Peter Leeds Movies

Dan Aykroyd must have practiced for months to perfect his Jack Webb inflections for Dragnet. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz's directorial debut (also written by Mankiewicz, along with Aykroyd, and Alan Zweibel) is a gentle spoof of the legendary '50s television police drama -- pitting '50s conservatism smack up against the attitudes of the '80s. Basically, the film is another 48 Hours or Beverly Hills Cop clone. Aykroyd stars as Joe Friday, the nephew of the original Friday. But with his brown suit, fedora, and lockjaw, he could just as well be the incarnation of Jack Webb. He is involuntarily assigned a smart alecky, street-wise partner, Pep Streebeck (Tom Hanks), and they are appointed to investigate a series of religious cult murders in L.A. The two cops follow the trail to a phony televangelist, the Reverend Jonathan Whirley (Christopher Plummer). From there, they are only at step away from uncovering an Orange County-based religious cult calling itself P.A.G.A.N. (People Against Goodness and Normalcy). After sneaking into a secret ceremony, Friday falls in love with the sacrificial victim Connie Swail (Alexandra Paul). So much so that even after his superior Captain Gannon (Harry Morgan, reprising his role from the '60s revival of the Dragnet program) orders him off the case, Friday continues on, with the requisite car chases and crashes that usually climax any '80s cop movie or comedy. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

The final made-for-TV movie of the calendar year 1981 (it was originally telecast on December 30), Senior Trip combines music, comedy and pathos to tell the story of a group of graduates from a staid Ohio high school. Though tightly chaperoned on their titular trip to New York City, the kids intend to cut loose and go crazy, or at least to pursue their hearts' desires (in fact, the only two students who actually want to do some sightseeing before returning home are treated like social pariahs). Among the principal characters are would-be business tyro, Roger (Scott Baio); wannabe singer, David (Randy Brooks); aspiring actress, Judy (Liz Callaway); budding artist, Jon (Jeffrey Marcus); and self-styled Lothario, Fred (James Carroll). It takes a few run-ins with the seamier denizens of the Big Apple to convince the teens that maybe the old high school wasn't so bad. Part of the film is an extended plug for the then-current Broadway smash, Sugar Babies, with Mickey Rooney showing up as himself in one of the sequences. Buried among the minor players are two promising young actors named Jason Alexander and Robert Townsend. Senior Trip was a CBS presentation. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sanford and Son launched its sixth and final season with an unforgettable location-filmed jaunt to Hawaii. Heading to the land of pineapples and hula skirts for a junkman's convention, Fred and Lamont Sanford (Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson) get innocently mixed up with jewel thieves. The crooks plant their loot on Fred in hopes of smuggling the gems to L.A. -- but of course, their best-laid schemes go hilariously agley. Highlighting Part One of "The Hawaiian Connection" is Fred Sanford's impromptu hula lesson. (This episode, originally running a full hour, has since been edited into two half-hour segments for syndication.) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this follow-up to the 1972 animated hit Fritz the Cat (the first animated feature to receive an X rating), Fritz (voice of Skip Hinnant) is married, out of work, on welfare, and not at all happy. Desperate to blot out the misery of living with his nagging wife (voice of Reva Rose), Fritz smokes as much marijuana as he can afford and finds himself fantasizing about how his life could have been. His Walter Mitty-like adventures find him travelling in outer space, working at the White House, assisting Adolph Hitler, and becoming involved with African-American radicals. Unlike its raunchier predecessor, The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat only merited an R rating upon initial release. Neither Robert Crumb (the comic artist who created the character) nor Ralph Bakshi (director of the first film) were involved in its production. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) think that something fishy is going on where they're summoned to two different accident scenes. In both instances, the same tow truck pulls up to haul off the damaged vehicle--and the same witness comes forth to tell what he saw. Sure enough, there's a con job going on, and Jim and Pete join forces with the Bunco division to nab the perpetrators. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In his second Adam-12 guest appearance, singer Trini Lopez plays Steve Hernandez, a compassionate parole officer. When Larry Ciprio (John Roper) a once-promising basketball player turned drug addict, violates his parole, Steve does everything he can to help the man get back on the right path. Assisting Lopez in this not inconsiderable task are police officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Country and western singer Roy Clark makes his TV acting debut in the role of the Clampetts' hometown cousin Roy Halsey (an inside joke: Jim Halsey was Clark's real-life manager). Arriving in Beverly Hills, Roy immediately goes to work promoting the medicinal potions cooked up by his mother. Naturally, "Doctor" Granny doesn't cotton to the competition. As a bonus, Roy Clark also appears in drag as his mother Myrtle. "Cousin Roy" originally aired on April 3, 1968, as the final episode in The Beverly Hillbillies, sixth season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the town of Smithville, Joe Cartwright's life is saved by Tracy Blaine (Robert Drivas), who then manages to sweet-talk his way into a job at the Ponderosa. Neither Joe nor the rest of the Cartwrights are aware that Blaine has formulated a diabolically clever scheme to rob Ben Cartwright, a scheme that includes incapacitating Ben and luring Joe and Hoss far, far away from the ranch. Conlan Carter and Leo Gordon appear as Blaine's crooked cohorts Clay and Fargo. Scripted by Arthur Dales, "Blood Tie" originally aired on February 18, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Prevailing upon her movie-producer friend, Lisa manages to land a Hollywood role for Hooterville's favorite pig Arnold. A natural-born ham (ouch!), Arnold proves to be a natural before the cameras. This is no surprise to Lisa, who had faith in Arnold's talents all along. As for Lisa's husband Oliver, he can only observe the situation with a mounting sense of horror: will he be forced to give up the life of a gentleman farmer to be Arnold's permanent "handler"? This concluding episode of a two-part story marks the finale of Green Acres' third season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When Billie Jo (Meredith MacRae) auditions as a nightclub singer, she puts on a very sexy and provocative act. In fact, Billie's behavior is so out-of-character that mom Kate (Bea Benaderet) suspects that the girl is up to no good--and makes a fool of herself trying to find out. Meanwhile, Betty Jo (Linda Kaye) proves in a disastrous fashion that she has definitely not inherited her mother's cooking skills. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A heartless actor scrambles to the top of show business' sleazy summit in this drama. Frank Fane (Stephen Boyd) is a Hollywood leading man who is desperate to boost his career by winning an Academy Award, and he doesn't care who he has to betray to achieve his goals -- including his former best friend and PR man, Hymie Kelly (Tony Bennett), lonely acting coach Sophie Cantaro (Eleanor Parker), slimy agent Kappy Kapstetter (Milton Berle), and long-suffering girlfriend Kay Bergdahl (Elke Sommer). However, as Frank waits for his name to be called, certain that victory is in his grasp, fate has a little secret in store for him. The Oscar marked Tony Bennett's onscreen acting debut. The screenplay, based on the novel by Richard Sale, was written in part by award-winning author Harlan Ellison, who is known to often take comical potshots at the film, which he considers a low point in his career. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The entrepreneurial Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) may have to relinquish ownership of the Fort Courage saloon to blackmailing con artist Dan Larson (Peter Leeds). Determined to hold on to his ill-gotten gains, O'Rourke conspires with his confederate Agarn (Larry Storch) to beat Larson at his own game. The scheme involves dancing girls, of course, else this episode might have borne a different title! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the first episode of the two-part story, despicable railroad executive Homer Bedloe (Charles Lane) has managed to become president of the Pixley Bank. In this capacity, he threatens to foreclose on the Shady Rest Hotel unless the Hooterville Cannonball is scrapped. Rather than see this happen, Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice...and find a job! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi