Paul Lambert Movies
For over 30 years, Paul Lambert played character roles on stage, screen, and television. He started out on the Manhattan stage in the early '50s. He also launched his television career around that time, appearing in series through the '80s ranging from Playhouse 90 to Hogan's Heroes to Doogie Howser, M.D.. Lambert died of cancer on April 27, 1997, at age 74. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1971
- PG
A Gunfight was the first mainstream American film to be produced by an Indian tribe -- specifically, the Jicarilla Apaches of New Mexico. Kirk Douglas and Johnny Cash star as Will and Abe, two long-in-tooth gunfighters with nary a dime between them. Although Will and Abe are fast friends, they agree to a winner-take-all showdown, selling tickets to the momentous event. The townspeople are certain that Will is going to win the shootout, but he knows that it would be a fatal mistake to underestimate Abe. Standing on the sidelines is Will's wife Nora (Jane Alexander), who seems curiously disinterested in the outcome, even though she may become a widow before the day is over. Despite the financial input of the Jicarilla tribe, A Gunfight has nothing to do with Indians; perhaps the tribe just wanted to put together a good, old-fashioned western, sans any social commentary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Johnny Cash, (more)
- 1957
Professional hit man Manny Coe (Dick York) is kept on retainer by crime boss Mr. Williams (George Macready) to eliminate those crooks who have outlasted their usefulness to Williams' operation. When Manny bumps off an inept jewel thief, his girlfriend Betty (Kathleen Maguire) threatens to call the cops. Without batting an eyelash, Williams orders Manny to eliminate Betty. This ultimately proves to be unnecessary, but Williams is notoriously intolerant of those who do not carry out his instructions to the letter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
A young wife and her insurance-salesman husband arrive at a suburban party thrown by the man's boss. The poolside party quickly turns into a wife swapping free-for-all, but the woman is reluctant. Her husband urges her to join in, saying it will be good for business and his career advancement. The once-reluctant wife joins in to become the life of the party as the revelers do the horizontal bop and other erotic dances. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Blake, Lynn Cartwright, (more)
Conspiracy film specialist Alan J. Pakula turned journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's best-selling account of their Watergate investigation into one of the hit films of Bicentennial year 1976. While researching a story about a botched 1972 burglary of Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex, green Washington Post reporters/rivals Woodward (Robert Redford, who also exec produced) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) stumble on a possible connection between the burglars and a White House staffer. With the circumspect approval of executive editor Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards), the pair digs deeper. Aided by a guilt-ridden turncoat bookkeeper (Jane Alexander) and the vital if cryptic guidance of Woodward's mystery source, Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), Woodward and Bernstein "follow the money" all the way to the top of the Nixon administration. Despite Deep Throat's warnings that their lives are in danger, and the reluctance of older Post editors, Woodward and Bernstein are determined to get out the story of the crime and its presidential cover-up. Once Bradlee is convinced, the final teletype impassively taps out the historically explosive results. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, (more)
- 1985
Betsy Russell takes over as part-time prostitute Molly Stewart in this disappointing sequel to the surprisingly good Angel (1984). Old pals Rory Calhoun and Susan Tyrrell are along for the search for the killer of the cop who saved Molly's life in the first film, joined by street magician Johnny Glitter (Barry Pearl). More brutal and hard-edged than the original, this installment is just another violent action movie, despite some slick camerawork and a fast pace. One peculiar touch is the frequent use of Bronski Beat's savage dance hit "Why?" which, although it has appropriately exciting music, it concerns gay-bashing and has no relation whatsoever to the storyline. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Betsy Russell, Rory Calhoun, (more)
Billionaire Boys Club is the two-part TV adaptation of a book by Sue Horton (unpublished at the time of the film's first telecast). In flashback form, the story recounts the murder of Beverly Hills con artist Ron Levin (Ron Silver). The culprit is yuppie Joe Hunt (Judd Nelson), a sharp young commodities trader who has organized an investment firm with several of his prep school buddies, known as the Billionaire Boys Club. Part one, originally telecast November 8, 1987, traces Hunt's meteoric rise to wealth and power, and the means by which Levin worms his way into Hunt's confidence. In part two, shown the next evening, Hunt has already murdered Levin and carefully disposed of the body. The next step of the scheme is take over where Levin left off by conning an Iranian millionaire out of a huge sum of money. Meanwhile, other members of the Club begin to have qualms over Hunt's finagling. Their whistle-blowing leads to Hunt's arrest and convinction for murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Nelson, Ron Silver, (more)
Ex-Vietnam chopper pilot Roy Scheider is now in charge of Blue Thunder, a high-tech copter designed to quell possible terrorism during the 1984 LA Olympics. His onetime comrade-in-arms Malcolm McDowell, now his bitter enemy, will stop at nothing to neutralize Blue Thunder and expedite an armed takeover of the United States. Well, there's the plot: now sit back and enjoy those eye-popping aerial scenes. Blue Thunder was later adapted into a weekly TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Scheider, Malcolm McDowell, (more)
- 1968
Joe Cartwright, Candy and Kate Kelly (Celeste Yarnell) form a partnership to establish an ore-stamping mill. Though Joe and Candy know next to nothing about running the mill, they have no trouble courting Kate, with both partners showing up at the lady's doorstep on alternate evenings. But it isn't all fun and games: The boys must also contend with rival mine owner Miles Renfro (Paul Lambert), who doesn't cotton to the competition and has the guns to back up his objections. Dabney Coleman appears in the supporting role of Ivar Peterson. Originally shown on December 1, 1968, "Queen High" was written by Michael Fessier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1967
Leslie Nielsen, who had once studied acting under Bonanza star Lorne Greene in his native Canada, is here cast as Sheriff Paul Rowan, an old friend of Ben Cartwright. Driven to madness after twelve hard years on the job, Rowan holes up in a stable, shooting or threatening to shoot anyone who comes near him. Responding to the pleas of the Sheriff's wife Catherine (Nancy Malone), Ben tries to coax Paul into surrending and seeking out the medical attention he so desperately needs. First shown on January 29, 1967, "The Unseen Wound" was written by Frank Chase. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
Paul Kersey's (Charles Bronson) self-appointed one-man vigilante squad goes bi-coastal in Michael Winner's sequel to his Death Wish. Kersey has taken up residence in Los Angeles, but lunatic violence follows him across the country like toilet paper sticking to his shoe. Kersey's Spanish cook is immediately gang-banged and killed, while his daughter, still suffering from a catatonic stupor after her brutal rape in the first film, finds herself raped yet again. Vincent Gardenia as New York detective Frank Ochoa, reprises his role from the first film here -- traveling to Los Angeles to locate Kersey but finding death waiting for him off a LA freeway ramp. After all this mayhem, Kersey cannot cringe in hiding for long, and once again he loads up his tube socks with rolls of quarters and goes hoodlum hunting. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, (more)
- 1976
This TV movie delves into the unhappy later years of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald (here played by Jason Miller). Broke and virtually written-out by the late 1930s, Fitzgerald is compelled to accept screenwriting work in Tinseltown where he is frustrated that his work is extensively rewritten and revised -- if not rejected altogether. On a personal level, Fitzgerald must deal with his wife Zelda (Tuesday Weld), now sequestered in a North Carolina mental institution. Seeking some reason for living, Fitzgerald inaugurates an affair with Hollywood columnist Sheila Graham (Julia Foster). Not all that incisive, and saddled with an unsympathetic drunkard as a central character, F. Scott Fitzgerald is still superior to Hollywood's previous version of the Fitzgerald/Graham romance, Beloved Infidel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Several of the tribes in the Amazon jungle in Brazil are the focus of this Swiss documentary. The tribes exist as they have since the time of the Stone Age, hunting and foraging for food with primitive tools. The film illustrates how the tribes are on the verge of extinction as oil companies, hunters, and land developers rush to grab the jungle that has been home to the Indians for thousands of years. No director is credited, and commentary is provided by Paul Lambert. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Actor Paul Henried's directorial efforts always tended to be on the sensationalistic side, and Girls on the Loose was no exception. Mara Corday stars as Vera Parkinson, the beautiful-but-deadly head of a robbery gang. To throw the cops off the track, Vera runs a legit nightclub as a cover. Assembling a major payroll heist, Vera enlists the aid of "inside woman" Agnes Clark (Abby Dalton), an employee of the targetted company. When Agnes shows signs of remorse, Vera has her killed-setting off a chain reaction of murders. By film's end, only one of the principals is left standing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mara Corday, Lita Milan, (more)
- 1983
Grace Kelly, the high-society beauty who became an Oscar-winning actress and then a European princess, is the subject of this TV biopic. Cheryl Ladd has the looks and poise of the original Grace, though she isn't quite as charismatic. The early portion of the film retraces the stormy relationship between Grace and her gruff Philadelphia millionaire dad, Jack Kelly. The script suggests that Grace went through life looking for a strong father figure, finally finding one in Prince Rainier of Monaco (Ian McShane), whom she weds. Several "celebrity look-alikes" parade through the film, pretending to be the film personalities with whom Ms. Kelly worked during her brief Hollywood career. Grace Kelly tones down the darker aspects of its subject, and the film is infinitely more tasteful than most other TV biographies of the same period, even when dealing with Princess Grace's untimely death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
The dying words of his friend Ben Williams sends Matt (James Arness) on a mission of justice to the town of Elkador. He knows that somewhere in town, Ben's killer Lou Shippen (Paul Lambert) is hiding. Trouble is, the hostile townfolk have formed a protective circle around the fugitive--and to make matters worse, Matt wouldn't know Shippen even if he saw him. This episode is based on the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of October 23, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
After killing his partner Harry Bent (Paul Lambert), outlaw Fred Myers (Robert H. Harris) and his wife Jennifer (Julie Van Zandt) abscond with their stolen loot and set up a "legitimate" business in Dodge City. But if Fred thinks he's out of danger, he hasn't taken into consideration Harry's good friend Tobeel (Frank DeKova), a solemn-faced Indian who persistently dogs the Myers' trail. When another murder occurs, Tobeel is accused of the crime--but Matt (James Arness) uses his own knowledge of Indian traditons to trap the genuine killer. This episode is based on the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of November 28, 1953. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Mercenary Gestapo agent Major Hegel (Paul Lambert demands that the Allies give him $1 million worth of industrial diamonds, lest he blow the whistle on Hogan's espionage operation. Left with no alternative, Hogan and his men agree to steal the precious gems. Ulla Stromstredt is cast as Hegel's gorgeous partner in crime Myra. Scriptwriter Laurence Marks managed to sustain the series' high humor content while still incorporating two violent off-screen deaths. "Diamonds in the Rough" originally aired on September 30, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1971
Can it be that Hogan has gone to the other side? It sure seems that way when he agrees to accompany Klink on an underground mission to England to steal a revolutionary new American plane. In truth, however, Hogan merely pretends to go along with the scheme, the better to expose a Nazi spy ring operating in London. Cynthia Lynn, who played Klink's secretary Hilda in several first-season episodes, is here cast as Eva; also in the cast is a pre-Police Academy George Gaynes as the General. Written by Laurence Marks, "Easy Come, Easy Go" originally aired on January 10, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1967
This episode is dominated by the superb performances of two African-American performers: Series regular Ivan Dixon as Kinchloe, and singer Barbara McNair as American-born chanteuse Kumasa. Sneaking into Paris, Hogan and Kinchloe hope to convince Kumasa, who has become disillusioned with America's treatment of her people, to extract vital information from her German protector, General Von Hammerschlag (Paul Lambert). The plan hinges upon Kinchloe's prior friendship with Kumasa when they both attended the same high school. Written by Richard M. Powell, "Is General Hammerschlag Burning?" first aired on November 18, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1969
Beautiful British traitor Lady Valerie Stanford (Karen Steele) has designed an anti-aircraft weapon for the Nazis. Hogan is ordered to sabotage the weapon, and to do this he must trick Klink into revealing Lady Valerie's whereabouts. But is the lady really the turncoat that she seems to be? Also appearing are frequent Hogan's Heroes supporting players Paul Lambert (as General Riker) and Laurie Main (as Woodhouse). Written by Ben Gershman, "The Big Dish" made its first network appearance on March 8, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1962
In this prison drama, a remake of Caged, House of Women (1950), a pregnant woman is wrongly convicted of armed robbery. She is sentenced to five years in prison. After her child is born, the inmate is allowed to keep it. She then has three years to earn parole. If she does not, the babe will be put up for adoption. When the prison warden finds himself attracted to the woman, he makes her his personal maid. Time passes and he falls in love with her resulting in better treatment for the other prisoners. Three years pass and the woman's parole seems assured until the sadistic warden, not wanting to lose the woman he loves, decrees that she will not be paroled and that all imprisoned mothers will lose custody of their children. This harsh action spawns a bloody revolt amongst the inmates. It is the brave woman that quells the uprising. Later media coverage of the event results in her release. The warden is fired. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley Knight, Andrew Duggan, (more)
- 1974
Elizabeth Ashley guest stars as Laura Keyes, who after suffering a heart attack crashes her car into Ironside's van. Laura is rushed to a hospital, where the doctors discover that the woman had had a bullet lodged near her heart for years. Ironside (Raymond Burr) is amazed to discover that, not only is Laura unconcerned about her wound, but she doesn't even remember being shot! His curiosity further aroused when Laura refuses to let the doctors remove the bullet, Ironside launches an investigation...and ends up reopening a cold murder case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
After housesitting for a friend, Fran (Elizabeth Baur) begins receiving obscene phone calls at her own home. It doesn't take long for the caller to escalate to death threats--and when a murder occurs nearby, Fran takes it upon herself to find out if there's a link between her unseen tormentor and the killing. Meanwhile, Ironside sets a trap for the murderer...with Fran as bait. This episode was written by Star Trek veteran Margaret Armen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
After a routine heist, two-bit car thief Artie Fowler (Mark Alaimo) is killed in cold blood. Kojak suspects that there's something bigger than a standard robbery going on--especially after Artie's girlfriend Maria (Lara Parker) lets slip that an upcoming "caper" will make fools of the authorities. It turns out that a $500,000 heist is in the works, masterminded by mob leader Hugh Jellicoe (Paul Lambert) and an unknown party whose theatrical bravado astonishes even the professional crooks. Future Dallas costar Ken Kercheval appears in a significant role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
