Shelly Novack Movies
- 1978
Love's Dark Ride, based on a true story, was produced for TV by Jack Webb's Mark VII company. Cliff Potts stars as a commercial artist who is blinded by a gun accident. After a long spell of self-pity, Potts learns to enjoy life again when he falls in love with nightclub entertainer Jane Seymour. Carrie Snodgress also appears in this lightly lachrymose drama. Love's Dark Ride might have been more memorable had it not been first telecast on April 2, 1978--directly opposite the premiere episode of Dallas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The fifth videocassette in the Hardy Boys collection was originally telecast under the title "Wipe Out." Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson star as Joe and Frank Hardy, the teen-aged detectives created back in the 1930s by Franklin W. Dixon. This time out, Joe and Frank come to Hawaii to participate in a surfing meet. Returning to their hotel room, the boys find out that they've been burglarized. It's obvious that the thieves knew exactly what they were looking for. But what was it? Shelly Novack, Titus Napoleon, James Shigeta and Bruce Gordon co-star in this 48-minute mystery, first shown as the April 24, 1977 installment of TV's weekly Hardy Boys series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Meek-and-mild longshoreman Pete Thornwall (Robert Walker Jr.) steps forward to take credit for the murder of much-despised loan shark Jake Hennafy (Roy Jenson). Although he is taken into custody, Pete basks in the knowledge that he has become a hero amongst his fellow dock workers, who rationalize that Hennafy was a man who needed killing. But Quincy threatens to burst Pete's bubble when he uncovers evidence that Hennafy died under entirely different circumstances--and that the real killer's motive had nothing to do with heroism. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Future Brady Bunch star Robert Reed appears in this episode as Martin Avery, self-proclaimed doctor who treats a fatally wounded policeman at a crime, only to vanish from sight. Stone and Keller want to locate the doctor, who is the only eyewitness to the killing, but they are stymied by the fact that the man has given them a false name. It turns out that "Dr. Martin Avery" isn't a physician at all, but a very clever and talented impostor--and it is this fact that puts the lives of the phony medico and several other people in dire jeopardy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
In this made-for-TV film later adapted into a TV series, a special detective (Robert Stack) and his unit investigate a series of attacks involving the rape and murder of nuns. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1976
- PG
In this exciting adventure, the residents of a remote California community grow tired of having their lives disrupted by growing groups of rowdy oilworkers who have no respect for law and order. In desperation they hire a Vietnam veteran to clean up the town. The ex-fighter brings in a band of other vets and does just that. Unfortunately, the veterans then begin controlling the town until the leader's brother and his friends manage to oust him and restore peace to the sleepy little town. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kris Kristofferson, Jan-Michael Vincent, (more)
- 1975
In this pilot film for the NBC TV series Medical Story, idealistic young intern Dr. Steve Drucker (Beau Bridges) clashes with three of his superiors over whether a prominent actress should have a hysterectomy. The woman in question is played by Harriet Karr, who had undergone a similar experience in real life. In fact, Karr's ordeal was the inspiration for this film, which was produced and written by her husband, Abby Mann (who also partially adapted the script from an unrelated novel by Dr. Howard A. Oglin). Medical Story first aired on September 4, 1975; the series itself was broadcast weekly until January 8, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The scene is a high-rise hotel in midtown San Francisco. Confronted by mobsters who are angry because he refused to throw a fight, an aging boxer manages to beat up two of his assailants and throw the third out the window to his death! Arriving on the scene to investigate the killer, Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) conduct a room-by-room search for the fugitive boxer, who is now on the run from cops and crooks alike--and is presently hiding in the same room with a pair of adulterous lovers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Ironside (Raymond Burr) and Ed (Don Galloway) travel to a farming community, in hopes of helping Porter Yarborough (William Katt), recently paroled son of crusty rancher Clint Yarborough (John Larch). In addition to clearing Porter of a cattle-rustling charge, Ironside also endeavors to mend the rift between the rough-hewn Clint and his artistically inclined son. Featured in the cast is guest star William Katt's real-life father Bill Williams, the husband of Raymond Burr's longtime Perry Mason costar Barbara Hale. Though filmed for Ironside's eighth season, this episode remained unshown when the series was abruptly cancelled by NBC in January of 1975, and would not be aired until the show went into syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
The ninth and final season of ABC's longest-running adventure series The F.B.I marks the first time since Season Three that a new actor has been added to the cast. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. remains top-billed as Federal Inspector Lew Erskine, with Philip Abbott still on hand as Erskine's main associate, Agent Arthur Ward. Missing from the scene is William Reynolds as Agent Tom Colby; his replacement is Agent Chris Daniels, portrayed by Shelly Novack. The series' valedictory season gets under way with the episode "The Big Job", followed by "The Confession", the latter featuring pre-stardom appearances by Tom Selleck and Hal Linden. Other guest stars this season include Jackie Cooper in "The Break-In", Susan Oliver in "Fatal Reunion", John Marley (the recipient of the severed horse's head in The Godfather) in "Rules of the Game", Leslie Nielsen in "Fool's Gold Raub", Lloyd Nolan and Anna Lee in "The Killing Truth", Elizabeth Ashley in "Diamond Run", and Harvey Keitel in "Deadly Ambition". The series' 239th and last episode is "Survival", featuring a young Dabney Coleman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Philip Abbott, (more)
- 1972
Comedian Mort Sahl guest stars as a publicity-hungry jewel thief who finds himself trapped in an air-conditioned duct. Elsewhere, radioactivity causes serious problems as the paramedics try to rescue a man injured in a science lab; two barroom brawlers carry their fight over into the hospital waiting room; and an arrogant surfer suffers mightily when he returns to the waves before he has fully recovered from an accident. The title of this episode has something to do with paramedic Johnny Gage's (Randolph Mantooth) devotion to Emergency!'s "sister" TV series Adam-12. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Raymond Burr tackles what amounts to a triple role in this episode, in which Chief Ironside investigates a series of murders that share a common bond. Each of four victims had in his possession a numbered disk: the current holder of Disk Number Five is none other than the police commissioner (Gene Lyons), while Number Six is held by an eccentric, bearded artist named Carlton Duffy (billed as "himself" in the closing credits but actually played by Raymond Burr). Bearing a startling resemblance to Duffy, Ironside takes the man's place in hopes of luring the murderer into a trap. Veteran Hollywood makeup artist Jim McCoy was handed the daunting task of transforming star Burr into ( a ) Chief Ironside, ( b ) Carlton Duffy, and ( c ) Ironside posing as Duffy! Featured in a supporting role is a young William Katt, the son of Burr's onetime Perry Mason costar Barbara Hale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
While Raquel Welch was a household name and an international sex symbol through much of the 1960s'and 1970s, Hollywood didn't seem sure about what to do with her; this was one of her more unusual vehicles from this period, in which Welch plays K.C. Carr, a divorcee with two children who becomes romantically involved with Burt Henry (Kevin McCarthy). Burt is the owner of a roller derby team, the Kansas City Bombers, and convinces K.C. that a career on the rink might be just the thing for her. K.C. soon discovers that the sport is rougher than she imagined, and her teammate Jackie (Helena Kallianiotes) is convinced that K.C. is out to replace her as the Bombers' star attraction. But another member of the team, Horrible Hank Hopkins (Norman Alden), shows K.C. the ropes and stands up for her. When Hank gets traded to another team, K.C. has to learn to fend for herself against Jackie as well as Burt. Raquel Welch did all her own skating for this film; an accident while filming one of the derby sequences left her with a broken wrist that shut down production for six weeks. Legendary singer and songwriter Phil Ochs was tapped by the producers of Kansas City Bomber to write a theme song for the film; it wasn't used, though it was released as a single and appeared on the compilation CD The War is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raquel Welch, Kevin McCarthy, (more)
- 1972
While Stone (Karl Malden) is on disability leave, Keller (Michael Douglas) is partnered with Inspector Jim Martin (played by future Starsky and Hutch costar David Soul), a man notorious for his short temper and strongarm tactics. Conducting a manhunt in the Barrio, Keller is taken aback by the intensity of Martin's conviction that the Latino murder suspect they are searching for is guilty beyond all doubt--and all redemption. Though sidelined by injury, Stone does some investigating on his own to determine the source of Martin's personal demons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
The year is 1876. The place is Medalia, MN. With the Jesse James and Cole Younger gangs cutting a murderous swath through the land, the citizens of Medalia brace themselves against an outlaw invasion. Normally, the townsfolk could turn to their marshal, Sam Garrison (Don Murray), for salvation; but alas, it has been years since Sam has picked up a gun, and both his nerves and his trigger hand are gone. Made for television, The Intruders first aired November 10, 1970, on NBC, while most viewers were watching the vastly superior TV movie Tribes on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Airport had enough plot and enough star power in its cast for three feature films, and it only encompassed about half of the complexity or characters found in Arthur Hailey's best-selling potboiler. Essentially built around 12 harrowing hours at a major Midwestern airport, the film had everything an audience of the period could have wanted -- suspense, romance, drama, and comedy -- all spread across a vast canvas. Mel Bakersfeld (Burt Lancaster) is the manager of Lincoln Airport, facing a night beset by the worst blizzard in a decade, a wife (Dana Wynter) who announces she wants a divorce, a primary runway blocked by an airliner stuck in a snowdrift, and a governing board ready to fire him. Bakersfeld's cynical, smooth-talking brother-in-law, Vernon Demerest (Dean Martin), won't let up on his criticism of the management at Lincoln, but he has his own problems as well, mostly in the form of a young stewardess, Gwen Meighen (Jacqueline Bisset), who is pregnant by him and whom he finds he genuinely loves. Add to that the presence of an old lady stowaway (Helen Hayes) and a mentally disturbed passenger (Van Heflin) carrying a bomb, and there's more than enough plot to keep viewers engrossed for two hours plus. Airport became one of the top-grossing movies of its era, racking up seven-digit box-office numbers and spawning an entire film genre -- the disaster movie. With Jean Seberg, George Kennedy, Lloyd Nolan, Barry Nelson, and Maureen Stapleton filling out the rest of the leading roles, there was something for almost everyone in this film. The movie still has a lot to offer if only as a prime example of Hollywood at its most successfully glitzy, but, if possible, viewers should try and see the letterboxed version of Airport on DVD (released May 2001). ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, (more)
- 1969
- PG
After being blacklisted from Hollywood for 21 years, writer/director Abraham Polonsky made a healthy comeback with Tell Them Willie Boy is Here. The title character, played by Robert Blake, is a Paiute Indian living in 1909 California. After several years in the White Man's world, Willie Boy returns to his reservation, hoping to renew his romance with tribeswoman Lola (Katherine Ross). Old Mike (Mike Angel), Lola's father, strongly disapproves of her relationship with Willie Boy and attacks the youth. Acting in self defense, Willie Boy kills Old Mike. Under tribal rules, Willie Boy is now permitted to claim Lola as his woman. But white lawman Christopher Cooper (Robert Redford) is forced to charge Willie Boy with murder. The Indian and his girl escape the reservation, pursued by the essentially decent Cooper and a less-than-decent crowd of white vigilantes. What begins as comparative minor incident, snowballs into a huge political crisis, with the bewildered but defiant Willie Boy as the catalyst. Tell Them Willie Boy is Here is distinguished by the fine performances of leading players Redford, Blake, Ross and Susan Clark, and by the haunting cinematography of Conrad Hall. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, (more)
- 1969
On behalf of an old rabbi friend, Ironside (Raymond Burr) investigates the theft of a priceless Torah from a San Francisco synagogue. Truth to tell, the ancient scroll is "priceless" only to the congregation, but the thieves--who've managed to cover their tracks and make the break-in look like an act of anti-Semitic vandalism--obviously didn't know that. Racing against time, Ironside must recover the Torah before the disgruntled criminals destroy the artifact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Ironside (Raymond Burr) is invited to conduct a criminology seminar at a college where a sniper is lurking somewhere on campus. It turns out that the sniper is one of the seminar students, who anonymously issues a challenge to Ironside to identify him before he commits the "perfect crime." Clearly inspired by the "Texas Tower" slayings of 1966, the events in this episode are also disturbingly similar to the sporadic outbursts of campus carnage in the late 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
