Ken Lynch Movies
Character actor, onscreen from the '50s; he often played military men, sheriffs, or policemen. ~ All Movie Guide- 1967
The posh St. Gregory Hotel in New Orleans is the setting for this drama based on a popular novel by Arthur Hailey. Trent (Melvyn Douglas) is the long-time owner who realizes that the hotel is in dire financial straits. Trent calls on faithful manager Peter McDermott (Rod Taylor) to try and bring about the necessary reversal of fortune so that they can stay in business. After the Duke (Michael Rennie) and Duchess (Merle Oberon) of Lanbourne check in, the Duke is involved in a vehicular homicide after he has too much to drink. His car is traced back to the St. Gregory by hotel detective Dupere (Richard Conte), who blackmails the Duke. Although not on the same level of Grand Hotel, the film contains first-rate performances from a fine cast portraying a variety of eccentric guests. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, (more)
- 1967
It won't be long before Opie will be attending college, and Andy wonders how he can possibly afford his son's education. To pick up some extra cash, Andy invests in a coin-operated laundromat. Before long, however, he is spending too much time running the laundry and not enough time tending to his appointed duties as Mayberry's number one lawman. Originally telecast on November 20, 1967, "Andy's Investment" was written by Michael Morris and Seaman Jacobs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Thoroughly immersed in the mystery novel Inspector Foot of Scotland Yard, Joe Cartwright begins to fancy himself an ace detective. Attempting to apply the latest Scotlard Yard techniques to prevent a bank robbery, Joe causes more trouble than he's worth-while his dad Ben and Sheriff Coffee end up in jail! The episode's key fight scene is a deliberately spoof of the then-popular Batman TV series. Cowritten by Bonanza star Michael Landon and Oliver Crawford, "Joe Cartwright, Detective" was first shown on March 5, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1966
James Garner plays a man who awakens in Central Park with no memories at all. This drama chronicles his search for his identity. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Jean Simmons, (more)
- 1965
Gilbert Roland guest-stars as poor but proud horse rangher Jim Acton. Hoping to get back on his financial feet, Acton is devastated when his prize mare is legally awared to Sam Whipple (Ken Lynch). Not long afterward, Acton kills Sam in self defense, but an overeager deputy named Pete (Pat Conway) is determined to prove Sam a murderer, and to bring him to justice dead or alive-preferably dead. As always, the Cartwrights intervene. Written by Thomas Thompson, this episode served to reunite two veterans of the Republic Pictures B-western mill: Director William Witney, and supporting actor Roy Barcroft. "The Lonely Runner" was first broadcast on October 10, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
Not to be confused with David Hewitt's abominable Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors (AKA The Blood Suckers), this clever horror omnibus is one of the better early anthologies from Amicus Productions, thanks to Freddie Francis' stylish direction and a tongue-in-cheek approach from writer Milton Subotsky (who would later apply the same sardonic treatment to the EC Comics-based productions Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror). The framing story is set in a train car, where five passengers have their fortunes told by the all-seeing Dr. Schreck (Peter Cushing), who refers to his ominous tarot deck as his "House of Horrors." Their respective stories involve all manner of occult happenings: a jazz musician's involvement with a voodoo curse; an estate haunted by a werewolf; a doctor (Donald Sutherland) who suspects that his wife has become a vampire; a cottage besieged by a monster kudzu vine; and the most entertaining segment, in which arrogant art critic Christopher Lee is avidly pursued by a snubbed artist's severed hand. In the end, it doesn't take a jaded horror buff to deduce Schreck's true identity or the ultimate destination of the train passengers, but it's a fun ride nonetheless. Not all of the stories work (the vampire story's "twist" ending is rather silly, the voodoo tale painfully dated), and the effects are generally sub-par, but Francis keeps the pace snappy throughout, giving the entire film a throwaway, Halloween spook-house feel. Hammer horror fans will certainly find this a keeper on the strength of Cushing and Lee's performances. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, (more)
Though he's most famous for his portrayal of Victor Laszlo in 1942's Casablanca, actor Paul Henreid took a few turns behind the camera as evidenced by this 1964 thriller starring Bette Davis as twins Margaret DeLorca and Edith Phillips. After landing the beau they both sought after by falsely claiming she was pregnant, Margaret lives a life of luxury as the wife of a wealthy man. Now, 20 years later, a broke and lonely Edith has returned for revenge. After killing the recently widowed Margaret, Edith assumes her identity with plans of living the life she feels she's deserved all along. But in order to pull it off, she'll have to play the role of Margaret connivingly enough to fool her servants as well as a local playboy and the police. Dead Ringer was remade in 1986 as Killer in the Mirror, a made-for-television movie starring Ann Jillian. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Davis, Karl Malden, (more)
- 1964
A full year before the debut of Warner Bros.' TV series The FBI, a pilot of sorts was filmed under the title FBI Code 98. Jack Kelly heads the cast of this Dragnet-style docudrama, wherein the action is underlined by William Woodson's stentorian off-camera narration. The main plot concerns a disgruntled mad bomber, who uses his heightened knowledge of electronics to stay one step ahead of detection. The all-Warner-contractee cast includes Maverick's Kelly, Ray Danton, Andrew Duggan, Philip Carey, William Reynolds (later a regular on The FBI), Peggy McCay and Merry Anders. Originally intended as a TV special, FBI Code 98 was released theatrically instead. The film was produced by Stanley Niss, the author of the book on which the screenplay was based. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Kelly, Ray Danton, (more)
- 1964
This western presents a more sympathetic view of Native Americans than is usually found in the genre as it tells the tale of the army commander of an Arizona outpost who despises all Indians until he falls in love with a beautiful missionary girl. He must change his ways because one of her parents is an Apache. Unfortunately, his attempts to reform are nearly foiled by greedy gold-seekers trying to start a war with the local Apaches. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Michael Dante, (more)
- 1964
In this romantic comedy, a middle-aged postmistress from a small town goes to a post office convention in New York and promptly falls in love with a man who is engaged to another. His fiancee is a widow with a teenage son. The man really wants a family, but he also really wants the postmistress.Trouble ensues while he makes up his mind. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Geraldine Page, (more)
- 1963
While hunting down a wolf, Adam Cartwright accidentally shoots and nearly kills his own brother Joe. Thoroughly disgusted by the violence indigenous to the West, Adam vows to leave Nevada for good. In this he is encouraged by Sheila (Carolyn Kearney), an ardent-but as it turns out, misguided-pacifist. Featured in the cast are Brendan Dillon as Emmet, Ken Lynch as Doud, Addison Richards as Dr. Kay, and Jason Johnson as Vince. Originally broadcast April 7, 1963, "My Brother's Keeper" was written by Seeleg Lester. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1963
Andy is informed that a top-secret gold shipment from Denver to Fort Knox is making a stopover in Mayberry. Sworn to silence, Andy makes the mistake of telling Barney about the shipment. Before long, the entire town is preparing to welcome the armored-car drivers. A disaster? Not quite-fate, and a bit of preventative strategy, will soon intervene. Rance Howard, father of series star Ronny Howard, plays the Treasury Man, while Ronny's younger brother Clint Howard is seen as little Leon. Written by John Whedon, "A Black Day for Mayberry" originally aired on November 11, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
In this sequel to the 1962 Bonanza episode "Inger, My Love," Ben Cartwright once again waxes nostalgic over his late second wife, Inger (again played by Inga Swenson). In a lengthy flashback, Ben and Inger head westward to a remote frontier outpost, where they are besieged by hostile Indians. In the course of the story, Inger's son Hoss is born (and, for the benefit of the viewer, it is explained that Hoss' name holds a special meaning in Inger's native country). Also in the cast are Johnny Stephens as five-year-old Adam Cartwright, Gene Evans as Lucas, Kevin Hagen as Simon, Dee Carroll as Rachel, Ken Lynch as Welks, John Frederick as Payne, Kathleen O'Malley as Mrs. Payne, and William Fawcett as Tulliver. Written by Anthony Lawrence, "Journey Remembered" was originally seen on November 10, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
This moody and controversial drama takes place in Depression-era New Orleans. Dove (Laurence Harvey) has traveled by bus from Texas to find his wayward lover Hallie (Capucine). He meets young Kitty Twist (Jane Fonda) as the two get off in the crescent city. Teresina (Anne Baxter) gives him a job at her small cafe. In his free time, Dove searches for Hallie and finds her at work as a prostitute in the Doll's House. Dove implores Hallie to return to him but she refuses. When the lecherous lesbian madame Jo (Barbara Stanwyck) discovers Dove's intentions towards Hallie, she has him beaten to a bloody pulp by her hired goons. He is found by Kitty, now a happy hooker at the Doll House, and is taken back to the cafe where the compassionate Teresina heals his physical and emotional wounds. The film taken from the novel by Nelson Algren is much tamer than the original text. The title track, sung by Brook Benton, was nominated for an Academy Award. The "black-cat stalking" opening and closing sequences (by designer Saul Bass) is a perfect little "film-within-a-film." This footage, with its superb lighting, framing, panning, and editing, should be appreciated by anyone who wants to know more about the art of cinematography. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurence Harvey, Capucine, (more)
In this addiction melodrama, Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon), a promising adman, meet his future wife Kirsten (Lee Remick) at a party. Once married, the pressures of his business lead Joe to seek solace in liquor. Kirsten joins him in his nocturnal drinking sessions, and before long both are confirmed alcoholics. After several frightening episodes, Joe is able to shake the habit thanks to AA, but Kirsten finds it impossible to get through the day without liquor. The two split up, although Joe clings to the hope that someday he and Kirsten will be reunited, if for no reason other than the sake of their young daughter. J.P. Miller adapted the screenplay from his own 1958 Playhouse 90 television script. Though nominated in several categories, Days of Wine and Roses won only the Best Song Oscar for Henry Mancini's title tune. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1962
Andy manages to capture bank robber Doc Mallory (Allan Melvin), locking the outlaw in the Mayberry jail until the arrival of State Inspector Horton (Ken Lynch). Alas, Barney decides to "pump" Mallory for information, succeeding only in allowing the crook to escape. Andy and Barney get a chance to redeem themselves when Horton is kidnaped by Mallory and his moll. Written by Harvey Bullock, "Jailbreak" first aired on February 5, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Allan Melvin
- 1962
Abducted by the Shoshones at the age of six, teenager Billy Horn (Carl Reindel is brought back to the White Man's world by Ben Cartwright. As Billy tries to adjust to a different set of rules and values, he forms a strong friendship with Ben's son Joe. Meanwhile, a slick operator named Milton Tanner (Ken Lynch) has laid claim to the Ponderosa, using a set of old land grants as proof of possession. While Ben prepares legal recourse with family lawyer Lewis (Robert Burton), Billy tries to use Indian methods to defend his new friends against the mean-spirited Tanner-with tragic consequences. Raymond Bailey, minus the toupe he wore as Milburn Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies, appears as the Judge in the closing scenes. Written by Preston Wood, "The Beginning" first aired on November 25, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1961
Prolific director Joseph Pevney is better known for his next venture -- the Star Trek television series -- than this conventional docudrama on mobster "Dutch" Schultz (played by Vic Morrow). Rather than take the focus of 1997's Hoodlum, in which Schultz's attempt to move into Harlem is thwarted, the events leading to the demise of the nearly illiterate, Bronx-born, "king of beer" are stressed. His affair with Iris Murphy (Leslie Parrish) also gets front-and-center treatment when Iris leaves her policeman husband to hook up with Schultz, only to degenerate into alcoholism. To the credit of the director, the repugnant Schultz (whose real name was Arthur Flegenheimer) is not romanticized, even though the legend of his "buried treasure" and the literary non-sequitur of his famous, 1935 deathbed ramblings would tend to lure anyone into digressions. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vic Morrow, Leslie Parrish, (more)
- 1961
Just a few years before The Great Escape would catapult Steve McQueen to stardom, the charismatic actor played the lead, Lt. Fergie Howard, in this light romantic farce involving the computers on a Navy ship. Lt. Howard is playing poker on the good ship El Mira when he gets a brilliant idea. Why not use the ship's computer "Max" to figure out where the ball will land on a roulette wheel? After the ship docks near Venice, he and Ensign Beau Gillaim (Jack Mullaney), along with navy scientist Jason Eldridge (Jim Hutton) check out the casino there. Then they set up the ship's computer to receive incoming signals from the results at the roulette wheel, planning on it to predict which numbers will come up next. Trouble lies ahead when Admiral Fitch (Dean Jagger) intercepts the signals and assumes that the fleet is about to be attacked. While the subsequent chaos reigns, the women (Paula Prentiss and Brigid Bazlen) in these men's lives get involved. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve McQueen, Brigid Bazlen, (more)
- 1960
Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) is frustrated when a case that he has been building against mob functionary Theodore Newberry (Ken Lynch) literally goes South when the star witness, bookkeeper Julius Imbry (Byron Foulger), is kidnapped and spirited away to Mexico. When Newberry manages to humiliate Ness in public, undercover cop Nick Delgado (Vince Edwards) is assigned to bring Imbry back--while Newberry, who did not engineer the kidnapping, dispatches his own hired guns to locate and silence the witness. Martin Landau steals the show as a stuttering hit man in this episode, which also features an uncredited appearance by Batman's future "Chief O'Hara" Stafford Repp. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Seven Ways from Sundown is a well-wrought western by director Harry Keller, starring Audie Murphy in the title role (his character's "first" name is the same as the title). Young "Seven" is a talented but novice Texas Ranger who is in the process of learning the tricks of the trade from veteran Ranger Sergeant Hennessey (John McIntire). The two are currently hunting down the flamboyant outlaw Jim Flood (Barry Sullivan), crafty enough not only to elude them, but to take a surprise offensive against them as well. In the end, it will take all of "Seven's" abilities to capture the wanted criminal. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Barry Sullivan, (more)
Crooked sheepherder Jeb Drummond (Everett Sloane) is caught trying to graze his flock on the Ponderosa without permission. Ben Cartwright orders Jeb and his sons Billy (Ray Daley) and Burton (Tom Reese) to get out and stay out. But Jeb has other plans -- and he kidnaps Ben's son Adam to make sure those plans are carried out. First telecast on February 13, 1960, "Blood on the Land" was written by Robert E. Thompson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1960
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
- 1960
Reluctant to bring in his own son Billy (Andrew Prine) on a murder charge, a town marshal (Ken Lynch) hires Paladin (Richard Boone) to do the job. Venturing into treacherous mountain country, Paladin seeks out Billy in hopes of persuading the young man into surrending peacefully and standing trial. Unfortunately, Paladin's trail is dogged by a bloodthirsty posse, none of whose members is inclined to bring Billy back alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Robert Preston plays the flip side of his eternally ebullient Professor Harold Hill in Dark at the Top of the Stairs. Preston portrays an early 20th-century harness salesman, fully aware that his product is rapidly becoming obsolete. He tries to compensate for his own lack of self-esteem by cheating on his patient wife Dorothy McGuire; Preston's "other woman" is played by Angela Lansbury. Meanwhile, daughter Shirley Knight falls in love with Jewish boy Lee Kinsolving, who kills himself in the face of relentless bigotry. And McGuire's sister Eve Arden is stuck in a loveless marriage with spineless Frank Overton. Robert Eyer plays the young alter-ego of William Inge, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning play on which this film is based. Eyer's fear of the "dark at the top of the stairs" is meant to be symbolic of the other characters' inner demons, a fact that Inge drives home every three minutes or so. In typical Inge fashion, an unlikely happy ending is reached just before "The End." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Preston, Dorothy McGuire, (more)
