the Colonists that their long and frustrating search for the 13th Colony is at last at an end. Veteran song-and-dance men Ray Bolger and Bobby Van head the guest cast. Originally telecast as a two-hour "special", "Greetings from Earth" has since been reedited as two one-hour episodes for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Believing that they have finally arrived at the 13th Colony (formerly known as Earth), the Galactica crew becomes a bit careless--thereby leaving themselves open for attack by a Cylon Base Star. Tired of running from their enemy, Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) boldly lead a final--and very possibly suicidal--counterratack against the Cylons. Though this was the last episode of Battlestar Galactica, the saga continued in the spinoff series Galactica 1980. "The Hand of God" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Lost Warrior" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" The Phantom in Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) is charged with the murder of rival Viper pilot Ortega (Frank Ashmore). With the full weight of evidence against him, Starbuck finds few that are willing to believe his protestations of innocence. One of those few, however, is his best friend Apollo (Richard Hatch), who doggedly sets about to prove that the authorities have arrested the wrong man--and in the process, Apollo uncovers an unusually vicious blackmail scheme. "Murder on the Rising Star" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Young Lords" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Murder in Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Crashlanding on an uncharted frontier planet "centons" away from Galactica, Apollo (Richard Hatch) is sheltered by the widowed Bella (Katherine Cannon) and her son Puppis (Johnny Timko). Although the safety of his comrades on Galactica is still foremost in his mind, Apollo is pressed into service to face down a local land baron who holds the planet's populace in thrall. The climax is showdown with Red-Eye (Rex Cutter), an amnesiac Cylon warrior who is now the villain's top gunslinger. "The Lost Warrior" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Hand of God" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" The Phantom in Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a long-range recon mission in a new, computer-equipped Viper goes awry, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) is captured and shipped off to a forgotten prison planet. Starbuck's fellow inmates are all descendants of the planet's original criminal population, condemned to a lifetime of blind obedience to unknown superiors, and forced to manufacture ambrosia for a fleet that has long ceased to exist. It is up to Starbuck to convince these hopeless souls to revolt against their centuries-old bondage. "The Long Patrol" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Take the Celestra" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Space Casanova. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In an outer-space replay of a familiar western plotline, the Gallactica must gather enough seed to replant its devastated agroships, lest the crew and passengers starve. In order to gain the necessary seed from a group of alien farmers, Adama (Lorne Greene) is obliged to romance a former girlfriend who wields great power over the populace. Meanwhile, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) loses a rigged card game and is pressed into service as the local sheriff, whereupon he must rally an army of warriors against the planet's principal persecutors, the piglike Borays. "The Magnificent Warriors" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Fire in Space" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Curse of the Cylons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In part one of Battlestar Galactica's pilot episode, the 12 colonies of humankind are poised to sign a peace treaty with the Cylons, a race of mechanical men with whom the colonies have waged war for the past millennium. In truth, however, the peace conference is a trap, arranged by traitorous human Baltar (John Colicos) for the purpose of wiping out humankind for good. Of all the colonies' battlestars, only the Galactica, helmed by Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) -- who, wisely, never completely trusted Baltar in the first place -- manages to escape the Cylon fleet. Led by Adama, his Viper-pilot son, Captain Apollo (Dirk Benedict), and Apollo's best friend, Lieutenant Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), the survivors of the Cylon ambush board Galactica and head for the long-lost 13th colony, which once bore the name of Earth. Originally telecast as a three-hour special, "Saga of a Star World" has since been divided into three separate episodes for syndication, and an edited 125-minute version has also been released theatrically. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Part Two of Battlestar Galactica's pilot episode, Galactica's Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) has managed to escape the death trap arranged by the scurrilous, metallic cylons and human traitor Baltar (John Colicos). With the other survivors of the apocalyptic battle between the Cylons and the 12 colonies of Mankind, Adama heads to the supposed safety of the long-lost 13th colony--otherwise known as Earth. Along the way, Galactica makes a refueling stop at the pleasure planet Carillon. Alas, yet another trap awaits the remnants of Mankind--one that may even destroy Adama's son Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Apollo's best friend Starbuck (Dirk Benedict). Originally telecast as a three-hour special, "Saga of a Star World" has since been divided into three separate episodes for syndication, and an edited 125-minute version has been released theatrically as Battlestar Galactica. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, the fate of the Galactica rests in the hands of an army of criminals and misfits, under the command of Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict). This ragtag band must destroy the Cylon pulsar cannon mounted on the ice planet Arcta. Can they depend upon the help of a race of clone miners, who have as much reason to hate the Cylons as anyone in the universe -- but who may not be willing or able to fight? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first (and only) season of ABC's lavishly mounted sci-fi/fantasy series Battlestar Galactica begins with a spectacular (and spectacularly "hyped") three-hour opener, which in blatant Star Wars fashion rapidly establishes time, place, and characters. The time is the seventh millennium A.D. The place is Galactica, the only battlestar to survive a brutal attack by the evil Cylon androids (originally created as a worker race), which had the overall effect of virtually obliterating humankind and destroying the balance of interplanetary peace. The principal characters on the "good" side are Commander Adama (Lorne Greene), chief officer of the mile-wide Galactica; his only surviving son, Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch), head of Galactica's Viper (fighter) squadron; the resident "Han Solo" type, Apollo's cocksure ace pilot and all-around con artist, Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict); Starbuck's fellow pilots, Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) and Jolly (Tony Swartz); Athena (Maren Jensen), Adama's daughter and second in command; Cassiopeia (Laurette Spang), Starbuck's erstwhile girlfriend; Colonel Tigh (Terry Carter), Galactica's first officer; Boxey (Noah Hathaway), Apollo's stepson; and, in the R2D2 tradition, a mechanical dog named Muffit. Leading the bad guys is the swarthy Count Baltar (John Colicos) and Baltar's willing if slightly dimwitted cyborg henchman Lucifer (voiced by an unbilled Jonathan Harris). In the course of the season, the crew of the Galactica, as well as those of the 220 minor space vehicles remaining in Galactica's fleet, race desperately toward the last known inhabited planet in space, an obscure little orb called Earth, with the relentless Cylons hot on their heels. Halfway through the season, the two-part episode "The Living Legend" introduces Sheba (Anne Lockhart), daughter of Colonel Cain, legendary skipper of the battlestar Pegasus. Sheba is briefly united with Adama and company when the Galactica and Pegasus join forces to ward off the latest Cylon assault. Beset by various lawsuits instigated by the creators of Star Wars and weighed down by low ratings, Battlestar Galactica comes to a climax after 24 episodes. The property, would, however, be revived in a dramatically altered format (set in the 20th century) as Galactica 1980; and a quarter of a century later, a new Battlestar Galactica (described as a "re-imagining") premiered over the Sci-Fi Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gil Weaver (Roger Robinson), one of Kojak's best young detectives, learns to his dismay that his ex-classmate Richie Linden (James Watson) is now a fence for a gang of diamond thieves. At the same time, Kojak (Telly Savalas) maps out a scheme to recover $1,000,000 in stolen gems and to capture the thieves. This plan would require Weaver to set up Linden as the fall guy--but is he a good enough cop to "betray" his lifelong friend? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide