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- 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
- 1972
Play It As It Lays offers what is probably the harshest view of Hollywood to be given a major production up to the time of its release; it depicts a world of narcissistic egotists who will do anything to inflate their own sense of importance. Based on the novel by Joan Didion, it tells of the rise and fall of one woman's acting career. Maria Wyeth (Tuesday Weld), a model, began her acting career in a Warhol-like film, and moved "up" to perform in a biker film. The director of both films, Carter Lang (Adam Roarke), discovered her, and soon afterwards, marries her. As Carter's career moves ahead, he pays less and less attention to Maria. She has a number of affairs to try to brighten her world, but nothing much works. When she gets pregnant by one of them, Lang divorces her. Then, her best friend (Anthony Perkins), who tried to bring about a reconciliation between Lang and her, commits suicide. Her world in tatters, she has a nervous breakdown. The film's story is told in flashbacks while she is in recovery. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- R
Where Does It Hurt? is a hospital comedy which is carefully designed to leave no interest group unoffended. In the broadest of broad comic manners, it recounts its tale of greed, ignorance and corruption in the medical profession. Dr. Albert T. Hopfnagel (Peter Sellers), a hospital administrator, is a doctor who is expert in the arts of bill-padding, unnecessary surgery, and kickbacks. His assistant (Jo Ann Pflug) has finally had enough of his destructive and dishonest shenanigans and gets him sent to prison. He is released a little too soon for comfort, however. ~ Clarke Fountain, 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)
- 1971
- PG
A nice young man leaves his conservative hometown of Houston to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. All of Houston is proud of the youth's great success and so invite him home to crown the homecoming queen. Unfortunately, he roars into town astride an enormous motorcycle. With his grungy clothing and suspicious long-hair he becomes an embarassment to the upstanding citizens who are outraged at how he allowed the glitter of Tinseltown to corrupt him. They are so angry that they boot the obnoxious actor right out of town. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
Originally intended as a project for Blake Edwards, the film version of Pierre Boule's semisatiric sci-fi novel came to the screen in 1968 under the directorial guidance of Franklin J. Schaffner. Charlton Heston is George Taylor, one of several astronauts on a long, long space mission whose spaceship crash-lands on a remote planet, seemingly devoid of intelligent life. Soon the astronaut learns that this planet is ruled by a race of talking, thinking, reasoning apes who hold court over a complex, multilayered civilization. In this topsy-turvy society, the human beings are grunting, inarticulate primates, penned-up like animals. When ape leader Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) discovers that the captive Taylor has the power of speech, he reacts in horror and insists that the astronaut be killed. But sympathetic ape scientists Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) and Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) risk their lives to protect Taylor -- and to discover the secret of their planet's history that Dr. Zaius and his minions guard so jealously. In the end, it is Taylor who stumbles on the truth about the Planet of the Apes: "Damn you! Damn you! Goddamn you all to hell!" Scripted by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson (a former blacklistee who previously adapted another Pierre Boule novel, Bridge on the River Kwai), Planet of the Apes has gone on to be an all-time sci-fi (and/or camp) classic. It won a special Academy Award for John Chambers's convincing (and, from all accounts, excruciatingly uncomfortable) simian makeup. It spawned four successful sequels, as well as two TV series, one live-action and one animated. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, (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)
- 1967
Jerry Lewis is aptly cast as The Big Mouth in this production (he also served as producer, director and cowriter). As bad luck would have it, Lewis is the exact double of a notorious gangster. The bad guys who think they've disposed of the gangster are taken aback when they see Jerry strolling about, while several other disreputable characters chase after Lewis in the mistaken assumption that our hero knows the whereabouts of a cache of stolen diamonds. Charlie Callas provides some good moments as a hit man who is so unnerved by Jerry's "resurrection" that he turns into a babbling idiot (so what else is new?) There's also a cute bit involving a Kabuki dance troupe. Overall, however, The Big Mouth suffers from the Curse of Jerry: too much repetition, too many pointless gags (will someone explain why Colonel Sanders makes a guest appearance?) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Lewis, Harold J. Stone, (more)
- 1967
Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Council" was the second multipart story of Mission: Impossible's second season. In their most ambitious assignment to date, the IMF must destroy a criminal empire that threatens to drain America's gold reserves. As part of the plan, Rollin concocts a dangerous strategy of his own, one that requires him to impersonate crooked businessman Frank Wayne (Paul Stevens). As it turns out, the success of the mission hinges upon a mob flunkey who has been targetted for extermination--and has already been buried alive. Part One of "The Council" was first broadcast November 19, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
In the second half of the two-part Mission: Impossible adventure "The Council", the IMF's plan to topple a gangland syndicate is threatened when one of the mobsters apparently sees through Rollin's impersonation of crooked businessman Frank Wayne (Paul Stevens). Meanwhile, the real Stevens lies unconscious on the operating table of a master plastic surgeon. And in a startling development, Phelps is the victim of a mob "hit"--or is he? Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, Part Two of "The Council" originally aired on November 26, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (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)
- 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)
- 1965
Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is taken by surprise when a young woman (Mary Mitchell) sweeps into his office, begging him to "identify" her. Claiming to be Dorrie Ambler, the girl explains that she has been hired by private eye Joe Billings (Paul Lambert) to pose as her lookalike, heiress Minerva Minden, allegedly to verify if Minerva was involved in a hit-and-run accident. It turns out, however, that Dorrie really is Minerva, and that Billings is blackmailing her. Before long, Perry is not only defending Minerva on a charge of murdering Billings, but also of bumping off the "real" Dorrie Ambler, who may or may not have perished in the accident. Wesley Lau makes his farewell appearance as Lt. Anderson in this final episode of Perry Mason's eighth season, which is based on a novel by series creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ 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
- 1964
Hired as a construction worker at a missile site, Kimble is one of several people trapped in an underground shaft by an explosion. Among the others similarly entombed are Congresswoman Snell (Nan Martin) and construction head Jack Glennon (Stephen McNally), who happen to be longtime enemies. Kimble must somehow patch up the differences between these two and persuade him that he is innocent of murder before the rescue party arrives--a party which includes the fugitive's dogged pursuer Lt. Gerard (Barry Morse). Featured in the cast is Richard Anderson, who would return in the series' final two-part episode as Kimble's brother-in-law Leonard Taft. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 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)
- 1961
Future film superstar James Coburn appears as slimy entrepreneur Donald Fletcher, who purchases a highly respected publishing house and converts its output to slezy tabloids and nudie magazines. Unable to legally prevent Fletcher from inflicting further damage, editor Edmond Aitken (Philip Abbott), whose family once owned the publishing firm, may be driven to desperation. Ultimately, Fletcher is murdered--but it is Aitken's wife Alyce (Sara Shane), rather than her husband, who is charged with the crime because she was being blackmailed by Fletcher with nude photos taken during her modelling career. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) prepares to clear Alyce and ferret out the genuine culprit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Journalist Lawrence Vander (Paul Lambert) is murdered during a weekend retreat for the employees of Space Associates Ltd, a major defense contractor. It turns out that Vander was trying to track down ex-Nazi Max Keinermann, who may be working for Space Associates under an alias.. Accused of the murder is Harlan Merill (Dick Foran), who has a rather unsavory past of his own. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) dedicates himself to clearing Merrill's name--actually two names, since he is also using an alias--and solving the murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Even their fellow hoodlums are in mortal terror of the Purple Gang, a Detroit-based operation led by Eddie Fletcher (Steve Cochran). Now the Gang has come up with racket that surpasses all their previous achievements: namely, kidnapping other mobsters and holding them for ransom, knowing full well that their victims can't go to the police. But Fletcher sets the stage for his own inevitable downfall when his boys snatch Jan Tornek (played by a pre-Hogan's Heroes) Werner Klemperer), a minor functionary of the Capone gang who is presently under surveillance by Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) and the Untouchables. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) is a rebellious slave purchased by Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov), owner of a school for gladiators. For the entertainment of corrupt Roman senator Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier), Batiatus' gladiators are to stage a fight to the death. On the night before the event, the enslaved trainees are "rewarded" with female companionship. Spartacus' companion for the evening is Varinia (Jean Simmons), a slave from Brittania. When Spartacus later learns that Varinia has been sold to Crassus, he leads 78 fellow gladiators in revolt. Word of the rebellion spreads like wildfire, and soon Spartacus' army numbers in the hundreds. Escaping to join his cause is Varinia, who has fallen in love with Spartacus, and another of Crassus' house slaves, the sensitive Antoninus (Tony Curtis). The revolt becomes the principal cog in the wheel of a political struggle between Crassus and a more temperate senator named Gracchus (Charles Laughton). Anthony Mann was the original director of Spartacus, eventually replaced by Stanley Kubrick, who'd previously guided Douglas through Paths of Glory. The film received 4 Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Ustinov. A crucial scene between Olivier and Curtis, removed from the 1967 reissue because of its subtle homosexual implications, was restored in 1991, with a newly recorded soundtrack featuring Curtis as his younger self and Anthony Hopkins standing in for the deceased Olivier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, (more)
