James Murtaugh Movies
- 1979
When Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.) wins a free trip to Hawaii, Jim (James Garner) tags along, only to cross the path of his former Army commander John "Howling Mad" Smith (Ken Swofford). Before Jim quite knows what has happened, Smith has gotten him involved in a CIA operation designed to break up a spy ring. Unfortunately, old "Howling Mad" has neglected to inform Jim of all the dangers inherent in this assignment, and as a result our hero is beaten, robbed, drugged and kidnapped--and that's all during the first half hour. Fortunately, through the sort of incredible coincidence that could only happen on network television, Jim's policeman pal Dennis Becker (Joe Santos) shows up in Hawaii just in time to lend a helping hand. This was the last Rockford Files episode to be filmed, though not the last to be telecast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Dr. Scorpion (Roscoe Lee Browne) is a megalomaniac genius, who plans to rule the world with or without the world's cooperation. His chief nemesis is marine biologist Jonathan Shackleford (Nick Mancuso), an ex-spy better known as "Shack". Shack was also the title of the TV series for which the filmed-in-Hawaii Dr. Scorpion was the pilot. Producer Stephen Cannell lost interest in the project almost from the beginning, thanks to the network-imposed casting of the Nick Mancuso in the leading role (Mancuso agreed that he was wrong for the part, but a buck's a buck). Still, the notion of a Hawaii-based spy appealed to Cannell, so much so that he later revitalized the notion as the moderately successful TV series Stingray. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Jim (James Garner) is hired by an insurance firm to "baby-sit" Frank Falcone (Hector Elizondo), an ex-cop who has struck it rich as a crime novelist. Falcone's career has inspired a movie, a TV show, and a line of toys, and now Jim must prevent the former cop from engendering negative publicity at an LA toy convention. But this may prove impossible, inasmuch as the loose-cannon Falcone is a trouble magnet--especially since he has decided to solve one last case that is guaranteed to bring down the full wrath of the Mob. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Conspiracy film specialist Alan J. Pakula turned journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's best-selling account of their Watergate investigation into one of the hit films of Bicentennial year 1976. While researching a story about a botched 1972 burglary of Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex, green Washington Post reporters/rivals Woodward (Robert Redford, who also exec produced) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) stumble on a possible connection between the burglars and a White House staffer. With the circumspect approval of executive editor Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards), the pair digs deeper. Aided by a guilt-ridden turncoat bookkeeper (Jane Alexander) and the vital if cryptic guidance of Woodward's mystery source, Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), Woodward and Bernstein "follow the money" all the way to the top of the Nixon administration. Despite Deep Throat's warnings that their lives are in danger, and the reluctance of older Post editors, Woodward and Bernstein are determined to get out the story of the crime and its presidential cover-up. Once Bradlee is convinced, the final teletype impassively taps out the historically explosive results. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, (more)
- 1976
Doing his best to control his jealousy, Jim (James Garner) agrees to do a job for Beth's last boyfriend Dave Delaroux (John Saxon). Jim's assignment is to check up on a suspicious financial transaction, tied in with the disappearance of some potentially incrimimnating checks. As the story progresses, it appears that Delaroux himself may be a criminal--but thanks to some clever canoodling, it is Jim who is set up to take the fall, with Beth (Gretchen Corbett) helpless to intervene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The two-hour final episode of Ironside's seventh season serves as the pilot film for the spinoff cop series Amy Prentiss. Jessica Walter plays the title character, a hardworking San Francisco police woman who aspires to the position of Chief of Police. Though up against a lot of resistance from the all-male establishment, Amy has a staunch supporter in the form of former chief Robert Ironside (Raymond Burr. Originally telecast as a single extended episode, "Amy Prentiss: AKA The Chief has been divided into a brace of one-hour installments for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In the conclusion of Ironside's two-part Season Seven finale (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), new San Francisco police chief Amy Prentiss (Jessica Walter) runs up against a wall of hostility and resistance from the town's all-male establishment. Fortunately, Amy can count former chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) and his team among her supporters. But even Ironside may not be able to help Chief Prentiss as she is assigned a "make-or-break" murder case. This episode served as the pilot for the spinoff series Amy Prentiss, with supporting player Art Metrano retained in the series proper as Amy's aide Tom Pena. Johnny Seven, here seen in his standard Ironside role as Lt. Carl Reese, would join the Amy Prentiss cast as Detective Contreras, while the role of Joan, here played by Joan Pringle, would be taken over by Gwen Mitchell (Pringle would be compensated with a recurring Ironside role as the new wife of Chief Ironside's former bodyguard Mark Sanger [Don Mitchell]). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Broadway favorite Kay Medford (Bye Bye Birdie et. al.) guest stars as Mrs. Bernice M. Sandler, a middle-aged bookkeeper. Inasmuch as Mrs. Sandler is the only person who can identify the two people suspected of murdering her boss, the salty-tongued lady finds herself in the protective custody of detectives Kojak (Telly Savalas) and Crocker (Kevin Dobson)--who, truth be told, are not thrilled with the assignment. Keep an eye out for future Wiseguy star Ray Sharkey in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Recuperating from a bullet wound in the head, Jim (James Garner) mulls over the events that led up to this critical moment. It all began when journalist Sandra Turkel (Sian Barbara Allen) hired Jim to locate her friend, statuesque redhead Charlotte Duskey (Susan Damente-Shaw). Skeptical over reports that Charlotte is dead, Jim follows the trail of clues to an empty grave--and to a self-proclaimed federal agent (George DiCenzo) who may not be anything of the kind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Any resemblance between the U.S. president in Hail and Richard M. Nixon was purely intentional. Faced with rebellious teenagers and college students, paranoid chief executive Dan Resin comes up with a brilliant idea: lock all the malcontents in concentration camps. Unfortunately, this leads to ramifications that turn the Good Ol' USA into an armed stockade. Amusing at first, the film's satirical content is compromised by repetition and predictability. Also known as Hail to the Chief and Washington BC, Hail was released in 1973 -- though, incredibly, it was completed before the Watergate incident. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
