Tyler McVey Movies

While in the furniture shop for repairs, Archie's beloved easy chair is accidentally given to the wrong customer. Tracking down the precious piece of furniture, Archie discovers that the chair become the centerpiece of an avant-garde exhibition created by an artist named Lichtenrauch (Michael Pataki). Written by Mel Tolkin and Larry Rhine, this episode inadvertently anticipated the real-life honor bestowed upon Archie's celebrated chair, when it was enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution in 1978. "Archie's Chair" originally aired on January 15, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tina Louise guest stars as Candy, a pretty cocktail waitress who hitches a ride from Ironside's aide Mark (Don Mitchell). What Mark doesn't know is that Candy is the accomplice of a wanted criminal, and that she is looking for a fall guy to take the rap for a recent robbery. The trouble really begins, however, when Candy unexpectedly grows fond of her "patsy" Mark--just as her partner-in-crime returns to the scene. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The FBI suspects a case of jury tampering when, after the acquittal of notorious mob figure, juror Steven Harber (Robert Hooks) suddenly becomes conspicuously wealthy. Eventually, Harber's conscience kicks in, but it may already be too late. Not only is Harber being shaken down by a blackmailer who witnessed the payoff, but there is also a mob hitman at large who has killed two other jurors in his efforts to make sure that no one talks. Seen as Harber's anguished wife is Cicely Tyson, making the most of a rather thankless role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ben Cartwright is determined to block the gubernatorial bid of John Faraday (Simon Scott), the corrupt stooge of crooked tycoon Sam Endicott (Sidney Blackmer). When Ben is shot by one of Endicott's henchmen, he decides to "play dead" until the convention, then expose both Endicott and Faraday as murderous scoundrels. But a monkey wrench is thrown into the works when an innocent man is arrested for Ben's "murder." Portions of David Rose's background music were later incorporated into the themes of the subsequent Michael Landon series Little House on the Prairie). Among the supporting players is George Gaynes, best known to latter-day viewers for his hilarious performances in the theatrical features Tootsie and Police Academy. First shown on March 3, 1968, "The Late Ben Cartwright" was written by Walter Black. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dick Van Dyke stars as U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Robinson Crusoe in one of Disney's weakest comedies. Like in the Daniel Defoe story, Crusoe finds himself alone on a deserted island, but this time he arrives there after ejecting from his disabled plane on a mission in the South Pacific. He befriends a chimp who is part of the space program and long thought to be lost at sea. Soon he meets his girl Wednesday (Nancy Kwan), and the duo is chased by her tribal chieftain father (Akim Tamiroff) who wants his daughter to marry Crusoe. Only the popularity of Dick Van Dyke from his television show and his wonderful performance in Mary Poppins could attribute for the $8 million this misfire brought in at the box office. The highlights of the feature are the special effects. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

When the wife of Chaplain Craig Fletcher (Leslie Nielsen) is killed on an Army base, suspicion immediately falls upon PFC Byron Landy (Bruce Dern), a lifelong troublemaker and malcontent who has already beaten one murder rap. The angry locals demand immediate retribution against Landy, proof or no proof. It is up to Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to defuse this volatile situation and to make certain that the actual murderer is brought to justice. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Social-climbing car thief Philadelphia Harry (Telly Savalas) thinks he's finally hit the big time when he steals a Rolls Royce belonging to millionaire Sheridan Westcott (Darren McGavin). But Harry's delight turns to dismay when he discovers the body of Westcott's wife in the back seat. Though he may be a thief, Harry would rather die than have people think he has stooped to murder -- and as it happens, death may be the only way out of this mess when Westcott, the real murderer, tells the police that his wife was still alive when the car was stolen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Roger Willoughby (Rock Hudson) is a super salesman of sporting goods who sells fishing equipment but knows nothing about the sport. Roger's boss Cadwalader (John McGiver) gets an idea from publicity director Abigail (Paula Prentiss) to enter him in a fishing contest, and the inept angler has a series of comic consequences before he wins the contest with some help from a bear. When Roger admits that his winning the event was merely luck, he turns in the prize and loses his job. Roger eventually wins Abigail's heart and gets his job back. Howard Hawks directs this slapstick comedy with his typical flair -- witty dialogue and effective sight gags included. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

When people refer to Doris Day as "the world's oldest professional virgin," they generally have the 1962 comedy That Touch of Mink in mind. It isn't that Cathy Timberlake (Day) is above a bit of hanky-panky; it's just that she wants such tangibles as a marriage license and wedding ring first. Thus, when playboy businessman Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) begins actively pursuing Cathy (they "met cute" when Philip's limo splashed mud on the hapless Cathy), she won't say "I will" until he says "I do." She is of the idealistic opinion that she can bring out the best intentions in him, even when he repeatedly tips off his worst intentions by inviting her to accompany him to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Bermuda. After not a few complications and misunderstands, Cathy finally finagles a proposal out of Philip. The film is essentially much ado about nothing, but it is so well-acted and attractively photographed that the audiences are willing to go along for the ride. The high-powered supporting cast includes Gig Young as Roger, Philip's moralistic financial advisor; Audrey Meadows as Connie, Cathy's wise-cracking roommate; Alan Hewitt as Dr. Gruber, a confused psychiatrist; John Astin as Beasley, Cathy's slimy would-be beau; Dick Sargent as a neurotic honeymooner; and an unbilled Richard Deacon as an all-around letch. Best scene: the baseball-dugout rhubarb involving New York Yankees Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hoss Cartwright agrees to meet and provide transportation for Lotty (Judi Meredith), the mail-order bride of his temporarily incapacitated friend Walter Prescott (John Doucette). Hoss' gallantry backfires when Lotty falls in love with him--whereupon the disgruntled Prescott hires a bounty hunter to kill the hapless Mr. Cartwright. The supporting cast includes Phil Chambers (Dick Thompson), Tyler McVey (Townsman), Roy Engel (Doctor), Tina Menard (Francesca), George Robotham (Frank) and Gil Perkins (Whitey). Originally seen on November 18, 1962, "Knight Errant" was written by Joseph Hoffman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One of the best-remembered of all the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes, "Man From the South" is a typically twisted tale from the pen of Roald Dahl. The scene is Las Vegas, where a middle-aged gent named Carlos (Peter Lorre) approaches a brash young gambler (Steve McQueen) with a peculiar wager. If the young man is able to ignite a cigarette lighter ten times in a row, Carlos will give him a new convertible. But if the lighter fails, the young man will have to sacrifice something of his own -- namely, the little finger of his right hand. "Man From the South" was later redone with José Ferrer as an episode of the syndicated anthology Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected, and still later with John Huston as a segment in the multipart pilot film for the 1985 Alfred Hitchcock Presents revival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The "mutual admiration society" consisting of actor James Cagney and actor/director Robert Montgomery culminated in the 1960 film The Gallant Hours. Cagney stars as war hero Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. On the verge of retirement, Halsey recalls his most fateful wartime experience: his five-week showdown between himself and Japanese Admiral Yamamoto (James T. Goto) in 1942. In command of the American naval forces in the Pacific, Halsey scores a crucial, tide-turning victory at Guadalcanal. In concentrating on the participants rather than the battle itself, The Gallant Hours is a character study of a remarkable American. The a cappella "score" performed by Ken Darby and the King's Men Quartet is a matter of taste. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This hysterical drive-in favorite pits a community of swamp-dwelling yokels against the silliest-looking monsters since the shag-rug aliens of The Creeping Terror. Despite the strange sucker-marks found on a dead trapper's blood-drained body, and a man's story of seeing his unfaithful wife and her lover dragged into the swamp by the creatures, the police refuse to acknowledge that something freaky is going on. Only after more trappers disappear does the local game warden decide to take action, which he does with a vengeance. When the leech lair is discovered in a cave beneath the swamp, explosives are employed to blow them to little rubber bits. It's hard to be too critical of this early film from prolific TV-director Bernard L. Kowalski (Night of the Blood Beast), since executive producer Roger Corman allocated a budget for this production that would hardly cover the catering bill on a major studio film -- even in 1960! Look carefully to spot the scuba tanks beneath the leech costumes. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi