J. Pat O'Malley Movies
The background of Irish-born comic actor J. Pat O'Malley has frequently been misreported in source books because his credits have been confused with those of silent film star Pat O'Malley. J. Pat started out in the British musical halls, then came to the U.S. at the outbreak of WWII. Achieving radio fame for his versatile voicework, O'Malley carried over this talent into the world of animated cartoons, providing a multitude of vocal characterizations in such Disney cartoon features as Alice in Wonderland (1951) and 101 Dalmatians (1961), among others. The portly, leprechaunish O'Malley essayed on-camera character parts in films like Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Mary Poppins (1965). He was a near-habitual TV guest star, with appearances in several fondly remembered Twilight Zone episodes; he also worked extensively on Broadway. J. Pat O'Malley had regular roles on the TV sitcoms Wendy and Me (1964) and A Touch of Grace (1973). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This Disney animated classic is based on the children's story by Dodie Smith. The story involves the canine pets of a struggling composer and his wife: Dalmatians Pongo (male) and Perdita (female). Perdita gives birth to fifteen spotted pups, cuing the entrance of the scheming Cruella De Vil. She demands that the dogs' owners sell her the pups, but she is shown the door instead. Under cover of night, Cruella arranges for the pups to be stolen. The human police are baffled, but the "dog network" is alerted by Pongo and sent to rescue the pups. It is discovered that Cruella has been rounding up every Dalmatian she can get her hands on, hoping to use their pelts to make one spectacular fur coat. The dogs rescue the 15 pups, plus 86 others stolen by Ms. DeVil. After an eventful escape, the 101 Dalmatians make their way home--whereupon the composer pens a hit tune, "Dalmatian Plantation". 101 Dalmatians represents the Disney animation staff at its very best, and as a bonus introduces the world to Cruella De Vil, one of the greatest movie villains--cartoon or "real"--of all time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Taylor, J. Pat O'Malley, (more)
- 1964
This drama tells the true story of one of Broadway's most successful madams in the 1920s. It is loosely based on the autobiography of Polly Adler. The story begins when young Polly is seduced and raped at her job by the sweatshop foreman. When her uncle, with whom she lived, learns of the act, he blames her and tosses her out. She then moves into an apartment owned by a racketeer. It is he who encourages her into her "helping" profession when he gives her money for bringing her pals to a gangster party. Soon she is beginning to build up her own clientele. As her business prospers, she begins to choose nicer locations. Her tiny cathouse becomes a haven for sleazy politicos, mobsters, and businessmen. The madame herself has a passionate romance with a young songwriter and she helps his career. He does not know of her vocation and she eventually breaks up with him to keep his reputation intact. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Winters, Robert Taylor, (more)
- 1940
Teenaged soprano Gloria Jean plays the Little-Miss-Fixit heroine in Universal's Little Bit of Heaven. The most precocious member of an impoverished 10th Avenue family, little Midge (Gloria Jean) makes an impulsive appearance on a "man in the street" radio interview show. Catapulted to stardom, Midge becomes the primary support for her family, all of whom begin behaving atrociously and overspended insanely. The only one who doesn't go over the top is Midge's lovable Grandpa (C. Aubrey Smith), with whom our heroine concocts a scheme (straight out of Shirley Temple!) to teach her relatives a lesson. In the previous Gloria Jean starrer If I Had My Way, Universal featured several former Broadway favorites, including Blanche Ring and Julian Eltinge, in cameo roles: the studio repeats this stunt in Little Bit of Heaven, showcasing such silent-movie greats as Maurice Costello, Noah Beery Sr., Charles Ray, Monte Blue, William Desmond and Pat O'Malley as the heroine's "adopted uncles". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gloria Jean, Robert Stack, (more)
- 1981
This fact-based made-for-television drama tells the story of nurse Joy Ufemal and her invaluable work with those dying of incurable diseases. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1981
A policeman masquerades as a homeless alcoholic and teams up with a bag lady, who is really a college professor, to bring a drug lord's assassin to justice in this memorable made-for-television drama. Along the way, the two disparate partners find themselves falling in love. The story is based upon Richard Barth's novel The Rag Bag Clan. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Racial prejudice plays an ironic role in this episode, as Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) answer a number of day-watch calls. Among the miscreants facing arrest at the hands of the two cops are an elusive armed-robbery suspect and a female hitchhiker who specialize in blackmailing unwary male motorists. Also, Jim and Pete have their hands full with a wino suffering from grotesque hallucinations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Officers Reed (Kent McCord) and Malloy (Martin Milner) have their hands full with a boisterous female alcoholic named Mae Pilaf (Norma Crane). After breaking up a barroom brawl in which Mae is involved, the two cops are summoned to an apartment where a shooting has occurred--and run into old Mae all over again. Can she be rehabilitated, or should Reed and Malloy just give Mae up as a bad job and move on to the next call? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Once again pulling holiday duty at Christmastime, mobile officers Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) and Jim Reed (Kent McCord) have a great deal of difficulty locating any sort of Yuletide cheer on the streets of LA. For starters, the two cops are summoned to a robbery scene, where they find that the victim is an old duffer in a Santa Claus suit (resulting in the arrest of another ersatz Santa). Elsewhere, Pete and Jim conduct an extensive search for a small East Indian boy (Tom Nasheboo) who has vanished--a crisis that bears a marked resemblance to one of the most famous Christmas episodes of Adam-12's "sister" series Dragnet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Botany teacher Norman Logan (Dick York) is surprised to find that his bank account is short 200 dollars. Reporting this loss as an error, Norman confronts officious clerk Mr. Tritt (Philip Coolidge), who insists that the bank never, but never, makes a mistake. To prove Tritt wrong, and to extract a personal vengeance, Norman decides to get his money back by way of a nocturnal robbery -- with the "dusty drawer" of the title figuring prominently in the outcome of the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Washed-up actor Oliver Mathews (Franchot Tone) would rather dally with a pretty wardrobe girl than spend time with his adoring spinsterish secretary, Miss Hall (Carmen Mathews). But there's a more pressing problem in Oliver's life: namely, a middle-aged woman named Grace Dolan (Mary Astor), who has been blackmailing him for years. Confronting Grace, Oliver tells her that he can no longer afford to pay her, but she refuses to let him off the hook. In time-honored Alfred Hitchcock Presents fashion, the story culminates in a murder, a cover-up, and a deliciously ironic coda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
This western presents a more sympathetic view of Native Americans than is usually found in the genre as it tells the tale of the army commander of an Arizona outpost who despises all Indians until he falls in love with a beautiful missionary girl. He must change his ways because one of her parents is an Apache. Unfortunately, his attempts to reform are nearly foiled by greedy gold-seekers trying to start a war with the local Apaches. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Michael Dante, (more)
- 1972
Banacek was the two-hour pilot film for the 1972-74 detective series starring George Peppard. The cigar-smoking, aphorism-spouting Peppard plays T. Banacek, Polish/American investigator for a major Boston insurance company. Independently wealthy, Banacek will only accept cases that have been deemed "unsolvable" by all previous investigators. In this pilot episode, Banacek tackles the case of a Brink's-truck hijacking in the middle of a Texas roadway. The truck and its costly cargo has seemingly vanished into thin air, and the cops are stymied. But with Banacek on the case, we learn that the whole affair was an elaborately orchestrated inside job. The subsequent Banacek series was a component of The NBC Wednesday Movie. The pilot film has been reissued to TV as Detour to Nowhere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Peppard, Christine Belford, (more)
- 1966
There's something not quite right about that old rocking chair which Samantha purchased from an antique shop. For one thing, the chair seems to have a mind of its own, following Sam wherever she goes and refusing to leave her side, but causing great pain to Darrin whenever he tries to sit down. It turns out that the chair is possessed by the spirit of Sam's old warlock boyfriend, Clyde Farnsworth (Roger Garrett), and he isn't about to leave. Written by Coslough Johnson (the brother of comic actor Arte Johnson), "Sam's Spooky Chair" originally aired on December 1, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1961
Theft is the pivotal element of this drama which was based on a Brink's robbery. A gang of thieves decide to pull a major heist. They carefully prepare, including a trip inside to pinpoint the alarms and guards while making key impressions. The actual robbery is shown as is the chaos which follows. Soon, the criminals are fighting over how long to wait before using the cash and stealing from one another in an attempt to get more than their share. Still, it takes nearly three years before the crime is solved. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Barney, J. Pat O'Malley, (more)
- 1963
Perennial loser Claude Miller (John Fiedler) becomes a winner overnight when he strikes a rich silver lode. Determined to get even with the people who had previously subjected him to ridicule, Claude buys out his tormentors' mortgages. Alas, once a loser, always a loser: Claude's plans for revenge are undermined by his new partner, a crooked deputy. The supporting cast includes Florence Sundstrom as Daisy, J. Pat O'Malley as Clancy, Jay Lanin as Slauson, Ken Mayer as Tarbosh, and Ken Drake as Claude. First shown on May 12, 1963, "Rich Man, Poor Man" was scripted by Richard P. McDonagh and Barbara and Milton Merlin, from a story by Arnold Belgard and Robert Fresco. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1971
Londoners Leslie and Gillian Harwood (Daniel Massey and Jill Haworth) arrive in Nevada to take charge of a ranch on behalf of a British investment firm-and immediately mistake the Ponderosa for the ranch in question. Thus, the Cartwrights become involved in the couple's travails, attempting to find out why the property managed by the Harwoods is regularly losing cattle and profits. In the course of events, the veddy British Leslie slowly but surely evolves into a true-blue westerner. Written by Stanley Roberts, "The Reluctant American" originally aired on February 14, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
This is the first of several Branded episodes in which fictional ex-military officer Jason McCord (Chuck Connors) has a significant influence upon actual American history. In this instance, Jason is hired to survey the vast territory of Alaska, recently purchased for the U.S. by William Henry Seward (Ian Wolfe). Jason soon discovers that the supposedly worthless land is rich with gold and oil--and so do a pair of scoundrels who plan to steal Jason's maps and bump him off before he can make his discoveries public. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Though he hardly relishes the assignment, Jason (Chuck Connors) agrees to help a rural undertaker haul a coffin into town. Little does Jason know that the coffin's occupant is a very-much-alive outlaw who intends to rob the local Wells Fargo office. J. Pat O'Malley makes a return appearance as lovable reprobate Rufus L. Pitkin in this episode, which also includes a suitably menacing performance by the great Lee Van Cleef. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- R
Marred by prejudice and derogatory stereoptypes of gays and Hispanics, this subpar drama by Ken Annakin does not treat women or men well either. Bill (Mac Davis) is a detective who has just been hired by a tough lawyer, K.D. Locke (Tovah Feldshuh) to check up on some deadbeat ex-spouses who are ignoring their alimony payements. Soon Bill is caught in two complicated investigations, one focuses on a storekeeper, and the other on a sex doctor who just happens to be Locke's husband. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mac Davis, Tovah Feldshuh, (more)
- 1957
Shortly before signing on for TV's The Rifleman, Johnny Crawford played the juvenile lead in Courage of Black Beauty. Feeling alienated from his rancher father John Bryant,Crawford invests all his affections in his pet foal. Through his love for the horse--who of course grows up to become Black Beauty--Crawford learns to better appreciate his own lot in life. For a while, it looks as though the horse will be destroyed, but when this doesn't happen, Crawford draws even closer to his dad. No screen credit is afforded Anna Sewell, author of the original Black Beauty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Crawford, Mimi Gibson, (more)
In this addiction melodrama, Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon), a promising adman, meet his future wife Kirsten (Lee Remick) at a party. Once married, the pressures of his business lead Joe to seek solace in liquor. Kirsten joins him in his nocturnal drinking sessions, and before long both are confirmed alcoholics. After several frightening episodes, Joe is able to shake the habit thanks to AA, but Kirsten finds it impossible to get through the day without liquor. The two split up, although Joe clings to the hope that someday he and Kirsten will be reunited, if for no reason other than the sake of their young daughter. J.P. Miller adapted the screenplay from his own 1958 Playhouse 90 television script. Though nominated in several categories, Days of Wine and Roses won only the Best Song Oscar for Henry Mancini's title tune. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1972
Sharon Gless makes one of her first TV appearances as Sheila Thomas, an undercover police deputy investigating a series of thefts at Ramparts. Assisting Sheila in her inquiries is paramedic John Gage (Randolph Mantooth, who is quite smitten by the lady. Elsewhere, an old man (Paul Fix) suffering from dementia is trapped in a burning house; a grandfather (J. Pat O'Malley) is injured while showing his grandson how to operate a model rocket; and a boat thief is trapped on a drilling-platform mechanism. Finally, the station mascot "Boots" reappears just as mysteriously as he'd disappeared a few episodes back--and the dog apparently has a new agenda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Victimized by one of Chet's (Tim Donnelly) practical jokes, John (Randolph Mantooth) maps out a sweet revenge. The rest of the Rampart team is kept busy with Old Bill, a chronic "faker" who continually figures out ways to get checked into the hospital in order to entertain the kiddie patients--and who has suffered a real medical crisis at home. Also, a child swallows ant poison; another youngster is trapped in a treehouse by a fire; and a woman's efforts to keep her husband quiet end in disaster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Just before they end their shift, the Rampart emergency team is summoned to an apartment house which has been struck by a jet liner. Elsewhere, nurse Dixie (Julie London) administers some T.L.C. on the worried husband (J. Pat O'Malley) of an elderly patient (Florence Lake); another man suffers multiple cardiac arrests within a disturbingly short space of time; and Roy (Kevin Tighe) and John (Randolph Mantooth) try to separate the brawlers in a bar fight. And in a chucklesome subplot, Chet (Tim Donnelly) refuses to rest until he has rid the station house of a pesky rodent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The F Troop misfits are mobilized when word comes down that Silver Dove (Laurie Sibbald), the daughter of Hekawi chief Wild Eagle (Frank De Kova), has been kidnapped by a warrior from another tribe. Upon finding Silver Dove, O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch) learn that she hasn't really been kidnapped at all, but has gone along willingly with her sweetheart War Cloud (Blaisdell Makee). This episode marks the first appearance of J. Pat O'Malley as the Hekawi's new medicine man, replacing Edward Everett Horton as Roaring Chicken. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
