Janet Leigh Movies
The only child of a very young married couple, American actress Janet Leigh spent her childhood moving from town to town due to her father's changing jobs. A bright child who skipped several grades in school, Leigh took music and dancing lessons, making her public debut at age 10 as a baton twirler for a marching band. Her favorite times were the afternoons spent at the local movie house, which she referred to as her "babysitter." In 1946, Leigh's mother was working at a ski lodge where actress Norma Shearer was vacationing; impressed by a photograph of Leigh, Shearer arranged for the girl (whose prior acting experience consisted of a college play) to be signed with the MCA talent agency. One year later Leigh was at MGM, playing the ingenue in the 1947 film Romance of Rosy Ridge. The actress became one of the busiest contractees at the studio, building her following with solid performances in such films as Little Women (1949), The Doctor and the Girl (1950), and Scaramouche (1952) -- and catching the eye of RKO Radio's owner Howard Hughes, who hoped that her several RKO appearances (on loan from MGM) would lead to something substantial in private life. Instead, Leigh married Tony Curtis (her second husband), and the pair became the darlings of fan magazines and columnists, as well as occasional co-stars (Houdini [1953], The Vikings [1958], Who Was That Lady? [1960]). Even as this "perfect" Hollywood marriage deteriorated, Leigh's career prospered. Among her significant roles in the '60s were that of Frank Sinatra's enigmatic lady friend in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Paul Newman's ex-wife in Harper (1966), and, of course, the unfortunate embezzler in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), who met her demise in the nude (actually covered by a moleskin) and covered with blood (actually chocolate sauce, which photographed better) in the legendary "shower scene." In the '80s, Leigh curtailed her film and TV appearances, though her extended legacy as both the star/victim of Psycho and the mother of actress Jamie Lee Curtis still found her a notable place in the world of cinema even if her career was no longer "officially" active. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
They're cute, they're perky, and they're lethal -- they're the malicious high-school students in this dark teen comedy.Brooke (Monica Keena), Danielle (Julie Benz), and Tiffany (Nicole Bilderback) are three attractive and popular teenage girls who have risen to the top of the pecking order at their high school, and that's just the way they want things to stay. A sexy exchange student, however, arrives at the school and soon attracts the attention of all the boys -- including Danielle's hunky boyfriend. Not eager to share the spotlight with anyone, the gals decide that the new girl in town needs to be dealt with...permanently. Produced under the title A Fate Totally Worse Than Death (the title of the novel by Paul Fleischman which was the basis for the screenplay), Bad Girls From Valley High also features supporting appearances from Janet Leigh and Christopher Lloyd. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Benz, Monica Keena, (more)
- 1999
This documentary is a loving look at the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock. Speeding through much of his early British works, the film focuses on his American classics, such as Marnie, Vertigo, and particularly Psycho. The movie also neatly examines Hitchcock's signature touches, from his inevitable brief cameo to his famous MacGuffin. Kevin Spacey narrates, and there are interviews with such film figures as Jonathan Demme, Peter Bogdanovich, and Janet Leigh. Dial H for Hitchcock was screened at the 1999 Denver Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Demme, (more)
- 1999
Lonely florist Joan Connor (Nancy McKeon) has always taken second place to her cute younger sister Laura (Alexandra Wilson), thanks largely to the well-meaning but misguided signals sent out by the ladies' mother Kay (Janet Leigh). With this in mind, it is perhaps understandable that Joan would be pleased and flattered when Laura's ex-boyfriend Michael (Thomas Joseph McCarthy) begins showering attention upon her. Unfortunately, Michael is a psychotic with several sinister ulterior motives on his mind--and it takes the revelation of a secret from the Connor's past to rid themselves of the dangerous Michael. . .and to bring the sisters closer together than ever before. Made for television, My Sister's Shadow debuted January 5, 1999 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Hollywood agent Libby Glaser (Swoosie Kurtz) is surprised when her movie-star mother Vera King (Janet Leigh) refuses to appear at an awards dinner honoring former Hollywood Blacklist victim Clive Hathaway (Joseph Campanella)--especially since Hathaway had been the best friend of Libby's late father, fellow blacklistee Budd Glaser. In confidence, Vera reveals to Libby that Hathaway was the one who'd named her father as a Communist before the HUAC, and that her dad had committed suicide as a result. Now driven by hatred, Libby intends to expose Hathaway as an informer during the ceremony, using an FBI file supplied by none other than Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey)--who, despite the odds against her, must somehow persuade Libby to forgive the man who betrayed her father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This hour-long look at Lassie, the lovable collie, was produced by PBS in 1994 to commemorate Lassie's 40th year on television. June Lockhart narrates this documentary, which is crammed full of movie material and clips from the Lassie television shows. Included are interviews with actors such as Roddy McDowall, Janet Leigh, and Margaret O'Brien, as well as trainers, directors, and producers who worked with the lovable canine on radio, TV, and the movies. ~ Karla Baker, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Hosted by the American Film Institute, this video is a tribute to to career of Jack Lemmon. Included are excerpts from: The Odd Couple, The Fortune Cookie and The Apartment. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Once again, the life of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) is complicated by the misadventures of her nephew Grady (Michael Horton). This time, Grady's fraternity brother Gary (John Callahan) insists upon inviting Jessica to enjoy the hospitality of an expensive hotel owned by Gary's much-older wife Cornelia (Janet Leigh). Later on, poor Grady is found standing over the body of a woman he had known in college--a woman who also happened to carrying on an affair with the redoubtable Gary! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
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The works of "Puppetoon" creator and special effects wizard George Pal are perhaps best seen separately and in toto rather than lumped together in fragmentary form. The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal contains an abundance of enjoyable film clips, but most are far too short for the audience to fully appreciate Pal's cinematic contributions. The narration suffers from banality, while the overall pacing of the documentary is lumpy. Still, for those who've never seen Pal's Puppetoon shorts, or his early features The Great Rupert (1950) and Destination Moon, this compilation serves as a tantalizing teaser. Paul Frees narrates The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal, while several Pal associates and admirers, including Ray Bradbury, Roy Disney, Ray Harryhausen and Walter Lantz, are interviewed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
In this drama, David Rosen (Lee Strasberg) and his wife Becky (Ruth Gordon) have lived in the same Coney Island neighborhood for nearly all their married life. But the area is not what it used to be, and a gang leader named Strut (Kim Delgado) has decided to make Coney Island his new turf. Strut begins shaking down the merchants in the area, demanding payment for "protection" and using violence to deal with anyone who gets in his way. David refuses to give Strut protection money for the restaurant he owns, and as a result his diner is soon firebombed, while many of his neighbors are attacked and his synagogue is desecrated. When Becky dies, David decides that he can stand no more, and he plots his revenge against Strut and his underlings. Director Stephen F. Verona manages to combine a Death Wish-style revenge scenario with a mood piece that generates a very real nostalgia for what Coney Island once was -- and still is for many of the characters in this story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Gordon, Lee Strasberg, (more)
- 1979
The miracle of plastic surgery is the unifying factor for this made-for-TV movie. Three women, all "of a certain age," are having problems with the men in their life. Rich widow Millie Gorman (Janet Leigh) is convinced that her sex appeal has waned along with her looks and youth; bored housewife Sandy McLaren (Loretta Swit) is none too pleased that her husband regards her more as a pal than a lover; and former model Vanessa Wagner (Lee Meriwether) fears that her much-younger sweetheart will begin seeking out a partner his own age. As the story progresses, Sandy gets a breast implant which has precisely the opposite of the desired effect on her husband; Vanessa gets an eye-lift, only to find out that her lover isn't worth the trouble; and Millie suffers the consequences of one too many face-lifts. Mirror, Mirror first aired October 10, 1979, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
A kidnapping plot includes 5 women along with the last 2 games of the baseball World Series. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1975
This 2-hour TV movie stars Janet Leigh as a onetime musical star who dreams of a comeback. Leigh's autocratic and much-older husband Sam Jaffe refuses to finance her re-entry into show business. Leigh responds by killing Jaffe and placing the blame elsewhere. The plan almost works....and then Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk) comes waddling in. The Forgotten Lady was originally telecast September 14, 1975, as the first Columbo episode of The NBC Mystery Movie's fifth season. Watch for the closing clip from the early-1950s Universal musical Walking My Baby Back Home--starring Janet Leigh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Murdock's Gang stars former TV newscaster Alex Dreier as celebrated trial attorney Bartley James Murdock. Framed for a crime, Murdock is disbarred and incarcerated. Upon his release, he becomes a private detective, assembling a gang of reformed criminals as his assistants. Murdock's team is expected to utilize their criminal skills for the purpose of solving crimes rather than committing them. In this pilot film for an unsold series, Murdock must solve the disappearance of a millionaire's trusted accountant. Murdock's Gang was partially filmed at Marineland of the Pacific. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Where do dreams end and reality begins? That's the question facing research scientist Lloyd Bridges in the made-for-TV Deadly Dream. Each night, Bridges suffers nightmares, in which he is on trial for his life before a mysterious tribunal. The whys and wherefores of Bridges' torment are revealed bit by bit throughout the film's 73 minutes. The Deadly Dream was the September 25, 1971 installment of ABC's Movie of the Week anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
The real personality of a famous cowboy star is exposed by a reporter. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1970
House on Greenapple Road was an off-length TV movie (135 minutes instead of the usual 100), first telecast on The ABC Sunday Night Movie on January 11, 1970. Christopher George heads a stellar cast as Lt. Dan August, probing a homicide case in suburbia. The accused, a meek clerk (Tim O'Connor), had plenty of motive to kill his faithless wife (Janet Leigh). Only there's no weapon...and no corpse. After a series of revelatory flashbacks, August deduces that there may be a lot more people and issues involved than a missing housewife. Audience response to House on Greenapple Road was positive enough to spin off into a Dan August TV series. But Christopher George was too busy to be involved, so the role of August went to a fellow who wasn't working all that often; a guy named Burt Reynolds, or something like that. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
When irascible boss T.R. Hollister (Jim Backus) threatens to pull the plug on an underwater environmental living project, employee Fred Miller (Tony Randall) and his wife, Vivian (Janet Leigh), take their family down in the deep to live for 30 days. With all the modern conveniences of a home on land, the family even invites a rock & roll band to get down and record. Merv Griffin (himself) arranges an underwater interview for his television show while Mel Cheever (Ken Berry) schemes to get Fred's job back on dry land. Two of the Miller kids, Lorrie (Kay Cole) and Tommy (Gary Tigerman), join three others (Richard Dreyfuss, Roddy McDowall, and Lou Wagner) in the rock band. Friendly dolphins fend of shark attacks as the land sharks try to scuttle the underwater project in this family film. Music is provided by Jeff Barry. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Randall, Janet Leigh, (more)
- 1969
The Monk stars George Maharis as neither simian nor seminarian. Instead, he plays Gustavus "Gus" Monk, a San Francisco private eye/bodyguard created by Blake Edwards. The Monk is hired by an underworld lawyer (William Smithers) to deliver an envelope containing damning information about a powerful gangster. Monk isn't interested until he meets the lawyer's sexy wife (Janet Leigh)--and then he's off on a corpse-laden path of deceit and double-cross, with the man who hired him as Victim Number One. The Monk has a large cast of familiar faces (from Jack Albertson to Joe Besser) in its favor; unfortunately, this wasn't enough to secure a series sale for this one-shot TV pilot film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Filmed in Spain, this TV movie stars Janet Leigh as an American woman honeymooning with her new husband. She awakens after the wedding night, only to be confronted with a stranger who insists that he's her husband. Leigh goes to the authorities, who unfortunately believe the ersatz husband's story. Or perhaps it's not as unfortunate as it seems...because Leigh herself is not all she seems. The central plot twist in Honeymoon With a Stranger was reworked into several subsequent TV-movies, until overuse robbed the twist of any surprise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A group of international jewel thieves band together to pull off a huge heist in this suspenseful caper film that was shot in Europe, New York, and Brazil. The adventure begins in Rio where a burned out school teacher (Edward G. Robinson) decides to chuck his unfulfilling career and try to steal some of the diamonds he sees being delivered to the gem company across the street from his classroom. Realizing that the theft must be carefully planned and delicately executed, he heads for New York to gain the assistance of an old friend, a crime boss (Adolfo Celi) who then gathers an outlaw group comprised of an electronics expert, a safecracker, a gigolo, and an ex-mercenary. They make their plans and head back to Rio when the city is engulfed in Carnival celebrations. Unfortunately, they quickly learn that the diamond company has installed a nearly impenetrable new security system called Grand Slam 70. While altering their plans, the company secretary (Janet Leigh) gets suspicious and makes a few plans of her own. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward G. Robinson, Janet Leigh, (more)
- 1967
The 60-minute TV comedy Dear Deductible stars Peter Falk as a popular but improvident songwriter. After spending all of his royalties, Falk agrees to marry heiress Janet Leigh-not because of her money, but because of her lack of money. Y'see, both Peter and Janet plan to file a joint income tax return, thereby enjoying the bounty of the IRS' "deductible" system. This will keep them both solvent until they can recoup their fortunes...oh, yeah? Written by Raphael David Blau, Dear Deductible was first telecast November 9, 1966, on the weekly Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Based on a novel by Louis L'Amour, this western, filmed on location in Spain, chronicles the quest of an ex-con to locate a fortune in stolen gold and to get even with his treacherous former partners. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Murray, Janet Leigh, (more)
- 1966
In this episode from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. series, the two good guy spies must stop a criminal mastermind from altering the course of the Gulf Stream. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
