Barbara Perry Movies

In classic noir tradition, the protagonist of the made-for-TV Double Deception is hard-boiled private eye John Kane (James Russo), who provides the first-person narration for the deliciously convoluted plotline. Kane knew that former call girl Pamela Sparrow (Alice Krige) was a keg of dynamite the minute she uncrossed her beautiful stems in his seedy office. "Please help me," pleaded Pamela in that come-hither voice, "My husband is missing." But the dame wasn't up front at first, failing to mention that her soul-mate was tied in with a 10-year-old murder case. Funny thing: Pamela reminded Kane of his dead wife -- and funnier still, there are some things just don't stay dead. It figured that Kane would get a few lumps on the casaba along the way, and that he'd have a couple of waltz-arounds with the top brass. But a case is a case, and when murder's involved, someone's got to do something about it, or it's bad for business. Double Deception was originally broadcast by NBC on June 21, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Steve Martin stars in this remake of the 1950 Vincente Minnelli classic as shoe executive George Banks, whose happily married existence hits a bump when he greets his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams), home from a semester studying in Europe. She tells her father that she is engaged to be married. When the shocked George asks to whom, she says his name is Bryan (George Newbern) and that he is an "independent communications consultant." George is even more shocked when he finds out what the wedding will cost (when George goes through the card file for invited wedding guests and is told someone is deceased, George chirps, "He died? That's great!"). As George is ignored during the mad preparations for the wedding, he wistfully looks back to all the good times he has had with Annie and sadly looks forward to the time when he loses his little girl. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Gregory Hines plays the ex-convict son of a famed tap-dancer. Taking over his late father's Harlem dance studio, Hines can't shake memories of his childhood, when he was being touted as a dancing prodigy. Challenged to fulfill his destiny by his dad's old cronies--among them such terpsichorean giants as Sammy Davis Jr., Steve Condos, Jimmy Slyde and Harold Nicholas--Hines does his best to avoid lapsing back into a life of crime. The struggle to save Hines' soul is a titanic one, with Hines' girlfriend Suzzanne Douglas tugging at him from one direction and his old burglary partner Joe Morton yanking from the other. The plotline of Tap is merely an excuse to show off some of the most dazzling footwork ever recorded on film. The director is Nick Castle Jr., who like star Gregory Hines is scion of a legendary dancing family. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this comedy, the members of the Shakers, an aspiring rock band, perform at a series of weird and wacky weddings. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

The initials in the title stand for "Law Enforcement Manpower Resources Allocation System"--or more simply, the LAPD computer system (the 1971 edition, that is). LEMRAS arranges for dedicated police officers like Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) to fill in the departmental manpower gaps whenever necessary. Tonight's case load includes a string of burglaries committed by a gang of elusive cyclists, an attempted kidnapping, and a hostage crisis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Thanks to a loose address number, a layer of synthetic grass is accidentally installed on the Stephenses' front lawn. Upon arriving home, Darrin thinks that Sam created the grass via witchcraft, and a battle royal ensues. The couple's argument spreads like wildfire throughout the neighborhood, especially when Bill McLain (Richard X. Slattery) accuses Darrin of "stealing" the plastic grass meant for him. Written by Ed Jurist, "How Green Was My Grass" first aired on February 29, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The first episode of the first season of Family Affair finds the carefree lifestyle of globetrotting consulting engineer (and swinging bachelor) Bill Davis (Brian Keith) scattered to the four winds when his newly orphaned nephew Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) and niece Buffy (Anissa Jones) arrive on the doorstep of his Manhattan apartment. The six-year-old twins had been living with their Aunt Fran (Louise Latham), but her husband can't stand kids and so Bill is appointed the new surrogate father. He isn't keen on the prospect, nor is Bill's veddy British butler Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) thrilled at the prospect of being a "nanny". By episode's end, of course, the kids have won Bill over, but not before a crisis wherein Buffy, feeling completely unwanted, hides in the basement of the apartment building. And there's another big surprise in store for Mr. French at fadeout time ("Good Heavens! I AM a nanny!"). In this episode, Philip Ober appears as Bill's business partner Ted Gaynor, a role later played by John Hubbard. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Martin (Ray Walton) is worried that the upcoming telecast of a vintage silent film will reveal his previous existence as a movie "sheik"--and thus tip off the fact that he's a space traveller. To avoid this, Martin and Tim activate the "CCTBS" time machine to return to the Hollywood of 1925, there to scuttle the filming of Martin's starring epic. Alas, history threatens to repeat itself, largely due to the blossoming romance between Tim and silent leading lady Viola Normandy (Arlene Martel). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Aunt Bee makes no secret of the fact that she wants to play the leading role in the upcoming Mayberry Centennial. Unfortunately, the chamber of commerce determines that Bee is all wrong for the part. Even more unfortunately, Andy is elected to tell Bee the bad news-and it was Andy who encouraged her to try out for the Pageant in the first place. Written by Harvey Bullock, "The Pageant" originally aired on November 30, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While paging through their old high school annuals, Andy and Barney hit upon the notion of staging a class reunion. The boys are particularly anxious to be reunited with their school sweethearts Sharon (Peggy McCay) and Ramona (Virginia Eilers). In true "You Can't Go Home Again" fashion, the reunion serves only to reaffirm the reasons that Andy and Sharon drifted apart in the first place. Incidentally, those class pictures of teenaged Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are the genuine article. First telecast on February 4, 1963, "Class Reunion" was written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Working at a store under the alias "Dan Crowley", Kimble (David Janssen) is on hand when two-bit thief Herbie Grant (Warren Oates) is shot while holding up the place. Hiding out from the authorities, Herbie begs fellow fugitive Kimble to help clear him of other crimes of which he has been wrongfully accused. But Herbie's sister Lorna (Virginia Vincent) coldbloodedly demands that Herbie be turned over the police--and threatens to reveal Kimble's true identity if he refuses. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Upset by the boy's club camaraderie of the "Alan Brady Show" writing staff, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) insists that Rob (Dick Van Dyke) start treating his co-writer Sally (Rose Marie) like a lady and not merely as "one of the guys." Though he thinks it's a crazy idea, Rob does what Laura asks, going overboard with his courtesies and compliments aimed at the nonplussed Sally. Alas, the plan backfires when Buddy and Mel become convinced that Rob and Sally are carrying on an affair! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Howard Hawks directed this classic farce about how love attempts to triumph over military red tape after the close of World War II. Capt. Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) is a French officer who is assigned to put a stop to a black market operation in occupied Germany with the help of Lt. Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan), an American WAC. While their initial meetings are hardly harmonious, in time Rochard and Gates find that opposites really do attract, and they fall in love. The two decide to get married, which seems simple enough, but the moment Gates receives orders to return to the United States and Rochard wants to join her, they soon discover just how complicated the U.S. Army can make things. While the Army has a strict protocol for dealing with "war brides," there is no similar routine for men who marry female Army personnel, so in order to follow his new wife into the States, Rochard has to disguise himself as a WAC. From this moment on, nearly everything that happens to Rochard is an affront to his dignity and/or his patience, from his inability to share a bunk with his new bride to his discovery that Army regulations prevent him from driving a motorcycle (Gates has to take the handlebars, while her husband is forced to ride in a sidecar). As more than one writer has pointed out, while Grant gives a deft comic performance, it's a bit of a stretch to imagine that he's French (but probably no more than to imagine that anyone would really believe that he's a woman). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi