Joi Lansing Movies

This episode cashes in on the renewed popularity of frequent Beverly Hillbillies guest stars Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, who wrote and performed most of the background music for the 1967 film hit Bonnie and Clyde. Ever seeking out publicity for the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, Mr. Drysdale dreams up a TV commercial wherein the Clampett family dresses up like the Barrow gang and robs the bank. Inevitably, Flatt and Scruggs perform their hit tune "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," as well as a new composition, "The Ballad of Milburn Drysdale." The supporting cast includes buxom Joi Lansing as Mrs. Flatt (sic!), and raspy-voiced Percy Helton, making his first appearance as downtrodden bank clerk Homer Cratchit. "Bonnie, Flatt and Scruggs" was first telecast on November 20, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Horror, comedy, and country corn combine when country singers Woody Weathrby and Boots Malone get caught in a big storm en route to the Nashville Jamboree and end up taking shelter in a creepy looking old mansion that is said to be haunted. Though plenty of spooky things go on there, the hapless hayseeds quickly figure out that the haunting has more to do with a ring of international agents led by the enigmatic and sly Madame Wong than it does the supernatural. The spies have made the abandoned building their headquarters as they endeavor to steal a valuable atomic secret. This was the final film of Basil Rathbone. It is also a sequel to Las Vegas Hillbillies (1966). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Bluegrass singers Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs again show up at the Clampett mansion for a visit. This time, they're accompanied by Lester's curvaceous wife Gladys, who harbors dreams of becoming a professional singer. Joi Lansing, who plays Mrs. Flatt, offers a sultry rendition of "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You," while Flatt and Scruggs perform a few numbers of their own. "Flatt and Scruggs Return" was originally slated to air on March 16, 1966, but was moved to March 23 due to CBS' coverage of Gemini VIII's emergency splash-down. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Country and western stars Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, who performed the theme music for The Beverly Hillbillies, make return guest appearances in this episode. Concerned that their old friend Jed Clampett is still unmarried, Lester and Earl ask Jane Hathaway to help find Jed a wife. The singers also take the opportunity to perform the title song from the upcoming feature film Mail Order Bride, which starred Buddy Ebsen (who also penned the song!) "A Bride for Jed" was originally telecast on March 4, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A screwball comedy that turns into political farce, this film was something of a throwback even in 1960. Real-life husband and wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh star as David and Ann Wilson. David is a university professor who is kissing one of his students when Ann walks in on them. She demands a divorce. David turns to his old friend, a television writer, Michael Haney (Dean Martin), who cooks up a cover story. They convince Ann that David is working undercover for the FBI, and that the kiss was part of a sting. The gullible Ann believes the story. Later, when she sees David and Michael in a restaurant with two women, she suspects that the women are spies, and passes David his empty gun. This touches off a disturbance that is filmed by TV news crews. Some real Russian spies think that David really is an FBI agent, and the spies grab the Wilsons and Haney, take them to a secret chamber beneath the Empire State Building, and give them truth serum. From there, the film continues to twist and turn in wildly wacky ways. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Seasoned serial director Spencer Gordon Bennett helmed this story of a one-eyed, octopoidal space alien, wreaking havoc upon atomic subs at the North Pole. The monster is determined to take over the world, though it seems ill equipped for that purpose. Heroes Arthur Franz, Dick Foran, and Brett Halsey head underwater to neutralize the alien's submerged flying saucer. The cast is peopled with such veterans as Tom Conway, Bob Steele, Victor Varconi, Selmer Jackson, and Jack Mulhall. Movie buffs may wish to take note of the exterior scenes in Atomic Submarine; several of them are played out in front of the easily recognizable studios of Allied Artists, formerly Monogram and later the home of LA's PBS channel 28. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Curvaceous cult actress Joi Lansing appears in this episode as policewoman Helen O'Hara, who upon meeting Superman (George Reeves) evidently exudes such an attraction that the Man of Steel instantly proposes marriage! This of course is all part of a scheme to bring elusive criminal mastermind Mr. X (John Eldredge) out in the open to attempt the kidnapping of "Mrs. Superman"--whereupon the police will slap the cuffs on the villain. Unfortunately, Mr. X not only manages to abduct Helen and bind her to a bundle of sputtering explosives, but he also seals Perry (John Hamilton), Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) in a leaky diving bell some 250 feet beneath the sea--and though he may be able to bend steel in his bare hands and change the course of mighty rivers, no way can Superman be in two places at once! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Riding into a small town, Bret (James Garner) and Bart (Jack Kelly) are amused when the locals mistake them for the notorious gunfighters Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. But it's a bit less amusing when gorgeous Doll Hayes (Joi Lansing) begins cozying up to the local sheriff (Frank Ferguson) as a diversion so that her cohorts can rob the town bank. To prevent this, the Mavericks decide to exploit their resemblance to Earp and Holliday to the hilt, A cute closing gag tops this final episode of Maverick's first season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Moving from its familiar Thursday night time slot to a Tuesday evening berth, and leaving CBS to return to NBC in the bargain, Love That Bob (originally The Bob Cummings Show) enters its fourth season. Even after all these years, Bob Collins (Bob Cummings), the series' cheerfully lascivious photographer hero, exhibits no signs of fatigue as he continues pursuing the lovely ladies who show up at his photographer's studio -- or even those who don't show up there! Likewise as hale and hearty as ever is Bob's supporting cast: Ann B. Davis as Mr. Collins' "gal Friday" Schultzy, who, though she has a few beaux of her own, still carries a torch for her boss; Rosemary de Camp as Bob's widowed sister Margaret, tireless in her efforts to marry her roguish brother off to a decent, homespun girl; and Dwayne Hickman as Bob's nephew Chuck, now in his second year of college and as determined as ever to prove himself every inch the ladies' man that his Uncle Bob is. Also on hand are such sideline players as Bob's Air Force pal Harvey Helm (King Donovan) and Harvey's benignly domineering spouse Ruth (Mary Lawrence); bandy-legged bird watcher Pamela Livingston (Nancy Kulp), who'd like to get Bob in her sights on a permanent basis; and rascally old "Grandpa" Josh Collins, who fancies himself as much a Lothario as his grandson Bob (and who, like Bob, is played by Bob Cummings).
While many of the Love That Bob episodeshave the "ageless" quality enjoyed by such sitcoms as The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy, a number of the fourth season installments are firmly locked into a 1957-1958 timeframe, notably "Bob Digs Rock 'n' Roll," "Bob Goes to the Moon" and the TV-Western spoof Bob the Gunslinger." And at least one episode is a portent of things to come: "Bob Goes Hillbilly," which anticipates producer Paul Henning's even more successful sitcom venture The Beverly Hillbillies by five years. As a bonus, several '50s vintage guest stars show up this season, among them Alan Ladd, Connie Stevens, Don Knotts, and Rose Marie. The last episode filmed for the season (though not the last one shown) is "Bob Frees Schultzy for Romance," which looks suspiciously like the pilot for a spin-off series starring Ann B. Davis. That the pilot (if it is one) did not sell is evidenced by the opening episode of Love That Bob's next season, "Bob and Schultzy Reunite." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Intent upon preventing Ricky (Desi Arnaz) and Fred (William Frawley) from judging a bathing beauty contest in Miami Beach, Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance) arrange for the foursome to "accidentally" run out of gas while taking a boat cruise. Unfortunately, the backup gas tank planted by Lucy is mislaid, and the two couples (as well as Little Ricky [Richard Keith]) end up on a seemingly deserted island. By a stunning coincidence, this island is also being used by a movie company to film a documentary featuring actor Claude Akins, and two gorgeous swimsuit-clad starlets, Joi Lansing and Jill Jarmyn. Taking Akins into their confidence, Ricky and Fred decide to teach Lucy and Ethel a lesson for marooning them -- and without giving any more of the plot away, it should be noted that Akins is made up as a fierce Native American warrior. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this crime drama, an amiable car salesmen must begin selling stolen vehicles to pay for his sickly baby son's medical expenses. He tries to escape the gangsters who have been strong-arming him. Meanwhile, a policeman is investigating the crooks. When he gets too close, they kill him and frame the car salesman for the death. The salesman and the head mobster have a thrilling, final conflict aboard a speeding roller coaster at an amusement park. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Happy-go-lucky photographer Bob Collins (Bob Cummings) continues to ardently pursue his lovely models -- and for that matter, any other lovely lady who tickles his fancy -- as Love That Bob (originally The Bob Cummings Show) enters its third season. Also still on hand are future Brady Bunch co-star Ann B. Davis as Bob's "gal Friday" Schultzy, who secretly pines for her boss; Rosemary de Camp as Bob's widowed sister Margaret, still hoping that her randy brother will stop playing the field and settle down to marriage; and Dwayne Hickman as Margaret's son and Bob's nephew, Chuck, now an 18-year-old who is even more determined to follow in his Uncle's footsteps as God's Gift to Women (late 1956 model). New to the series is Mary Lawrence as Ruth Helm, the wife of Bob's Air Force Reserve buddy Harvey Helm. Fully aware of Bob's reputation with the opposite sex, jealous Ruth keeps Harvey on a short leash, but she can't censor the gleam in her otherwise 100 percent faithful husband's eye whenever he gets a gander at Bob's harem of lady friends. Also conspicuous by her frequent appearances this season is Nancy Kulp as gangly bird-watcher Pamela Livingston, who'd like to feather Bob's nest someday (this character is virtually a "dress rehearsal" for Kulp's more famous role as Jane Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies, which like Love That Bob, was executive-produced by Paul Henning).
And finally, there are several more appearances this season by Bob's aged but spry grandfather Josh Collins, who is even more of a wolf than his grandson. (Both Bob and Josh are, of course, played by Bob Cummings.) Ol' Josh is in fact the focal point of the season opener, "Grandpa Meets Zsa Zsa" -- and it is surely unnecessary for us to mention who "portrays" Zsa Zsa! Of Season three's 35 episodes, several stand out. "Bob Clashes With His Landlady" is a film buff's dream, offering a romantic pairing of Amazonian character actress Hope Emerson and dialect comedian El Brendel. "Bob Meets Miss Sweden" introduces a new recurring player, real-life Miss Sweden Ingrid Goude." Former child actress Bonita Granville, on the verge of becoming co-producer of the TV series Lassiewith husband Jack Wrather, plays the cousin in "Bob Meets Schultzy's Cousin." And "Chuck at College" was originally intended as the pilot episode for a spin-off series starring Dwayne Hickman; though no such series materialized at the time, Hickman would eventually headline his own sitcom, Dobie Gillis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide