Helen Nielsen Movies
- 1965
Vera Miles, who starred in the very first half-hour episode of Alfred Hitchcock's TV suspense anthology, returns a decade later to headline this hour-long installment. Miles plays Nicky Revere, the daughter of once-famous Hollywood director Gavin Revere (John Carradine). Not long after Nicky takes her dad's limo to garage mechanic and would-be actor Leo Manfred (James Farentino), Leo proposes to her in order to gain access to her father. The elder Revere is dead set against the wedding, believing (accurately) that Leo is nothing but a fortune-seeking opportunist -- and to prove that he isn't, Leo is forced to take out a life-insurance policy naming Nicky as beneficiary. Five points to anyone who guess how this one turns out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Farentino, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1962
Veteran boxing trainer Jimmy West (played by Robert Armstrong of King Kong fame) thinks he's finally found a "golden boy" in the form of young pugilist Davey Carroll (a young, pre-2001 Gary Lockwood). But sports promoter Tod Richards (Mark Roberts) also wants control of Danny, and is willing to resort to any means, fair or foul, to get what he wants. When Richards turns up dead, Perry Mason enters the ring to defend West from a charge of first-degree murder. Seen in a very small role is Mae Clarke, immortalized as the recipient of James Cagney's grapefruit in the 1931 gangster drama Public Enemy; ironically, Ms. Clarke and Robert Armstrong had previously shared costar billing in 1932's The Penguin Pool Murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Wealthy Walter Frazer (Torin Thatcher) has always held his daughter-in-law Sue Ellen (Diana Millay), a former nightclub singer, responsible for the failures of his son Gregson (Bryan Grant), now working as a parking attendant. Hoping to get rid of Sue Ellen, Frazer offers her a huge sum to divorce Gregson, but she angrily turns him down. Not long afterward, Gregson is murdered--whereupon Frazer does an about-face, insisting that Sue Ellen is a wonderful girl and his son was a no-good wastrel. In his efforts to defend Sue Ellen on a murder charge, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) tries to uncover the real reason behind Frazer's highly unconvincing change of heart. Watch for future TV icons Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island) and DeForest Kelley (Star Trek) in supporting roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
The death of accused bank robber Arnold Mathias (Ron Nichols) during a prison break has revived interest in the robbery which allegedly netted Mathias 500,000 dollars -- but which has never been officially solved. Shortly after Mathias' death, a man identifying himself as novelist Henry Taylor (Robert Bray) pays a visit to bank president William Spengler (Bob Sweeney), hoping to get the full story of the robbery. In the course of events, Spengler makes a startling revelation -- but nowhere near as startling as the one made by "Henry Taylor" in the final scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Hopelessly in love with Poopsie Barrett (Sarah Marshall), the childlike, scatterbrained wife of his boss James Barrett (Richard Gaines), Philip Weaver (Peter Walker) begins plotting Barrett's demise. The scheme involves a business trip to Toronto and an "accidental" tragedy. What Philip hadn't counted on is the fact that Poopsie is not only scatterbrained, but rather stupid as well!€ ° ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
