Karl Lukas Movies
Character actor Karl Lukas was most famous for playing "Lindstrom" opposite Henry Fonda in the Broadway version of Mister Roberts(1948). While he spent most of his four-decade-long career on stage, he also dabbled in television and the occasional feature film. Lukas made his screen debut playing the "inspector" in the Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz comedy The Long Long Trailer (1954). His other film credits include The Watermelon Man (1970), The Shaggy D.A. (1976), and Memories of Me (1988). Lukas also guest-starred on such television series as Family Affair, St. Elsewhere, and Little House on the Prairie. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Single parent Victoria Principal is justifiably driven into a blind rage when her 11-year-old daughter (Danielle Harris) is molested. Thanks to legal loopholes, the girl's attacker is set free. Victoria swears vengeance, and intends to get it by any means possible, despite the level-headed remonstrations of cop Paul Sorvino. Also known as Nightmare, the made-for-TV Don't Touch My Daughter debuted April 7, 1991. Its director was John Pasquin, who later helmed the innocuous, family-oriented theatrical feature The Santa Clause. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victoria Principal, Danielle Harris, (more)
The bittersweet comedy Memories of Me stars Billy Crystal as Dr. Abbie Polin, a New York heart surgeon, long estranged from his father, Abe (Alan King). When the doctor suffers a mild heart attack, he tries to patch things up with his dad, hoping in this way to bring some equilibrium to his own life. This proves well-nigh impossible; Abe, the self-described "king of the Hollywood extras," is not only a play-actor in Tinseltown but in life itself, refusing to take on any real responsibilities, least of all the responsibility of parenthood. So far as Abe is concerned, his only "family" consists of his fellow extras. Though Abbie is extremely judgmental of his father, he himself is no prize in the commitment department, especially when dealing with his longtime lady friend (JoBeth Williams). Star/co-writer Crystal, co-star/co-producer King, and director Henry Winkler lay on the sentiment in thick, juicy slices toward the end. The final sequence in Memories of Me, a Felliniesque funeral, is very clever but somewhat out of synch with what has gone before. One of the film's highlights is a brief celebrity cameo by one of Alan King's "close personal friends." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Alan King, (more)
It took nearly two years after its completion for Big Trouble to reach the big screen. Peter Falk and Alan Arkin are respectively cast as a shady wheeler-dealer and an uptight family man. Strapped for the cash necessary to send his son to Yale, Arkin reluctantly enters into a murder scheme with Beverly D'Angelo. She is married to Falk, who, though he hasn't got long to live due to a heart ailment, may very well spend every penny D'Angelo has before he expires. Arkin is persuaded to kill Falk before this happens, then split the money with D'Angelo. To Arkin's amazement he finds himself the victim of a carefully prepared confidence scam engineered by Falk and D'Angelo. Now that he has a hold over Arkin, Falk gets the poor fellow mixed up in yet another "perfect crime". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, (more)
- 1981
This is the obligatory "lone dissenting voice" episode, in which medical examiner Quincy finds himself serving on a jury in the murder trial of Frank Munson (Morgan Stevens). Although he has promised his superiors that he will not allow his professional expertise influence his decision, our hero can't help but notice that there are several serious flaws in the prosecution's evidence--and of course, he can't stop himself from loudly expressing his feelings in court, much to the dismay of everyone concerned (except the defendant). This episode was originally scheduled to air on January 28, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Robert Aldrich returns to the western-spoof genre he'd previously explored in Four for Texas with The Frisco Kid. Gene Wilder plays Polish rabbi Avram Belinsky, who intends to set up a congregation in San Francisco. Eminently unsuited for life in the Old West, poor Avram is victimized by everyone with whom he comes in contact. Salvation arrives in the unlikely form of taciturn bank robber Tommy (Harrison Ford). Incredibly, Tommy takes a liking to the feckless Avram, and together the two men embark on a series of seriocomic adventures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Wilder, Harrison Ford, (more)
This heist film stars Stella Stevens as a robber who enlists her friends--a trapeze artist and a magician's aide--to help her make off with $500,000 in casino cash. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stella Stevens, Stuart Whitman, (more)
Robert Stevenson, Walt Disney Productions' house director, cobbled together his 19th family film for the organization with this slapstick sequel to the Disney comedy The Shaggy Dog (produced 17 years after the fact). Dean Jones plays Wilby Daniels, a lawyer running against the villainous John Slade (Keenan Wynn) for district attorney. His campaign is cast into doubt when he comes upon an ancient ring that transforms him into a fat sheepdog. But the campaign progresses on a level playing field when the unscrupulous Slade finds himself also turned into a canine -- a disgruntled bulldog. Another sequel, The Return of the Shaggy Dog, followed. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Jones, Tim Conway, (more)
Larry Peerce directed this tired disaster movie about a mad sniper loose in a football stadium. At the beginning, the sniper picks off a cyclist for practice and then takes roost in the top tower of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Sent in to stop the terror is Captain Peter Holly (Charlton Heston), who wants to get his hands on the sniper without endangering the lives of the people in the stadium. Unfortunately, there is a second group of law enforcement officers, a tactical commando group, who want to go into the stadium and rush the sniper -- regardless of the danger such an action would cause to the crowd watching the game. The sniper plans to start blasting at the two-minute warning signal of the football game. Holly has to find the sniper before the two-minute warning is given -- not merely to prevent the killings threatened by the sniper but to head off the tactical force before any other unnecessary deaths are incurred by the force's bulldog techniques. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, (more)
- 1976
Jim (James Garner) is hired by antiques dealer Thomas Caine (William Daniels) to bid on a rare sculpted bird at an auction. Unfortunately, our hero "gets the bird" in more ways than one when, after purchasing the statue on Caine's behalf, he is attacked by hooligans and the artifact is broken. At this point, Jim would just as soon wash his hands of the whole affair, but in order to avoid paying for the busted bird, he agrees to attend another auction where a duplicate bird is on display. Complicating matters is the existence of a third bird--and of a clever and somewhat lethal art thief who is dogging Jim's trail every inch of the way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Robert Aldrich (The Longest Yard) re-unites with Burt Reynolds for this hard-edged neo-noir. Lieutenant Phil Gaines (Reynolds) is a cynical Los Angeles police detective amorously involved with an icewater-veined Parisian call girl, Nicole Britton (Catherine Deneuve). On the job, he begins to investigate the shady death of a teenage girl that appears to lead straight to Leo Sellers (Eddie Albert), an attorney with a frightening number of connections. The problem is, Nicole herself has a direct connection to the case - Leo is one of her clients. Meanwhile, Marty Hollinger (Ben Johnson), the victim's father, decides to undertake a grassroots investigation of his own - little realizing that his seemingly murdered daughter was in up to her neck with prostitution, porno movie acting, and dancing as a stripper, facts which suggest that she may have offed herself. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Catherine Deneuve, (more)
- 1975
At last year's annual baseball game with the Sleepy Eye Greenstockings, the Walnut Grove team lost 36 to nothing. Determined to avenge this humiliation, the men of Walnut Grove have placed their hopes in the hands of ace pitcher Jebediah Mumfort (Karl Lukas). The town goes so far as to plunk down huge wagers on the outcome of the game -- whereupon Mumfort is forbidden from playing by his wife, Margaret (June Dayton), a staunchly religious woman who despises all forms of gambling. It is up to Caroline Ingalls (Karen Grassle) to save the day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
- 1974
- PG
John Frankenheimer's bizarre, satirical gangster film is not for all tastes but has acquired a minor cult following. Elderly mobster Edmond O'Brien hires a hitman (Richard Harris) to eliminate his rival (Bradford Dillman) in a dystopic setting of not-quite reality. There are albino alligators, skillful chase scenes, and Chuck Connors as a one-handed psycho who can fit various deadly weapons on his stumpy arm. None of it makes much sense, and mainstream viewers may end up scratching their heads in bewilderment, but fans of more esoteric films should find it a lot of fun. It would likely have ended up as a big hit on the drive-in circuit if it hadn't been directed by Frankenheimer, from whom most people expect better. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harris, Edmond O'Brien, (more)
In this gritty and violent period drama set in the depths of the Great Depression, Lee Marvin stars as "A No. 1", the acknowledged King of the Hoboes. A No. 1 is famous among his fellow tramps for his ability to catch a ride on any train, no matter how risky the hop or dangerous the guards. He acts as a sort of mentor for Cigaret (Keith Carradine), a young hobo who brags that some day he'll surpass A No. 1 in his accomplishments. But neither has had the courage to ride a train guarded by Shack (Ernest Borgnine), an unusually sadistic railroad cop who will brutally beat or even murder any man who tries to catch a ride on his train. A No. 1 is determined that no one, not even Cigaret, is going to deny him his title, so taking his life in his hands, he and Cigaret hop a ride on Shack's train, and they are soon bearing the full brunt of his violent nature. Emperor of the North features superb location photography by Joseph F. Biroc and a fine supporting cast, including Charles Tyner, Simon Oakland, Elisha Cook Jr., and Sid Haig. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, (more)
- 1973
- PG
Taciturn Faye Dunaway insists upon drilling for oil in her small, unpromising patch of Oklahoma land. Drifter George C. Scott signs on to work the derrick, but only after Dunaway, who for unspecified reasons hates all men, warns him to stay at arm's length. Jack Palance, the strong-arm representative for a huge oil firm, dearly covets Dunaway's land, and when she refuses to sell he sends his hooligans to beat both her and Scott to bloody pulps. Driven from her land, Dunaway can't expect help from the "bought" courtrooms, so she fights fire with fire: together with Scott and her ne'er do well father John Mills, she takes back the land by force of arms. As they sit guarding the derrick, Dunaway and Scott draw closer, and when Mills is killed by a fall, Dunaway turns to Scott as her one last pillar of strength. Just as Palance and his goons are about to rush the land, the long-awaited gusher comes in. The oil surge lasts just long enough for every oil company within two hundred miles to bid for pumping rights. Once the well runs dry, however, Dunaway and Scott are left standing alone in their grimy field. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George C. Scott, Faye Dunaway, (more)
- 1972
Charles Chioffi plays the title character in the thrill-packed Bonanza installment Shanklin. Hoss Cartwright is shot by a band of ex-rebel soldiers who want Ben Cartwright to finance the formation of a Second Confederacy. Only Shanklin, the man who pulled the trigger, can save Hoss' life-and he refuses to do so unless Ben forks over $25000 immediately. Rance Howard, father of Ronnie, appears as Bogardus. First telecast on February 13, 1972. "Shanklin" was written by William Felley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1971
Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist goes undercover in Dallas to smash up a spy ring. At the same time, Lee Barrington (Steve Forrest), who is unhappily married to the daughter of a nuclear research plant owner, falls in love with Joanne Kinston (Diana Hyland). Little suspecting that Joanne is actually an enemy agent named Marie Roska, Lee tries to win her love by stealing nuclear secrets and selling them to the highest bidder--and Erskine may not be in time to stop him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
African-American activist and actor Melvin Van Peebles directed this comedy-drama starring Godfrey Cambridge as Jeff Gerber, a white, middle class husband to Althea (Estelle Parson) and father of two who is also a mild bigot. One morning, Jeff wakes up to discover that he has become a black man overnight. After trying in vain to remove his new pigment, Jeff ventures out into the world, only to discover the hostility he once engendered himself. After his neighbors petition to get him out of the neighborhood, his boss (Howard Caine) tries to use his new identity to the company's advantage and his doctor suggests he seek medical care elsewhere, Jeff comes to see the many sides of racism. The only rays of hope in his situation are the friendship of several fellow black people, including a bus driver (D'Urville Martin) and a restaurant counter man (Mantan Moreland). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Godfrey Cambridge, Estelle Parsons, (more)
- 1970
Just like Jack Bauer on 24, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) suffers through one of those days where everything goes wrong. Disaster piles upon disaster: Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) gets paint all over his clothes, a vacuum-cleaner bag is spilled on the carpet, and poor French takes an embarrassing pratfall in a public park. Finally, when Bill (Brian Keith) announces that he's bringing a last-minute guest to a meticulously prepared dinner party, the normally unflappable French blows his top--and it isn't a pretty sight! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
An offbeat 1970s black-comic Western with an all-star cast, this Joseph L. Mankiewicz film is set in 1883 in Arizona. Paris Pitman, Jr. (Kirk Douglas) is the leader of a band of outlaws that steals $500,000 from a wealthy businessman named Lomax (Arthur O'Connell). The other gang members die in a shootout, but Pitman escapes and hides the loot in women's underwear and drops it into a snake pit. After Lomax recognizes Pitman in a brothel, he is arrested by Sheriff Woodward Lopeman (Henry Fonda). At the territorial prison, Pitman bribes Warden Le Goff (Martin Gabel), offering him a share of the hidden money if he lets him escape. But before the scheme is carried through, the warden is killed by a prisoner. Lopeman becomes the new warden, and he is bent on ridding the prison of corruption. Pitman convinces Lopeman that he will cooperate with the reforms, then he uses the new freedoms given to him to plan an elaborate escape with several other men. The escape is to take place during an inspection by the governor. The screenwriting team for this film was Robert Benton and David Newman, who had penned the brilliant Bonnie and Clyde. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, (more)
- 1969
On another of his "no witchcraft" kicks, Darrin wants nothing to do with the magical cigarette lighter given to him as a birthday present by Samantha's father, Maurice. His feelings hurt, Maurice pays Darrin back for his stubborness by transforming him into a mule. This metamorphosis coincides with Gladys Kravitz's strident efforts to clean up zoning violations in the neighborhood -- beginning with the "unsanitary" mule in the Stephenses' living room. Written by Michael Morris, "Daddy Does His Thing" first aired on April 3, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1969
In the first episode of a two-part story, the Bradley girls and Steve (Mike Minor) look forward to celebrating the first birthday of little Kathy Jo. Unfortunately, it looks like the guest of honor won't show up: She and her Uncle Joe have been thrown into jail, thanks to a kleptomaniac chimpanzee! Meredith MacRae sings "I Enjoy Being a Girl", while Buck Buchanan, son of series star Edgar Buchanan, shows up in an incidental role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Despite her trepidations that Tabitha may try out her witchcraft on strangers, Samantha enrolls her daughter in nursery school. Though Tabitha tries to rein in her powers, the jig is up when her classmate, Amy (Maralee Foster), refusing to imitate a toad in a school play, insists she'd rather be a butterfly. Veteran character actress Maudie Prickett appears as long-suffering teacher Mrs. Burch. Written by Douglas Tibbles, "I Don't Want to Be a Toad" originally aired on December 21, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1968
After much intense negotiation, Bill (Brian Keith) agrees to let the twins' new friend Oliver spend three days in the Davis apartment. What the kids have failed to tell Bill is that Oliver is a huge, slobbering, unhousebroken dog. Not only is having such a pet against apartment-house regulations, but Oliver also develops an intense dislike for Bill, which is manifested in wholesale destruction! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The weekend has arrived, and Bill (Brian Keith) looks forward to a long-planned a hunting trip, while Cissy (Kathy Garver) is set to go out on a date and Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) are anxious to build a snowman. But when a raging blizzard strands Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) in Long Island, Bill is stuck with taking care of the kids--who in turn are stuck in the apartment. The result: No hunting, no date, a messy "indoor" snowman and a busted TV! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Theorizing that an apartment in downtown Manhattan is no place to raise three children, Bill (Brian Keith) decides to purchase a big house in the suburbs. Upon visiting their prospective new home, Cissy (Kathy Garver), Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) express an abundance of pleasure and satisfaction. This, however, is merely an expert job of acting: The kids would rather stay in New York, but they play along with Bill because they think a suburban life is what HE really wants! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
