Guich Koock Movies
Guich Koock was one of seven children born to a Texas farmer and his wife. Koock attended Texas A&M University, where he earned a BA in history and an MA in Texas folklore. Newly married, he spent his immediate post-college years as a bartender, shooting his own food (squirrels, rabbits etc.) to save money. He went on to work as a schoolteacher, woodcarver, blacksmith, rodeo clown, and organizer of the annual Luckenbach, Texas "World's Fair," regaling the crowds with all manner of eccentric displays and contests. The story goes that Koock was downing a brew at a local bar when a casting director for
Steven Spielberg offered him the supporting role of a Louisiana deputy in Spielberg's
The Sugarland Express. Thus was launched his on-and-off acting career, with Koock generally cast as a bucolic good ol' boy who wasn't as dumb as he looked. After several busted TV pilots, he landed the part of Deputy Harley Puckett in the 1977-79 sitcom
Carter Country. Guich Koock has since played variations of that role in such weekly TVers as
The Chisholms (1980, as Frank O'Neill),
Lewis and Clark (1981-82, co-starring with
Gabe Kaplan as the manager of a C&W club) and She's the Sheriff (1987-88, as still another deputy, this one named Hugh Mulcahy). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

- 1995
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It's Reversal of Fortune meets Jerry Springer in this made-for-TV miniseries, which concerns the true-life tale of a Texas oil magnate on trial for conspiring to murder his brassy ex-wife -- and for very successfully doing away with her lover and daughter. Texas Justice stars Peter Strauss as Cullen Davis, a millionaire businessman who falls in love with the tempestuous, lower-class Priscilla (Heather Locklear), a young woman with a checkered past and a temper to match. When their relationship goes sour, Cullen's jealousy flares up and he does the unthinkable -- but in the courtroom, he attempts to clear his name with the help of the grandstanding, high-powered attorney Richard Haynes (Dennis Farina). ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
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- 1995
-
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Made for television, The Unspoken Truth is the factual story of Brianne Hawkins (Lea Thompson), who after enduring a lifetime of abuse at the hands of her family marries the even more abusive Clay Hawkins (James Marshall). Given to beating his wife at the slightest provocation, Clay finally goes completely over the edge when he shoots and kills a man who had the temerity to speak to Brianne without Clay's permission. Thinking quickly for a change, Clay persuades Brianne to take the rap for the killing, whereupon she complicity (if not willingly) concocts an elaborate story as to how she shot the man accidentally. Not only do the authorities refuse to swallow this fabrication, but they end up sending both Clay and Brianne to prison for life! Only when the future of her daughter, Lily (Karis Paige Bryant), is jeopardized does the long-suffering Brianne finally work up the courage to fight for her freedom and her long-denied fundamental rights as a human being. A shocking mid-film revelation elevates this story from the usual battered-wife TV-movie syndrome. Filmed on location in Austin, TX, The Unspoken Truth originally aired September 24, 1995, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Lea Thompson, Patricia Kalember, (more)

- 1994
- PG13
A dying wife and mother makes plans for her family in this made-for-television drama. Lea Thompson stars as Amy Hightower, a frontier wife and mother of four who is ill and expected to die. In an unusual move to make sure her family is cared for, she finds a prostitute named Pearl (Farrah Fawcett) and teaches her how to be a wife and mother. The movie shows how Pearl slowly transforms, Amy's health fluctuates, and how husband Martin (Peter Weller) deals with the unusual circumstances. Filmed in Texas, this film is at times humorous and emotional, and not typical movie-of-the week fare. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Farrah Fawcett, Lea Thompson, (more)

- 1989
- R
Donna (Dona Sper) and her partner Tanya (Hope Marie Carlton) are two beautiful female secret agents sent to stop the international villain Picasso Trigger (John Aprea) in this action spy thriller. Travis Abilene (Steve Bond) is the agent assigned to gather a group of sometimes questionable abilities to combat the international foes. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Steve Bond, Dona Speir, (more)

- 1987
- PG13
Gemma (Winona Ryder) is a young teen raised by her crusty grandfather Dillard (Jason Robards) in this drama of a young woman's coming of age. When she goes to the city to spend the summer with her estranged mother Juanella (Jane Alexander), she falls for Rory (Rob Lowe), a rural rube of less-than-average intelligence, but her only true friend in a hypocritical town. Gemma's promiscuous mother delights in reminding the emotional Gemma that her father could be any one of several men, and Gemma's frustration leads to an inevitable confrontation between mother and daughter. Deborah Richter plays the town floozie Gwen. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Jason Robards, Jr., Jane Alexander, (more)

- 1985
- R
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In American Ninja, Michael Dudikoff plays American "GI Joe" who, based in the Philippines, gets hip to a crooked arms racket involving none other than the military itself. There's no end to the rib-cracking opportunities Dudikoff encounters as he knee-knocks his way through a host of bad guys, rescues a lady in distress, and ventures to thwart the thieving arms vendors. ~ Rovi
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- Starring:
- Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, (more)

- 1983
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Guich Koock appears as Jonas, the brother of trucker-turned-waitress Jolene Hunnicutt (Celia Weston). Making a surprise appearance at the diner, Jonas is somewhat taken aback when Jolene cuts him dead. She hasn't forgotten about his reputation as a con artist--and when Jonas sells a worm ranch to diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback), it looks like Jolene has good reason to give her brother the cold shoulder. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 1979
- R
- Add North Dallas Forty to Queue
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In a society in which major league sporting events have replaced Sunday worship as the religion of choice, North Dallas Forty appears like a desecration at the altar. In this film, directed by Ted Kotcheff (The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz), the National Football League is revealed to be more about the money than the game. Nick Nolte is North Dallas Bulls pass-catcher Phillip Elliott, whose cynicism and independent spirit is looked upon as troublesome by team coaches Johnson (Charles Durning) and Strothers (G.D. Spradlin) and team owner Conrad Hunter (Steve Forrest). Elliot, at the end of his career and wise to the way players are bought and sold like cattle, goes through the games pumped up on painkillers conveniently provided by the management. His teammates include savvy quarterback Maxwell (Mac Davis) and lunk-headed defensive lineman Jo Bob Priddy (Bo Svenson), who deal with the impersonality and back-biting of the game through off-field diversions. When the Bulls management benches Elliot after manipulating him to help train a fellow teammate, Elliot has to decide whether there is more to life than the game that he loves. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, Mac Davis, (more)

- 1979
- R
Cycle-flick veteran William Smith stars as the head of a highly trained US intelligence team, each with the requisite invaluable "special talent." Headquartered in Hawaii, the team aims its sights on a powerful crime syndicate. Since the syndicate's henchmen are all martial arts experts, a combination of brawn and brains will be required throughout. The title alludes to the seven mobsters who must be wiped out by Smith & company in order to collect their $7 million reward. One gag in Seven was later appropriated (unconsciously or otherwise) by Raiders of the Lost Ark. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- Starring:
- William Smith, Barbara Leigh, (more)

- 1979
-
Dinah Shore appears as herself in this episode, which was taped back when Dinah had her own popular syndicated talk show. A daily feature of Ms. Shore's program is a cooking session, and Mel (Vic Tayback) has been invited to prepare his own special chili before the cameras. Problem is, Mel can bring only one of his waitresses to appear on the show with him--and thus does a monumental battle for one-upsmanship rage amongst Alice (Linda Lavin), Flo (Polly Holliday) and Vera (Beth Howland). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 1978
- R
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The sophomore effort for director Joe Dante, a future protégé of Steven Spielberg, this low-budget, high-camp horror spoof of Jaws (1977) features several chiller stars of yesteryear. Insurance investigator Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies) is dispatched to find two missing teenage hikers near Lost River Lake. She hires surly backwoods drunkard Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman) to serve as her guide. Searching the area, they find an abandoned military facility. The only resident is Dr. Robert Hoak (Kevin McCarthy), former head of a top-secret project to breed piranha for use in the Vietnam War. The project was closed down years ago, but Hoak has continued raising a deadly strain of the flesh-eating fish. When Hoak is knocked unconscious, Maggie and Paul accidentally release the piranha into a local river, which leads to the lake where a children's summer camp and a newly opened tourist resort will provide plenty of fish food for the hungry predators. Maggie and Paul race to warn the locals, but their pleas fall on skeptical ears, such as those of resort owner Buck Gardner (Dick Miller) -- until the piranha reach the swimmers. Piranha (1978) was co-written by John Sayles, making his motion picture debut. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, (more)

- 1976
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Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) don't know what they're in for when they agree to a blind date with a couple of weirdos named Charles (Fred Willard) and Buck (Guich Koock). Charles claims that he's a "businessman", while Buck seems to be something of a cowboy poet. In truth, they're a couple of bank robbers who end up taking the girls hostage--and blow up the Pizza Bowl men's room in the bargain! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 1975
- PG
After sixteen years of cinematic retirement, Roy Rogers made a surprise return before the cameras in Mackintosh & T. J. Rogers plays Mackintosh, an ageing, tale-spinning ranch hand who befriends T.J., a sullen young boy (Clay O'Brien). The film is low-key, like Rogers himself, and Rogers' faithful fans were gratified to watch him thrash several younger cowpokes who goad him into a fight. Waylon Jennings provides the C&W musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Roy Rogers, Clay O'Brien, (more)

- 1975
-
Attack on Terror: The FBI Versus the Ku Klux Klan is a fact-based, two-part TV movie. The film is a dramatization of the murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. The FBI, personified herein by southern operative Wayne Rogers, is brought in to investigate the trio's disappearance. Upon the discovery of the bodies on August 2, 1964, the feds follow a trail of (admittedly skimpy) evidence which leads to the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, headed by the virulent Glen Tuttle (Rip Torn). The first part of Attack on Terror was originally telecast February 20, 1975. The film was based on the book by Don Whitehead. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Ned Beatty, John Beck, (more)

- 1974
- PG
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Based on an actual incident, Steven Spielberg's first theatrical feature follows the adventures of a Texas outlaw couple striving to keep their family together by any means necessary. Determined not to lose her child to the authorities, Lou Jean Poplin (Goldie Hawn) gets her obedient convict husband Clovis (William Atherton) to break out of jail and help her kidnap their baby from its foster parents. With hostage Officer Slide (Michael Sacks) in tow, the fugitives head across the plains to Sugarland, Texas, pursued by a flotilla of cop cars. Even though Slide becomes the couple's friend, the Law is bent on capturing its criminal quarry. Even though it was greeted with strong reviews, and Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, and Spielberg won the screenplay prize at the Cannes Film Festival, The Sugarland Express flopped. The young audience that had embraced the challenging tonal shifts of Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider in the late 1960s was no longer so reliably drawn to narrative uncertainties in 1974. The massive success of Spielberg's next picture, the popcorn thriller Jaws (1975), would confirm his suspicion that downbeat films were no longer the way to popular approval. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, (more)