Bing Russell Movies

Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster and John Llewellyn Moxey, longtime collaborators in the field of British psychological-horror efforts, once more combined their skills for the American TV movie Taste of Evil. Barbara Parkins plays a young rape victim, recently released from a mental institution. She begins experiencing "flashbacks" to her rape; are these merely illusions, or is she being systematically tortured by a mystery villain? Barbara Stanwyck, Roddy McDowell, William Windom, Roddy McDowell and Bing Russell (Kurt's father) express varying degrees of concern and menace. Taste of Evil is a bit of a letdown considering its cast and the previous achievements of the Sangster/Moxey team. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Behind the High Wall is a remake of the 1937 Jackie Cooper-Victor McLaglen film The Big Guy. Tom Tully plays prison warden Frank Carmichael, who is kidnapped during a jail break in which a policeman is killed. In an ensuing car crash, all the escapees are killed except young Johnny Hutchins (John Gavin). Though he knows that Hutchins had nothing to do with the cop's murder, Carmichael refuses to intervene when Johnny is condemned to death. It seems that the escaping convicts had been carrying $100,000 in stolen money with them, which Carmichael has hidden away for his own use. By eliminating Hutchins, the warden is also getting rid of the only potential witness to his own perfidy. Sylvia Sidney is pure venom as Carmichael's crippled, greedy wife, while Betty Lynn (who later played Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show) also registers well as Johnny's agonizing fiancee. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first hour-long network Western series telecast in color, Bonanza was also the granddaddy of all "property" Westerns, future examples of which included The Virginian, The Big Valley, and The High Chaparral. The series took place during and after the Civil War in Virginia City, NV. Lorne Greene starred as Ben Cartwright, silver-haired owner of the fabulous, half-million-acre Ponderosa Ranch. The industrious, independent Cartwright had been widowed three times, each of his wives providing him with a single son. Pernell Roberts played eldest son Adam, the brooding, intellectual offspring of Ben's first wife Elizabeth; Dan Blocker played middle son Hoss, the beefy, affable issue of Ben's second wife Inger; and Michael Landon played youngest son Little Joe, a hotheaded, temperamental lad who took after his mother, Ben's third wife Marie. The four Cartwrights comprised the principal cast during the series' first six seasons, with occasional appearances by Victor Sen Yung as the Ponderosa's Chinese cook Hop Sing; Ray Teal as Virginia City's taciturn lawman, Sheriff Roy Coffee; and Bing Russell (father of Kurt Russell) as deputy Clem Foster. When Pernell Roberts left the series at the outset of season seven, it was explained that Adam had gone to Europe to complete his education. Several attempts were made to replace Adam in the hearts and minds of the viewing public: Guy Williams of Zorro fame was seen briefly as cousin Will Cartwright; David Canary appeared as ranch foreman Canady (aka Candy) during seasons nine through 11, then again during season 14, Lou Frizzell showed up as Ben's friend Dusty Rhoades beginning in season 12, as did Mitch Vogel as Dusty's ward Jamie Hunter, a teenaged orphan; and during the series' final year, Tim Matheson weaved through the proceedings as ex-convict Griff King, whom Ben tried to give a second chance by taking him on as a ranch hand. Making its NBC debut on September 12, 1959, Bonanza spent its first two seasons on Saturday evenings, opposite CBS' Perry Mason.
Ratings improved tremendously when Bonanza shifted to Sunday evenings at 9 PM (EST) beginning in the 1961-1962 season; in fact, the series was America's number one show for three seasons in a row, from 1964 through 1967. It might have run forever had it not been for two calamitous events during the 1972-1973 season: the decision by NBC to reschedule the show to Tuesdays, and the unexpected death of longtime regular Dan Blocker. With ratings plummeting precipitously, the show was canceled on January 16, 1973 -- a rather ignominious climax for a classic Western series that was second only to Gunsmoke in longevity. Since that time, a number of attempts have been made to revive Bonanza, notably a trio of made-for-TV movies produced in 1988, 1993, and 1995; the latter two appearing after the deaths of Lorne Greene and Michael Landon. And during the 2001-2002 season, the PAX network aired the prequel series Ponderosa, which detailed the adventures of the four Cartwrights in the years before Bonanza took place. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The focus in "A Lonely Man" is on Victor Sen Yung as Ponderosa houseboy Hop Sing; indeed, Sen Yung is the only series regular to appear in this episode. Having fallen in love with a white woman (Kelly Jean Peters, Hop Sing runs afoul of a racist judge (Peter Hobbs), who eagerly digs up an old and obscure anti-miscegenation law. Commendably, there is no pat or predictable ending: even in its thirteenth season, Bonanza was unafraid to take a harsh and uncompromising look at the face of bigotry. Written by John Hawkins, "A Lonely Man" originally aired on January 2, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Cartwrights must carefully wend their way through Paiute territory, guarding two survivors of a recent massacre. One of the survivors, Josh Tanner (Steve Forrest), is an accused murderer. The other, Mary Burns (Tina Louise), knows that Josh is innocent, but can't-or won't-reveal this fact. This episode represented one of the first post-Gilligan's Island assignments for the toothsome Tina Louise. Originally shown on November 5, 1967, "Desperate Passage" was written by John Hawkins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Neta (Jewel Blanch), a teenaged friend of Ben Cartwright's adopted son Jamie, witnesses the murder of Mr. Trunkett, but is too frightened to say anything about it. Meanwhile, the murderer, a man named Bannon (Bradford Dillman), impersonates the dead man in order to inherit a fortune. The danger to Neta intensifies when the incognito Bannon is hired by the Cartwrights. Originally shown on November 14 1971, "Face of Fear" was written by Ken Pettus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anna Kosovo (Kathleen Widdoes), a friend of Ben Cartwright, has good reason to be terrified of her antagonistic immigrant husband Nick (Michael Pataki). Trapped in her own house by her husband, Anna-and her young son-must rely upon Ben to rescue them. Written by Preston Wood and Karl Tunberg, this episode is climaxed by a prolonged and tension-filled gunfight. "Frenzy" first aired on January 30, 1972-coincidentally just before the release of the otherwise unrelated Alfred Hitchcock theatrical feature Frenzy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jack Elam plays the title role in this Bonanza episode from December 20, 1970. Belying his nickname, Honest John is a prevaricating drifter, who over the protests of the Cartwrights has settled on the Ponderosa. Banking on the trust and friendship of young Jamie, Honest John finds himself in a predicament when Jamie insists that they both leave the Ponderosa and spend the rest of their lives together in carefree vagabondage. Yes, Jamie is in for yet another disillusionment, but there's an additional twist. "Honest John" was written by Arthur Heineman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thoroughly immersed in the mystery novel Inspector Foot of Scotland Yard, Joe Cartwright begins to fancy himself an ace detective. Attempting to apply the latest Scotlard Yard techniques to prevent a bank robbery, Joe causes more trouble than he's worth-while his dad Ben and Sheriff Coffee end up in jail! The episode's key fight scene is a deliberately spoof of the then-popular Batman TV series. Cowritten by Bonanza star Michael Landon and Oliver Crawford, "Joe Cartwright, Detective" was first shown on March 5, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Virginia City finds itself under siege from a group of highly organized juvenile delinquents, all guided by a disturbed young man (Bob Biheller) who calls himself Napoleon. Raised by his dissolute uncle (Woodrow Parfrey), a professor with a drinking problem, the boy knows his history well, and plans to terrorize the countryside in the course of making himself master of his "army" of delinquent teens. Standing in his way are the Cartwrights, who keep interfering with his plans -- and caught between the two sides is Donny (Michael Burns), a fatherless teenager, friend of Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene), and one of Napoleon's new recruits, who is tired of being treated like a boy by his mother but who also doesn't want to see anyone hurt. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Ben Cartwright finds himself in the uncomfortable position of choosing between two old and treasured friends, both of whom abuptly re-enter his life after 27 years. Charlie Sheppard (Robert Wilke), formerly Ben's prospecting partner, is now a wanted outlaw, while Jess Waddell (Morgan Woodward) has become a trigger-happy bounty hunter. The situation gets worse when Charlie is forced to kidnap Ben's son Hoss. Written by Barney Slater, "Old Friends" was intially broadcast on December 14, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Steve Ihnat guest-stars as a self-proclaimed journalist named Gans, who shows up with his entourage in Virginia City to cover the signing of a treaty between the Paiute Indians and the Army. In truth, however, the rabidly racist Gans plans to kill everyone at the ceremony with his Gatling Gun. It is up to Joe Cartwright to rescue one and all from Gans and his fanatical followers-and he has less than one hour to do so. Written and directed by series star Michael Landon, "Terror at 2:00" originally aired on March 7, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide