Ed Begley, Jr. Movies
Tall and blond with a handsome craggy face, Ed Begley Jr. became a star for his convincing portrayal of the obsequious, socially awkward Dr. Erlich on the acclaimed television series St. Elsewhere (1982-1988). He is the son of distinguished radio, television, and screen actor Ed Begley and made his acting debut at age 17 in an episode of My Three Sons. Later, he worked on the college and nightclub circuit as a standup comedian and then was a TV cameraman for a short while. During the '70s, Begley returned to acting and guest starred on several series, including Happy Days and Starsky and Hutch. In film, he made his debut in the Disney comedy Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972), and went on to play small roles in a couple more Walt Disney comedies, including Super Dad (1973). By the mid-'70s, Begley was getting larger supporting roles in such films as Stay Hungry (1976) and Blue Collar (1978). For his work as Dr. Erlich on St. Elsewhere, Begley was nominated for an Emmy. Though he is steadily employed in Hollywood as a supporting actor and an occasional lead (as in Roseanne's unjustly panned film debut She-Devil where he played a spineless cheat of a husband) in television and feature films, and has displayed a broad range of talent that has allowed him to play anything from hippies to deadly villains in a variety of genres, Begley is still only a mid-range star. In the fall of 1997, Begley was scheduled to return to series television in the CBS sitcom Meego. When not acting, Begley is a tireless promoter of environmental causes; he actively practices what he preaches in accordance with his belief that if individuals begin conserving and find their own alternatives to petroleum power sources, they can force governments to begin sanctioning cleaner energy alternatives. He lives in a modest, energy-efficient two-bedroom home in the San Fernando Valley that stands out only because it is entirely powered by solar energy. He drives a VW rabbit he converted to electric power (most of which comes from his home) and also bicycles and takes the bus when necessary. A vegetarian, he grows much of his food at home and only buys recycled products. Begley has also served as the Environmental Affairs Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles and on the boards of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Environmental Research Foundation, the Coalition for Clean Air, and the American Oceans Campaign. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1993
A phony tombstone salesmen discovers that his latest mark could be his most profitable ever in this Tales from the Crypt episode starring Tim Curry and Ed Begley, Jr. After making a killing by selling phony tombstones, a murderous conman learns of a family rumored to have a virtual fortune ferreted away in their basement. In order to get to the fortune, however, he will have to marry the daughter and murder the parents. Unfortunately for this malevolent lothario, the surprise awaiting him in the basement isn't quite the hidden fortune he expected. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Begley, Jr.
- 1992
Available with a teaching guide, this is a historical documentary made in six parts showing the history of American agriculture through actual photographs, vintage footage and historical re-enactments. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- PG
A troubled teen girl finds friendship with a cast-aside horse, in this family drama. Ari Meyers (from TV's Kate & Allie) stars as Allison Mills, a young girl who gets herself into trouble after the death of her mother. Sent to a horse farm as part of a community service sentence, Allison is initially cold and unresponsive, but slowly she begins to open up as she befriends a difficult-to-manage horse named Jet. Unfortunately, just as she begins to find purpose in her work at the farm, Allison's mettle is once again put to test after a devastating accident leaves both she and her prized horse seriously injured. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Begley, Jr., Mimi Rogers, (more)
The made-for-cable satirical comedy Running Mates is about a bachelor U.S. Senator named Hugh (Ed Harris), who falls in love with Aggie (Diane Keaton), a widowed children's author, while he is running for president. Though she hates politics, she finds something charming in the slick Hugh and agrees to marry him. Unfortunately, the press finds something suspicious within Aggie's past, and it could sink his campaign. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This 1970s true story features a fanatically religious woman and her son-in-law who hold her children prisoner while waiting for her late husband's resurrection in Utah. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1992
TV journalist (and recovering alcoholic) Marcy Singer (Suzanne Somers) is promised an Exclusive by anonymous phone an caller. Singer is advised to show up at a well-known bar at an appointed time. Once she's arrived, she finds six corpses awaiting her. Investigating, Singer follows the trail of evidence to an unexpected-and all-too-close-source. Joe Cortese and Michael Nouri co-star in this made-for-TV melodrama. Exclusive originally aired October 4, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzanne Somers, Michael Nouri, (more)
- 1991
In this romance, a widowed businesswoman, believing she has an incurable disease begins a series of romantic encounters only to discover that she has been misdiagnosed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In this made-for-TV drama, Jessica Tandy plays Grace McQueen, an elderly woman who has grown bored and restless following the death of her husband. Grace has always loved telling stories to children, and as a way of keeping herself occupied she comes up with an idea for a public access television series in which she will read great children's books aloud. The show becomes a local favorite -- enough so that a pair of advertising executives approach her with the idea of selling the show to a major network. Grace agrees, but when the marketing experts and network brass are finished with the idea, the simple format of "The Story Lady" has been transformed into a garish program called "Granny Goodheart," and Grace must decide if she should pursue the money and success that's being offered to her or stand up for her ideals. The Story Lady also features Stephanie Zimbalist, Lisa Jakub, Richard Masur, and Ed Begley, Jr.; Tandy Cronyn, Jessica Tandy's daughter, is appropriately cast as Meg, Grace's daughter. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
In this lively made-for-TV espionage comedy, an off-the-wall CIA agent involves an interpreter in his hunt for a professional hit man assigned to murder the President. The real craziness begins when they discover that the killer is one of their ex-wives and that she is living next door. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The superb, utterly convincing special effects in the two-part TV movie The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake cannot be faulted. Less convincing are the scenes in which the fictional TV reporters, demoralized and in tears, can't bring themselves to describe the extent of the destruction. Part One, telecast November 11, 1990, finds seismologist Joanna Kerns trying in vain to convince authorities that the entire LA basin will be shake-and-bake within a few days. This portion of the drama ends with "The Big One" wreaking havoc throughout Lala-land. Part Two, broadcast November 12, concerns itself with the aftermath, the rescues, the tragedies, and above all the effect the natural disaster has on Kerns and her friends and family. Also appearing in The Big One is Ed Begley Jr. as the one political official willing to listen to Kerns' warnings, and Richard Masur as one of those "I can't bear it!" TV journalists. The video version titled The Great Los Angeles Earthquake runs 106 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The Applegates is the video title for the darkly satirical comedy Meet the Applegates. The titular family, for all intents and purposes human beings, are actually a clan of giant Brazilian Cocorada bugs. Paterfamilias Dick Applegate (Ed Begley Jr.) takes a job with an Ohio nuclear power plant, with the intention of triggering an explosion, thereby exterminating all humankind and allowing the bugs to live in safety. Alas, every one of the Applegates falls victim to assimilation: Dick becomes a typical suburban philanderer, his wife Jane (Stockard Channing) succumbs to the seductions of the credit card, and the Applegate kids transform into obnoxious mall-cruising teens. By the time the Applegates' Aunt Bea (Dabney Coleman) links up with them to supervise the nuclear explosion, the family considers Auntie a nuisance and plots a fitting demise for her. Director Michael Lehmann had previously skewered upper-middle class values in Heathers; completed in 1989, Meet the Applegates buzzed into local cineplexes in 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Begley, Jr., Stockard Channing, (more)
- 1990
This made-for-cable feature film stars Edward Asner as a fashionable confidence trickster. Asner masterminds an investment scam which cleans out four gullible young men. The foursome pool their resources and decide to beat Asner at his own game with a con of their own. Jenny Agutter is the lovely bait used by the victims to trap the seemingly susceptible crook. Originally shown in two two-hour installments, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less had some surface stylishness thanks to director Clive Donner; unfortunately, there's hardly enough story to fill up even 90 of the film's 200 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In the Best Interest of the Child was not based on a true story. That's the official line adopted by producer Robert A. Papazian, even though the plot of this made-for-TV movie would seem to be inspired by the exploits of the real-life Dr. Elizabeth Morgan. True or no, there's plenty of conviction in this story of a young woman (Meg Tilly) who risks imprisonment for the sake of her daughter. Having learned that her ex-husband is molesting the child, Ms. Tilly "kidnaps" the girl and heads off to parts unknown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meg Tilly, Ed Begley, Jr., (more)
- 1989
- R
In this satirical skewering of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, a divorced Beverly Hills gal ends up on the doorstep of her next-door neighbor, an out-of-work TV sitcom actress who happens to have a socially eclectic group of friends and a deceased husband who can't accept the fact that he is dead. The topic of conversation is sex, and before long, a wager between servants sets the sexual escapades into action. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline Bisset, Ray Sharkey, (more)
Susan Seidelman directed this loose adaptation of Fay Weldon's novel The Life and Loves of a She-Devil concerning the extreme revenge exacted by a dumpy housewife on her philandering husband. Mary Fisher (Meryl Streep) is a best-selling romance novelist of the manner of Danielle Steel or Jackie Collins. One night at a glamorous dinner party, Ruth (Roseanne Barr), the frumpy housewife of Bob (Ed Begley Jr.), accidentally spills wine over Mary's pink evening gown. Bob rushes to Mary's assistance, they look into each other's eyes, and it is lust at first sight. After a few clandestine interludes, Bob abandons his wife and his two smart-aleck kids to live with Mary at her palace by the seaside. As a result, Ruth goes into high gear to seek vengeance. She deposits her kids with Bob and then, with the help of a collection of other abused women -- including Ruth's mother (Sylvia Miles), nursing home attendant Hopper (Linda Hunt), and dim-witted secretary Olivia Honey (Maria Pitillo) -- she systematically sets out to destroy Bob's life. Bob calls Ruth a she-devil, and Ruth plays the role to the hilt; first she destroys his home life, then his career, then his freedom. And when he has nothing left, she proceeds to haunt and stalk him, bringing Bob to his knees. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Roseanne, (more)
Director Lawrence Kasdan and Frank Galati adapted their screenplay for The Accidental Tourist from Anne Tyler's novel. William Hurt plays Macon Leary, a well-known "travel advisor" headquartered in Baltimore. The tragic death of Leary's son causes him to withdraw from the world, which in turn prompts his wife (Kathleen Turner) to walk out on him. Recuperating from a broken leg, Leary moves in with his sister (Amy Wright) and brothers (Ed Begley Jr., David Ogden Stiers)-staid middle-aged intellectuals all. Discipline problems with his dead son's dog lead Leary to hire flaky professional dogwalker/trainer Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis, who won an Oscar for her performance). The only non-uptight person within shouting distance, Muriel begins to melt Leary's self-protective shell. Once his wife realizes that she has some competition, she makes moves to get him back. But he has by now become accustomed to Muriel's unfettered lifestyle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, (more)
The 1987 portmanteau comedy feature Amazon Women on the Moon lampoons several film genres in general and the 1954 sci-fi cheapie Cat Women of the Moon in particular. Other sketches in Amazon Women include an opening bit with Arsenio Hall; a vignette titled "Son of the Invisible Man" wherein a naked Ed Begley Jr. runs around in full view of the nonplussed supporting cast; the It's Alive parody "Hospital", which offers the spectacle of Michelle Pfeiffer giving birth to Mr. Potato Head; and a Siskel & Ebert takeoff, featuring Arche Hahn as a TV viewer whose entire life is given a "thumbs down." Directed by several hands, including Joe Dante, Carl Gottleib, Peter Horton, John Landis, and Robert K. Weiss, Amazon Women on the Moon also features a satire of the Kroger G. Babb school of "sex hygiene" exploitation cheapies, with syphilis victim Carrie Fisher being counseled by unctuous doctor Paul Bartel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosanna Arquette, Ralph Bellamy, (more)
- 1987
- Add Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to QueueAdd Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to top of Queue
The Lyons Group presents this retelling of Washington Irving's classic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Part of Shelley Duvall's American Tall Tales series, American Tall Tales: Legend of Sleepy Hollow features Ed Begley Jr. as Ichobod Crane, the cowardly school teacher forced to face the infamous headless horseman. Released in 1987, the program is designed for young viewers and co-stars Beverly D'Angelo and Charles Durning. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1987
All the charm and joie de vivre of the 1953 Gregory Peck/Audrey Hepburn Roman Holiday is purged from this hollow TV remake. The stunning but lifeless Catherine Oxenberg assumes the Hepburn role of a young princess who escapes the protocol of court life for a romantic fling in Rome. Tom Conti stands in for Gregory Peck as the American journalist who falls in love with the Princess. Ed Begley Jr. takes over Eddie Albert's part of the eccentric photojournalist who acts as comic relief to the leads. Heading the list of mistakes committed in this remake is the fact that Oxenberg behaves more like a bored Danielle Steele character than the impressionable, virginal heroine of the original. Rome may be eternal, but the 1987 Roman Holiday is terminal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Conti, Catherine Oxenberg, (more)
- 1987
In this touching family drama, a loving couple discovers they can no longer make babies so they provide a good home to unwanted children. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephanie Zimbalist, James Read, (more)
- 1986
This 47-minute adaptation of the Washington Irving classic was originally telecast on Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends anthology. Ed Begley Jr. stars as a cerebral Ichabod Crane. Taking time off from schoolteaching, Ichabod woos Katrina Van Tassel, alias Beverly D'Angelo. Tim Thomerson is envy personified as blacksmith Brom Bones, who plots to scare Ichabod out of Sleepy Hollow for good. The set design makes clever use of forced perspectives, while most of the spooky special effects conveyed via lighting and adroit camera angles. Legend of Sleepy Hollow premiered on the Showtime Cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
