William McNamara Movies

A geeky cowboy helps a self-destructive sculptor come to terms with her dark past by helping her to confront the fear that keeps her from forming any meaningful human connections. April is a blind sculptor who was rejected by her father as a child, and has since grown up to be fiercely independent. When April encounters David, she is terrified at the thought that there is someone out there who might be able to see through her pain. Later, upon learning April's secret, David performs an act of selflessness that prompts the damaged object of his affections to confront her deepest fears and finally risk intimacy. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

To paraphrase the late, great NBC programming executive Brandon Tartikoff, the television industry is comprised of two different groups of people: The "beggars," those actors, writers, directors, and producers who tirelessly and relentlessly package and pitch ideas, concepts, and premises for new TV series; and the "choosers," those elite network chieftans who make the final decisions as to what will or will not be seen on the air. With this in mind, Beggars and Choosers was the perfect title for a raunchy, ribald cable-TV satirical sitcom, set behind the walls of a major (but not too major) television network. The setting for this weekly, 60-minute series was the headquarters of the LGT network, which, though it ran a distant last to such prestigious webs as ABC, CBS, and NBC, still managed to score a few ratings successes, notably the Seinfeld clone "Peter's Pals" and the ethnic soaper "Puerto Vallarta." Like most contemporary entertainment-manufacturing concerns, LGT was a hotbed of betrayals, double-crosses, backstabbings, dark intrigues, covert conspiracies, and sexual shenanigans. Heading the huge cast of regulars and recurring characters was Brian Kerwin as youthful LGT president Brian Kerwin, who manfully kept his wits about him while swimming with sharks at the workplace and dealing with domestic problems engendered by his demanding wife Cecile (Isabella Hoffman) and his troublesome teenaged children Audrey (Keegan Connor Tracy) and Cary (Kaj-Erik Eriksen). Co-starring with Kerwin was Charlotte Ross as Lori Vopone, LGT's barracuda-like vice president of development, who would stop at literally nothing to get bigger ratings and advance her own career. Others in the cast included Tuc Watkins as the network's closeted homosexual casting executive Malcolm Laffley, who spent most of the first season trying to work up the courage to "out" himself; William McNamara as supercilious talent agent Brad Advail, who was convinced that his success hinged upon which pair of socks he wore on any given day; Christopher Kennedy as Marty Hertz, LGT's bean-counting head of business affairs; and Sheila Moore as the network's hypersensitive vice president of standards and practices. Initially, LGT was owned by the senile, semi-comatose E. L. Ludden (Bill Morey) and his scheming trophy wife Lydia (Carol Kane). During a bitter power struggle between Mr. and Mrs. Ludden, control of the network was seized by flaky dot.com billionaire Dan Falco (Beau Bridges), who shortly thereafter turned the business over to his nitwit brother Freddie (James Belushi). The gloriously uninhibited and diabolically clever Beggars and Choosers debuted over cable's Showtime network on June 19, 1999, remaining in first-run for the next two seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season two of the uninhibited, uncensored satirical cable sitcom Beggars and Choosers begins with yet another vicious power play between E.L. Luddin (Bill Morey), doddering owner of the LGT television network, and his avaricious trophy bride Lydia (Carol Kane). In the final analysis, both Luddins lose out when 53 percent of the network's stock is scooped up by flaky dot.com billionaire Dan Falco (Beau Bridges). This upheaval inspires LGT's predatory vice president of development Lori Volpone (Charlotte Ross) to put her romance with poetry-spouting Russian gangster Nicky Krasnakov (Rudolf Martin) on hiatus while she plays up to the fabulously wealthy Falco. Before long, however, Falco has departed the country to enter a Bhuddist monastery, leaving the network in the hands of his dimwitted brother Freddie (James Belushi), whose "experience" in television consists largely of turning his set on and off and changing the channels. Despite Freddie's ineptitude, popular LGT star Sandra Cassandra (Samantha Ferris) figures it is in her best interest to inaugurate an affair with the younger Falco. Meanwhile, long-suffering LGT president Rob Malone (Brian Kerwin) is given all sorts of new reasons to bash his head against the wall, not least of which is the breakup of his marriage to the demanding Cecile (Isabella Hofmann). Elsewhere, the network's "outed" cast director Malcolm (Tuc Watkins) once again stirs up negative publicity when he casts a gay actor in a straight role; Nicky Krasnakov makes a talk show appearance and manages to offend a powerful minority group; the inherent bitterness and backstabbing at LGT gets really up close and personal when the police seal off the network's headquarters during a bank robbery; and the sperm bank containing the "legacy" of late sitcom star Parker Meridian suffers a freezer breakdown. One of the most persistent of the season's many subplots involves a case of industrial espionage, when it appears that a "mole" in the network is leaking LGT's best series ideas to rival web NBC. Intimately involved in this intrigue are two of LGT's newest hires, bed-hopping staff assistant Kelly Kramer (Christina Hendricks) and opportunistic Britisher Nigel Gibney (Justin Carroll). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dr. Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver), a psychiatrist famous for her writings about serial murderers, is nearly killed by obsessed psychopath Daryll Lee Cullum (Harry Connick Jr.). As a result of this trauma, Helen becomes a drunken, pill-taking agoraphobic who can't leave her San Francisco apartment. After a series of bizarre murders, she calls the police suggesting that the murders were the work of a serial killer. Detective M.J. Monahan (Holly Hunter) and her assistant Ruben (Dermot Mulroney) believe Helen and discover, during the investigation, that the man is re-creating murders by the killers described in Helen's book: The Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy, Son of Sam and the Hillside Strangler. After Helen's secretary, Andy (John Rothmen) is murdered, Helen begins to fear for her own life. The film has a dramatic, terrifying conclusion as Helen confronts the killer and must overcome her own fears to save herself. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

In 1987-88, a quartet of films with the same basic body-switching premise deluged theaters: Like Father, Like Son (1987), Big (1988), Vice Versa (1988), and 18 Again (1988). One year later, Dream a Little Dream (1989) followed suit. Coleman Ettinger (Jason Robards) is forever scolding the local high school students who use his yard as a shortcut to and from their nearby school. Coleman is not a crotchety old coot, however. He's deeply in love with his wife Gena (Piper Laurie) and is good friends with his next-door neighbor Ike (Harry Dean Stanton). In fact, Coleman is looking for a mystical way to preserve his and Gena's lives forever by transferring their consciousness into the bodies of younger people. One day, student Bobby Keller (Corey Feldman) has a bicycle mishap with Coleman while cutting through the yard, and their minds change places. Now Coleman has the brain of a teenager, while young Bobby uses Coleman's wisdom and life experience to win over the girl of his dreams. Dream a Little Dream was the directorial debut of Marc Rocco, son of actor Alex Rocco, who costars in a supporting role. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Josh Evans wrote and directed this cynical glimpse at power players and hustlers working the shadowy side of the film industry. After his mother's death, talented eccentric Sonny Daye (William McNamara) arrives on the Hollywood scene. His brother, Franky Syde (Frank Whaley), confident of Sonny's abilities, allows crass, scurrilous producer Sid Dalgren (Tony Danza) to see Sonny's journal. Recognizing Sonny's gift, Sid makes moves to manipulate and exploit him. Sid's girlfriend, Vanessa (Natasha Gregson Wagner), sees Sonny in a different light. The Glam cast includes director Evans' mother, Ali MacGraw. Some of the Glam character names link with characters introduced in Evans' directorial debut, Inside the Goldmine (1994), a film that also featured Wagner, the daughter of Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. Shown at the 1997 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

In this offbeat thriller, Ann (Amy Locane) is a young woman trying to put her life back together after she lost her child in a car wreck. Formerly a single mother, Ann has recently started dating a man named Tom (William McNamera), and one day Tom asks Ann for a favor -- would she be willing to baby sit for his boss' daughter? Ann agrees, and she soon finds herself becoming quite fond of the little girl. However, before long, Ann discovers Tom has something less than honest up his sleeve -- the child is actually the victim in a kidnapping scheme, and Ann has been made an accomplice against her will. Also shown under the title Wishful Thinking, Implicated also stars Frederic Forrest and Priscilla Barnes. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The life of Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor is told in this made-for-television drama. Sherilyn Fenn stars as Oscar-winning actress Liz Taylor, whose career began when her mother pushed her into acting as a child in the 1940s. Her tumultuous career ups and downs, and her turbulent personal life are chronicled in the film, which was based on the book by C. David Heymann. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi

In this low-budget thriller, which was released directly to video, Donald Sutherland stars as a Ted Robards, a small-time stockbroker who allows promising young Harvard alumnus Jeremy (William McNamara) to move into his home and help run his firm. While pretending to build up the business, Jeremy secretly dismantles it from within, all the while planning to wreak havoc of a more personal nature on Ted; his son Chris; and especially his pregnant new wife, Sandy (Lesley Ann Warren). Flashbacks reveal Jeremy's tortured upbringing and the killing streak it engendered. As things turn out, however, the pampered, beautiful Sandy has some devastating secrets of her own -- one of which may explain why her husband's protégé is out to get her. Natural Enemy also features Joe Pantoliano and Wayne's World starlet Tia Carrere. McNamara previously played another serial killer in 1995's Copycat. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

As two brothers fall in love with the same woman they must come to grips with the accidental death of their father in this sensitive drama set in Miami. Matthew is still wracked with guilt about the death of his father one year before. As a lifeguard, he believes he should have been able to save him from drowning. Matthew is slowly retreating into his own world, a world that includes a radio inside his head that keeps changing it's station when things become too difficult. Michael, his older brother, tries to help Matthew by getting him a new job at an advertising agency. Matthew stubbornly refuses and opts to remain at the local pool. Michael throws himself completely into his working leaving his ignored girlfriend Natalie ample time to explore a relationship with Matthew. Though innocent, the relationship makes Matthew feel even more guilty. He becomes more withdrawn and begins imaginary conversations with Jesus who is disguised as a Cuban vagabond. Images of water also continue to haunt him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A criminal burns his bridges with his fellow outlaws and lives to regret it in this drama. John Shakley (William McNamara) is a small-time crook who has decided it's time to put his life back on the straight and narrow. However, his efforts to stay on the right side of the law are foiled by two longtime acquaintances -- an old buddy and John's former girlfriend approach him, hoping he can help them fence a cache of stolen jewelry. John can't turn his back on his friend and wants to convince his girl to come back to him, so he reluctantly agrees to the proposition. However, he discovers the jewels are too hot to be moved through any channels he knows, and in order to save his own skin, he's forced to turn himself in to the police. When John's partners discover he's turned informer, John quickly learns he's only traded one sort of grave danger for another. Snitch also stars Marlee Matlin and Tisha Campbell. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A group of ten men come together for a bachelor party that goes horribly wrong in this made-for-TV drama. Mario Van Peebles and John Stockwell star as old friends Michael and Victor, both of them successful, well-off young professionals. The latter is about to be married, so Michael throws him a lavish party complete with booze, drugs, a pair of stripper sisters and some old friends that Michael would actually rather not see, including Pete (Andrew McCarthy), a street-smart drug dealer. When one of the girls is accidentally killed and her handler is shot in the ensuing confusion, the group of men reacts in completely different ways. Timan (John Henson) becomes completely unraveled, while others like Pete and Daniel (Kevin Dillon) keep their cool and try to come up with a viable plan to handle their new "problem." A next door neighbor (Jerry Stiller) who comes over to investigate the noise only compounds the problem. Stag bore almost precisely the same plot as Very Bad Things (1998), a more comic take on the story that was released theatrically one year later. The surviving stripper was played by former pop music star Taylor Dayne. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi