Norman Leavitt Movies

It looks as though the Mayberry Band's annual trip to the state band competition in Charlotte will be cancelled. Characteristically, Mayor Stoner has refused to allocate the necessary funds for the trip, insisting that the town band is "a disgrace." Will Andy's old bandleader pal Bobby Fleet (Joe Sirola) come to the rescue? Wirtten by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, "The Mayberry Band" was first broadcast on November 19, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Barney is upset that no one seems to take him seriously as Andy's deputy. The final straw is broken when a pair of tough truck farmers (Allan Melvin and Orville Sherman), pointedly ignore Barney's orders to stop illegally selling their produce. Andy tries to save Barney's dignity by concocting a tall tale about notorious lawman "Crazy Gun Fife", but when all is said and done it is Barney himself who must fight his own battles. Written by Aaron Ruben, "Lawman Barney" originally aired on November 12, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Deputy Barney arrests a stranger for carelessly tossing a candy wrapper into the street. The stranger turns out to be Eddie Brooks (Barney Philips), a fugitive bank robber-and Barney is given credit for Brooks' capture. When Brooks, who has threatened to "get" Barney, later breaks out of jail, Andy manages to cook up a scheme that will not only entrap the outlaw, but make Barney a hero all over again. Written by Ben Gershman and Leo Solomon, "Barney Gets His Man" originally aired on May 8, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a baby gorilla named Toto is stolen from a zoo, curator Tony Osgood (Fred Beir) begins questioning his employees. One of them, a visiting dentist named Dr. Braun (Leslie Bradley), accuses Tony's girlfriend Hilde (Carol Rossen) of stealing Toto. Not long afterward, Braun is found dead in the lion's cage--and once it is determined that lion didn't do it (hence the episode's title), suspicion immediately falls upon Tony. In his efforts to mount Tony's defense, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) unearths several unsavory secrets, among them the fact that the dead man was a bigamist--and that there's a drug-smuggling ring at the center of all the intrigue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a notorious criminal escapes from the state prison, Mayberry sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and his deputy, Barney Fife (Don Knotts), offer their assistance in tracking down the fugitive. Though the state troopers initially laugh off the bucolic Andy and Barney (especially after Barney not only allows the crook to slip through his fingers, but also gets bound and gagged for his troubles), they soon learn to appreciate Andy's uncanny ability to outguess and outsmart the outlaw. When this episode was originally broadcast on October 10, 1960, the TV Guide listings suggested that the fugitive was none other than town drunk Otis Campbell (Hal Smith), an error the magazine would not make in the future. As a further trivia note, this is the episode which established that Barney is Andy's cousin. "The Manhunt" was written by Jack Elinson and Charles Stewart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This poignant episode catalogues the many strange occurences and paranormal phenomena surrounding the death of President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865. It is well documented that both Lincoln (here played by Barry Atwarter) and his wife Mary Todd (Jeanne Bates) both had premonitions of his violent death. What is less well known is that, throughout the country, thousands of other people bore witness to ominous signs and portents...a blood-red moon, the sounds of sobbing, eerie visions of a distant shore... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Few outlaws can equal Jesse James for name recognition, or for the number of Hollywood films on their exploits. This standard western biopic by director William F. Claxton stars Ray Stricklyn as Jesse during his formative years, the only years handled here. He and brother Frank (Robert Dix) somehow survive the Civil War and then join Quantrill's Raiders as they begin their career on the wrong side of the law. All the familiar characters are there, with Frank and Jesse, Belle Starr (Merry Anders), Cole Younger (Willard Parker) and the other Youngers (Bob and Jim), as well as a few invented hoodlums. Aside from depicting Jesse as particularly brutal, this imaginary look at the outlaw shows him as a budding mystic, at least for awhile. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This is an out-dated, feeble World War II comedy about a new army recruit who ends up alone with his Master Sergeant and a striking model on a deserted island, deserted except for two enemy soldiers. When Tommy Noonan (playing himself) insists on being drafted, the local boot camp has been all but shut down. In order to train him, Master Sergeant Marshall (Peter Marshall) and a few others hang around, but in the meantime Marshall's fiancee, actress Lili Marlene (Julie Newmar), arrives at the boot camp with her press agent to take advantage of the publicity surrounding Noonan's induction. She joins Noonan and Marshall when they board a ship destined for Japan, and then ends up in the drink with them when all three fall overboard. The trio make it to an island and comparative safety, until they discover that two Japanese soldiers (played by Noonan and Marshall) have also landed. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

One of the best of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents half-hours personally directed by Hitchcock himself, "One More Mile to Go" opens with a bitter argument between Sam Jacoby (David Wayne) and his wife Martha (Louise Larabee). Although the viewer is witnessing the quarrel from behind a window and thus can't hear the particulars, the results are all too visible -- impulsively grabbing a fireplace poker, Sam bludgeons his wife to death. A few moments later, the anguished accidental murderer has stuffed his wife's body in the trunk of his car, and has driven off to dispose of the body. Unfortunately, Sam's progress is repeatedly interrupted by a friendly but diligent motorcycle cop (Steve Brodie), who warns Sam to fix his faulty tail-light. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A meteor crashes somewhere in the West, killing a miner named Cannon (Jim McCullough). The miner's son Charles (Stephen Parker) survives the ordeal, but grows into a hairy, bestial moron, given to killing sheep, cattle and stray humans. Charles is protected by his long-suffering mother Ruth (Anne Gwynne), who does her best to clean up her son's messes. When mercenary waitress Kathy (Gloria Castillo) learns of Charles' existence, she blackmails Ruth to secure her silence. Kathy also goads Charles into killing a few of her own enemies, leading him on by pretending to be in love with him (a BIG mistake!) Originally (and subsequently) titled Meteor Monster, this tacky little sci-fier was originally released on a double bill with The Brain From Planet Arous. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In order to get rid of her husband Bruce's mistress Roxy Howard (Greta Thyssen), Sybil Granger hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to secretly help her gain a majority financial interest in Bruce's oil company. But someone else is apparently aware of what Sybil is up to, and that someone is old George Lutz (Richard Hale). After catching Sybil spying on Roxy, George is shot to death. Inasmuch as Sybil is already his client, Perry assumes the task of clearing her of a murder charge. This episode is based on a 1955 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anne Bancroft was several years away from her 1962 Oscar win when she starred in the compact murder mystery The Girl in Black Stockings. The scene is a posh Utah resort hotel, where several beautiful women are mysteriously killed. Suspects include lawyer David Hewson (Lex Barker), his secretary Beth Dixon (Anne Bancroft), nasty hotel owner Edmund Parry (Ron Randell), and Parry's sister (Marie Windsor). Among the victims is Mamie Van Doren. The Girl in Black Stockings was adapted from a short story by Peter Godfrey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide