Peter Robbins Movies
Brian Henson, the son of Muppet founder Jim Henson, took over directing duties after the untimely death of his father for The Muppet Christmas Carol, a sluggish re-telling of the Charles Dickens tale. Michael Caine, surrounded by legions of fuzzy, felt puppets, plays it straight as the crotchety Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who could care less about Christmas and the joy the season brings. Working for the skinflint is his faithful employee Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog), who begs Scrooge for a day off for Christmas. Scrooge reluctantly agrees and goes home on Christmas Eve filled with bile at the holiday merrymakers. But then he is visited by the sprits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and Scrooge, after revisiting his sorrowful past, hate-filled present, and doomed future, turns over a new leaf and becomes the most generous and celebratory person in town. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Steve Whitmire, (more)
The lovable characters from the popular comic strip by Charles M. Schulz appear in this full-length feature. The perennial failure Charlie Brown attends the National Spelling Bee and manages the worst sandlot team in the history of baseball. Linus loses and retrieves his security blanket. Snoopy the beagle dances wildly and plays shortstop. The irascible Lucy Van Pelt tricks Charlie Brown into kicking the football, but at the last minute she pulls it back and sends him flying onto his back. Although he loses the spelling bee, his friends gladly welcome Charlie Brown back to town upon his return. Nearly two-dozen songs are included. The characters remain true to the original works of Schulz, and great care was taken in matching the appropriate voices to the character's personalities. This is the first of many successful animated features of the gang from Peanuts. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Robbins, Pamelyn Ferdin, (more)
Pop singers Sonny and Cher are featured in this fluffy film that chronicles the popular duo's ideas for the film in which they are to make their cinematic debut. Much of the story centers around Sonny's movie fantasies as he tries to convince the studio head to use a more interesting script than the one he wants to present. Songs include: "I Got You Babe," "It's The Little Things," "Good Times," "Trust Me," "Don't Talk To Strangers," "I'm Gonna Love You" and "Just A Name." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Sanders, Norman Alden, (more)
- 1967
Acting on a tip from an ex-convict (who is promptly shot down!), the FBI heads to a motel in order to capture Scott Martin, a dangerous criminal known as "The Iceman." Unfortunately, Martin is currently stage-managing a major bank heist, and to make certain that he is left alone he has taken a 10-year-old boy (Peter Robbins) hostage. This places the FBI in a standoff situation with Martin, who has used this hostage-taking technique before--and has never left anyone alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Child actor Peter Robbins, who provided the voice of the title character in the classic cartoon special A Charlie Brown Christmas, appears in the flesh as 10-year-old Joey Walker. When Joey runs away from his widowed mother (Pippa Scott) in hopes of joining the Cavalry, Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) takes it upon himself to persuade the boy to return home. There's only one problem: During his brief stay at Fort Courage, Joey has proven to be the best trooper in the whole place! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Based on the popular novel by Joseph Krumgold, And Now Miguel is an easygoing yarn about a small boy with a big dream. Miguel (Pat Cardi), a shepherd's son, hopes some day to himself shepherd the flocks of sheep that has been managed by his family for so many years. Filmed mostly out-of-doors, the film benefits from the natural scenic beauty of New Mexico. The plot itself tends to be pokey, especially whenever the camera lingers on shots of sheep grazing, sheep moving from pasture to pasture, and sheep being shorn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Ansara, Guy Stockwell, (more)
- 1966
Mervyn LeRoy, one of the best-known directors of Hollywood's Golden Age, wrapped up his career behind the camera with this suspense drama. Kay Stanton (Jean Seberg) is the wife of well-known psychiatrist Neil Stanton (Arthur Hill). Neil's international reputation often keeps him on the road lecturing at medical conferences, leaving Kay alone at home. Bored and craving attention, Kay becomes involved with a handsome Naval officer named Mark Dominic (Sean Garrison), but the affair is often rocky, and one day, in the midst of an argument, Kay accidentally shoots Mark. Convinced that Mark is dead, Kay panics and calls her friend Daphne (Honor Blackman). With Daphne's help, Kay drags Mark's body to a car, and they drive to a deep ravine, where they toss the body in. Shortly afterward, Kay calls the police to report that a dead body is in the ravine, without giving her name. But they learn that the body was not found; as it turns out, Mark was only wounded in the shooting, and he now waits in a hospital ward, recovering from his wounds and suffering from amnesia. Moment to Moment was made at a time when leading lady Jean Seberg was getting most of her work in European films; she wasn't to make a picture for a U.S. studio for another three years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Seberg, Honor Blackman, (more)
As incredible as it seems, CBS head man James Aubrey originally vetoed his network's presentation of the animated A Charlie Brown Christmas on the grounds that Charles M. Schultz's round-headed protagonist was a "loser" who wouldn't attract an audience! The story proposes that Charlie Brown is convinced that the true meaning of Christmas has been forgotten by his Peanuts friends, not to mention the rest of the world. "Psychiatrist" Lucy advises Charlie Brown to get into the holiday spirit by directing the kids' upcoming Christmas play. Despite his utter lack of control over his cast, Charlie Brown takes his job seriously, even setting out to find a genuine Christmas tree to decorate the set instead of the usual aluminum job. But Charlie Brown's tree is a scrawny, pathetic thing, and all seems lost. That is, until the rest of the Peanuts gang decide to pitch in and decorate the woebegone tree. An instant hit when first telecast December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been rebroadcast virtually every year since. It was produced by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, the latter providing the squeals and growls of Charlie Brown's hyper-intelligent dog, Snoopy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Hired to babysit the son of Dr. and Mrs. Dudley (Paul Lynde, Marilyn Lovell), Marilyn (Beverly Owen) informs her family that a "little visitor" will soon grace the Munster mansion. At the same time, Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) is sneaking around in an effort to purchase a car as a birthday present for husband Herman (Fred Gwynne). Misreading Marilyn's comments and Lily's secrecy, Herman jumps to the obvious (and dead wrong!) conclusion that Lily is about to have a baby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
This light romantic comedy finds a young widow with three young boys investigated by the Navy. Amy Martin (Shirley Jones) has a curious child who inadvertently sends out a distress signal in Morse code by the blinds on his upstairs bedroom window. Commander Weedon (Gig Young) and crew observe the signal from their ship and investigate. The commander falls for the young mother and proposes marriage. Amy is reluctant to have her family live out of a suitcase and initially declines. Gramps (Edgar Buchanan) tries to bring her on board to sail the sea of love with the commander, but it's the youngest son Alex (Billy Mumy) who flies high an hits the mark as Cupid. Alex sets sail with some helium balloons and floats out over the ocean. The commander must save the boy and return him to his mother, creating another opportunity for his mother to be captured by the romantic suitor. Red Buttons and Carolyn Jones also find romance in this feature directed by George Sidney. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley Jones, Gig Young, (more)
