Keith Mitchell Movies
The nurses go on strike, forcing the doctors and interns (with the exception of George [T.R. Knight], who refuses to cross the picket line) to soldier on all by themselves. With Bailey on pregnancy leave, her replacement is Dr. Sydney Aaron (Kali Rocha), the polar opposite of Seattle Grace's infamous "Nazi". Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) makes a mistake while treating a patient, and the error does not go unnoticed by the patient's gossipy friends (played by veteran actresses Betty Garrett, June Lockhart and Rae Allen). And elsewhere, the beleagured doctors must cope with a sullen pregnant teenager and a mysterious skin ailment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Gary Coleman stars as a teen-age angel who must return to Earth to help out three troubled families in order to earn his wings. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
The Disney animated feature The Fox and the Hound tells the story of a friendship between traditional enemies. Tod is a fox whose parents have died. His best friend is a hunting dog named Copper. As Copper grows up, he learns that it is his job to hunt foxes. Tod's caretaker Widow Tweed takes Tod to live in a game preserve where he falls madly in love with Vixey. Copper and his owner eventually enter the preserve to hunt Tod, and eventually Copper must decide between duty and friendship. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, (more)
Series costar Cindy Williams plays a dual role in this episode. Meeting a handsome doctor named Paul McKenzie (Paul Tully), Shirley (Cindy Williams) agrees to go on a date with him, while Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) act as babysitters for McKenzie's son Keith (Keith Mitchell). As the evening progresses, it becomes painfully clear to Shirley that Paul wanted to go out with her only because she resembles his ex-wife Diane--a point driven home when Diane herself (also Cindy Williams, albeit in a blonde wig) unexpectedly shows up. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Originally made for television, this film concerns another case for the legendary super sleuth. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Back home on furlough, John-Boy (Robert Wightman) has trouble remembering the details of the plane crash that had earlier left him in a comatose state. Even more perplexing are John-Boy's random references to some mysterious person named "Katie Ann." Quick, darting flashbacks to his wartime accident enable John-Boy to put the pieces back together, but it's a far from easy task. Elsewhere on the Mountain, middle-aged Ike Godsey (Joe Conley) is certain that the Army has made a clerical error when he receives his draft notice...until he ends up behind bars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Here three classic animal tales are presented by children's host Dr. Doolittle (Anthony Newley). Stories presented are: Jack London's Call of the Wild, Sterling North's Rascal, and an excerpt from Mel Ellis' The Flight of the White Wolf. ~ All Movie Guide
Already having great difficulty meeting his business deadlines, John Walton (Ralph Waite) is further stymied by a total breakdown of equipment at the lumberyard. Accordingly, John himself "breaks down"and announces his retirement, celebrating his new-found freedom in the company of his friend Ike (Joe Conley) at a local bar. When both men come staggering home three sheets to the wind, chaos ensues (as chaos often does). Elsewhere, cousin Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) is a cinch to win an upcoming soapbox derby--mainly because he's the only contestant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
William Schallert makes his first appearance as Stanley Perkins, the peripatetic former boyfriend of Aunt Rose Burton (Peggy Rea). Now sooner has he arrive on the Mountain than Stanley has made clear his intention of proposing to Rose. But Rose hesitates, worried that she is holding Stanley back from a lucrative job offer in California (assuming, of course, that Stanley is telling the truth about that offer!). Meanwhile, Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) gets so fed up sharing a room with cousin Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) that he moves into the hayloft in the barn--only to be left literally high and dry when the ladder falls down! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) and Josh (Todd Bridges) steal money from the Godsey's store to cover their losses in a crap game. But when the authorities catch up with them, Jeffrey magnanimously allows Josh take all the blame. And in another development, an insulting remark from a soldier convinces Ben (Eric Scott) that it is high time that he enlist in the Armed Forces -- even though he is a new husband and an even newer father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Former series regular Ellen Corby makes a return appearance in this episode, which revolves around a crisis in the home of the Baldwin sisters. Although Mamie Baldwin (Helen Kleeb) must have cataract surgery or risk total blindness, she refuses, citing the fact that her dear, departed daddy died on an operating table. John turns to Grandma and asks her to talk sense to Mamie -- if such a thing as possible. Elsewhere, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) loses one boyfriend but gains another, thereby introducing Tony Becker in the semi-regular role of Drew Cutler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jason (Jon Walmsley) befriends a young Polish-American Jew named Ted Lupinsky (Todd Susman). When Ted tells the Waltons that his grandfather died in an extermination camp, the story seems too incredible (and too horrible) to believe. Eventually, however, Ted persuades the family that he is telling the truth -- and along the way, he helps Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) overcome her feelings of rejection for being more intellectual and less frivolous than her classmates (one of whom is played by Erica Hunton, who previously essayed the title role in "The Foundling," the very first episode of The Waltons). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) finds a kindred spirit in the form of the Mountain's new schoolteacher, a brilliant young woman named Hazel (Susan Krebs). Conversely, Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) is shocked by Hazel's "progressive" ideas, especially her plans to conduct a sex-education class. As it turns out, however, Hazel has a lot more to worry about than Corabeth's outrage. Elsewhere, Ben (Eric Scott) becomes so terrified at the prospect of becoming a father that he goes out and gets roaring drunk -- just when his pregnant wife Cindy (Leslie Winston) needs him most! Virginia Walton, the newest member of the family, makes her first appearance in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
It is the spring of 1944 on Walton's Mountain. As war correspondent John-Boy (Robert Wightman) prepares for his return trip overseas, his brother Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) is trying to figure out a way to avoid being chosen as his high school's class valedictorian; sister Erin (Mary Elizabeth McDonough) receives some dispiriting news from her erstwhile fiance; and brother Ben (Eric Scott) bids a tearful farewell to his wife and baby as he heads off to the Pacific front. Former series regular Ellen Corby makes a return appearance as Grandma Walton, while featured among Jim-Bob's classmates is a young, pre-Mask Eric Stolz. Although this is technically the final episode of The Waltons' eighth season, the "official" finale, a two-hour retrospective titled A Decade of the Waltons, was telecast by CBS on May 22, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Erin (Mary McDonough) wants to open a daycare center on behalf of J.D. Pickett's female employees, but Pickett (Lewis Arquette) is determined to set up a tavern for his male workers instead. Meanwhile, Ike Godsey (Joe Conley) hopes to surprise his wife Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) by learning to dance before their next anniversary. This plan nearly wrecks his marriage when Corabeth becomes convinced that Ike is "stepping out" in more ways than one with his dancing teacher Rose (Peggy Rea). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Peggy Rea joins the cast as Rose Burton, the Waltons' aunt from Baltimore. Having come to Walton's Mountain to help the family out while Olivia (Michael Learned) continues her convalescence, Aunt Rose brings her two troublesome grandchildren, Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) and Serena (Martha Nix), along for the ride. As it turns out, the kids' bad behavior stems from a very serious problem which Rose is reluctant to discuss with anyone. Meanwhile, Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) and Ike Godsey (Joe Conley) do their bit for the war effort by constructing a rather odd-looking air raid siren. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) "helpfully" lends the pregnant Cindy (Leslie Winston) a book on marriage titled "The Fastidious Wife." Following the advice dispensed in the book, Cindy begins catering to the every whim of her hardworking husband Ben -- and wears herself to a frazzle in the process. Meanwhile, John (Ralph Waite) comes to regret his decision to allow Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) and Serena (Martha Nix) to adopt a cat named Harold...especially when "he" turns out to be a "she" in a rather dramatic fashion! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Just before Christmas, the Walton family becomes aware of a "spirit" who has been running loose on the Mountain and committing acts of petty thievery. Cousin Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) locates the elusive thief, a young man named Paul (Ned Bellamy), and becomes his friend -- and nevermind that Paul happens to be a runaway German prisoner of war. And elsewhere on the Mountain, Cindy (Leslie Winston) and Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) cause a considerable amount of embarrassment for the menfolk with their Christmas-gift requests. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
J.D. Pickett (Lewis Arquette) and his male employees laugh out loud when Mary Ellen (Judy Norton-Taylor) and Erin (Mary McDonough) enter a "ride and run" horse race staged by Pickett to raise money for the war effort. Defiantly, Erin bets J.D. a week's wages that she will win the race -- a very long shot indeed! And back at the Walton home, Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) loses faith in humanity when he finds out that his favorite movie star didn't really sign the autographed photo on his wall. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Working as a delivery man, Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) falls in love with one of his customers, Betsy Randolph (Patsy Rahn). It so happens, however, that Betsy is already spoken for: she is the wife of an Army air corps pilot. The plot takes a curious turn when Betsy's husband is killed in action. Elsewhere, girl scout Serena (Martha Nix) gets lost in the woods while trying to win a merit badge for hiking, obliging her uncle John (Ralph Waite) to look for her -- and to end up hiking right alongside Serena as she ventures into some decidedly treacherous territory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the conclusion of a two-part story, the family gathers together to welcome back John-Boy from the battlefield in Europe -- but John-Boy is still in a coma as a result of injuries sustained from a plane crash. As Olivia sits patiently at John-Boy's bedside, hoping to make some sort of contact with him, she becomes close to her son's hospital roommate Sam, a young double amputee who has no family to come home to (Morgan Stevens, later to join the cast as Erin Walton's fiancé Paul Northridge, is here seen as Sam). Meanwhile, the formidable Aunt Rose (Peggy Rea) takes it upon herself to prepare the family's Thanksgiving dinner. Robert Wightman takes over from Richard Thomas in the role of John-Boy Walton in this episode -- which, ironically, also marks the final series appearance of Michael Learned as Olivia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Erin (Mary McDonough) wants to marry Ashley Longworth Jr. (Jonathan Frakes), but there is a major roadblock to their future happiness: unlike the deeply religious Waltons, Ashley is an atheist. His explanation that the War has soured him on the concept of God meets with shock and disappointment from Erin's family -- with the exception of her father John (Ralph Waite), who understands Ashley's spiritual crisis even if he doesn't condone it. Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) is getting sick and tired of her "tag-along" cousin Serena (Martha Nix). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
With John-Boy still missing in action somewhere in Belgium, his publishers ask the Walton family permission to publish his most recent manuscript. While the rest of the family is willing, Olivia (Michael Learned) flatly refuses, convinced that if she gives her consent, it would be the same as admitting that her son is dead. Elsewhere, cousin Jeffrey (Keith Mitchell) holds Ben (Eric Scott) responsible for the death of his beloved dog Restless. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Unless John (Ralph Waite) can prove that he has graduated from high school, his lumber company will lose an important Army contract. Unfortunately, John's diploma is nowhere to be found, and thus he is forced to take a difficult equivalency test -- and he's none too happy about virtually returning to his scholar days at the tender age of 43. Elsewhere, new district nurse Mary Ellen (Judy Norton-Taylor) tangles with a superstitious mountain family which refuses to accept any form of "new fangled" medical treatment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Battered concentrates upon three female victims of spousal abuse. Chip Fields is the new wife of struggling young Levar Burton. Joan Blondell is the alcoholic middle-aged spouse of the equally bibilous Howard Duff. And Karen Grassle (who cowrote the screenplay) is married to Ivy leaguer Mike Farrell. While a bit too cut-and-dried, Battered handles the issues at hand with intelligence and an avoidance of sensationalism. Made for television, the film debuted September 26, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karen Grassle, LeVar Burton, (more)














