Jay Robinson Movies
Twenty-three-year-old actor Jay Robinson could not have asked for a better screen debut than the showcase role of the mad Emperor Caligula in The Robe (1953). Robinson followed this triumph by reviving Caligula for the 1954 sequel Demetrius and the Gladiators, and then -- by his own account -- became so full of himself that few producers wanted to have anything to do with him. After his 1957 arrest for narcotics possession, Robinson found himself persona non grata in Hollywood. Spending most of the next 13 years out of work, he was rescued by Bette Davis, who insisted that Robinson be cast in an important role in her 1971 feature Bunny O'Hare. Far humbler than in his salad days, Robinson made a slow, steady comeback in such gemlike supporting parts as "The Conscience" in Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex... (1972), and Warren Beatty's demanding boss Norman in Shampoo (1975). Continuing to essay character roles into the 1990s, Robinson was seen as Vincent in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula. On television, Jay Robinson played Monte Dolan on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives, and revived many of his "Caligula" eccentricities as addled scientist Dr. Shrinker on the Saturday morning extravaganza Krofft Supershow (1976-77). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1998
Beyond Bizarre fulfills our fascination with unexplained phenomena with a Discovery Channel series on strange and macabre events, people, and situations. The host of the program, Jay Robinson, travels throughout the world to seek out some of the most mysterious occurences and individuals. In Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 5, he presents the primitive concept of fetishes and sorcery that are the basis for the feature on "Voodoo." Also included in this installment are "Bizarre Artist: Dr. Evermore" and "Sedona's Vortexes." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
A preoccupation with unexplained events on the part of viewers helped to make this Discovery Channel series one of its most popular presentations. In the last episode, Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 7, program host Jay Robinson enters the world of the undead and examines the subject of zombies. Then he takes a good look at the Puerto Rican legend of the "Chupacabra," a creature who drains the blood from farm animals. In addition, he visits a ghost town in "Curse of Bizarre Bodie," and checks out strange acoustics in "Bizarre Audio Phenomena." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
The world is full of events with no plausible explanations. This highly rated series offered by the Discovery Channel attracts viewers whose curiosity about these phenomena is almost insatiable. In this episode, Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 6, host Jay Robinson presents a baffling phenomena in the segment "Spontaneous Human Combustion," that tells stories of humans who incinerated with no discernible source of heat. Robinson also looks at "UFOs," and "Alien Implants." Urban legend is featured in "Urban Myth: Texas Ghost Children." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Curiosity about the unexplained continues in this installment of Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 4, the popular Discovery Channel series about strange and hard-to-believe occurences, places, and people. In this episode, host Jay Robinson looks at what some cultures ingest as nourishment in "Weird Food." Next, Robinson glimpses into "Trepanning: Ancient Brain Surgery," and explains how in the early days of mankind, surgeons used primitive tools to do this delicate work. Finally, viewers visit "Ancient Creations: America's Stonehenge." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
In this popular series about unexplained phenomena offered by the Discovery Channel, host Jay Robinson continues his worldwide search for the truly weird. Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 3 takes a look into the subject of medicine with "Bizarre Healing and Practices" and "Shoshone Shamanic Ritual." Also, Robinson explores "Bizarre Natural Phenomena," then focuses on strange happenings in the animal kingdom with "Weird World of Pets." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Viewers hungry for in-depth coverage of unusual, weird, and simply unexplainable occurences made this series one of the most popular of all Discovery Channel presentations. In this episode, Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 2, host Jay Robinson presents "Cryptozoology," in which mysterious creatures are examined. Also included in this episode is "Self-Made Freaks," a segment about body piercers who don't know when to stop. Robinson checks out the supernatural sightings in "Ghostly Visitations," and goes beyond the grave for clues to ancient crimes in "Tales From the Crypt: Forensic Sleuths." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1997
In this highly rated Discovery Channel series, the spotlight is on the truly weird and unusual. In this first installment, Beyond Bizarre, Vol. 1, host Jay Robinson travels throughout the globe looking for unexplained events, strange individuals, and peculiar locales. He discovers, among other things, "Rocks That Move," "Modern Day Mummification," "Witches of Wicca," and "Integration: Anti-Aging Machine." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
This video is an exploration of the Puerto Rican mythical beast, el chupacabra. The name means " goat sucker" and refers to the creature's predilection for the blood of others. Several deaths of farm animals and pets are ascribed to el chupacabra. The film investigates various theories of the identity of the late-night visitor that drains the blood of its quarry though a neck puncture wound. Possible explanations include a genetic link with the black panther or an extraterrestrial origin. On-site filming and personal accounts tell the story. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Another "based on an actual event!" TV movie, Murder Between Friends is set in 1980s New Orleans. Two friends become involved in murder when the wife of one of them begins cheating on her spouse. Constructed along the lines of "Rashomon", the script offers two entirely different accounts of the homicide and the events leading up to it. Timothy Busfield heads the cast as the hardworking prosecutor who wants to cut through the bull. When first telecast on January 10, 1994, Murder Between Friends was accompanied by a "viewer discretion" disclaimer; smart move. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Busfield, Stephen Lang, (more)
Based on Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel, this film from Francis Ford Coppola and screenwriter James Victor Hart offers a full-blooded portrait of the immortal Transylvanian vampire. The major departure from Stoker is one of motivation as Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) is motivated more by romance than by bloodlust. He punctures the necks as a means of avenging the death of his wife in the 15th century, and when he comes to London, it is specifically to meet heroine Mina Harker (Winona Ryder), the living image of his late wife (Ryder plays a dual role, as do several of her costars). Anthony Hopkins is obsessed vampire hunter Van Helsing, while Keanu Reeves takes on the role of Jonathan Harker, and Tom Waits plays bug-eating Renfield. Bram Stoker's Dracula was the winner of three Academy Awards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, (more)
Developed by Tina Sinatra and approved by Frank himself, Sinatra is a made-for-television mini-series following the life and times of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. Opening with his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Sinatra's (Philip Casnoff) rise to the top in the '40s, through the dark days of the early '50s and his triumphant re-emergence in the mid-'50s, to his status as pop culture icon in the '60s, '70s and '80s. In between, the film hits all of the main events, including his three marriages, his connections with the Mafia and his notorious friendship with the Rat Pack. Even with the presence of Tina Sinatra as executive producer, Sinatra doesn't gloss over the more unsavory portions of Frank's life, which makes it all the more impressive. With the exception of a couple of early songs, all the music in the movie is taken from the original Sinatra recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
The Goonies have got nothing on these adventure seeking kids! When a group of teens stumble across a mysterious treasure map, the search is on to find a lost pirate ship that's filled with treasure. Though they soon discover a secret desert tunnel that will lead directly to the ship, the teens hadn't counted on a pair of Chinese strangers determined to claim the bounty at any cost. Making the acquaintance of an old hermit who claims to have been a member of the crew, the kids must overcome a series of deadly obstacles and fierce adversaries if they are to claim the elusive lost treasure and escape with their lives. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Robinson, Matt Boston, (more)
- 1991
While travelling through Amish country in hopes of purchasing a quilt, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is stuck there after a traffic mishap. Not surprisingly, murder soon rears its ugly head, the victim on this occasion being a taciturn Amish farmer. The suspects include the farmer's wife, the farmer's mistress, and a citified newcomer to the community. Jay Robinson, who skyrocketed to fame in the early 1950s with his portrayal of the mad Emperor Caligula in The Robe, is here seen in the less flashy role of Bishop Burkhart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- PG
In Transylvania Twist, producer Roger Corman and director Jim Wynorski make Mel Brooks movies look like Noël Coward drawing-room comedies. The film begins with nubile innocent Patty (Monique Gabrielle) being chasing through the woods by the Greatest Horror Hits of the 1980s --with Jason, Freddy Krueger, and Leatherface all vying for a piece of her. Robert Vaughn has the hammiest role as a vampire named Lord Byron Orlock. His ravishing niece Marissa (Teri Copley), an American singing star, arrives at Lord Byron's castle in Transylvania after the death of her father. Accompanying her is Dexter Ward (Rick Altman), her wise-cracking Donald O'Connor-inspired sidekick. What happens next involves a frantic search for a mysterious book that will raise "the evil one" from the dead. The flimsy plot serves as a handy clothesline on to which to hang self-referential parodies of the horror film genre, with time out for some clever editing of an appearance by long-dead Boris Karloff. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Vaughn, Teri Copley, (more)
- 1989
Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) hopes to make a corporate farewell party a lot more exciting than the dullard who is retiring. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and the guys reluctantly attend the bris of baby Frederick, with at least one of the guests making his own cut-out a bit early. Meanwhile, Carla (Rhea Perlman) waxes sentimental over her late husband's hockey jersey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Paul Reubens's followup to the box-office hit Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is just as outrageous and cartoonish, though not as good. This time, child-man Pee-Wee runs a colorful farm, chock full of talking animals and outsized produce. On the morning after a tornado of Wizard of Oz dimensions, Pee-Wee awakens to discover that a travelling circus has been deposited in his back yard. Befriended by circus owner Kris Kristofferson, Pee-Wee takes an acrobatic job, hoping to impress lovely trapeze artist Valeria Golino--thereby incurring the jealous rage of his hometown sweetie Penelope Ann Miller. When the circus is faced with bankruptcy, Pee-Wee comes up with a brilliant idea: why not stage a three-ring spectacular celebrating the wonders of agriculture? A partial takeoff of such earlier sawdust-trail flicks as Martin and Lewis' Three Ring Circus and Disney's Toby Tyler, Big Top Pee-Wee is generally entertaining, but goes off in too many directions at once, leaving a lot of loose plot ends and underdeveloped characters. Also, Pee-Wee's overactive libido (at least in this film!) is not all that suitable for his younger fans. Even so, there are plenty of hilarious set-pieces. Big Top Pee-Wee was produced and cowritten by Paul Reubens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens, Kris Kristofferson, (more)
- 1987
Cornell Wilde guest stars as Duncan Barnett, the ruthless founder-CEO of Barnett Industries. Gathering his board of directors (and their wives and loved ones) to his lavish New York estage, Barnett seems poised to name his successor. Instead, he is killed in an accident--or, at least, it looks like an accident. Among the board members is a certain Maine-based mystery writer named Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who begins to suspect that there's dirty work afoot as she watches Barnett's employees wheel, deal, bicker and backstab incessantly throughout the balance of the episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Dan (John Larroquette) and Harry (Harry Anderson) both angle for the attentions of Christine's gorgeous friend Heather (Sela Ward). After carefully weighing the options, Heather decides to spend the weekend with Dan, sending Harry spiraling into a depression. But worse is still to come: It seems that Harry's idol Mel Torme prefers Dan's company as well! Jay Robinson,the unforgettable Caligula in The Robe, appears as Roland Jeffries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Originally produced for television, this adaptation of William Shakespeare's historical tragedy stars David Birney as Richard II, who gains a fearsome enemy in his cousin Bolingbroke (Paul Shenar) when he seizes his land. Outraged Britons and rebellious Irishmen eventually turn against the king, and in time, Henry is forced to step down from the throne, with his rival Bolingbroke seizing power and taking revenge. The cast also includes Peter McIean as York and Mary Joan Negro as Anne. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
TV director James Burrows made his feature debut with this unusual film that's a situation comedy-style twist on both The Odd Couple (1968) and Cruising (1980). The murder of a male model in a gay, beachfront enclave of L.A. warrants an undercover investigation, so police officer Benson (Ryan O'Neal), a straight, macho, law-and-order type, is assigned to partner with file clerk Kerwin (John Hurt), a mild-mannered homosexual. Benson and Kerwin are to pose as a gay couple who have just moved to the area. At first, Benson's slovenly ways drive the fussy Kerwin to distraction, while Kerwin's sexual orientation and prissy manners are a source of constant frustration for straight-arrow Benson. However, the two eventually become friendly roommates, if not exactly friends, and Benson even begins to see the world through Kerwin's eyes. Although he carries a badge, the fussy Kerwin is essentially a civilian, but as he and Benson close in on the murderer, Kerwin reveals himself to be a far more capable cop than Benson assumes him to be. Partners was written by Francis Veber, author of La Cage aux Folles (1978) and The Man with One Red Shoe (1985). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, John Hurt, (more)
This is another adaptation of Shakespeare's famous tragedy. It is the sad story of Othello, Moor of Venice who is slowly driven insane by his jealous assistant Iago. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Bionic Woman star Lindsay Wagner is here cast as Joanne Tilford, who six years after attempting suicide, is discharged from an upscale mental clinic. Returning home to care for her husband Howdy (Gerald McRaney), who has suffered a heart attack, Joanne soon discovers that her role in the Tilford family unit has been usurped by housekeeper Louise Lowry (Barbara Babcock), who regards herself as the "second mother" to Joanne's children. Adding to the heroine's woes are her brother Everett (Richard McKenzie) and sister-in-law Rita Jean (Barbara Cason), who fully expect that the still-fragile Joanne will suffer a mental relapse at any moment. Officially based on Zoe Sherburne's novel Stranger in the House, this made-for-TV film also bears a passing resemblance to the 1958 theatrical feature Home Before Dark. Watch for Peter Billingsley, then best known as Messy Marvin on a series of popular TV commercials and soon to be the star of A Christmas Story, in the role of Joanne's son. Memories Never Die made its CBS network bow on December 15, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This is an unusual entry in the knights-in-armor genre. Set in medieval England, the film follows the exploits of a young swordsman, Talon (Lee Horsley). Working as a mercenary knight, Talon possesses a unique three-bladed sword which fires its two extra blades when he touches a button. By chance, Talon learns that he is a prince who has forgotten his royal heritage. Using his sword and his wiles, he attempts to regain control of his kingdom, which has been taken over by a sadistic tyrannical knight and an evil sorcerer. In doing so, he can save a princess who has been taken hostage by the usurpers. Comedy is interspersed with gory and licentious drama throughout the film, which was directed and written by Albert Pyun. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, (more)
- 1981
Known to superstitious actors the world over as "The Scottish Play," MacBeth is widely considered one of Shakespeare's masterpieces. This particular rendition of the tale of a power-hungry Scottish general and his loyal, cold-hearted wife differs from others in that the actors eschew the traditional affected accents of Shakespearean performers. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
In The Man With Bogart's Face, an affectionate send-up of the Bogart detective films of the 1940s, Robert Sacchi plays a man who idolizes Humphrey Bogart so much he has his features altered to look exactly like his idol. He then opens up a detective agency under the name Sam Marlowe (an amalgam of the names of Bogart's characters from The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep). Sam hires the Duchess (Misty Rowe) as his secretary ("She looked like Marilyn Monroe and made about as much sense as Gracie Allen") and "Sam Marlowe, Private Eye" is in business. Sam gets a meager response until a shooting puts his picture in the paper and business starts to flourish. Particularly attracted to Marlowe's services are a collection of characters -- Gena (Michelle Phillips), an attractive Gene Tierney type; Commodore Anastas (Victor Buono), a Greek shipping tycoon and Sidney Greenstreet lookalike; and the mysterious Mr. Zebra (Herbert Lom doing a Peter Lorre imitation). They are all trying to find the famous Eyes of Alexander -- a priceless set of stones from a statue of Alexander the Great. Also on hand are old Hollywood pros George Raft, Yvonne DeCarlo and Mike Mazurki. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Sacchi, Franco Nero, (more)
