Frank Maxwell Movies
Character actor, onscreen from 1959. ~ All Movie Guide- 1980
In Fun and Games, a professional career woman is harassed by her boss, who then rejects her for promotion. The woman then sues her boss for sexual harassment ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1980
A professional boxer (Herb Jefferson Jr.) refuses to accept the official verdict that he delivered a fatal blow to his opponent, who collapses and dies several days after the fight.. At the same time, a chef (Pete Schrum) who works for Quincy's friend Danny (Val Bisoglio) unexpectedly dies after undergoing routine surgery in an doctor's office. Investigating, Quincy (Jack Klugman) determines that the two deaths were connected--and the culprit may be a cut-rate physician whose "skills" are as inadequate as his cheap surgical equipment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Quincy (Jack Klugman) and Sam (Robert Ito) come across a human skull while travelling through the desert. With the help of forensic artist Lynn Peters (Zohra Lampert), Quincy concludes that the skull is that of a controversial labor leader who had mysteriously vanished a few years back (guess which famous person was the inspiration for this episode: and we always thought that he wound up as an off-ramp of the Jersey Turnpike). This places our hero--and his friends--in danger at the hands of the mob boss who has risen to labor-union prominence during his missing predecessor's absence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Two men from widely opposite spectrums in life are trapped in the same dilemma. Highly respected police detective Dave Lambert (Barry Primus) and seedy informer Art DeVoe (Mills Watson) have both witnessed a cop killing--and the murderer has sent his minions forth to get rid of them both. Featured prominently in the supporting cast is Robert Walden, on the cusp of his stardom as gonzo reporter Rossi on Lou Grant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell) generously shell out $40 so that the camp's Korean ping-pong champ Cho Lin (Richard Narita) can purchase a wedding ring for his sweetheart Soony (Sachito Penny Lee). Cynical Frank (Larry Linville) is certain that Cho Lin will abscond with the cash and never be seen again--and for a while, it looks like Frank is right. Meanwhile, ailing Lt. Col. Becket (Frank Maxwell) demands to be released from post-op so he can expedite a promotion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
After a four-episode tryout as a component of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie anthology, Quincy, M.E. launched its regular weekly run with this episode, originally telecast as a two-hour special but since re-edited for syndication as two one-hour installments. In Part One, we find LA County medical examiner Quincy (Jack Klugman) attending a pathologists' convention at Lake Tahoe in the company of his girlfriend Lee (Lynette Mettey) and his pal Danny (Val Bisoglio). No sooner has Quincy arrived than a mysterious illness begins spreading through a Lake Tahoe casino, claiming several lives. Asked to investigate this apparent epidemic, Quincy runs up against resistance from the anxious casino manager (Van Johnson), who is worried that news of the medical disaster will destroy his business. (Incidentally, this episode appeared not long after a medical crisis caused panic at an American Legion convention, thereby earning the designation "Legionnaire's Disease".) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
All in the Family launched its eighth season on October 2, 1977 (and moved from Saturday to Sunday evening in the process), with the extra-length "transitional" episode "Archie Gets the Business." Tired of working for wages, Archie yearns to fulfill his longtime dream of purchasing Kelcey's Bar. Of course, there's a little matter of collateral, but Archie is certain that Edith will agree to his plan of signing over their mortgage as a security. Unfortunately, Edith doesn't agree -- and that's why Archie ends up forging her name. Written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine, the 60-minute "Archie Gets the Business" has since been re-edited into two 30-minute episodes for syndication purposes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1977
In the conclusion of Quincy, M.E.'s two-part Season Two opener (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), Quincy (Jack Klugman) continues to look for the source of a mysterious epidemic that has caused several deaths at a pathologist's convention in a Lake Tahoe casino. The casino's customers and employees have now been quarantined, and panic has started to spread. This places Quincy in the unenviable position of preventing a riot--to say nothing of halting the epidemic before it expands into the rest of Nevada. Also, there's a strong possibility that the rampaging illness was far from "natural", and that there's a criminal conspiracy afoot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Saddled with a close-mouthed patient named Twillmer (Richard Libertini), Bob encourages the man to open up and "let it all out." Unfortunately, Twillmer reveals that he has embezzled an enormous sum of money -- and Bob is bound by his doctor-patient confidentiality oath to keep mum about this little indiscretion. Others in the cast include Frank Maxwell as Sgt. O'Conner and J. Jay Saunders as Williams. Written by Earl Pomerantz, "Shallow Throat" first aired on November 26, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1976
While investigating an insurance claim on behalf of the posh Brend Air Health Club, Jim (James Garner) finds himself in the middle of a sting operation involving Federal agents and illegal gunrunners. It all begins when an undercover Fed mistakes Jim for a police officer, an error which briefly affords Lt. Chapman (James Luisi) the opportunity to put Jim behind bars for keeps. Of course, our hero manages to wriggle out of this predicament, but his troubles are still far from over! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
The Angels investigate when a crusading journalist "accidentally" drowns at a fancy West Coast resort. As Kelly (Jaclyn Smith) and Jill (Farrah Fawcett-Majors) work undercover at the resort itself, Sabrina (Kate Jackson) and Bosley (David Doyle) team up on the "outside." It soon develops that the dead woman had stumbled onto a crooked land-development scheme masterminded by criminals who are "hiding in plain sight" -- and who are not averse to committing four murders if necessary. This was the first Charlie's Angels episode filmed, but the sixth to the be telecast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Kate Jackson, (more)
- 1975
The still-unsolved Black Dahlia murder case, fictionalized in the 1981 theatrical feature True Confessions, is handled on a more factual level in this made-for-TV movie. Lucie Arnaz plays Elizabeth Short, an aspiring starlet of questionable morals, who in 1947 was murdered by person or persons unknown. What made the case particularly unsettling was the fact that Elizabeth's body was sliced neatly in two, with every ounce of blood drained from her body. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. costars as the Los Angeles detective who ends up dedicating a lifetime to tracking down Elizabeth's killer. Who is the Black Dahlia? debuted March 1, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucie Arnaz, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., (more)
- 1975
Korean War veteran Jim Rockford (James Garner) is contacted by his former commanding officer Col. Daniel Hart-Bowie (Frank Maxwell), who turns up dead after leaving a very brief and uninformative message on Jim's answering machine. Before long, the Army is exerting pressure on Jim to reveal the words that passed between the Colonel and himself. At the same time, Hart-Bowie's daughter Shana (Jesse Welles) is determined to prove that her dad's "accidental" death was anything but. At the bottom of the mystery is a smuggling ring and a handful of corrupt authority figures--both in and out of uniform. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Elmore Leonard's script for Mr. Majestyk was, like his novel, supposed to have concentrated on the plight of Chicano migrant workers; but what emerged on screen was extensively reshaped into a standard Charles Bronson vehicle. Battle-weary Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk (Bronson) settles down in rural Colorado, hoping to make a living as a watermelon farmer. Despite his new-found pacifism, Majestyk can't seem to stay out of trouble, and he lands in jail, where he foils a breakout engineered by Mob boss Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). Offering to bring in Renda in exchange for his own freedom, Majestyk finds himself the main target of the Mob, who is also extorting vast sums of money from Vince's fellow farmers. It is bad enough when the crooks begin roughing up Majestyk's field hands; but when they ruthlessly machine-gun his entire melon crop, they've gone too far. Teaming up with Chicano labor activist Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal) (any relation to Cesar?), Majestyk decides to track down the mobsters one by one and mete out retribution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Al Lettieri, (more)
- 1974
Aging socialite Athena Champion (Kim Hunter) desperately seeks out the aid of her friend Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr). Several elderly men have recently been murdered--all of them old boyfriends of Athena who had attended her debutante's ball. Suffering from the early stages of Alzheimers', Athena is worried that she may have killed the victims without knowing it--and she wants Ironside to determine whether she is innocent or guilty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Hoping to escape the country, syndicate hit man Ben Silliman (Gary Lockwood) needs a lot of money in a hurry. To raise the cash, he blackmails William Braden (Peter Mark Richman), the "respectable" businessman who has enabled Silliman to rise to the top of his profession. Not to be confused with the same-named 1966 episode starring Charles Bronson, "The Animal" marks the final appearance of series regular William Reynolds as FBI assistant director Arthur Ward. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
The Rampart emergency staff can't understand why Federal agents are so closely hovering over one of their patients (Hedley Mattingly), an apparent schizophrenic. Other problems vexing the staffers this week include an urgent summons to a fireboat, which yields surprising results; a possible suicide; and a brand-new life that may be over before it begins. And in a lighter vein, paramedic John (Randolph Mantooth) is confused when his rather less charismatic partner Roy (Kevin Tighe) suddenly attracts a bevy of admirers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
John (Randolph Mantooth) is pushed to the brink by the bad driving habits of others, and also joins Roy (Kevin Tighe) as he teaches a CPR class formerly conducted by John's late mentor. Meanwhile, the emergency staff tries to rescue a child stuck in a hollow tree, and to determine the source of a college football star's mysterious back pains. Also on the docket is a cardiac victim, trapped on the third floor of a burning hotel. Appearing as a football coach is Dick Yarmy, the brother of comedian Don Adams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
"Nightfall" is the code name of a widespread terrorist attack planned by a secret organization called the Pendulum. The IMF must learn the nature of the attack, and also bring down Pendulum leader Gunnar Malstrom (Dean Stockwell). As an interesting change of pace, the viewer is given far more plot information than the IMF in the course of the story. Written by Calvin Clements Jr. and originally telecast on February 22, 1973, "The Pendulum" was the last Mission:Impossible episode to be filmed, though not the last to be aired. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1973
Two TV films were shown during the 1973-1974 season dealing with the emotional and legal ramifications of rape. While the Elizabeth Montgomery vehicle A Case of Rape was closer to Real Life, Cry Rape! also had a lot going for it. Andrea Marcovicci stars as Betty Jenner, whose world is rent asunder when she falls victim to a rapist. Equally as humiliating as the violation itself is the aftermath; Betty must withstand the adversarial questions of the police on the case, and then must relive her nightmare in court. Filmed in a semidocumentary fashion, Cry Rape! veers dangerously close to discouraging any woman from reporting sexual assault, inasmuch as it demonstrates the step-by-step process by which the accuser often ends up the accused. Only its contrived melodramatic conclusion robs the film of its verisimilitude. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Someone in San Francisco has been attacking Vietnam veterans with military-issue hand grenades. Two ex-soldiers have already fallen victim to the mystery assailant, and one of them has been killed. Ironside's aide Mark (Don Mitchell), a friend of the dead man, wants some answers--and thus he sets himself up as bait to lure the killer out in the open. This is one of several early-1970s TV programs centering around the tragic residue of the still-raging Vietnam conflict. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The Rampart staff is at loss to explain the dangerously erratic behavior of brilliant physician Dr. Varner (Alicia Bond). At the Squad 51 station house, John (Randolph Mantooth) comes to grief when he tries to play peacemaker between Roy (Kevin Tighe) and his wife Joanne. The emergency staff's case load ranges from rescuing some youngsters from a rapidly flooding storm drain to saving a dog from a roof. And as a "bonus", an errant driver winds up dangling from a freeway off-ramp. A pre-M*A*S*H Jamie Farr shows up in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway) falls in love with Vivian Page (Tiffany Bolling), the beautiful movie actress whom he's been assigned to protect. Unfortunately for Ed, Vivian is a confirmed pacifist, who despises the weaponry carried by her protector. The situation becomes even more strained when Vivian is innocently but dangerously mixed up in a robbery case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Among the assignments tackled by mobile officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) during today's shift is to stop a would-be suicide. Also, the duo goes after a gang of drag racers who've turned the streets of LA into their own personal racetrack, and a group of thieves who specialize in swiping radios. All this activity pales in comparison with Jim and Pete's most formidable task, to determined the veracity of a bomb threat--and ultimately, to locate the bomb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Though he has been accused of killing his wife, mental patient Walter Carr (Earl Holliman)--who has no memory of the crime--is certain that she is still alive and that he has been framed for her murder. Escaping custody, Walter goes on a tortuous odyssey to find the truth, committing various small crimes along the way. As Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) pursues Walter, even he begins to wonder if his quarry is the victim of a miscarriage of justice. As it turns out, however, a murder has indeed been committed--and the killer is a lot closer than Walter ever imagined. Directed by series costar Philip Abbott, this is the final episode of The F.B.I.'s fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
