Ted Knight Movies
Actor Ted Knight dropped out of high school in order to enlist for World War II service. During the postwar years, Knight studied acting in Hartford, Connecticut. He became proficient with puppets and ventriloquism, which led to steady work as a TV kiddie-show host. Knight spent most of the 1950s and 1960s doing commercial voice-overs and essaying minor TV and movie roles (he was the nonspeaking cop who handed Norman Bates a robe at the end of Hitchcock's Psycho [1960]). Just barely making ends meet with TV guest spots and cartoon voices, Knight was rescued professionally in 1970 when he was cast in the role of vainglorious TV anchorman Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Three years into the series, Knight threatened to quit because of the one-note stupidity of his character. He was assuaged when the MTM producers "humanized" him with an understanding girlfriend (played by Georgia Engel) -- and it didn't hurt that the actor later won two Emmy awards for his portrayal of the clueless Ted Baxter. When MTM left the air in 1977, Knight attempted to headline a sitcom of his own. After a couple of false starts, he struck pay dirt in 1980 with Too Close for Comfort, playing a comic-strip artist with two nubile daughters. Too Close left the network for syndication in 1984, then matriculated into The Ted Knight Show in 1985. Though gravely ill, Ted Knight valiantly taped a years' worth of episodes before succumbing to cancer at the age of 62. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1967
The titular Crimson Monster is a creature from another dimension, capable of shooting dangerous bolts of acid at its enemies. Like most of the other horrific creatures in the "Aquaman" saga, this one decides to destroy Atlantis and everyone in it. Aquaman is eager and willing to do battle against the Crimson Monster, but this time he cannot count on backup from Aqualad, who has been knocked on conscious. Sufferin' sawfish! How is THIS adventure going to turn out? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
A violent underwater volcano unleashes a fierce, flaming lava monster, which then lays siege upon Atlantis. Aquaman and Aqualad must not only vanquish the blazing beast, but also tame a gas-propelled waterspout which threatens to bring about a catastrophic title wave. With the regular "good guys" thus occupied, and with Tusky entangled in a variety of inextricable traps, it is up to faithful seahorses Storm and Imp to lead a school of friendly dolphins to the rescue. Jumpin' jellyfish! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
While having fun with Imp and Tusky, Aqualad is captured by the green, hissing Reptile-Men, who have taken over an Atlantean hydropower station. Responding to Aqualad's telepathic call for help, Aquaman races to his rescue, only to end up trapped in a subterranean air pocket, facing certain doom unless he can return to the water within the hour! Now it is Aqualad to the rescue--and let's not forget the positive input from that gigantic friendly sea turtle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
No sooner had the evil Black Manta been introduced in DC's "Aquaman" comic books than the black-cowled villain made his TV cartoon debut on The Superman-Aquaman Hour of Adventure. Piloting his sinister sea-saucer through the ocean depths, the Black Manta uses an electronic-impulsive device to drive a huge whale berserk! This of course attracts the attention of Aquaman and Aqualad, who mount their trusty sea horses Storm and Imp and ride off to do battle against the Manta and his hordes of Manta-Men--while Aquaman's lovely consort Mera remains helplessly trapped inside a giant clam. Holy halibut! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Solar-powered space aliens invade the earth, setting the planet's oceans on fire! The evil interlopers then barrage Atlantis with wave upon wave of flaming missiles. With Aqualad injured and out of commisison, it is up to Aquaman to save Atlantis and send the aliens back where they came from. Of course, the "Sea King" is aided and abetted by his many underwater friends, including an army of arthropods and dolphins who prove to be excellent volunteer firemen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
A bolt of lightning on the ocean floor releases the tyrannical Nepto and his "spooky" Viking Raiders after centuries in suspended animation. Rejecting Aquaman's gesture of friendship, Nepto picks up where he left off and sets about to conquer Atlantis. At first it seems that Aquaman and Aqualad are no match for Nepto's magic, electrically-charged trident--but faithful walrus Tusky and a surprisingly dexterous octopus join forces to rescue the Aqua-duo in the nick of time. Suffering sawfish! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This episode marks the first appearance of the evil Queen Vassa, who commands a huge army of predatory mermen, to say nothing of a flotilla of steel whales. In preparation for the takeover of Atlantis, Vassa kidnaps Mera to keep Aquaman from interfering (This plot twist must have resulted in a fascinating voiceover recording session, since both Vassa and Mera were played by the same actress). In order to rescue his consort and his civilization, Aquaman must punch out all of Vassa's subordinates before his final showdown with the megalomaniac queen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Our old "friend" the Black Manta is back for more sinister skullduggery and world-weary wisecracks (though not necessarily in that order). This time, the cowled supervillain wants to steal Aquaman's latest invention, a "growth ray" that is capable of enlarging the smaller forms of sea life. After rescuing Aqualad from the Black Manta's clutches, Aquaman must focus his attention on a veritable army of gigantic plankton, created by the villain for the express purpose of destroying Atlantis! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) learns that Bishop John Atwood (Dean Jagger), a peace envoy to the US, has been targetted for assassination. Unfortunately, the trigger man, known only to the FBI as "Anton Christopher", has never been photographed or fingerprinted, making it virtually impossible to track him down. Further complicating the situation is the fact that Christopher has been hired by one of Bishop Atwood's most trusted confidantes! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In Sheriff Coffee's absence, Virginia City's mayor (Ted Knight) hires ruthlessly efficient lawman Wes Dann (Eric Fleming) as peacekeeper. At first an admirer of Dann, Joe Cartwright soon learns that the cold-blooded temporary sheriff is less interested in upholding the law than meting out his own sadistic brand of punishment. This episode marked one of the final TV appearances of former Rawhide star Eric Fleming; others in the cast include Roy Foster, Ray Stricklyn, Dee Pollack, Clyde Howdy, Grandon Rhodes, I. Stanford Jolley, and legendary serial villain Roy Barcroft. First telecast on February 6, 1966, "Peace Officer" was written by Don Mullaly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 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
Assigned to a reconnaisance mission, Hanley (Rick Jason) is aided by veteran Resistance fighter Leon Poulon (Fernando Lama), who agrees to cooperate only if the squad takes his younger brother Marcel (Sal Mineo) along. Though Marcel has an all-consuming fear of death, Leon pretends not to notice, certain that the boy will perform heroically when the going really gets tough. But Leon's good intentions may prove fatal when he and Marcel are captured for interrogation by a cruel SS officer (played in deadly earnest by The Mary Tyler Moore Show's future "Ted Baxter"!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Glenn Madison (Steven Hill), a war hero with political ambitions, is rescued from a plane crash by Richard Kimble (David Janssen). Normally, this would make Kimble a hero, but both he and Madison are anxious to keep the rescue a secret from the public--Kimble because he is a fugitive from justice, and Madison because his travelling companion was his mistress Pat Haynes (Jessica Walter). But Madison's vengeful wife Claire (Nancy Wickwire) doesn't intend to let her husband, or Kimble, off the hook so easily. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this offbeat mixture of espionage and slapstick comedy, Arthur Vincenti (Alejandro Rey) is a scientist working on secret military projects for the United States government. Vincenti is becoming increasingly unstable as he works in solitude in a backwater swamp; his superiors fear that he might be going mad, so they arrange for a respected psychiatrist from New York, Dr. Bartholomew Snow (Rock Hudson), to meet with him on a regular basis. However, in order to keep Vincenti's whereabouts a secret, Snow is blindfolded before he's driven to his meetings with the scientist. When a group of enemy agents kidnaps Vincenti, Snow could be the only one who can help him; however, he can't track down his patient without wearing the blindfold. Prominent in the supporting cast are Claudia Cardinale, Jack Warden, and Guy Stockwell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rock Hudson, Claudia Cardinale, (more)
- 1965
This exploitation crime drama offers a fictionalized account of John Dillinger just before he became known as one of the most ruthless mobsters of the 1930s. The tale begins as Dillinger and his girlfriend try to rob her daddy's safe and get caught red-handed. Dillinger takes the fall and goes to the joint where he encounters some of America's most infamous gangsters including Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson. Dillinger helps them all escape and together they become some of the most fearsome criminals ever. Because he is considered Public Enemy No. 1, Dillinger decides to undergo a total face transformation. Following the operation, he kills the surgeon, who was trying to force himself on Dillinger's moll. Later, he wrongs her and this ultimately leads to tragedy for him and for her. Keep an eye out for background people dressed in 1960s clothing, quite an anomaly for a film set in the '30s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Adams, Robert Conrad, (more)
- 1965
Beau Bridges guest stars as a wounded young man who stumbles into the Justice Department Building in Virginia, carrying half a million dollars in stolen cash. Awakening from a brief coma, the boy can remember nothing about what has happened to him nor how he came into possession of the loot. Though they suspect that "John Doe" is a thief and a possible killer, the Feds go through an elaborate charade of alerting the public that they are holding the money for its rightful owner. Predictably, the FBI offices are swamped with dozens of phony claimants--including two shady-looking gentleman who are determined to silence "John Doe" permanently! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
The M-1, a two-man American mission, reaches Mars. The landing goes smoothly, but first one and then the other member of the crew is attacked and killed, suddenly and without warning. The mission controllers on Earth are baffled, and, three years later, the M-2, with a four-man crew, is sent with strict orders as to how to conduct extra-vehicular activity. Still, they start disappearing, slaughtered by an unseen attacker until there are only two left, straight-arrow mission commander Major Merritt (Adam West) and perpetual screw-up Captain Jack Buckley (Rudy Solari), who must figure out what killed these men. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In a bombed-out French farmhouse, Hanley (Rick Jason) is savagely attacked by a wild girl named Annette (Anjanette Comer). Managing to subdue his attacker, Hanley finds out that Annette is mute and near-catatonic, possibly as the result of a terrible shock. When it develops that Annette may know where the nearby German forces are positioned, Hanley must break down the girl's wall of silence--and hopefully, discover why she has retreated from the "real world." Future Mary Tyler Moore regular Ted Knight is seen as a German sergeant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Lust and corruption destroy the career of a prominent senator in this super-sleazy political drama. He is involved with at least three different women, one of whom he inadvertently impregnates during a big party. Another of the senator's women takes the girl to a back-alley abortionist who violates the poor woman. Eventually the Senator asks one of the women to marry him, but later as he is watching a skin-flick he realizes that his beloved is the star and he drops dead from heart failure. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
When the producers of The Untouchables bowed to the pressure of the Italian-American Anti-Defamation league and began focusing on non-Italian villains, they decided to drop one of the series' most popular characters, gangster Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti (Bruce Gordon). But with the series' ratings in rapid decline, it was decided to bring Nitti back--and here he is, up to his old tricks. On this occasion, Nitti has formed a partnership with mob bookkeeper Leo Stazek (a definitely pre-Kojak Telly Savalas), who has come up with a brilliant plan to increase the profits of "The Enforcer"'s bootlegging racket. Stazek's scheme involves heavy speculation in the stock market, and for a while the grateful Nitti is rolling in dough. What Frank doesn't realize is that Stazek is planning to double-cross him and grab all the profits (and "The Enforcer"'s power) for himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
A 13-year-old French orphan named Gilbert (Serge Prieur) wants more than anything to join the US Army. Though he is told to get lost, Gilbert insists upon tagging along with the squad led by Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow)--straight to the battlefield. Director Robert Altman tells much of the story from the boy's point of view, a difficult task to pull off in a series of this nature. Future Mary Tyler Moore Show regular Ted Knight is seen as an outwardly amiable German soldier who forces the well-meaning but naïve Gilbert to question his true loyalties. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
In Volume 12 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, scientists attempting to contact the spirit of a dead child are sucked into another dimension. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Though worn to the breaking point by recent fighting, Saunders (Vic Morrow) is selected to guide a reconnaissance patrol headed by Sgt. Jenkins (Albert Salmi). Complicating matters is the embittered Jenkins' refusal to hide his resentment over Saunders' presence, feeling that the higher-ups are giving him a message that he can't be depended upon. Things come to a head when, while seeking out top-secret German documents, both men are trapped in an old mill where the enemy has set up command. Typical of the Combat! episodes directed by Robert Altman, this one is capped by a grimly ironic finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Leaning heavily on violence to ostensibly deliver a pacifist message, this standard drama by Philip Leacock looks at the problem of teen gangs from a slightly different angle -- these teens are all wealthy. Everything starts off when aerospace engineer Walt Sherill (Alan Ladd) is accosted and severely beaten by a group of young punks. The victimized man decides to hunt down the thugs on his own, at first just for curiosity and then increasingly for vengeance. His actions spark retaliatory measures, and before the credits roll, the body count is elevated by a few more victims in what amounts to nothing more than a blood feud. In the end, justice of the legal and politically correct sort makes a token appearance. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Rod Steiger, (more)
- 1962
Bungling courier Freddie Merkel (Tommy Noonan) dreams of creative success but always manages to botch things up at crucial moments. Shortly after destroying his motorcycle, he decides to become a songwriter. This gives con man Duke (Peter Marshall) the perfect opportunity for his latest scam, one that involves submitting Freddie's song to a contest. Unfortunately, a wind gust blows the finished piece away just before Freddie turns it in. The two scramble to catch the tune, but it ends up in the hands of a priest who is suddenly inspired to enter the contest himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Noonan, Peter Marshall, (more)
