Tommy Madden Movies
This slapstick parody of space movies chronicles the riotous exploits of a group of dim-bulbed, misguided aliens under the mistaken impression that they are supposed to invade the Earth after they hear a rebroadcast of Orson Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" one Halloween night. Thinking they are late, they rush in with their ramshackle spaceship and end up in Big Bean, Illinois, a peaceful midwestern town. Naturally after they announce they want to kill the "Earth scum," the residents want to kill them. Fortunately, the town sheriff and his daughter try to keep the moronic Martians safe and help their captain get them safely back in space. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Barr, Royal Dano, (more)
- 1988
Eugene Roche returns as Jack Sullivan, the troublesome father of public defender Christine (Markie Post). Recently retired, Jack plans to move to Florida and live in an RV--but this is before he becomes close friends with prosecuting attorney Dan (John Larroquette), who ironically has been trying to get Christine into the sack since he first laid eyes on her. Now Jack has opted to remain in New York, moving into Christine's apartment and driving her bonkers. Elswewhere, we have a serious "Peter Piper" situation on our hands in the person of panhandler Papaya Patty (Tona Dodd) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Magnum (Tom Selleck) dons a clown suit to pose as a roustabout with the "Inky Gilbert Travelling Carnival and Midway". An old friend of Higgins (John Hillerman), the aforementioned Inky (Clive Revill) has been plagued by a number of suspicious accidents, suggesting that someone is trying to force him out of business. In his confrontations with such sideshow regulars as Gus the Geek (Geoffrey Lewis), Charles the Dwarf (Tommy Madden) and a taciturn knife-thrower known as The Chief (Skeeter Vaughn), Magnum hopes to get to the bottom of the mystery--and to solve a murder that occurs in the course of events. Featured as one of the "carnies" is former Playboy Playmate Karen Elayna Price. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
These bad guys are a couple of inept cops who, when kicked off the force, decide to make their living as professional wrestlers. They become "The Boston Bad Guys" and as such, are pitted against a wrestling team managed by their manager's arch rival. To add intrigue to this wrestling fan's release (who else would watch it?) -- are appearances by several big-name professional wrestlers. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Baldwin, Mike Jolly, (more)
- 1984
Having long since replaced his wife Lulu's savings bonds with phonies, Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) panics when Lulu (Peggy Rea) decides to exchange the bonds for cash. To avoid being trapped by his own perfidy, Boss hires a pair of phony fortune-tellers, Madama Delilah (Leslie Easterbrook) and Three-Pack (Tommy Madden), to persuade Lulu to reveal the combination to her safe. But the crooks haven't reckoned with the Dukes, who intend to get even with Madame Delilah for framing Daisy (Catherine Bach) on a theft charge. Except for a brief phone-call scene, John Schneider (Bo Duke) does not appear in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
While attending a circus, Vera (Beth Howland) is enchanted by a miniature performing horse. She is also shocked to discover that the horse is being maltreated by its abusive trainer. This explains why Vera has smuggled the horse into the diner--and why the authorities are hot on her hoofs. The villain of the piece is played by Robert Englund, clealry warming up for his more famous role as the monstrous Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare at Elm Street films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Wes Craven, who went on to fame as the force behind blockbuster horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, departed from his favorite genre to film this unique cult classic -- a spoof on the mad scientist movies of the 1950s. Adrienne Barbeau stars as Alice Cable, a government agent sent to replace a man who has disappeared while guarding a secret experimental lab in the middle of the Louisiana bayous. Dressed in heels and a skirt, Cable professes unease at her strange new surroundings, but she is soon wooed by Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise). Holland is working on a concoction that combines plant and animal cells. Arcane (Louis Jourdan) is the criminal mastermind who is trying to steal the secret recipe for the potion. When Arcane and his mercenaries break into the government camp, they kill Holland's sister Linda (Nannette Brown) and the scientist is accidentally doused with his own formula and bursts into flames, then dives into the swamp. Arcane's men pursue Cable, but she is rescued by a mysterious green man. It takes several rescues for her to understand that the Swamp Thing (Dick Durock) is Dr. Holland, transformed by his own formula. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Jourdan, Adrienne Barbeau, (more)
- 1981
After a string of heavy "message" dramas, Elizabeth Montgomery opts for whimsical comedy in the made-for-TV When the Circus Comes to Town. She plays a repressed spinster in a turn-of-the-century Georgia town, captivated by the arrival of a seedy circus. Having never had a real childhood, Ms. Montgomery vows to fill that void by running off to join the show. Truculent ringmaster/owner Christopher Plummer puts Montgomery to work at the lowest rung of the job ladder: cleaning out the animal cages. As the story develops, Montgomery works her way up to the position of somersaulting acrobat--and incidentally falls in love with Plummer, a circumstance that both parties have strived to avoid. When the Circus Comes to Town is highlighted by its big-top sequences, in which Elizabeth Montgomery performs many of her own stunts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Based on the kind, generous puppetmaker from Pinocchio, Geppetto's Music Shop is an endearing children's film where Geppetto gathers the local children in his house to tell the great stories in children's literature, which are all presented in animated form. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, from of the large crew of loveably fuzzy characters created by puppetmaster Jim Henson, have embarked on a quest for stardom. They take a trip to Hollywood, riding in or on a wide variety of vehicles along the way. They begin their journey on a bicycle pedalled by Kermit, but friends accumulate along the way, and they change vehicles to accomodate them. They have the additional challenge of fending off the entreaties of the heartless Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), who wants Kermit to make some advertisements promoting fried frog legs. Kermit must also cope with his amorous feelings for Miss Piggy, and hers for him. This appealing children's adventure movie has numerous scenes which do homage to classic films, and features a huge cast of Hollywood greats, from Edgar Bergen to Orson Welles, in cameo roles. A great box-office success, this movie paved the way for a number of sequels. One of the film's many songs, The Rainbow Connection, was nominated for an Oscar. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Henson, Frank Oz, (more)
- 1979
Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) have launched the latest in a long line of questionable business ventures--namely, a computer dating service. The boys' first customers are (who else?) Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams), who agree to pay a small fee in order to be fixed up with a couple of dates. Turns out that the dates (Tommy Madden, Jimmy Briscoe) are on the "small" side as well; in fact, they're both midgets! This is the episode that ends with a riotous roller-skating sequence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
