Barry Pearl Movies
- 1995
Amidst a heavy caseload including alleged parental abuse, suicide, and a teenage prostitute with aids, Ross (George Clooney) makes the acquaintance of Diane Leeds (Lisa Zane) from Risk Management. Meanwhile, Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) defends herself against the charges leveled by Kayson (Sam Anderson), with an unexpected payoff. And Benton (Eriq La Salle) argues with Jackie (Khandi Alexander) over how best to care for their ailing mother. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
Never released in the theaters, this film consists of a series of short skits and parodies of television and the movies, and stars Richard Belzer, Martin Mull, and Harry Shearer. The film's 1981 production date explains the presence of Joan Hackett, who died in 1983. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Sue Martin, Joan Hackett, (more)
- 1987
No sooner has Jessica (Angela Lansbury) shipped her latest book to the publisher than someone plagiarizes its plotline for an episode of a TV crime series. Arriving in Hollywood to track down the culprit, Jessica crosses the path of an unscrupulous producer who specializes in stealing other people's ideas. Naturally, such a fellow would have accumulated an inordinately large list of enemies--one of whom manages to kill the producer with a live bomb during a staged special-effects sequence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
While the rest of the Seavers are visiting Maggie's parents Ed and Kate Malone (Gordon Jump, Betty McGuire), Mike (Kirk Cameron) is allowed to hold a party at home. Unfortunately, things get out of control, and what started as a "mild" affair is quickly upgraded to "wild." Meanwhile, the family is shocked to discover that Ed and Kate are about to be turned out of their house...and when Jason (Alan Thicke) offers to lend the couple the money needed to pay the bills, he's in for yet another shock. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Mark Lindsay Chapman (no relation to the murderer of John Lennon) stars in the made-for-TV The Annihilator. If the title sounds faintly reminiscent of The Terminator, it might just be more than a coincidence. The plot involves an army of mindless automatons, programmed to kill, kill, kill. Chapman plays a reporter whose efforts to halt the robot army are flummoxed by the fact that he himself is a fugitive from the law. The Annihilator premiered on April 7, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Betsy Russell takes over as part-time prostitute Molly Stewart in this disappointing sequel to the surprisingly good Angel (1984). Old pals Rory Calhoun and Susan Tyrrell are along for the search for the killer of the cop who saved Molly's life in the first film, joined by street magician Johnny Glitter (Barry Pearl). More brutal and hard-edged than the original, this installment is just another violent action movie, despite some slick camerawork and a fast pace. One peculiar touch is the frequent use of Bronski Beat's savage dance hit "Why?" which, although it has appropriately exciting music, it concerns gay-bashing and has no relation whatsoever to the storyline. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Betsy Russell, Rory Calhoun, (more)
- 1985
The first wedding anniversary of Vera (Beth Howland) and her policeman husband Elliot (Charles Levin) threatens to be a disaster from the word "go". Not only is Vera unable to pry her husband away from his professional duties, but she can't even get him to remember their "special song"--until she gets arrested! The singing quartet The Indian River Boys (John George Campbell, Stephen Tolman, Curry Worsham and Rick Cox) weave in and out of the proceedings as a Greek Chorus of cops and jailbirds, while future political pundit Bill Maher and onetime Grease costar Barry Pearl (he was the original "Doody") show up as police officers. With this episode, Alice moved from Sundays to Tuesdays, where it would remain for the rest of its run. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Joan Collins tops the cast of the made-for-TV The Making of a Male Model. No, silly: Joan doesn't play the title role. Rather, she is cast as the barracudalike owner of a top modelling agency, while Jon-Erik Hexum (at the time, a real-life male model) costars as a Nevada rancher whom Joan selects for stardom-or, if you prefer, hunkdom. Watch for Rosemary Stack, the wife of actor Robert Stack, in a juicy cameo as Collins' chief rival. Making of a Male Model was originally telecast October 9, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
"Grease," said the poster and the Barry Gibb song, "is the word." Transferring its setting from Chicago to sunny California, and adding a dash of disco to the ersatz '50s score, producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser turned this long-running Jim Jacobs - Warren Casey Broadway smash into the biggest blockbuster of 1978. 1950s teens Danny (John Travolta) and Australian transfer Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) spend their "Summer Nights" falling in love, but once fall comes, it's back to Rydell High and its cliques. As one of the bad boy T-Birds, Danny has to act cool for best pal Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) and their leather-clad mates Sonny (Michael Tucci) and Doody (Barry Pearl, in the role Travolta played on stage). Despite befriending Frenchy (Didi Conn), one of the rebel Pink Ladies, virginal Sandy is "too pure to be Pink," as the Ladies' leader Rizzo (Stockard Channing) acidly observes. Declaring their devotion in such ballads as "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Sandy," Sandy and Danny split, reconcile, and split again amidst a pep rally, dances, drive-ins, and a drag race, before deciding "You're the One That I Want" at the climactic carnival. With Travolta white-hot from Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease soundtrack singles climbed the charts and summer movie crowds poured in. With the presence of Joan Blondell, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd "Kookie" Byrnes and Frankie Avalon appealing to grown-up memories, Grease became the highest grossing film of 1978, the highest grossing movie musical ever, and the third most popular film of the new blockbuster '70s after Star Wars (1977) and Jaws (1975). Its sequel, Grease 2, did not exactly set the world on fire in 1982. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, (more)
- 1966
In the tradition of such Rankin-Bass productions as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Little Drummer Boy, the TV holiday special The Ballad of Smokey the Bear was made in the stop-motion Animagic process (simplistically described in the TV Guide listings as "animated mechanical puppets"). The story is narrated, and occasionally sung, by no less than James Cagney, here providing the voice of Big Bear. Eight brand new songs, written by Johnny Marks of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" fame, are heard in this saga of Smokey Bear's rise from cub-hood to his emergence as mascot for the US Forest Service's fire-prevention campaign. Curiously, the "official" voice of Smokey, Jackson Weaver, is not heard, though Weaver recorded an LP that was released concurrently with this program. The Ballad of Smokey the Bear made its NBC debut on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Cagney, Barry Pearl, (more)
