Brian Culhane Movies
- 1978
In the first half of a two-part story, Jim (James Garner) investigates the mysterious death of his mentor Joe Tooley (Paul Fix) on the Ventura Freeway. Assisting Jim--in a manner of speaking--is greenhorn detective Richie Brockelman (Dennis Dugan), who likewise suspects that Tooley's demise was no accident. The evidence leads to a crooked city councilman and a sinister data-storage firm called the Credit Computer Centre. This episode and its followup served to introduce the character of Richie Brockelman, soon to be spun off into his own eponymously titled TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Orphan Hobie Shanks (Michael McGreevey), who years earlier had briefly stayed with the Waltons, returns to the Mountain brimming over with braggadocio. Everyone is impressed by Hobie's claim that he is about to be given a pitching tryout with a professional baseball team--everyone, that is, except the envious John-Boy (Richard Thomas), who thinks that Hobie is full of hot air. Surprisingly, it turns out that Hobie is telling the truth . . .but he may never get the chance to become a "pro" thanks to a freak accident. (Trivia note: guest star Michael McGreevey is the son of frequent Waltons scriptwriter John McGreevey--who, incidentally, did NOT write this episode). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
