Michael D. Roberts Movies

Paul (Paul Lockwood) is a strip club owner, with a sexually repressed wife, who has been fulfilling his needs at the local brothel. Main madam Claire (Lavelle Roby) hatches a plan to keep him busy with whiskey and sex while a pair of thugs (Duncan McLeod and Robert Rudelson) hide out in the men's room after closing time to try their luck at cracking the safe. Paul gets a little out of hand at the whorehouse, so he's knocked out and dragged back home to his disgusted wife, Kelly (Anne Chapman). Meanwhile, the club's main attraction quits and bartender Ray (Gordon Wescourt) calls up, prompting the frustrated, confused Kelly to try her hand at the striptease herself while her drunken husband sleeps it off. She's a hit, with Ray at least, who seduces her and takes her back to his swimming pool, leaving the safecrackers free to ply their trade. When Paul sobers up and finds that his wife is missing, he heads for the club, not realizing the danger that awaits him. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of Baretta's second season, undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) goes after heroin dealers who are trafficking in a very pure, and very lethal, grade of the addictive drug. Singer-composer Paul Williams, who co-wrote the script, guest stars as a music emporium owner who sidelines as a dope pusher -- and who is unwittingly doling out the deadly "horse." Edward Grover joins the cast as Lt. Hal Brubaker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pre-One Day at a Time Mackenzie Phillips guest stars as Mindy, a runaway teenager. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) manages to catch up to Mindy and to handcuff himself to the girl. Anxious to return to headquarters, Baretta and Mindy clamber into a police squad car and ask the uniformed drivers for a lift. Unfortunately, the two "cops" at the wheel turn out to be a pair of homicidal holdup men (played by Strother Martin and Gary Busey). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rocky co-star Burt Young makes his second Baretta appearance, this time in the role of immigrant Jewish watchmaker Solomon Goldfarb. No stranger to persecution, Goldfarb defiantly stands up to a gang of protection extortionists who have been terrorizing his neighborhood. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) makes it his personal mission to protect Goldfarb from mob retribution. The actual telecast date of this episode is in doubt: Originally scheduled for November 19, 1975, it was reportedly not seen until over a year later, on December 29, 1976. However, a summer 1976 telecast of the episode was listed as a "rerun" in the pages of TV Guide, suggesting that "The Big Hand's on Trouble" first aired sometime in December 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) goes undercover as a stevedore to investigate a series of dockside murders. Unfortunately, a waitress with a long-standing grudge against Baretta recognizes him. Will she blow the whistle on his cover, thereby putting both Tony and herself in jeopardy? Susan Tyrrell essays a dual role in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles Durning guest stars as Hatch, a veteran safecracker whom undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) sent to prison. When a series of jewelry store robberies hits his district, Baretta realizes that there is only one man who can help him bring the perps to justice. Need it be added that the man in question is none other than the hapless Hatch? Former B-Western leading lady Peggy Stewart appears in a cameo role as a teacher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Slim Pickens makes his first Baretta guest-star appearance in the role of retired mugger Harry Muzursky. When Harry claims that he has "found God" and renounced his life of crime, detective Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) wants to believe him. But after an unidentified cat burglar seriously injures the wife of his latest victim, hapless Harry finds himself at the top of the Likely Suspect list. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) investigates when a blind hot dog vendor is murdered. The only witness is a hungry little girl named Molly (Elizabeth Cheshire), who got a good look at one of the killers. Unfortunately, both of the perpetrators got a very good look at Molly, meaning that her life won't be worth a bottle of mustard unless Baretta comes to the rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Future Rocky supporting player Burt Young guest stars as Willy, the mentally challenged friend of undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake). Though he'd like to spend more time with Willy, Baretta must first solve a series of bizarre burglaries. As the evidence mounts up, Baretta comes to the uncomfortable conclusion that Willy himself may be involved in the crimes. The title of this episode refers to the song heard during the credits of Baretta, sung by Sammy Davis Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) may be at home on the Mean Streets, but he is totally out of his element amongst the rich and privileged. Nonetheless, Baretta is forced to "invade" an upscale village community, in search of a missing heiress. One thing is certain to the hero: Bad guys are bad guys, no matter how much they have in their bank accounts. With this episode, Season One of Baretta came to an end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) investigates when the wife of a high-profile attorney is found murdered. It turns out that the dead woman was once a "lady of the evening" -- and that she made several enemies amongst the Syndicate while plying her trade. Hoping to trap the killers, Baretta enlists the aid of his elderly landlord, ex-cop Billy Truman (Tom Ewell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) is partnered with neurotic, pill-popping police officer Scotty (Michael Parks) during a frustratingly long drug stakeout. What Baretta doesn't know -- at least not at first -- is that Scotty is at the end of his financial rope, having been spent into the poorhouse by his selfish girlfriend. Can it be that Scotty is open for a bribe from the very perps he has been assigned to nab? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of Baretta, gonzo undercover cop Tony Baretta sets up a phony numbers bank to trap prominent mobster Frank Cassell (Joseph Mascolo). In his off hours, Baretta romantically pursues the lovely Sharon Fowler (Madlyn Rhue), whom he wants to marry despite her protests that living together is the way to go. Tragically, their relationship is literally terminated when Sharon is killed by Cassell's hired thugs. Throwing "police procedure" in the wastebasket, the grieving Baretta vows to take his own personal revenge against Cassell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide