Tony Barrett Movies

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

Pop singers Sonny and Cher are featured in this fluffy film that chronicles the popular duo's ideas for the film in which they are to make their cinematic debut. Much of the story centers around Sonny's movie fantasies as he tries to convince the studio head to use a more interesting script than the one he wants to present. Songs include: "I Got You Babe," "It's The Little Things," "Good Times," "Trust Me," "Don't Talk To Strangers," "I'm Gonna Love You" and "Just A Name." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

UNCLE agents April and Mark head to Mexico in hopes of rescuing three kidnapped rocket scientists. The two spies end up in the lavish home of suave THRUSH agent Alejando DeSada (Fernando Lamas). Thanks to the jealousy of DeSada's girlfriend Sarita (Sandra Sullivan), April's cover is blown, and the poor girl ends up in the bullring facing an ill-tempered bull. Written by Tony Barrett, "The Horns-of-the-Dilemma Affair" was first shown on October 18, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of the spin-off series The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., secret agent April Dancer arrives on a Greek island with a cute little dachshund named Putzi in tow. The dog has a full complement of fleas, which carry the only known antidote for Apathane -- a slow motion-inducing drug in the possession of THRUSH agent Apollo Zakinthios (Kurt Kasznar). While April's fellow UNCLE agent Mark Slate is preoccupied with the luscious Tuesday Hajadakis (Luciana Paluzzi), Zakinthios captures April and suspends her over a piranha pit -- the first of many such perils endured by our plucky heroine. Written by Tony Barrett, "The Dog-Gone Affair" first aired on September 13, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Federal agent Elliot Ness ($Robert Stack) and gangster boss Vince Majeski (Claude Akins) are both very interested when fugitive hoodlum Johnny Meizo (Rip Torn) returns from Brazil. It seems that just before leaving the States, Meizo had stolen $200,000 of Majeski's money. On the lam from both the Feds and the Mob, Meizo hides out with his sister-in-law Doris (Virginia Christine) and her nephew Arnie (Tim Considine, taking time off from his regular TV duties on My Three Sons). Upon realizing that Arnie is becoming as cold-blooded as he is, Vince suddenly has an epiphany and tries to save the boy from a life of crime. A young Joyce Van Patten appears briefly as an ill-fated nightclub dancer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two bank robbers get away with 250,000 dollars in unmarked, unrecorded bills, murdering a guard in the process. The police know the leader was Harry Wheeler (Paul E. Richards) and turn their attention to his girlfriend, Leona McLane (Kim Novak), detective Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) arranging to pick her up in a "chance" meeting at a movie and spend some time with her. After one day, he knows what he needs to -- that she's not in touch with Wheeler, but expects to be -- but he keeps things going between them for three more days. By the time the department has a full surveillance team in place, he can't get her off his mind, and when she discovers that he's a cop and raises the notion of letting events take their course with Wheeler (i.e., him ending up dead) and the two of them keeping the money, he's hooked. Sheridan is fast on his feet and a quick thinker and sees how he might pull this off and get the two of them away clean. But he doesn't bargain for the alcoholism of one of the detectives (Allen Nourse) on the surveillance team, the inquisitive nature of his squad commander (E.G. Marshall), or the attachment that his younger associate (Philip Carey) develops for a nurse (Dorothy Malone) living in the building they're observing. Kim Novak had previously appeared in small roles in some films at RKO, but The Pushover marked her formal introduction to audiences as a star, and she more than lives up to the billing and the buildup she received, her acting ability and her physique easily carrying her end of the picture (she's onscreen alone for long minutes under observation, and is convincingly seductive), while MacMurray gives one of the best performances of his career, rivaling his work in Double Indemnity, The Caine Mutiny, and The Apartment. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) zero in on Gus Valentine (Harlan Warde), a young hoodlum on the way up. Unfortunately, he may simultaneously be on the way down: two attempts have already been made on Valentine's life. If the detectives think that this will compel Valentine to rat on his would-be assassins, they're wrong: he refuses to tell them anything, insisting he can handle things himself. Of course, he can't--and before the story is over, some innocent blood will be shed. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of March 23, 1950. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It appears to be a simple case of hit-and-run when the body of Eddie Stokes is found in a gutter. When they question Stokes' ex-wife, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) learn that the dead man was a hopeless drunk, which seems to confirm the theory as to cause of death. But when several witnesses to the "accident" give the exact same story, word for word, the detectives begin to suspect that Eddie was the victim of foul play. Future Addams Family star Carolyn Jones plays a key role in this episode, which was based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of July 6, 1950. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There's no obvious motive when a police officer is killed in a drive-by shooting on the steps of his own house. But after Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) trace the "murder car" to a man named Hymie Flores (Paul Picerni), it becomes obvious that the killer was ex-con Jake Carver (Tony Barrett), who had a personal vendetta against the victm. Ultimately, Carver is arrested for another killing and sentenced to life imprisonment. Still hoping to gather enough evidence to send Carver to the gas chamber, Friday goes undercover as a fellow prisoner. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of March 2, 1950. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Flame of Youth was a modest juvenile-delinquent drama from the Republic Studio mills. With too much time on their hands, a bunch of high school kids set up a lucrative automobile accessory business. Bypassing more honest methods, the group steals the accessories and sells them at cut-rate prices. The kids soon learn the error of their ways when a gang of big-time hoodlums muscle into their racket. Tucked away among the supporting players in young, callow, clean-shaven Denver Pyle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed at majestic Lone Pine, CA, this fine B-Western features Tim Holt and sidekick Richard Martin helping an elderly miner, Jason Robards Sr., with an obstinate wagon-wheel. But the two friends become instant suspects when the miner is found murdered for the map to his claim. Although she is attracted to Tim, even the dead man's pretty niece (Nan Leslie) believes in his guilt. But by using a bit of subterfuge, Holt and Martin break out of jail and are soon able to unmask the real culprits. It should come as no surprise that Holt and leading lady Nan Leslie look comfortable together; Guns of Hate was the third of six Westerns they would make together. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Much of Mystery in Mexico was filmed on location through the facilities of RKO Radio's Churubusco Studios. William Lundigan plays Steve an insurance investigator sent to Mexico City to ascertain the whereabouts of a missing colleague. Also concerned for the missing man's welfare is his sister, nightclub singer Victoria (Jacqueline White). A murder and a kidnapping follow in short order, with all the clues leading to a gang of elusive jewel thieves. There are plenty of Latino surnames in the cast list of Mystery in Mexico, including third-billed Ricardo Cortez (who came into the world as Jake Krantz). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Befitting his status as a genre star, Boris Karloff earns top billing over leading man Ralph Byrd in RKO's final Dick Tracy caper. The former Frankenstein monster plays an escaped convict masterminding a daring bank robbery. To get in and out of the bank without being noticed, the gang uses an asphyxiating gas that leaves anyone inside momentarily frozen in place. Everyone, that is, except for bank customer Tess Truehart (Anne Gwynne), who is able to contact Dick Tracy (Byrd) from a phone booth in the bank. With little or no clues, Tracy and his man Friday, Pat Patton (Lyle Latell), question the bank customers but none can shed any light on the mysterious goings-on. The disappearance of Dr. A. Tomic (Milton Parsons) and the odd behavior of his associate, Dr. I.M. Learned (June Clayworth), crack the case wide open, however, and Tracy is eventually able to track down both Gruesome and the surprising identity of his boss, L.E. Thal (Edward Ashley). According to some reports, RKO wanted to release Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome as "Dick Tracy Meets Karloff" but that title was vetoed by Karloff himself. The legendary horror star apparently later accepted his own box-office value and a 1949 Universal comedy was released as Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide