Ann Prentiss Movies

An astrophysicist falls in love with a beautiful woman who is actually a disguised extraterrestrial in this high-concept comedy. Dan Aykroyd plays Steven Mills, a dedicated and harmlessly odd scientist researching ways to send radio signals to deep space. Unbeknownst to him, one of his experiments works better than expected, attracting the attention of an alien in need of help. She travels to Earth and poses as a human, assuming the name Celeste and the body of Kim Basinger. Celeste's lack of knowledge about humanity causes her to act bizarrely at times, but her odd behavior unexpectedly causes Mills to fall in love with her. The confused Celeste decides to play along for her planet's sake, but she finds her plan threatened by Mills' teenage daughter Jessie (Alyson Hannigan), who has become suspicious of Celeste after witnessing some odd behavior. The culture clash between Celeste's planet and Earth serves as an excuse for broad slapstick and sitcom-style humor, such as Celeste's fumbling efforts to enact the human ritual of "kissing." ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

The most narratively loose of Robert Altman's '70s films, California Split details the haphazard lives of two compulsive gamblers searching for that ever-elusive big score. Newly single and soon-to-be-unemployed Bill (George Segal) joins live-wire pal Charlie (Elliott Gould), as the pair moves from Fruit Loops with Charlie's hooker roommates Sue (Gwen Welles) and Barbara (Ann Prentiss) to bets on horses, backroom card games, boxing, and basketball. They make it to Reno, but Bill comes to realize that even the big score may not be the answer to the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. For Charlie, however, that's all there is. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

An explosion in Rampart's hospital lab not only endangers the workers, but also some valuable documents. A young woman who is trying to impress her boyfriend and his mother with a homecooked meal falls victim to one kitchen accident after another, ultimately resulting in a call to Squad 51. Dr. Early (Bobby Troup) tries to convince a man that he hasn't been placed under a hex. A sports car, and its driver, are pinned under a gas truck that is on the verge of blowing up. And station mascot Boots confuses one and all with his uncharacteristically lethargic behavior. This episode was originally scheduled to air on January 27, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Introduced in the earlier episode "Meena", the scraggly Calhouns make a return Bonanza appearance in the April 5, 1970 episode "The Horse Traders." Having struck it rich, unkempt miner Luke Calhoun (Dub Taylor) and his feisty daughter Meena (Ann Prentiss) now wear fancy clothes and reek of perfume. Magnanimously, Calhoun has allowed the three lamebrained outlaws who'd tried to steal his gold in the earlier episode-Jesse (Victor French), Owen (Robert Donner) and Virg (George Morgan)--to live on his property; in fact, Virg is now Meena's fiance. Ultimately, the ex-crooks wear out their welcome and are told to vacate the premises unless they find jobs. Before long, the three stupids have opened up a livery stable-just as Hoss and Joe Cartwright come to town, hoping to make some money in a hurry by selling a herd of valuable horses. "The Horse Traders" was written by Jack B. Sowards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast on November 16, 1969, "Meena" was the first of three Bonanza episodes featuring the troublesome Calhouns. When Joe Cartwright is kidnapped by bumbling crooks Jesse (Victor French), Owen (Robert Donner), and Virge (George Morgan), he is rescued by pretty Meena Calhoun (Ann Prentiss) and brought to the girl's home, an abandoned gold mine. Almost immediately, Meena's ill-tempered prospector father Luke (Dub Taylor) tries to force a marriage between his daughter and Joe. Meanwhile, the trio of would-be kidnappers refocus their energies on stealing the gold which they believe that Luke has salted away. "Meena" was written by Jack B. Sowards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ohio businessman Jack Lemmon is offered a golden job opportunity; all he has to do is relocate himself and wife Sandy Dennis to New York City. What follows has led some critics to complain that playwright Neil Simon has written a "hate letter" to Manhattan. Within a 36 hour period, the couple (a) loses their airplane luggage; (b) are forced to travel from Boston to New York in a greasy old train; ( c ) can't get any sort of service because virtually everyone in Fun City is on strike; (d) are mugged twice, once while they're asleep; (e) are reduced to sleeping on Central Park benches in their day clothes.....and so it goes, until the shabby, disheveled Lemmon tells his prospective bosses off, and he and his wife head back to Ohio---- almost. Punctuated by Sandy Dennis' plaintive "Oh, my Gawwwwd", The Out of Towners tightens the screws and ups the ante on the classic "comedy of errors" formula. Filmed on location, the picture features a who's who of character actors (Milt Kamen, Anne Meara, Phil Bruns, Dolph Sweet, Richard Libertini, Paul Dooley, Robert Walden, Ron Carey etc. etc. etc.) When first shown on network television, the film was shorn of its closing punchline because of an eccentric censorship rule. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The star of the Broadway version of Any Wednesday was Sandy Dennis. Headlining the 1966 film version is Jane Fonda, who imbues her character with enough quirkiness to satisfy both herself and the endearingly mannered Ms. Dennis. Fonda plays the dippy mistress of philanderer Jason Robards, who visits his paramour only on Wednesdays (hence the title). Dean Jones costars as the erstwhile swain who messes up Robards' routine by falling in love with Fonda. Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein does a expert job at expanding Muriel Resnick's play for the screen without robbing it of its inherent charm. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide