J. Pat O'Malley Movies

J. Pat O'Malley plays Captain Barnaby, a self-styled "ancient mariner" who boldly embarks upon a 1000-mile sea voyage. There's only one slight problem: The Captain has never been on the ocean in his life! Sr. Bertrille tags along to make certain that Barnaby's secret remains a secret-and to insure his safe return. Written by Bernard Slade, "The Sister and the Old Salt" was first networkcast on February 8, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode of Green Acres was cunningly timed to air just before the 1968 presidential elections. Upset over the do-nothing record of incumbent state representative Ben Hanks (J. Pat O'Malley), Oliver (Eddie Albert) angrily declares that there is more to being a good politician than handing out gifts, slapping backs and kissing babies. The result: Oliver ends up running against Hanks on the "reform" ticket. Skip Young, best known as the goofy Wally on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, is here cast as an equally goofy campaign worker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Touted by 20th Century-Fox as a follow-up to their enormously successful The Sound of Music, Star! reteams that earlier film's leading lady Julie Andrews and director Robert Wise. Andrews plays legendary musical comedy star Gertrude Lawrence, while Daniel Massey appears as Lawrence's friend, co-worker and severest critic Noel Coward (Massey's real-life godfather). The film jumps back and forth in continuity at times, its transitions bridged by fabricated newsreel footage; essentially, however, William Fairchild's script traces Lawrence's progress from ambitious bit actress to the toast of London and Broadway. Her success is offset by a stormy private life, which is given some ballast when she falls in love with an American financier (Richard Crenna). The film is way too long for its own good, though the musical set pieces -- especially the Andrews-Massey duets -- are superb. Julie Andrews welcomed the chance of playing a character as far removed from her goody-two-shoes heroine in Sound of Music as possible; Gertrude Lawrence was temperamental, sarcastic, profane and at times self-destructive, and Andrews makes a meal of the role. Unfortunately, Andrews' fans, conditioned by the Fox publicity machine to expect a continuation of Sound of Music, rejected her outright in this "new" characterization. Star! was a huge box-office bomb, so much so that Fox desperately attempted a shortened re-release under a misleading new title, Those Were The Happy Times. They weren't: it remained a financial disaster, though it has developed a loyal cult following in recent years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The final animated feature produced under the supervision of Walt Disney is a lively neo-swing musical, loosely based upon the tales of Rudyard Kipling. The story takes place in a tropical jungle where people are conspicuously absent. But one day Bagheera the Panther (voice of Sebastian Cabot) discovers a baby in the wreck of a boat. Feeling pity on the child, Bagheera takes him to be raised with the wolves. Ten years later, the child has grown into Mowgli (voice of Bruce Reitherman). Mowgli discovers that his life is in danger because of the return to the area of Shere Khan the Tiger (voice of George Sanders), whose hatred of humans is such that Mowgli faces certain death if discovered. Bagheera agrees to transport Mowgli to the human village, where he will be safe from Shere Khan. Along the way to the village, night falls and Mowgli and Bagheera almost succumb to the man-eating snake Kaa (voice of Sterling Holloway). Escaping Kaa's coils, they run into the lock-step military elephant band of Colonel Hathi (voice of J. Pat O'Malley). Afterwards, Mowgli, who doesn't want to be sent to the human village, runs away from Bagheera and meets up with the fun-loving Baloo the Bear (voice of Phil Harrris). With both Bagheera and Baloo to protect him, Mowgli is saved from several more life-threatening situations -- including a barber-shop quartet of vultures, the crazed King Louie of the Apes (voice of Louis Prima), and Shere Khan himself -- before making it to the village of humans. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Blake Edwards directed this big-screen adaptation of the once-popular TV detective series Peter Gunn, which Edwards helped create. Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) is a tough but polished private eye who fights crime with the help of friendly advice from an inside source at the police department, Lt. Jacoby (Edward Asner), no-nonsense nightclub owner Mother (Helen Traubel), and Gunn's best girl, Edie (Laura Devon). When a top crime boss is assassinated, Gunn is called in to investigate. Fusco (Albert Paulson) is a mobster poised to take over the city's criminal empire, and Daisy Jane (Marion Marshall) is a madame who thinks that Fusco pulled the trigger to further his own career. Jane wants Gunn to dig up the truth about Fusco, though Daisy Jane turns out to be the one with the biggest secret of all. Gunn retains Henry Mancini's memorable theme music from the original show, and brought back Craig Stevens, who played Peter Gunn on the original TV series, though Herschel Bernardi and Lola Albright were replaced as (respectively) Jacoby and Edie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Murdock Sneep (J. Pat O'Malley), sour-faced owner of the Pixley Hotel, is none too happy over the fact that business is booming at the Shady Rest. In order to win back customers, Sneep declares "war" on the rival hotel. It is a challenge that Shady Rest owner Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet) is more than willing to accept--and what follows is a maelstrom of ever-lowering prices, free "perks" and general chaos and confusion. Jack Bannon, the son of series regular Bea Benaderet, appears as "Ed". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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

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

Though he is using the alias "Joe Warren", Richard Kimble (David Janssen) is recognized by Sal Mitchell (Larry Blyden), a seedy nightclub performer who has a mind-reading act. Hoping to drum up publicity, Mitchell plans to arrange for Kimble's capture, thereby make it appear as if his "powers" are genuine. Crucial to the success of the scheme is a subtle accomplice, who likewise using an alias is posing as Kimble's current travelling companion. Appearing as Mitchell's wife Joan is Joanna Moore, onetime wife of actor Ryan O'Neal and the mother of child star Tatum O'Neal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A shipboard fire forces Jonny, Dr. Quest, Race, Hadji, and Bandit to accidently maroon themselves on an unchartered island. The heroes are sought out by a duo of gunrunners named Silky and Chopper, who intend to hold Jonny and Hadji for ransom. In true Tarzan fashion, Jonny and company are shielded from harm by a band of friendly, tree-dwelling apes. "Attack of the Tree People" made its first network appearance on January 21, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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

A jaunty harmonica-music score by Tommy Morgan was the main redeeming feature of this otherwise pedestrian Twilight Zone episode. John Dehner stars as Jared Garrity, a frontier con artist who convinces the citizens of a sleepy western town that he possesses the ability to bring the dead back to life. After a few examples of his power, the townsfolk are convinced -- and are willing to pay through the nose to make sure that certain people remain dead. An amusing but predictable twist caps this episode, which was scripted by Rod Serling from a short story by Mike Korologos and first aired May 8, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide