Paul Richards Movies

The eighth and final season of Ironside begins with the first episode of a two-part story. Believing herself possessed by the malevolent spirit of her dead brother, college coed Susan Todd (Sian Barbara Allen) confesses to the murder of her mother. Suspecting that Susan is not telling the truth, Ironside (Raymond Burr) consults a psychic to determine the murderer's actual identity. Meanwhile, Susan's somewhat sinister psychoanalyst Theodore Gallin Bill Bixby lurks ominously in the background. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this violent low-budget actioner from Roger and Gene Corman, two battered prisoners decide they've had enough and attempt to escape the notorious island. Papillon it isn't. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Earl Holliman guest stars as Frank Otten, a Federal witness in a Mob trial. When the hired thugs representing the defendant offer Frank a bribe to vote "Not Guilty", he jumps at the opportunity to finance a new start in life--and, he hopes, to repair his fractured relationship with his family. Unfortunately, the Mob has already decided that Frank knows far too much to keep on living. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sometime after the events of the first Planet of the Apes, the climax of which is repeated frame for frame at the beginning of this sequel, another set of astronauts arrives on the far-future Earth that is the titular planet. This time it's Brent (James Franciscus) who survives the crash landing and learns that evolved simians have taken over the world, post-apocalypse. After hooking up with Nova (Linda Harrison), the mute, fur bikini-clad beauty who spent the first film being squired by astronaut Taylor (Charlton Heston), Brent confers with Zira (Kim Hunter) and Cornelius (David Watson, giving Roddy McDowall his only break during the five-film series), the ape scientists whose adherence to scientific principles makes them friendly to the possibility of intelligent human life. Something of a military coup has taken place among the apes, who dispatch an army to the desolate "Forbidden Zone" where Taylor has coincidentally disappeared. With the apes and the humans both rooting about in the ruins of 20th century civilization, it's only a matter of time before they all find out what happened to the other survivors of the nuclear holocaust. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Schlockmeister Roger Corman produced this graphically violent chronicle of the Chicago gangster wars of the 1920s and the events that lead to the bloody title showdown between rival mobsters Al Capone (Jason Robards) and Bugs Moran (Ralph Meeker) that marked a brutal end to a terrifying era. Fred Steiner's film score is effectively mixed with popular songs from the 1920s, and the re-creation of gangster-era Chicago is a credit to the set designers. Historic and insightful narration is dramatically provided by Paul Frees, giving the film the flavor of a docudrama. Jean Hale plays Moran's gun moll, who is mercilessly kneed in the stomach while arguing over a fur coat. Though The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was heralded by critics at the time of its initial release, their opinion of the film has changed with each decade as they waver on the cinematic value of all of Corman's work. Audiences continue to relish the film, which is often shown on the anniversary of the bloody executions. Watch for Jack Nicholson as one of the unfortunate victims. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

As "Jack Fickett", Kimble (David Janssen) lands a general-purpose job at a motel called "The Chinese Sunset." Unfortunately, the motel is currently under police surveillance, due to the presence of big-time bookie Eddie Slade (Paul Richards) and his slovenly girl friend Penelope (Laura Devon). Touched by Penelope's pathetic lack of social skills, Kimble generously offers to teach her how to be a "proper lady"--little realizing the danger in which he is placing himself. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Still a few steps ahead of the law, Kimble (David Janssen) makes it to a railroad yard and hops a freight car already occupied by Neil Pinkerton (Paul Richards) and Matt Mooney (Lou Antonio). It turns out that Kimble's travelling companions are a pair of convicts who have escaped in a mass prison breakout. Forced to join Pinkerton and Mooney as they make their getaway, Kimble ends up in an isolated house occupied by Mona Ross (Shirley Knight) and her mother (Virginia Gregg). Now the fugitive faces a tricky problem: He must pretend to hold the terrified Mona captive while devising a strategy to save her life. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ted Chase (Paul Richards) has long suspected that his second wife Irene (Mari Blanchard) is unfaithful. Now he is also convinced that Irene was responsible for the death of his beloved first wife Ellen--and is currently conspiring with the owner of gun shop to bump off Ted as well. To save himself, Ted contemplates killing Irene, but someone beats him to it. Even so, Ted is charged with the crime, whereupon defense attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) begins to dig deeply into Irene's unbelievably sordid past. Several previous Perry Mason guest stars make noteworthy return appearances in this episode, among them Ann Rutherford and Jesse White. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Wounded bandit Track (Paul Richards) takes refuge at the home of widow Lee Bolden (Faith Domergue). Another of Lee's house guests, Joe Cartwright, recognizes Trock as a fugitive from justice. At first prepared to reveal Trock's identity, Joe hesitates when he realizes that Lee is falling in love with the injured outlaw. Featured in the cast are Jim Beck as Gavin and Vito Scotti as Pooch. Originally telecast October 15, 1961, "The Lonely House" was written by Frank Chase. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Set right near the 38th Parallel, the dividing line between North and South Korea, this conventional wartime tale focuses on the relationships of some GI's caught without reinforcements in an old farmhouse. Although the house offers some protection, the men are outnumbered and little by little, casualties mount. After the lieutenant dies, black Sergeant Towler (Sidney Poitier) automatically assumes command, and that causes friction among the white soldiers underneath him. Knowing that racial tension can do much more damage than normal under these siege conditions, Sergeant Towler finally defuses the situation when his nemesis, Kincaid (Alan Ladd) is wounded. Kincaid gets a life-saving transfusion from the Sergeant which also shows up the stupidity of racial hatred -- but meanwhile, the enemy is still attacking and reinforcements are still needed. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

The lives of two men, who under normal circumstances might never have even met, are inextricably intertwined in the 12 hours before the tragedy that will unite them both. One man is Will Jansen (Paul Richards), an outwardly respectable individual who storms out of his house after an argument with his wife Carol (Jean Allison)--an argument that seems curiously contrived. The other man is police sergeant Cooper (Douglas Kennedy), whose mounting debts have compelled him to participate in a nocturnal bank robbery. What bizarre twist of fate will force Jansen and Cooper into a fateful--and fatal--confrontation before the night is over? And how could Mrs. Jansen have prevented it? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Paladin (Richard Boone) agrees to help a young bride named Helen Martin (Olive Sturgess), prove that her bank-clerk husband Paul (Lee Farr) is innocent of robbing the bank and killing a deputy. Unfortunately, a rather nasty posse is already on Paul's trail, and they are disinclined to allow Paladin to reach the fugitive first. This episode was written by future Star Trek contributor Fred Freiberger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hot Summer Night is an out-of-the-ordinary crime yarn from the TV/radio production team of Morton Fine and David Friedkin. Unemployed journalist William Joel Pertain (Leslie Nielsen) hopes to reestablish himself by capitalizing on a recent wave of bank robberies. Pertain has a "lead" to the gang's leader Tom Ellis (Robert Wilke), and intends to parlay this into a hot news story. Instead, he places the lives of himself and his wife Irene (Colleen Miller) in dire peril. Of interest is the fact that the villain is portrayed with a modicum of sympathy, while the reporter comes off as a bit of a jerk. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi