Nolan Leary Movies

Narrowly escaping death when a car falls on him, Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) decides to change his ways and become a man of God. Unfortunately, he is unable to enroll in divinity school because he has no undergraduate degree, so he hits the road to "spread the word" as a traveling preacher -- and gets into a heap of trouble as a result. Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) puts her heart and soul into a fascinating school project. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

SFPD homicide inspector Robbins (Richard Hatch) falls in love with attractive public defender Susan Harper (Linda Kelsey). Unfortunately, the course of romance proves to be a bumpy one when Susan champions the cause of a murder suspect whom has been charged on the basis of prima facie evidence. Ultimately, Susan manages to spring the suspect, resulting in plenty of trouble for herself and Robbins. Prominent in the supporting case is character actor William Benedict, perennial Western Union delivery boy in many an A- and B-picture of the 1930s and 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The shadow of the recent Attica uprising looms large over the October 3, 1972 Bonanza episode "Riot!" While on a tour of the Nevada State Prison, Ben Cartwright and several other prominent men are taken hostage by rioting prisoners. Though some of the inmates hope to escape, most of the others simply want to expose the brutal conditions in the prison-conditions that the corrupt wardens are determined will never be made public. The supporting cast includes Gregory Walcott as Will Cooper, Marco St. John as Plank, Aldo Ray as Heiser, Barney Philips as Calhoun, and Denver Pyle as the head warden. Also on hand is Tim Matheson, making the first of several Bonanza appearances as reformed convict Griff King. Riot! was written by Robert Pirosh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shirley MacLaine plays Charity Hope Valentine who, despite her job at a seedy dime-a-dance joint, is an incurable optimist. Charity never stops looking for true love and never seems to look for it in the right places. We first see her in the company of Charlie (Dante DiPaolo), a slimeball who steals her purse and pushes her into the Central Park pond. Next she stumbles into a one-night stand with Vittorio Vidal (Ricardo Montalban), an egotistical movie star; this comes to nothing when Vittorio's contrite girlfriend Ursula (Barbara Bouchet) comes calling, forcing Charity to spend the night hiding in the closet. Desperate to escape the dance hall, Charity heads to an employment agency, where a bureaucratic clerk (Alan Hewitt) informs her that she has no qualifications. Unhappily, Charity heads for the elevator, where she becomes trapped with the very shy -- and very claustrophobic -- Oscar Lindquist (John McMartin). Once they've gotten out of the stalled elevator, Charity begins dating Oscar, never telling him of her checkered past or her sordid dance-hall job. Oscar eventually finds out but assures her that it doesn't matter. However, at the engagement party held at the dance hall, Oscar's puritanical streak emerges. He walks out on Charity, leaving her alone and heartbroken once more. With the help of a group of flower children (among them Bud Cort and Kristoffer Tabori), Charity is able to pick herself up and start living "Hopefully Ever After." Sweet Charity was adapted from the 1965 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by the 1957 Fellini flick Nights of Cabiria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Eddie (Butch Patrick) brings home a tape recorder he has borrowed from friendly disc jockey Dick Willet (Gary Owens), Herman (Fred Gwynne) amuses himself by recording his own rendition of "Dry Bones." Upon hearing Herman's vocal histrionics, Willet declares publicly that the "unknown"singer is on the verge of stardom. Predictably, Herman's ego swells to ridiculous proportions, forcing Grandpa (Al Lewis) to take drastic measures involving "Nothin' Muffins" (a gag apparently lifted from one of Al Capp's "Li'l Abner" comic strips). This episode was originally telecast December 2, 1965; one week later, The Munsters was pre-empted for a little animated special called A Charlie Brown Christmas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Posing as "Harry Carson", Kimble (David Janssen) witnesses an accidental homicide committed by wealthy Martin Rowland (Leslie Nielsen). When a drifter named Arthur Tibbets (Jay Adler) is arrested for the killing, Kimble worries that if he comes forward to exonerate Tibbets, he is almost certain to be exposed as a fugitive from justice. Then there's the matter of Martin Rowland, whose entire life could be irrevocably destroyed because of a tragic mishap. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Eleanor H. Porter's story of Pollyanna, "The Glad Girl," was first filmed in 1920 by Mary Pickford. While entertaining, the Pickford version tended to reduce the supporting characters to stereotypes. Disney's 1960 remake of Pollyanna wisely offers three-dimensional characterizations, enhancing the charm and believability of the story. In her first Disney film (indeed, her first American film), Hayley Mills stars as Pollyanna, an orphan girl sent to live with her wealthy aunt Polly (Jane Wyman). A humorless sort, Aunt Polly is taken aback by Pollyanna's insistence upon seeing the happy side of everything. With her best friend and fellow orphan, Jimmy Bean (Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran), Pollyanna spreads her sunshine all over town, transforming such local curmudgeons as hypochondriac Mrs. Snow (Agnes Moorehead), hellfire-and-brimstone Reverend Ford (Karl Malden), and reclusive Mr. Pendergast (Adolphe Menjou) into positive, life-affirming sorts. This she does not by being simpering or syrupy, but by applying common sense and refusing to indulge anyone's self-pity. Only Aunt Polly refuses to warm up. As the owner of the town orphanage, Aunt Polly will not hear of having a new, more modern facility built, and when handsome Dr. Chilton (Richard Egan) stages a charity bazaar in defiance of Aunt Polly, Pollyanna is forbidden to attend. She escapes to the bazaar by climbing down the tree next to her upstairs window; but when trying to return home, Pollyanna falls and injures her legs. Facing possible permanent paralysis, the "Glad Girl" is for the first time disconsolate and pessimistic. Her spirits are uplifted by the townsfolk whom she's helped, and finally by Aunt Polly, who's realized the folly of her stubbornness. Ebulliently optimistic once more, Pollyanna leaves town for an operation, as the townsfolk cheer her up and cheer her on. Possibly because it was perceived as having only little-girl appeal (a false perception indeed), Pollyanna was not the big hit that it should have been in 1960. Its latter-day reputation as one of Disney's finest features rests primarily on its many successful television showings. The film was remade for television with an all-black cast as Polly in 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this curious blend of Western and detective melodrama, Jock Mahoney plays a frontier gumshoe named Hogan. When an old prospector is murdered, Hogan takes on the assignment of finding the four heirs to the prospector's fortune. Briefly sidetracked by a romance with Mary Kingman (played by Kim Hunter in a rare Western appearance), Hogan not only finds the heirs but also the killers -- and in at least one case, heir and killer are one and the same. Money, Women and Guns was produced by Howie Horwitz, who, like screenwriter Montgomery Pittman, would go on to even bigger things in the TV industry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One screen legend tips his hat to another as James Cagney portrays horror film icon Lon Chaney in Man of a Thousand Faces. Joseph Pevney's bio-pic takes a somewhat whitewashed view of Chaney's career, but Cagney is nothing short of riveting in the lead. The film begins as Chaney, the son of two deaf parents, is tasting success in vaudeville as a knockabout juggler, mime, and quick-change artist. Chaney meets Cleva Creighton (Dorothy Malone) and hires her as his assistant. They fall in love and marry, but when Chaney reveals his parents are deaf mutes, she recoils in revulsion. When she gives birth to a son, she refuses to look at him, thinking their child will also be deaf. Chaney proves her wrong, but Cleva reveals an underlying psychological affliction that grows in intensity as Chaney's vaudeville success increases. When Chaney becomes a vaudeville star, Cleva walks out on both Chaney and her son. Chaney's son is sent to a home, since after Cleva's departure, he hasn't the money to support him. To get his son back, he travels to Hollywood and takes every bit role available, using his gift for creative disguises to land several roles in one film. Chaney becomes well respected for his talents and his popularity becomes greater, and he eventually becomes a superstar. Along the way, he meets Hazel Bennett (Jane Greer) and they fall in love and marry. But his happiness is shattered when Cleva comes back into his life and demands the return of her son. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

In one of his rare movie starring assignments, William Talman (Hamilton Burger on TV's Perry Mason) plays a dual role in The Persuader. Talman is seen as gunslinger Matt Bonham and his twin brother, preacher Mark Bonham. When Mark is killed by outlaw leader Bick Justin (James Craig), Matt takes his brother's place in the pulpit, ramming the Fear of God down the throats of the wanton townspeople. Impressed by Bonham's courage, the townsfolk begin to follow the straight and narrow path. The disgruntled Justin makes plans to burn down the church, but then the Lord moves in His usual mysterious and wonderous way. Former child star Darryl Hickman makes a vivid impression as the dead twin's vengeful young son. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Put in charge of the "Daily Planet"'s advice-to-the-lovelorn column, Lois Lane (Noel Neill) begins to brood over the lack of romance in her own life. Just as mind begins wandering, Lois is astonished when Superman (George Reeves) shows up to declare his love for her--and to propose marriage! Elated, Lois accepts, then asks Clark Kent to be Best Man at the wedding, little realizing that Clark and Superman are one and the same. Meanwhile, criminal boss Farady (Milton Frome) plans to put his longtime nemesis Lois out of the way by planting a time bomb in the wedding cake. This highly fanciful episode (as if all the other episodes were realistic!) features a cameo appearance by Dolores Fuller, better known as the girlfriend and leading lady of the hilariously inept movie director Ed Wood Jr.. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Christmas, 1955 presentation of the CBS anthology Climax! was based on a true story in the lives of the ancestors of co-scenarists Dale and Katherine Eunson. Set in rural Wisconsin in the 1860s, the story begins on a somber note, as both parents of 12-year-old Robbie Eunson (Brandon De Wilde die within a few months of each other. Now the man of the family, Robbie sets about to honor his mother's dying wish, that proper homes be provided for Robbie and his five younger siblings. Thus it is that on Christmas eve, Robbie visits several of his neighbors, offering to give away his brothers and sisters. Joan Evans, actress daugher of the Eunsons, serves as narrator. Adapted from the authors' Cosmopolitan magazine article, "The Day They Gave Babies Away" was later transformed into a theatrical feature film, All Mine to Give (1957); of the TV play's cast, only Stephan Woolton repeated his role (as Jimmie Eunson) in the movie, though Allen Reisner directed both versions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Reeves plays a triple role in this episode, as reporter Clark Kent, Kent's alter ego Superman, and a lookalike gangster named Boulder. With the help of a plastic surgeon and an acting coach named Hamlet (Percy Helton), Boulder is able to impersonate Superman, committing a series of crimes in this guise in order to disgrace and discredit the real Man of Steel. The plan might have gone off without a hitch had not one of Boulder's cronies (George Chandler) decided to do harm to Clark's reporter pal Jimmy Olsen (Jack Larson). An uncredited Hayden Rorke appears as a psychiatrist counseling the confused Clark Kent: twelve years later, Rorke would hang out his shingle as Air Force psychiatrist Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide