James McDaniel Movies

On the occasion of wealthy patriarch Burt Lancaster's 77th birthday, his Long Island home is invaded by well-meaning family members. Lancaster is bored by the well-meaning interference of his grown children, but he thrives on the company of his grandchildren, especially 5-year-old Macaulay Culkin (in a terrific pre-star performance). To the kids, Lancaster reveals what he really wants as a birthday present: an old-fashioned Viking funeral! From this point on, the ending of Rocket Gibraltar is a "done deal", but getting there is all the fun. A superb, hand-picked cast--including Suzy Amis, Sinead Cusack, John Glover, Bill Pullman and Kevin Spacey -does full justice to Amos Poe's whimsical, often deeply touching script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This adaptation of Hemingway's classic story adds a few characters but keeps the basic plotline of an old fisherman's greatest battle intact. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Richard Crenna returns as Lt. Frank Janek of the NYPD in the TV movie Murder in Black and White. As in his previous appearances in Doubletake (85) and Internal Affairs (89), Janek is called upon to solve a bizarre and baffling murder. This time the victim is Janek's own boss, the new commissioner of police. The lieutenant deduces that this murder is tied in with the killing of a physician, which occurred only a few hours earlier. Diahann Carroll plays the commissioner's widow, who may or may not be privy to a departmental cover-up. Murder in Black and White was the first made-for-TV movie to be telecast in 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this lively comedy, an African American yuppie rethinks life on the corporate fast-track after he falls in love with an ultra hip club promoter. Knowing that she finds him a total square, he seeks the advice of a swinging young mail boy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this erotic thriller, two bunco artists ply their trade in Miami Beach. They prey upon wealthy marks; the female grifter uses all her wiles to seduce men out of their cash. It works fine until she tries to con ex-G-man Jack Shanks. He catches on and ends up blackmailing her into helping him get a little revenge in Jamaica. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The second season of NYPD Blue was transitional in every sense of the word, with a number of major cast changes and the deepening of characterizations within the people who remained. The big news during the 1994-1995 season was the defection of David Caruso as Detective John Kelly, the sensitive younger partner of the irascible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). It was no secret that Caruso wanted more screen time and a lot more money to continue with the series, and when producer Steven Bochco said no, the actor departed -- four episodes into season two. His replacement proved to be just as popular with viewers as Caruso, if not more so: Jimmy Smits as the recently widowed, pigeon-fancying Detective Bobby Simone, whose single status not only opened the door for a whole new slew of romantic complications with various female cast members, but also set hearts aflutter amongst audience members. Also leaving the series after the first two second-season episodes was Amy Brenneman as Off. Janice Licalsi, who had been found guilty of the murder of mob functionary Angelo Marino -- an act that also precipitated the departure of John Kelly, who, for trying to suppress evidence on Janice's behalf, was given the choice of being demoted or leaving the 15th Precinct altogether (of course, he chose the latter).
Also added to the cast was Kim Delaney as Det. Diane Russell, who like most the series' characters arrived at the 15th carrying a lot of emotional baggage, in her case an extremely abusive husband and, like Andy Sipowicz, a drinking problem. Andy was, in fact, the first to glom onto Diane's closet boozing, and it was he who offered to become her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor -- though it would be the younger and svelter Bobby Simone who would win Russell's heart. During her freshman year on NYPD Blue, Diane Russell appeared only on a recurring basis, as did two other new characters: the precinct's temporary administrative assistant, John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup), the series' first (but hardly the last) openly gay character; and Det. Adrianne Lesniak (Justine Miceli), who'd transferred to the 15th to escape a disastrous inter-departmental romance -- only to find herself the object of the affections of Precinct stalwart James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). But while neither Delaney, Brochtrup, nor Miceli were as yet listed among the "stars" of the series, two recurring characters from season one, Gordon Clapp as Detective Greg Medavoy and Gail O'Grady as administrative assistant Donna Abandando, were bumped up to full "regular" status. Greg and Donna's very, very close friendship became very, very much closer as the year progressed, despite Medavoy's periodic returns to his estranged wife. This was the year in which the misogynistic Andy Sipowicz finally humanized to the point of proposing marriage to Assistant DA Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), despite having characterized her as a "prissy bitch" during the previous season. This was also the year in which series regular Dennis Franz entered "pop culture Valhalla" by flashing his naked backside to the camera. And this was the year in which NYPD Blue added two more Emmys to its collection, for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Shirley Knight in the episode "Large Mouth Bass"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this heartwarming drama, a dying widow "abducts" a trio of women suffering from Alzheimer's disease and embarks upon a journey to the title Texas town in order to fulfill her lifelong fantasy of seeing the ocean. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The fourth season of NYPD Blue saw the introduction of two important new cast members: Andrea Thompson as Detective Jill Kirkendall, fearless crime-fighter, single mother, and potential threat to the burgeoning romance between Det. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney); and Lourdes Benedicto as Gina Colon, one of several novice 15th precinct administrative assistants, and the new love interest for Det. James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). While Andrea Thompson would ultimately be promoted to series regular, Lourdes Benedicto remained among the recurring-character ranks, albeit a prominent one. In other developments, Det. Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) went on a crash diet and somewhat reluctantly volunteered to be the father of gay cop Abby Sullivan's (Paige Turco) baby; Bobby Simone inherited a shabby Brooklyn apartment building, involving him in a whole new crop of oddball characters, chief among them surly building super Henry Coffield (Willie Garson); combustible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) continued to behave in an unpredictable fashion from one day to the next, though he was considerably humanized by his newborn son Theo (the mother, of course, was Assistant DA Sylvia Costas [Sharon Lawrence]); and recovering alcoholic Diane Russell, beset by professional and personal woes, suffered a nervous breakdown.

Of the major story arcs, two involved delicate and potentially deadly undercover operations. Diane Russell was assigned to get "close" to handsome, hair-triggered mob functionary Jimmy Liery (Christopher Meloni); it was the grim outcome of this case that nearly pushed Diane over the edge and back into a bottle. And, prodded by the Feds, who were anxious to build a case against hoodlum Joey Salvo (Peter Onorati), Bobby Simone infiltrated Salvo's circle of friends and performed a few conspicuous "favors" for Joey. The fact that Bobby's covert activities aroused the suspicions of Internal Affairs very nearly lost Simone his badge -- and also set the stage for season four's cliffhanger finale. As was the case in the three previous years, NYPD Blue collected quite a few statuettes at the annual Emmy awards presentation. Dennis Franz copped his third Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actor; Kim Delaney was honored as Outstanding Supporting Actress; and David Milch, Stephen Gaghan, and Michael R. Perry shared an award for their scripting of the episode "Where's 'Swaldo?" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pre-Sex and the City Kristen Davis stars in this made-for-TV thriller as waitress Babette Watson, who has the uneviable talent of being able to "envision" murders before the happen. Naturally, no one believes Babette when she tells about her sixth-sense powers--and then the bodies start piling up in town. Police detective Max Seagle (Matthew Settle) approaches Babette and asks her to help him trap the serial killer responsible for the carnage. As the days wear on, Max and Babette grow quite fond of one another, much to the disgust of her religious-zealot mother Yvette (Ellen Burstyn). But the wrath of her mom is the last thing on Babette's mind when the maniacal killer catches up with her! Adapted by Dan Greenburg from his own novel Love Kills, A Deadly Vision made its ABC network bow on April 21, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The scene is Cornwell University, where college journalist Mary Stuartson (Melissa Joan Hart) shares a dorm room with Holly Sherman (Lisa Dean Ryan). Returning to the room one night in a battered state, Holly tells Mary that she has been raped by the school's star athlete, Clay Roberts (Josh Hopkins). Mary urges Holly to alert the authorities, but Holly is afraid of what the incident might do to her reputation--and besides, who'd take her word over Clay's? Galvanized into action, Mary investigates the situation and unearths several other examples of date rape that have been swept under the rug on campus. She then writes a series of articles about fictional rape victim "Molly", thereby making herself a target of persecution, recrimination and retribution by students, faculty members and "townies" alike--but Mary isn't the sort of young woman who backs down when she knows she's right! This made-for-TV drama was produced by the mother and aunt of star Melissa Joan Hart, and features Melissa's younger sister Emily Hart in a supporting role. Silencing Mary originally aired March 8, 1998 on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Sylvia dies from her gunshot wounds, the squad worries that the grieving Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) will go off the deep end. Indeed, Sipowicz shows signs of complete withdrawal, save for his tender loving care of Theo (Austin Majors), the child Sylvia bore him. Back at the Cullinen trial, it is revealed that the assassin targeted the wrong person, and that the attempted hit was masterminded by a heretofore unsuspected third party. And John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup), whose insistence that the death of Dolores Mayo be avenged began the chain of events leading to the courtroom tragedy, feels personally responsible for the whole mess. Dennis Franz won an Emmy award for his performance in this, the last episode of NYPD Blue's sixth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ernest Thompson, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play and Oscar-winning film On Golden Pond, was both director and co-writer of the cable-TV film Out of Time. The story begins in Oregon in 1980, when Jack Epson -- a young business owner, family man, and dedicated environmentalist -- discovers that he has leukemia. While ruminating over his fate, Jack is beckoned into the forests near his home by what seem to be the ghosts of his ancestors, who lure him into a deep sleep. Jack awakens 20 years later, only to find his home town in the grip of an evil land developer, who is now the husband of Jack's "widow" Annie. With the help of his ten-year-old grandson (who gives the "old man" a crash course in 21st century pop culture), Jack tries to make amends for his lengthy absence, and to set things right in his community. It hardly takes a rocket scientist to recognize Out of Time as an update of Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle; and indeed, Irving is given a posthumous "writing" credit, just in case anyone missed the connection. Co-produced by Tony Danza and starring NYPD Blue's James McDaniel, Out of Time first aired June 18, 2000, on the Showtime network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide