Herbert Rudley Movies
Herbert Rudley had barely left his teens when he won a scholarship to Eva Le Galleine's Repertory Theater in the early '30s. The experienced gleaned with this organization led to Rudley's being cast in his first Broadway play, Elmer Rice's We, the People. In films since 1940's Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Rudley's best movie role was as Ira Gershwin in the 1945 biopic Rhapsody in Blue. He matured into character parts in the 1950s, usually playing suave villains or bristly military types. Herbert Rudley was a regular on several TV series, most prominently as Eve Arden's husband on the 1967 sitcom The Mothers-in-Law. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- PG
Also known as In Love, Falling in Love Again stars Elliott Gould. While en route to a class reunion, Harry Lewis (Gould) recalls the golden days of his youth. These flashbacks are contrasted with his current sorry existence as the unhappy husband of his high-school sweetheart, Sue (Susannah York). This was the directorial debut for 20-year-old Steven Paul (whose brother Stuart plays the younger Gould) as well as the big-screen debut of Michelle Pfeiffer (playing the teenage Sue). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Susannah York, (more)
- 1972
"Mom" is Connie Stevens, who stars in this made-for-TV comedy. Stevens plays a small-town waitress who is appointed the housemother for a rambunctious fraternity house on the local college campus. The frat boys assume that freewheeling Stevens will allow them to party to their hearts' content, but "Mom" takes her job quite seriously and compels the students to behave themselves. She also becomes involved in a campus feminist movement that threatens to topple the college's male power structure (headed by dean Van Johnson). Call Her Mom was the pilot for a Connie Stevens TV series that found neither a sponsor nor a network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
A young, decidedly pre-Family Ties Meredith Baxter is cast as Jenny, a wealthy will-of-the-wisp to whom money is little more than a plaything. Jenny inadvertently causes several headaches by presenting the Partridges with a million dollars. By episode's end, everyone--including Jenny--has learned a lesson or two about the "true" values in life. Song: "It's Time I Knew You Better". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Hoping to expose a card sharp named Martino (Herbert Rudle), Tony (Larry Hagman) insinuates himself into a card game along with Roger (Bill Daily), Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke) and Gen. Schaeffer (Vinton Hayworth). But thanks to the intervention of Jeannie (Barbara Eden), Bellows and Schaeffer become convinced that Tony is the cheater, and not Martino. Worse still, a mobster muscles into the action, relegating poor Roger to a dunk in the ocean with his feet in cement! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Ham-radio enthusiast Herman (Fred Gwynne) picks up two kids conversing on their walkie-talkies. Misunderstanding the boys' "secret" message, Herman is convinced that he has contacted the planet Mars--and once they catch on, the capricious youngsters decide to have some fun with dumb-dumb Herman. A superb closing gag caps this memorable episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Upon learning that the Astro-Dynamics Corporation plans to launch an instrument-bearing rocket into space, Martin (Ray Walston) hopes to hitch a ride home to Mars. His next step is to convince Astro-Dynamic's CEO J.M. Buckley (Herbert Rudley) to aim for Mars rather than Venus. Unfortunately, Buckley is a superstitious man, whose final decision hinges upon a lucky rabbit's foot--which at the moment, is nowhere to be found. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Season One of My Favorite Martian literally begins with a bang as young reporter Tim O'Hara (Bill Bixby) witnesses the crash-landing of a UFO. Surveying the wreckage, Tim is startled to find a somewhat surly and imperious Martian (Ray Walton), who claims to be 450 years old (but doesn't look a day over 39!) Providing shelter for both the Martian and his crippled spaceship at his home, Tim has to do some quick thinking to hide the fact from his snoopy landlady Lorelei Brown (Pamela Britton). Thus it is that the Martian is rechristened "Uncle Martin"--and the series takes off (as it were!) from here. This is one of the few episode to feature Mrs. Brown's pesky daughter Angela (Ann Marshall) and her inquistive niece Annabelle (Ina Victor) (who, in the original unedited pilot, was supposed to have been Angela's sister!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Wally (Tony Dow) escorts pretty Kathy Gregory (Carole Wells) to the post-graduation dance, his ears ringing with the words of Kathy's stern father (Herbert Rudley), who promises dire consequences should Wally step "out of line." Unfortunately, through a series of incredible circumstances, a drunken man bumps into Wally and Kathy, whereupon the girl falls into a fountain. Thus, Wally brings Kathy home drenched from head to toe -- and in trying to explain the situation to the explosive Mr. Gregory, our blameless hero only makes things worse! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Osmond, Frank Bank, (more)
- 1963
Herbert Rudley guest stars as Beverly Hills psychiatrist Dr. Twombley. When Jethro needs a certificate of health for his fifth-grade classroom, he decides to visit Mrs. Drysdale's doctor, who, of course, turns out to be Twombley. The results of this momentous meeting would send Sigmund Freud back to Vienna in search of new subliminal symbols, especially when Jethro offers his own peculiar interpretation of a series of ink-blots. "The Clampetts Get Psychoanalyzed" first aired on May 8, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
In this conclusion of a two-part story arc, Beverly Hills psychiatrist Dr. Twombley (Herbert Rudley) persists in his analysis of the Clampett clan. Certain that Twombley is in love with her, Pearl tries to use one of Granny's love charms on the handsome headshrinker. The charm misfires, and Twombley seemingly falls for Granny. Incidentally, Gene Twombley was the name of the real-life husband of Bea Benaderet, who plays Cousin Pearl. "The Psychiatrist Gets Clampetted" initially aired on May 15, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Producer Alex Chase (Jeff Morrow) hopes to persuade Broadway star Mona White (played by a young Ellen Burstyn, then billed as Ellen McRae) to headline his new musical by allowing her to preview the score. Instead, Mona angrily accuses Alex of stealing the music from her composer husband Damion White (David Hedison). The real song thief is two-bit tunesmith Phil Schuyler (James Forrest), who ends up electrocuted in his bathtub on Halloween night. Though Damion White was identified fleeing the scene of the crime, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) intends to prove that White is innocent by pointing out the heavy traffic in costumed trick-or-treaters--any one of whom could have been the real murderer. This episode was originally scheduled to air on October 25, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Schoolteacher and maritime historian Philip Andrews (Jeremy Slate) incurs the wratch of shipping-company owner Ben Farraday (Herbert Rudley) when he insists that Evelyn Farraday (Joan Patrick), Philip's fiancee and Ben's niece, deserved a portion of the company's profits. It inevitably follows that Ben is murdered and Philip is charged with the crime. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must wade through a morass of corporate intrigue and sibling rivalry to save his client and expose the real killer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
The Great Impostor is the true story of chameleonlike Canadian Ferdinand Waldo DeMara Jr., well-played by Tony Curtis. Unable to decide what he wants to do with his life, DeMara goes about pretending to be other people, hoping to eventually "find himself." He poses as a Harvard professor, a Trappist monk, a prison warden, and a navy physician, and manages each time to get away with the artifice. The film wavers uncertainly between tense drama and frothy comedy, with comedy finally winning out. Karl Malden co-stars as Father Devlin, the young DeMara's spiritual advisor, while Joan Blackman is the nominal (and hardly visible) heroine. The real Ferdinand DeMara (if indeed there was a real Ferdinand DeMara) can be seen in a supporting role in the 1960 melodrama The Hypnotic Eye. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Curtis, Edmond O'Brien, (more)
One of a handful of Elvis Presley vehicles for United Artists release, Follow That Dream is a leisurely comedy/musical with a homey appeal that will delight even non-Presley fans. Based on Richard Powell's novel Pioneer Go Home, the film casts Elvis as Toby Kwimper, the most responsible member of an itinerant rural family comprised of Pop Kwimper (Arthur O'Connell) and nubile cousin Holly Jones (Anne Helm). Claiming "squatter's rights," the Kwimpers set up housekeeping, much to the dismay of local gamblers Carmine (Jack Kruschen) and Nick (Simon Oakland). In an attempt to force the family off their land, social worker Alicia Claypool (Joanna Moore) tries to prove that Toby is "degenerate," but succeeds only in making a fool of herself. Beyond a handful of pleasant songs, the film's highlights include Elvis' unwitting breakup of the local gambling casino, and the climactic trial scene featuring Roland Winters as a dyspeptic but basically likeable judge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, (more)
- 1960
Hell Bent for Leather is a standard western that features Audie Murphy in the role of Clay, a cowboy hunted by a posse out for blood. Clay deals and trade in horses in an honest way, and he does not suspect that a crooked U.S. Marshal (Stephen McNally) interested in furthering his career, is determined to nab him as a killer though he knows full well Clay is innocent. When first attacked, Clay grabs a hostage (Felicia Farr) who eventually sides with him and helps him in the long chase that follows. Clay's challenge is not only to get away from the Marshal and his posse but to somehow prove his innocence as well. Murphy, the most decorated soldier in World War II was still riding the popularity of his own real-life story in 1955's To Hell and Back when this western was released. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Felicia Farr, (more)
- 1960
At the height of a nasty corporate power struggle, embezzling accountant Robert Doniger (Phil Terry) is murdered. The man accused of the crime is Edward Nelson (Herbert Rudley), who had earlier hired Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to protect him from threats he'd received from his spiteful wife Sylvia (Virginia Arness) and from business rival Frank Avery (John Stephenson). Now Perry must assemble enough evidence to prove that Nelson is not a murderer,and that someone else in his circle of "friends" is the guilty party. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Set in the Kansas territory during the middle of the 19th century, this is a visually evocative but conventional western. The story deals with Darcy (Jeff Chandler), a ruthless man, one of the raiders known as "Jayhawkers" who wants more than what life is willing to offer. Starting out as anti-slavery activists, the Jayhawkers' origins are barely mentioned in the story, as Darcy uses them to support his growing power. Opposing his unscrupulous bid for control of the region is Cam (Fess Parker, of Davy Crockett fame on American TV) an ex-convict. Cam knows that Darcy is responsible for the death of his wife while he was in prison and he plans to bring him down. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Chandler, Fess Parker, (more)
- 1959
In the sixth episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, Slaughter (Tom Tryon) combines his cattle herd with that of fellow rancher Sam Underwood (Sidney Blackmer), intending to drive both herds to Arizona and sell them at the highest price possible. Unfortunately, the two men cannot use the Chisholm Trail because of a recent drought, so Slaughter blazes his own trail -- through Comanche territory. As if the Indians didn't pose enough of a threat, Slaughter must also contend with cattle baron John Chisholm (Harold J. Stone), who is convinced that Slaughter is trying to destroy his business. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "The Slaughter Trail" and the subsequent episode "The Man From Bitter Creek" were edited together in 1962 and released overseas as the "feature film" Texas John Slaughter: Stampede at Bitter Creek. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Caught gambling on a military post, Bart (Jack Kelly) is given the choice of spending several months in the stockage or working for the Army as an undercover agent. Bart's assignment is to root out a traitor in the ranks, a person who has done an excellent job covering his tracks up to now. Unfortunately, things don't quite go as planned, and it is Bart rather than the traitor who ends up with a noose around his neck. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
The lush romanticism of director Frank Borzage (Seventh Heaven, Street Angel) is subsumed by the plodding reverence of producer Rowland V. Lee's screenplay (co-written with Howard Estabrook), based on the best-selling novel by Lloyd C. Douglas. Howard Keel stars as a stalwart Simon-Peter, the apostle of Christ called "the fisher of men" and the "Rock" upon whom the Christian Church was founded. The film, on the surface, deals with Simon-Peter's conversion from a self-sufficient fisherman to a believer in the inspirational teachings of Christianity. Simon-Peter also serves the needs of the real story: how Simon-Peter succeeds in joining together two lovers from the other side of the tracks. John Saxon is Voldi, an Arab prince who wants to follow in his father's footsteps as the chief of an Arab tribe and marry his beloved, Fara (Susan Kohner). But Fara, wants to see her father, Herod Antipas (Herbert Lom), dead for the misery he has inflicted upon her mother -- abandoning her for the lustful Herodias (Martha Hyer). When Voldi and Fara hear the teachings of Christ, they realize that their love must be put in abeyance to their Christian beliefs. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Keel, Susan Kohner, (more)
- 1959
Gregory Peck stars as the great American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald in this film based on a memoir by Sheilah Graham, who was Fitzgerald's paramour during his final days. Graham (played by Deborah Kerr) was a gossip columnist and aspiring novelist who met Fitzgerald during his latter days as a Hollywood screenwriter. Deep in debt thanks to his wife's stay in a mental hospital and his daughter's private school tuition, Fitzgerald took a job writing film scripts to pay the bills, as he attempted to complete another novel that would re-establish his position as one of the important American authors of his century. Graham became Fitzgerald's aid and inspiration as he tried to steer himself away from alcohol and focus on his work, but the author was no longer as strong or stable as he once was. While Graham and Fitzgerald were in love, they often fought, and their efforts came to naught when he died of heart failure before completing The Last Tycoon, with Graham at his side. Eddie Albert co-stars as Carter, a character based on Fitzgerald's close friend Robert Benchley. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Deborah Kerr, (more)
- 1958
Philip Larkin (Terry Becker) is murdered, and his stepfather Joseph Harrison (John Hoyt) is charged with the crime. A key piece of evidence for the prosecution is a home movie showing Larkin and Harrison quarrelling; could their argument have been about sexy Lorraine Stevens (Andra Martin), whom Philip had earlier tried to seduce? Fay Wray of King Kong fame makes the first of three Perry Mason appearances as Harrison's former wife Ethel, who hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to defend her ex-husband in court. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
