Judy Ledford Movies
- 1986
Now forced to follow the orders of General Stockwell (Robert Vaughn) if they hope to receive pardons, the A-Team is dispatched behind the Iron Curtain to rescue defecting chemical-warfare scientist Dr. Strasser (Bo Brudin). To cover their tracks, the Team organizes a football game in East Germany, utilizing the talents of several professional players--including T.J. Bryant (Joe Namath), a longtime enemy of B.A. (Mr. T.). Unfortunately, the plan hits a snag when Strasser suddenly refuses to defect...but why? In addition to Joe Namath, this episode utilizes the talents of former gridiron stars Jim Brown and Jim Matuszak) (reportedly, Joe Montana was slated to appear, but professional conflicts prevented him from doing so). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The fifth and final season of The A-Team marks a very significant change in the series' established format. Tricked into being captured by the authorities, the members of the renegade do-gooder squad known as the A-Team are sentenced to be executed -- even though they never killed anyone in any of the prior five seasons. This, however, is all a ploy cooked up by General Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughan), who offers A-Team leader Hannibal Smith (George Peppard) an offer he can't refuse. If Hannibal and his cohorts agree to perform covert government missions, Stockwell will see to it that their names are cleared, and they will finally be fugitives no more. With no other option, Hannibal grudgingly agrees to the terms as do team members B.A. (Mr. T), "Howling Mad" Murdock (Dwight Schultz), and "Faceman" Peck (Dirk Benedict). In addition to Robert Vaughn, two additional cast members join the series during its valedictory season. Eddie Velez is cast as the A-Team's newest member, squirrely special-effects expert "Dishpan" Frankie Sanchez, a character introduced in the two-part season opener "Dishpan Man." And in the tradition of the past seasons' Amy Allen and Tawnia Baker, Judy Ledford is seen as the team's off-and-on female associate Carla. This year's missions find the A-Team disguising themselves as football players to rescue a defecting East German scientist; Face meets a crooked political adviser who may or may not be his own father; the team defies Stockwell's orders and searches for a missing Hannibal deep into enemy territory; Murdock is mistaken for a god by a South American religious cult; and in the season's final episode, the team is held hostage by a group of hoods who have been hired to assassinate the U.S. Attorney General. The most fascinating of the series' final-season episodes is "The Say UNCLE Affair," in which series regular Robert Vaughn is reunited, after a fashion, with his former Man From U.N.C.L.E. co-star David McCallum (here cast as one of the bad guys!). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Peppard, Mr. T, (more)
- 1986
Under orders from General Stockwell (Robert Vaughn), the A-Team tries to rescue three innocent Americans from the third world country of San Marcus. Their mission is nearly scuttled by a rebellion against the country's despotic ruler, Alexander Martien (Castulo Guerra)--and by the fact that those three Americans aren't quite as "innocent" as they seem. This episode marks the only time that new A-Team member "Dishpan" Frankie Sanchez (Eddie Velez) falls in love (at least on-camera!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
In the second episode of The A-Team's three-part Season Five opener, the Team is betrayed by Vietnam vet Josh Curtis (Sandy McPeak) and forced to stand trial for their lives, accused of killing their former commanding officer Col. Morrison and robbing a Hanoi bank. Curiously, Murdock (Dwight Schultz) is not held for trial, and is thus able to secure the services of defense attorney Benny Conway (Byrne Piven). Alas, as the trial progresses, it is painfully clear that the witnesses are lying and the evidence has been manufactured--but who is behind this travesty of justice? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Figuring that he'll never get a pardon from the mercurial Stockwell (Robert Vaughn), Face (Dirk Benedict) plans to escape during the A-Team's next mission. But things don't quite go as expected when Face falls in love with Sally Vogel (Valerie Wildman), a journalist whose pose as the girlfriend of mobster Tommy Tedesco (Richard Romanus) has placed her in dire peril. Throughout the episode, Face continues seeking a means of escape only to return to help out Sally and his fellow A-Teamers--a pattern he follows all the way to the climax in Atlantic City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
As indicated by its title, this classic episode reunites the former stars of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Vaughn appears in his traditional A-Team role as the mysterious, manipulative General Stockwell, while McCallum is seen as Stockwell's former partner Ivan Trigorin, now a rogue agent who had sold out to the Other Side. Ivan kidnaps Stillwell and spirits him away to his headquarters at the Coastal Psychiatric Hospital, where he plans to exact a terrible revenge for Stillwell's supposed treachery. Normally, the A-Team would leave Stockwell to his fate, but if they ever hope to get a pardon, they'd better rescue him immediately--even if it requires Murdock (Dwight Schultz) to return to his former "nuttiness." The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair abounds with clever references to its source material, right down to Stillwell beginning a radio message with "Open Channel D"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
In the conclusion of The A-Team's three-part Season Five opener, Hannibal (George Peppard), B.A. (Mr. T) and Face (Dirk Benedict) are found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by firing squad. In their efforts to prevent the execution, Murdock (Dwight Schultz) and Frankie (Eddie Velez) steal a plane owned by the Team's principal accuser, the mysterious General Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughn). But the rescue plan fails--and the three condemned men are shot! End of story? Not quite...and certainly not with General Stockwell involved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
The fifth and final season of The A-Team opens with a three-part story, as an injured Hannibal (George Peppard) is captured by the mysterious General Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughn). Threatening to put Hannibal on trial for his life if his demands aren't met, Stockwell orders the A-Team to rescue a group of hijacked hostages in Spain. Among those hostages is movie special-effects expert "Dishpan" Frankie Sanchez (Eddie Velez), who was responsible for the on-set "accident" which allowed Hannibal to fall into Stockwell's hands, and Vietnam veteran Josh Curtis (Sandy McPeak), the only person able to confirm that the A-Team had been ordered to rob a bank in Hanoi during the war, and thus were unfairly sentenced to prison. Unfortunately, one of these two worthies will end up stabbing the Team in the back! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
