Alan Oppenheimer Movies
Alan Oppenheimer is one of the busiest of that breed of character actors who so expertly blend into the roles they're playing that they don't seem to be acting at all. Generally cast in "management" roles in films (the chief supervisor in 1973's Westworld, for example), Oppenheimer has also been a regular or semi-regular on several TV series. He was Dr. Rudy Wells during the first season of The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-75) ex-gangster Sheldon Leonard's brother Jessie on Big Eddie (1975), Captain Finnerty on Eischeid (1979-83) and Ben Brookstone on Home Free (1993), and was seen on an occasional basis as Dr. Raymond Auerbach on Murder She Wrote and network president Eugene Kinsella on Murphy Brown. Alan Oppenheimer's most lasting legacy rests in his innumerable cartoon voiceovers for Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Disney and other studios: He was heard as Ming the Merciless on New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979), Sidney Merciless in the "Shake Rattle and Roll" component of CB Bears (1977), Mighty Mouse in The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle (1979 Filmation version), Big D on The Drak Pack (1980), Tawky Tawney and Uncle Dudley in Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam (1981), Vanity on The Smurfs (1981-90), Sheriff Pudge on The Trollkins (1981), Skeletor in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983), the King of Gummadon in Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985), Colonel Trautman in Rambo (1986), Pa Kent on Superman (1988 Ruby-Spears version), Merlin in The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991), and so many others. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2003
Borrowing Luke's truck -- and nearly wrecking it in the process -- Lorelai (Lauren Graham) moves Rory (Alexis Bledel) into her new dorm room at Yale. Rory is quickly introduced to her roommates, 15-year-old prodigy Tanna (Olivia Hack) and sports jock Janet (Katie Walder). And oh yes, there's a third "roomie": none other than Rory's prep-school pal (and frequent nemesis) Paris Geller (Liza Weil), who has arrived on campus in the company of a "life coach" no less! Meanwhile, back in Stars Hollow, Luke (Scott Patterson) finds out just how difficult it is to divorce a lawyer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Having witnessed a hate crime committed by a gang of white supremacists against a black law student, baker Matt Colletti (a pre-The ShieldMichael Chilkis) is too frightened to come forward and tell the authorities. It is up to Monica and Tess--disguised respectively as an assistant baker and a visiting preacher--to convince Matt to do the right thing. It takes some doing, but Matt finally takes a stand and provides testimony against the thugs. Alas, when Matt claims to have recognized one of the student's assailants as Satan in disguise, no one (except the angels) believes him! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
A natural disaster turns out to be a very artificial bit of outer space treachery in this episode of the sci-fi television series tar Trek: Voyager. A steady shower of asteroids has been raining down upon the home planet of the Ness, and the crew of the Voyager have offered to help them find a solution to this disastrous barrage. However, their attempts to vaporize the asteroids have not gone well, and they send a research time to the planet while the Ness ambassador is brought aboard the Voyager. r. Vat (om Towles), a scientist working on the asteroid project, needs to reach the Voyager to speak with the ambassador, but when the crew attempts to arrange transportation to the ship, they discover he attempted to leave on his own; r. Vatm seems confused and out of sorts, and soon dies after drinking water which turned out to be poisoned. Amidst all the confusion, it is learned that the asteroid shower was not a natural occurrence, but the handiwork of one of the Nezu's enemies. Star Trek: Voyager 160: Rise first aired on February 26, 1997 ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
- 1995
When the nefarious Lord Caliban and his wicked henchman start acting up again, its up to future cop Jack Deth and his intrepid Tunnel Rats to try to stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Thomerson, Stacie Randall, (more)
- 1994
Deep Space Nine finished its second season with this episode, which was broadcast on June 11, 1994. While visiting the Gamma Quadrant with Jake and Nog, Sisko and Quark are taken prisoner. Their captors are members of the Jem'hadar, who in turn are disciples of a mysterious power known as the Dominion, a society with zero tolerance for "invaders" from the other side of the wormhole. Though not precisely a cliffhanger, the episode ends with a foretaste of further dangers awaiting DS9. "The Jem'hadar" was written by Ira Steven Behr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
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Kit Walker is the 21st Century Phantom, one of a long line of superheroes who have lived in the jungles and dutifully defended mankind's precious natural resources. After the cataclysmic Resource War, Kit moves to the urban jungles of Metropia, looking to thwart the baddies. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1993
In this Romanian-set fantasy, a man becomes invisible in order to fight an evil, masked madman called Drago. Drago turns mobs of peasants insane and sends them to surrounding villages to kidnap young women. Behind all the mayhem is a wheelchair-bound mad scientist who controls a robot called Mandroid. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Guest star Kevin Conway is cast as Kahless, a legendary, godlike Klingon warrior who has apparently returned from the dead. Making up for lost time, Kahless declares his intention of defying the Federation and restoring the Klingon empire. Caught in the middle is Lt. Worf, who must now choose between his faith in Kahless and loyalty to his Enterprise colleagues. Scripted by Ronald D. Moore from a story by James E. Brooks, "Rightful Heir" was first telecast May 22, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Ever the rebel, Murphy (Candice Bergen) is outraged by the "appearance clause" in her contract, allowing the network to dictate exactly how she should look on the air. In protest, Murphy makes her next "FYI" appearance with a new, hacked-to-the-bone hairstyle in place of her familiar flowing tresses. The result: Not only is Murphy angry, but so is the network--not to mention virtually every "FYI" fan in America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Julius Carry makes his first appearance as Mitchell Baldwin, the "hot" new replacement for former network boss Eugene Kinsella (Alan Oppenheimer), who has been kicked upstairs. The staff of "FYI" is a bit put off by the big changes planned by Baldwin, but Murphy (Candice Bergen) seems determined to take whatever comes--and to ingratiate herself to her new employer. The question: Does Murphy genuinely respect Baldwin's ideas and opinions, or is she simply oversensitive because he happens to be African American? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
After the sudden death of the network's Sunday night anchorman, both Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Jim (Charles Kimbrought) vie to fill in for the unfortunate man until a permanent replacement is chosen. The rivalry between the two coworkers spills over into their weekly "FYI" duties, resulting in a "Battle of the Divas" than no opera house could ever boast! While this may be funny to the viewer, it's anything but amusing to network executive Kinsella (Alan Oppenheimer), who may be forced to take drastic action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In an episode blatantly inspired by current events (those of early 1991, that is), the network carrying "FYI" is taken over by a huge corporation called American Industrial Enterprises. Almost immediately, the company's barracudalike VP Barbara Boyle (Nancy Youngblut) begins imposing Draconian budget limitations on the "FYI" staffers; at one point, investigative reporter Frank [Joe Regalbuto] is forced to go undercover wearing only a ludicrous pair of "Groucho glasses" as a disguise. Finally, Murphy (Candice Bergen) decides to stage a revolt--with astonishing results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In 1988, Nancy Klein, the pregnant wife of Long Island accountant Marty Klein, was involved in a car accident that left her comatose. Convinced that Nancy would never recover if she went to full term with the baby, Marty asked the doctors to perform an abortion. Almost immediately, Nancy Klein became a cause celebre for pro-life and pro-choice activists alike. Made for television, Absolute Strangers recreates this traumatic event and the drawn-out courtroom litigation that followed. Henry Winkler, who produced the film, returned to acting after a long absence to play Klein; others in the cast include Jennifer Hetrick as Nancy, Richard Kiley as Dr. R. J. Cannon, Karl Malden and Audra Lindley as Nancy's parents, and Patty Duke as a lower-court judge. Though it is clear that the filmmaker's sympathies are clearly on Marty Klein's side, the script remains even-handed throughout, observing that the pro-choicers can be just as narrow-minded and contentious as the "absolute strangers" who wish to usurp Marty Klein's rights concerning his wife's wellbeing. Written by playwright Robert Anderson (Tea and Sympathy, I Never Sang For My Father), Absolute Strangers premiered April 14, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Richard Kiley, (more)
- 1991
This effective made-for-TV supernatural thriller (based on the novel Virgin by James Patterson) involves the travails of a Catholic priest (Anthony John Denison) who is ordered by his superiors to investigate the prospect of two separate virgin births -- one of which will bring the Son of God into the world, the other the Son of Satan. Unfortunately, there is no overt indication as to which child is which. Omen-style apocalyptic portents abound as the forces of Evil throw a variety of obstacles in Denison's path, even possessing the soul of the nun (Sela Ward) who is assisting him. Potent, gripping stuff -- and very intense for a TV movie -- this retains much of the metaphysical punch of its source material. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In the conclusion of a two-part episode, it's the Bundys versus the D'Arcys in a "Supermarket Sweep"-like competition at Foodie's Supermarket. Both families are given $1000 to buy as much as they possibly can before a pre-determined deadline, with celebrity judge Jerry Mathers--aka Beaver Cleaver--determining the winner. Meanwhile, the Bundy kids do their best to drive Mathers crazy, but "The Beav" emerges triumphant with the episode's funniest put-down line. With this episode, Ted McGinley becomes a series regular in the previously recurring role of Jefferson D'Arcy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Wings Hauser appears as Wallace Evans, a policeman turned professor who use to teach the Manhattan College criminology course now helmed by Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). In the spirit of friendly rivalry, Evans challenges Jessica to find the person responsible for a series of recent campus muggings before he himself fingers the culprit. The stakes in this "race" are raised considerably when murder enters the picture. This time out, the suspect list ranges from a suspicious-looking busboy to Professor Evans himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) decides to retire her trusty typewriter and signs up for a computer course. While deep in study, she stumbles across a case of illegal computer hacking--which of course leads to murder. The victim this time out is one of the two men in charge of the computer school, while the suspects include the dead man's wife, his mistress, and the elusive hacker (or at least, the hacker was elusive until Jessica entered the scene!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Although the network has given the okay to Murphy's unwed pregnancy and allows her to remain on "FYI", Miles (Grant Shaud) worries that Murphy (Candice Bergen) will soon be physically incapable of maintaining her usual exhausting pace. Her first big challenge is to secure an interview with President Bush, who agrees to talk with her only while he's jogging. Once she realizes that being on foot with the Prez is out of the question, Murphy tries to keep up with the Chief Executive on a bicycle--yet another in a long line of blunders! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Once again, the "FYI" newsroom is hit by a strike. Before, it was the techinal staff who walked out; this time, it's the talent, headed by Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen), who take a hike. Assigned to deliver Murphy's report on the S&L crisis, empty-headed anchor wannabe Miller Redfield (Christopher Rich) proves anew that he is way out of his league--forcing nervous producer Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud) to step before the cameras himself! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
During an intense practical-joke war between Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Frank (Joe Regalbuto), Murphy puckishly hires a man to present himself to Frank, claiming to be "Deep Throat" of Watergate fame. It would have been amusing if the man hired was the genuine "Deep Throat", former FBI deputy chief Mark Felt, but his identity was still under wraps back in 1990. At any rate, Frank falls for the impostor hook, line and sinker--and as a result he all but destroys his journalistic career! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
A technician's strike results in a veritable orgy of foul-ups, bleeps and blunders during the weekly "FYI" telecast. Not wishing for a repeat of this embarrassing experience, Murphy (Candice Bergen) takes it upon herself to be mediator between labor and management. Unfortunately, the hard-bitten techies are somewhat resistant to Murphy's uncharacteristic acts of hospitality, which include tea and cakes and cozy chit-chat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Already guilt-stricken over his one-stand stand with an older woman named Lois (Claire Peck), Miles (Grant Shaud) goes into full panic mode when he and the woman are reunited at a birthday party for his boss Eugene Kinsella (Alan Oppenheimer). It seems that during their night of passion, Lois never mentioned that she and Mr. Kinsella are married. Even worse, Kinsella suspects that Lois has been fooling around--but he's convinced that investigative reporter Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto) is the Other Man! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Once again, Murphy (Candice Bergen) lets her temper get the better of her during a TV interview, which ends when she storms off the set and leaves her guest--a prominent military officer--hanging in the lurch. Finally building up the gumption to put his foot down, producer Miles (Grant Shaud) suspends Murphy and orders her to spend two weeks resting up at home. The situation reaches the crisis stage when network executive Eugene Kinsella (Alan Oppenheimer, in his first series appearances) begins dropping "subtle" hints that perhaps Miles overreacted...but by this time, Murphy may not be all that keen about returning to work. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
During an "FYI" hiatus, Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Corky (Faith Ford) agree to temporarily co-host the station's early-morning show. While Corky takes to the job like a fish to water, Murphy is driven crazy by the show's laid-back format and her co-host's nails-on-the-blackboard ebullience. Famed Elvis Presley impersonator Pete Willcox shows up as Murphy's "Secretary #20", who bears a startling resemblance to a certain Memphis singer who had Left the Building several years earlier. This is the final episode of Murphy Brown's first season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
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This made-for-TV animated feature stars only two regular members of the Mystery Machine gang: Scooby Doo and Shaggy (although Scrappy, a late addition to the series, is also present). In place of Freddy, Velma, and Daphne, we have Googie, Shaggy's girl friend. It seems that Shaggy and company are now involved in race car driving. By coincidence, in far-off Transylvania, Count Dracula is getting ready for the annual Monster Car Race -- a race that features such familiar faces as Frankenstein's Monster and his bride, the Mummy, Genghis Kong, and a pair of witches. Normally, the Werewolf is a part of the race, but he has fled this year and nothing Dracula can do will bring him back. As he desperately needs a werewolf for the race, Dracula sends the Hunch Bunch -- a pair of deformed brothers -- to America, where they transform Shaggy into a werewolf. Dracula tells Shaggy that he will take the spell off of him and return him to normal -- but only if he wins the Monster Car Race. That turns out to be easier said than done, especially since Dracula does everything in his power to see that Shaggy will lose and remain a werewolf forever. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
