Laurie Mitchell Movies
Actress Laurie Mitchell was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. When she was in her teens, her family moved to Los Angeles, and she started taking acting lessons. which paid off in 1954 when she landed a small but memorable role in the opening section of Walt Disney's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. That same year, she started appearing on various dramatic anthology shows on television, and some more uncredited film work followed. She was in a large number of television shows, including Whirlybirds, The Lineup, Colt .45, and M-Squad, and the occasional feature film. The latter included the cult favorite Attack of the Puppet People (1957), in which she played a character who was shrunk to a height of six inches tall; and the camp classic Queen Of Outer Space (1958), in which Mitchell played the title role, the radiation-scarred ruler of the planet Venus, who plans to destroy the Earth. That movie offered Mitchell her biggest and most memorable role, as well as a great opportunity as an actress -- working beneath heavy makeup and behind a mask, she got to emote intensely and dominate the screen in her scenes. Ironically, at almost the same time that she did Queen Of Outer Space, Mitchell was also cast in Missile To the Moon, a very similar but much lower-budgeted movie. Those science fiction credits have been among Mitchell's most recognizable roles across the decades since, though her acting continued, mostly on television, right into 1971. In the years since, she has re-emerged as a favorite guest at film conventions. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide- 1968
The Allies would like to locate the new Luftwaffe headquarters of famed WWI German flying ace General Von Richter (Henry Corden), aka "the Blue Baron." To realize this goal, Hogan persuades Klink to throw a gala party in Von Richter's honor. Cynthia Lynn, who played Klink's secretary Hilda during the series' first season, is here cast as a Mata Hari-like exotic dancer, while frequent Hogan's Heroes supporting player Celeste Yarnall plays a nanny. Written by Arthur Julian, "Will the Blue Baron Strike Again?" originally aired on December 14, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
- 1967
In her first Ironside guest appearance, Susan Saint James is cast as Las Vegas nightclub singer Elaine Moreau, with whom Ed Brown (Don Galloway) has fallen in love. Attacked and knocked unconscious after his first date with Elaine, Ed awakens to find that the girl has completely disappeared. Probing into the incident, Ironside (Raymond Burr) uncovers several unsavory facts about Elaine's checkered past, thereby preparing the viewer for the episode's melancholy climax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
An intelligent, eccentric high school senior devotes his life to indulging the every whim of the beautiful girl he adores in this quirky, dark-humored comedy. Roddy McDowall plays Alan Musgrave, an odd duck who immediately falls for the school's new student, Barbara Ann Greene (Tuesday Weld). Using his quick wits, he helps her win acceptance amongst the popular girls and a cushy job in the principal's office. Never demanding anything in return, Alan doesn't even complain when she falls for an upper-class college boy, and he does everything he can to bring the two together. However, as time passes, this seemingly well-intentioned dedication spins out of control, with results that become increasingly bizarre and even potentially fatal. The irreverent attitude and erratic tone may be an acquired taste, but the film's audacious humor and idiosyncratic approach have won it a cult following. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roddy McDowall, Tuesday Weld, (more)
- 1966
In this drama, a stripper leaves the stage and becomes a grape picker at a California vineyard. There she soon arouses the suspicion of her co-workers; things get worse when the vineyard manager and his brother begin vying for her affection. Eventually tells her female co-workers who she is; she then gives them her jewelry and perfume. Later her manager shows up to bring her back to the nightclub circuits and dives. Instead the girl opts to marry the vineyard manager. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1965
After killing a cop, criminal Jerry Walsh (Tom Simcox) is himself seriously wounded in a shoot-out. Rushed to the hospital, Jerry strikes up a friendship with night nurse Ellen Hatch (Colleen Dewhurst). Eventually, she agrees to help him escape the law...but Ellen is not quite the paragon of kindness and charity that she seems to be. Watch for a pre-Mod Squad Peggy Lipton in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Simcox, (more)
- 1964
Slim Pickens makes a return appearance in the role of shifty, slovenly mountaineer Jim Leyton. Incredibly, Jim has become engaged to the lovely Julie (Laurie Mitchell), despite his long-standing feud with Julie's well-named father Grizzly (Robert Middleton). Hoss Cartwright is yanked into this powderkeg situation when Jim asks him to be best man at the wedding (if, indeed, there ever is a wedding!) Treble-chinned character actor Byron Foulger appears as the Parson. Originally seen on February 23, 1964, "King of the Mountain" was written by Frank Cleaver. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1964
In this western, set in 1875, an agent for the National Detective Agency is assigned to find the murderous outlaw gang that has been breaking convicts out of prison and helping them to commit more crimes. The resulting crimes cause the bounties upon the fugitives' heads to rise. The outlaws then kill the convicts and reap the generous rewards. Fortunately, the agent succeeds in infiltrating the group and killing the leader. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Ben Cooper, (more)
A man falls for an exotic "bad girl," unaware he's already met the nice girl lurking beneath the surface, in this romantic comedy. Samantha Blake (Joanne Woodward) works for a large department store in New York City as a sort of industrial spy; while ostensively a buyer, Blake's greatest responsibility is to find out what the hot new fashions are going to be, so her store can have cut-price knockoffs on the racks once they hit the boutiques. Samantha is flying to Paris with her co-workers Leena (Thelma Ritter) and Joe (George Tobias) when she meets Steve Sherman (Paul Newman), a no-nonsense reporter who has been assigned to cover the unveiling of the new designer lines. Samantha and Steve don't exactly hit it off, and after arriving in Paris, a depressed Samantha makes her way to a beauty salon after a few cocktails too many. Decked out in a new wig and dressed to the nines, Samantha bumps into Steve, who is convinced she's one of the city of lights' glamorous high-priced call girls. Samantha plays along, and Steve writes a story about her which proves to be a hit with his readers, but as she finds herself falling for Steve, she isn't sure how to tell him that she's really the mousy woman he met on his flight to Paris. A New Kind Of Love also features cameo appearances from Maurice Chevalier and Frank Sinatra, the latter of whom sings the title song. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, (more)
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cary Grant, Doris Day, (more)
- 1961
Bart (Jack Kelly) is determined to force George Parker (Alan Hewitt), the crooked town boss of Parkersville, to repay an outstanding gambling debt. Hoping to get rid of his nemesis without getting his own hands dirty, Parker prevails upon the notorious gunslinger Doc Holliday (Peter Breck, making his first appearance in this role) to kill Bart. But Holliday turns out to have an agenda of his own: He takes out a huge life insurance policy on Mr. Maverick--knowing full well that Parker owns the insurance company. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Playboy Loring Lamont (Tony Travis) lures his father's secretary Arlene Ferris (Andra Martin) to his beach house, with seduction on his mind. The outraged Arlene smacks Lamont in the face and steals his car to escape his clutches. When Lamont turns up murdered, Arlene is accused of the crime, but attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) thinks that the killing is tied in with a mysterious phone call overheard by his client--and he is willing to risk serious injury at the hands of two hired thugs to prove his point. Based on a 1959 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner, this is one of several fourth-season episodes in which series regular William Talman (DA Hamilton Burger) does not appear; his replacement on this and other occasions is Robert Karnes as Deputy DA Chamberlin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Green cheese? Men in the Moon? Nah, everyone knows that the moon is really populated by beautiful women wearing silk underwear and spiked heels. They are ruled by an evil temptress and share the moon with giant rock men and an enormous spider. Honest. Just watch this campy remake of Cat Women of the Moon and see for yourself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Harry Keller, the man who directed the extra scenes in Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, receives solo directorial credit in The Female Animal. Hedy Lamarr stars as Vanessa Windsor, a beautiful but ageing film star whose life is saved on the set by handsome extra Chris Farley (George Nader). Falling in love with Chris, Vanessa finds herself in competition with her own adopted daughter Penny (Jane Powell). Meanwhile, poor Chris struggles to become his "own man", and not merely the sexual plaything of two predatory females. Stealing the film from the nominal stars are Jan Sterling as a fading beauty with romantic notions of her own, and James Gleason as a crusty but likeable agent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hedy Lamarr, Jane Powell, (more)
This legendarily campy sci-fi epic (shot in color and CinemaScope, and rather lavish for a sci-fi film of this period) concerns a team of astronauts (all men -- this was 1958, you know) who are drawn off course and land on the planet Venus, only to discover it's populated entirely by beautiful women! The space travelers spend a lot of time drooling over their new hosts, dressed in highly practical mini-skirts, but the Venusian queen (Laurie Mitchell) does not much care for her visitors and wants to see them executed. However, not everyone on the planet takes such a hard line against the male gender. One of the Venusians is played by Zsa Zsa Gabor in what is probably the highlight of her film career; the original story was written by Ben Hecht. The producers helped stretch their budget by borrowing costumes and props from a number of other films, including spacesuits from Forbidden Planet, a spaceship from Flight To Mars and sets from World Without End (which was set on Mars, not Venus, though the differences must have escaped the film's scientific advisors). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eric Fleming, (more)
Attack of the Puppet People is one of the few "mad scientist" opuses of the 1950s to be motivated by loneliness rather than megalomania. John Hoyt plays Franz, a seedy European doll-maker who harbors a crush on his secretary Sally (June Kenney). When Sally makes plans to marry Franz' top employee Bob (John Agar), strange things begin to happen. Before long, both Bob and Sally have been shrunken to doll-size by Franz, who keeps a retinue of living "puppet people" to avoid being left alone. Eventually, the little ones rebel against their addlepated but basically harmless keeper, though there's never any "attack" per se. Most of the acting is amateurish, with the exception of the always reliable John Hoyt; the special effects are somewhat better, but still nothing to write home about. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Agar
- 1957
One of the more diverting byproducts of the short-lived Calypso craze was this quickie Allied Artists musical. What plot their is concerns a lover's quarrel between TV personality Ed Kemmer and stewardess Angie Dickinson. When Dickinson runs off to South America, Kemmer follows. As they try to patch up their differences, the viewer is regaled by a vast array of topnotch musical performers. Among the special guest stars spotlighted herein are Herb Jeffries (who in the 1930s was Hollywood's only black singing cowboy), the Easy Riders, Duke of Iron, Lord Flea and his Calypsonians and the Lester Horden Dancers. Conspicuous by his absence is the real Calypso Joe, a Hawaii-based entertainer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Herb Jeffries, Angie Dickinson, (more)
Vincent Sherman replaced an uncredited Robert Aldrich as director of this noirish and atypically pro-union film from the 1950's. Tulio Renata (Robert Loggia), an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, campaigns to unionize the employees of dress factory owner Walter Mitchell (Lee J. Cobb). Viscerally opposed to the union, Mitchell has hired Artie Ravidge (Richard Boone) to thwart Renata's efforts. In a complex oedipal sub-plot, Walter's son Alan (Kerwin Matthews) returns home and joins the firm following the suspicious death of his father's partner. Alan is more sympathetic to the union and attempts to persuade his father to sign a contract. Only after Ravidge kills Renata, and the elder Mitchell finally admits to himself that Ravidge is a thug who also killed his partner, does he agree to negotiate with the union. Before he can do so, however, he, too, is murdered by Ravidge's goons. It is then left to Alan, increasingly involved with Renata's widow Theresa (Gia Scala), to run the business, bring Ravidge to justice, and settle with the union. Similar to Herbert Biberman's Salt of the Earth (1954) in its overt support of the labor movement, The Garment Jungle is clearly a liberal, not a radical, film. Rather than advocate class warfare, it asserts that honest unions and decent capitalists can work together honorably. The film's real fire is found in the personal conflicts between Tulio and Theresa and Walter and Alan. Cobb, Loggia, and Scala perform with intense and multi-dimensional passion. Particularly noteworthy is Theresa's fury at her husband for taking excessive, and ultimately fatal, risks. ~ Steve Press, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, (more)
- 1956
Joel McCrea stars in this leisurely paced Western from Allied Artists (formerly Monogram) originally released in Cinemascope. Having lost his wife in childbirth en route to California, Dr. John Brighton (McCrea) builds a new home for himself and his baby daughter in an Oklahoma backwater town, lodging with kindhearted Mrs. Fitzgerald (Esther Dale). As the town grows up around him, Brighton becomes a well-respected local medico, championing the rights of the area's Indian population when nasty rancher Cass Dobie attempts to buy them out cheap. Unbeknownst to the townspeople, Dobie has discovered oil on the land belonging to Charlie Smith (Michael Pate), whose beautiful daughter, Maria (Gloria Talbott), is working as little Louise Brighton's (Laurie Mitchell) nursemaid. When Charlie is forced to kill Cass' brother, Mel (Douglas Dick), in self-defense, Cass vows revenge. Aided by female rancher Anne Barnes (Barbara Hale), Brighton learns about the discovery of oil and there is a final confrontation on main street. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, (more)
- 1956
In this entry in the long running Bowery Boys series, the boys begin working as free-lance photographers. Trouble ensues when they take a picture of a crime lord. They are in such a rush to get the picture back to the paper they work for that they accidently destroy the negative. To get another photo, one of the boys begins impersonating a Chicago gangster. He then sneaks his camera into a nightclub. While there he gets fake money from the crimelord, which he gives to the police as evidence. Thanks to his efforts, the boss and his gang are brought to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Girls in Prison is a typical babes-behind-bars affair, elevated by a better than usual cast. Richard Denning stars as a prison chaplain who believes inmate Joan Taylor's story that she's been framed. But Joan's cellmates, convinced that the girl has salted away several thousand dollars of stolen money, stage a breakout and force the girl to join them. Adele Jergens and Helen Gilbert do their usual "hard-boiled dame" routines as Joan's so-called friends, while Phyllis Coates forever leaves "Lois Lane" behind with a chilling portrayal of a psycho. Veteran thespians Jane Darwell, Raymond Hatton and Mae Marsh also make worthwhile contributions to the proceedings. The 1994 Girls in Prison, produced as part of the cable-TV "Rebel Highway" series, utilizes the title of the 1956 film and nothing else. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Denning, Joan Taylor, (more)
- 1953
Reporters Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) hope to find out who has been pulling a series of burglaries. Swami Armada (Larry Dobkin), a self-styled mind reader, offers to supply the two newshounds with clues vital to cracking the case. Unfortunately, the Swami's "advice" leads Lois and Jimmy right into the clutches of the villains (Richard Karlan, Veola Vonn), and it is up to Superman (George Reeves) to rescue the roving reporters once again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
