Jesse Pearson Movies
- 1978
- PG
When his father does not return from the Norse colony in Vinland (Greenland) for years and years, warrior son Thorvald (Lee Majors) organizes an expedition to find him. He and his co-commander Ragnar (Cornel Wilde) arrive and swiftly discover that King Eurich (Mel Ferrer) and his company were abducted by Native Americans and taken to neighboring lands. With the help of a friendly tribal princess, and the comical assistance of the Norse shaman "Death Dreamer" (Jack Elam), Thorvald is able to locate and battle the tribesmen for the life of his father. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Majors, Cornel Wilde, (more)
- 1969
Mildred Natwick guest-stars as the formidable Mrs. Wharton, a snobbish Englishwoman living by her wits and will in the Wild, Wild West. When the stage on which she is travelling is held up by outlaws, the snooty Mrs. Wharton must rely upon that "uncouth creature" Candy to retrieve her valuables. Candy soon discovers that Mrs. Wharton is a lot more resourceful and self-reliant than she appears to be. Loosely based on the real-life tour of the American West by British actress Mrs. Trollope, "Mrs. Wharton and the Lesser Breeds" was written by Preston Wood, and was first shown on January 19, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1966
Jess Pearson, who played Conrad Birdie in the 1963 film version of Bye Bye Birdie, is here cast as celebrated country-western singer Keevy Hazleton. Aunt Bee and Clara successfully persuade Keevy to record a song they've written about Mayberry. When the ladies attend the recording session, they are sorely displeased with Keevy's interpretation of their masterpiece. Written by Stan Dreben and Howard Merrill, "A Singer in Town" originally aired April 11, 1966, as the final episode of The Andy Griffith Show's sixth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Jesse Pearson, who played Conrad Birdie in the 1963 film version of Bye Bye Birdie, is here cast as teenage singing idol Johnny Poke. It just so happens that Johnny hails from the Ozarks, and he's also an old and dear friend of the Clampett family. As a bonus, Johnny's mom, the Widow Poke, has always been sweet on Jed -- a fact which rouses the matchmaker in dear old Granny. "Teenage Idol" originally aired on November 18, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Granny steps up her efforts to match up Jed with the Widow Poke, the mother of singing sensation Johnny Poke (Jess Pearson). The widow in question is played by Ellen Corby, light-years removed from her stint as Grandma on the long-running The Waltons. The 81st episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, "The Widow Poke Arrives" was originally slated to air on November 18, 1964. Thanks to a last-minute news special, the episode was moved to November 25. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Union Colonel Brackenby (Melvyn Douglas) and his second-in-command, Captain Heath (Glenn Ford), attempt to command a rather inept cavalry unit during the Civil War. General Willoughby (Jim Backus) heads them out West on assignment rather than allowing them to foul things up where it counts. They soon get involved with Martha Lou, a confederate spy (Stella Stevens) posing as a prostitute, and her boss, Jenny (Joan Blondell) as well as a group of renegades and an Indian chief. In spite of their ridiculous slapstick antics, they manage to carry out their mission. This comedy was based on Company of Cowards, a novel by Jack Schaefer. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Stella Stevens, (more)
George Sidney's adaptation of the satiric Broadway musical smash by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, and Lee Adams -- about an Elvis Presley-inspired rock star, who is drafted into the army and who creates a near-riot in a small Midwestern town when he stops there for one last publicity junket -- takes good-natured swipes at popular culture, rock n' roll, and American family life. Dick van Dyke re-creates his Broadway role of Albert Peterson, a down-on-his-luck songwriter for the rock-n'-roll idol Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson). When Birdie is drafted into the army, Peterson is worried about his future as a songwriter. His secretary, Rosie (Janet Leigh in a brunette wig), with whom Albert has long been romantically attached, convinces Albert to write a farewell song for Birdie that he will sing on The Ed Sullivan Show to a specially selected fan. The lucky fan turns out to be Kim McAfee (Ann-Margaret) of Sweet Apple, Ohio. When Birdie arrives in this hick town, the population goes crazy and in the ensuing madness, Albert must deal with the celebrity-fawning population, Kim's manic father (Paul Lynde, also re-creating his Broadway role), and his own domineering mother (Maureen Stapleton), while he loses Rosie to the Shriners. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, (more)
- 1957
A "Shock Theater" perennial since it was first released to television in the early 1960s (stretch-framed to pad out its running time), The Amazing Colossal Man is firmly in the "So Bad It's Good" category. While overseeing the atomic tests in the Nevada desert, Army colonel Glenn Langan is exposed to extensive amounts of radiation. As a result, Langan grows, and grows, and grows, at the rate of ten feet per day. This sudden height gain adversely affects the poor man's mind, and soon he's as mad as a hatter. Looking for all the world like Mr. Clean in a diaper, the Colossal Man goes on a murderous rampage, laying waste to several Las Vegas landmarks before he is killed by army bullets while standing atop the Boulder Dam. The special effects are adequate, but the dialogue is ridiculous-in fact, if we didn't know better, we'd say that the film was intended to be funny. Our favorite bit: the huge hypodermic needle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Langan, Cathy Downs, (more)
