Jay O. Sanders Movies
After attending State University of New York at Purchase, Jay O. Sanders made his off-Broadway debut in a 1976 production of Shakespeare's Henry V. Three years later, he graduated to Broadway in Loose Ends. Sanders' first major film role was Charles Rawlings, the husband of novelist Marjorie Rawlings (Mary Steenburgen) in Cross Creek (1980). He went on to spend a year in the role of feckless resident physician Dr. Gene Pfeiffer in TV's After MASH (1982). He later portrayed Steven Kordo in the 1987-88 (and last) season of the serialized prime time weekly Crime Story. In the 1990s, Jay O. Sanders played real-life "political prisoner" Terry Anderson in the made-for-TV film Hostages (1993), and was also seen in such theatrical features as JFK (1991) and Angels in the Outfield (1994). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Bestselling author James Bamford teams with Emmy Award-winning producer Scott Willis to expose the National Security Agency's failure to prevent the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, and the controversial eavesdropping program that allows them to listen to the conversations of millions of Americans without a warrant. Based on Bamford's 2008 best-seller of the same name, The Spy Game utilizes dozens of interviews with agency insiders, transcripts from terrorist trials, and an FBI chronology of terrorist movements to chronicle the NSA's role in spying on the American public. The NSA is three times bigger than the CIA, and infinitely more secretive. In this program, curious viewers learn that the NSA started tapping Osama bin Laden's now-disconnected satellite phone in 1996, and get a look at the three-story house in Yemen that once served as Al Qaeda headquarters. For years prior to the attacks, the NSA had been listening to calls to and from that house, so how is it that they could have been caught completely off-guard on the morning of 9/11 as claimed? By following the path of a single e-mail sent from Asia to the U.S., the producers of The Spy Game reveal how the top linguists, mathematicians, and technologists employed by the NSA are able to not only intercept the vast majority of Asian e-mail messages, but monitor the entire U.S. internal Internet traffic as well. But why do they suddenly feel the need to monitor the communications of ordinary Americans? And what implications does this have on the future of personal freedom? As the NSA's massive archive of phone calls and e-mails grows exponentially, former NSA, CIA, and FBI analysts and officials such as Mark Rossini reveal how intelligence turf wars can actually cause more harm than good. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver on his campaign promise to combat global warming, the filmmakers at NOVA take a comprehensive look at California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious, yet controversial, plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions and promote energy efficiency. Known as AB 32 (Assembly Bill No. 32), the 2006 California law aims to rollback carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, while mandating a further eight percent reduction by 2050. No other political entity in the world has set their sites so high, but how will everyday Californians need to alter their lives in order to reach this lofty goal? By speaking with Governor Schwarzenegger, as well as the ordinary citizens and concerned businesspeople, NOVA offers equal time to both supporters and detractors of the plan. Could Governor Schwarzenegger's three-pronged approach to environmental salvation set a new standard in limiting our carbon footprint, as claimed, or will the plan ultimately sink the state's economy by forcing business people to move in order to avoid going bankrupt due to increased energy bills? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The apparent acceleration in the melting of glaciers and ice sheets is documented through the efforts of photojournalist James Balog, who places time-lapse cameras in 26 alpine and arctic locations, including Alaska and Greenland. The long-term consequences of the melt: sea levels would rise by some 200 feet and force massive numbers of people -- from Bangladesh to Florida -- to move inland. Includes interviews with scientists Richard Alley (Penn State), Tad Pfeffer (UC-Boulder), and Jim White (UC-Boulder). ~ Jeff Gemmill, All Movie Guide
This documentary explains how archeologists and other scientist managed to decode the ancient carving of Mayan civilization, a fact that led to a greater understanding of what day-to-day life might have been like during that era. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Explore the career of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the ultra-confident Labour Party leader whose controversial stance on foreign policy divided a nation. Insider recollections and eyewitness accounts reveal the remarkable true story of the leader who earned a Congressional Gold Medal for his staunch support of the United State's government's foreign policy during the War on Terror. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay O. Sanders, Tony Blair, (more)
Hop in the cockpit and strap yourself in for one of the wildest rides ever in this documentary that allows the viewer to experience exactly what it was like to do battle in some of the fiercest dogfights in the history of aviation. The year was 1950, and the Korean War was raging. High above the Korean-Chinese border, MiG-15 fighters and F-86 Sabres exchanged gunfire in a notorious strip of airspace known as MiG Alley. Now, for the first time ever, historians and thrill-seekers alike can discover the fear and adrenaline experienced by the fearless pilots on the planet. An additional exploration into the mysterious fate of over thirty U.S. and British pilots who went missing in MiG Alley follows investigators hired by the U.S. government, forensics experts, and families of the missing wartime aviators as they attempt uncover the ultimate fate of those who were never declared dead, but never returned home from combat. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay O. Sanders
- 2007
Though filmed in Oregon, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is set in the American South, several months after the end of WW2. Decorated war hero Noah (Chris Klein) returns home to find his parents dead, his brother Travis (Jackson Rathbone) in prison, and his family farm in the hands of strangers. With literally nothing to keep him in his home town, Noah embarks on a personal odyssey, using his remarkable fishing skills to stay alive. In the course of his perambulations, he meets a mysterious old codger named Hoke (Robert Prosky), who claims a gift for "seein' the other side." Hoke guides Noah to another small town "over the ridge", where he is immediately made welcome by the townsfolk, and before long has become a local legend by virtue of his fishing prowess. He has also bonded with a lonely war widow named Eleanor (Gretchen Mol), and with a fatherless mute boy named Matthew (Zach Mills). But when tragedy strikes again, will the disillusioned Noah desert his new home, to say nothing of his new friends and loved ones? Throughout the latter half of the story, Noah's fate is inexorably linked with that of a huge bass which has eluded capture for years--and which has transformed the town into a mecca for fishing enthusiasts throughout the nation. Made for television and first seen over the CBS network on January 28, 2007, Valley of Light is based on the novel by Terry McKay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Gretchen Mol, (more)
It represents a dark and all but unsung side of U.S. history: though millions are familiar with the 1950s "Space Race" that pitted the United States and the Soviet Union against one another in the contest to put a man on the moon, less publicized were the countries' attempts to spy on one another by launching military- trained astronauts (known as "astrospies") into orbit. The United States built and launched a covert satellite known as MOL (for Manned Orbiting Laboratory), designed for advanced espionage and piloted by the astrospies; it incorporated a super-powered telescope capable of viewing and identifying an object as small as three inches. The Soviets, in turn, devised a station called Almaz, with like capabilities - but theirs traveled a "step beyond," by including a cannon designed to attack occupants of MOL. For decades, this history retained a 'covert' status and went largely unacknowledged among the general public; the PBS documentary NOVA: Astrospies represents the first attempt to tell the full story of these events. It features extended interviews with the participants of the original missions, a "mock-up" of MOL, a detailed exploration and discussion of the men's training, and much more. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2004
As the prom draws near and the popular head cheerleader of Echo Lake High dumps her star quarterback boyfriend in favor of attending the dance with the biggest loser in school, the raging footballer plots murderous revenge in cult animation icon Bill Plympton's darkly satirical take on the teen tragedy radio hits and high-school melodramas of the 1950s and '60s. High-school sweethearts Cherri (Sarah Silverman) and Rod (Dermot Mulroney) are a match made in popularity heaven. When nerdy new student Spud (Eric Gilliland) makes the fateful mistake of offending both Cherri and Rod on his first day at Echo Lake High, his punishment is to serve as Cherri's "slave" until both she and her brutish boyfriend decree that he has made up for his unintentional transgression. Though the mere sight of Spud at first makes Cherri's skin crawl, the unlikely pair soon grow exceptionally close until, one day, love blossoms between them. Upon learning that his onetime sweetheart will now be attending the prom on the arm of the socially awkward Spud, Rod angrily forces their car off of the road on and into the icy waters of Echo Lake as the couple makes their way to the big dance. Though cunningly successful in thwarting attempts made by local authorities to locate the missing teens, Rod soon discovers that sometimes the dead have a curious way of exposing the crimes of their killers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dermot Mulroney, Zak Orth, (more)
Aging Out documents what happens to three adolescents who have grown-up in America's foster system. The filmmakers chart how these young adults are forced to provide for themselves and get along in the world without having been given any knowledge of how to do these things during their childhood. They face a future that includes drug addiction, prison, and a constant fight to gain a sense of security. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay O. Sanders
- 2003
Ten years after South Africa abolished apartheid in 1993, there was still a disturbing amount of racial inequality in the nation. While whites in South Africa earned a yearly average of 6,300 dollars, blacks averaged a mere 950 dollars. And of the country's 16 million blacks, half lived in direst poverty, a far greater percentage than the rich-to-poor ratio amongst whites. But there were many in the country who were determined to improve the bleak financial situation shared by most of South Africa's population. As part of the African National Congress' overall Empowerment Policy, a consortium of black-owned companies called Uthigo created a national lottery, designed not only to stimulate the economy but to provide new hope for those who'd all but given up trying. Focusing on Uthigo, in general, and its black CEO, Humphrey Khoza, in particular, Road to Riches was first telecast in America as part of the PBS documentary series Wide Angle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay O. Sanders
Shot on a shoestring budget and featuring a variety of surprising celebrity cameos, actor/writer/director Ryan Williams' incisive showbiz comedy tells the tale of a small town casting director torn between chasing his dream and living his life. Curtis Clemens (Clint Palmer) was on the verge of realizing his biggest accomplishment when he hit rock bottom at the Sundance Film Festival. Now the only person capable of pulling Curtis back from the brink is his old college pal Kevin Prouse (Ryan Williams). Unfortunately for Curtis, Ryan is a failed acting coach and raging alcoholic currently locked in throes of a bitter divorce. Abby Singer features appearances by such notable film figures as Jake Gyllenhaal and Stockard Channing. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Palmer, Ryan Williams, (more)
In the tradition of Arthur Miller's McCarthy-era play The Crucible, this two-part TV dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials was heavily influenced by the present-day political scene. Rev. Parris (Henry Czerny), spiritual leader of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, needs a unifying issue to end the intramural squabbling between the town's Puritans. When the daughters of Ann and Thomas Putnam (Kirstie Alley and Jay O. Sanders) begin behaving in a bizarre, disruptive fashion, Parris knows that he has found something that can be transformed into a target of unilateral hatred for his flock. Before long, the Putnam girls and the family's servant Titubea (Gloria Reuben) have been labeled as witches, and eventually the hysteria spreads throughout the town, with anyone who doesn't agree with the status quo running the risk of public ostracism, and ultimately, execution for witchcraft (the eventual fate of 20 unfortunates). The climax is devoted to the notorious witch trials, staged at the behest of the Massachusetts colony's politically ambitious deputy governor (Peter Ustinov). Shirley MacLaine makes a rare TV appearance as the ill-fated Rebecca Nurse. Salem Witch Trials was presented by CBS on March 2 and 4, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirstie Alley, Shirley MacLaine, (more)
Adapted by Lynda LaPlante from her own 1983 British miniseries of the same name, the ABC four-parter Widows was set in motion by a bungled art heist, in which three thieves (and a possible fourth) were betrayed and killed. Rather than grieve over their fallen husbands, the three widows of the thieves -- Dolly (Mercedes Ruehl), Linda (Rosie Perez), and Shirley (Brooke Shields) -- join forces to complete the original "caper," and to track down their spouses' murderers. The ladies are joined by exotic dancer Bella (N'Bushe Wright), whose missing-in-action boyfriend may have been slaughtered along with the other three crooks. The American version of Widows debuted August 6, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mercedes Ruehl, Rosie Perez, (more)
- 2002
In another episode loosely inspired by actual events, the limo driver for star baseball player Kevin Seleeby (Reynaldo Rosales) is murdered. When it turns out that the victim was regularly supplying steroids to his boss, Seleeby becomes the prime suspect. But, as often happens on this series, the DA's office discovers that nothing is cut and dried, not even what seems to be irrefutable evidence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ten years after the sudden and mysterious "death" of her husband, Patrick (Jay O. Sanders), Elizabeth "Peachy" Welch (Margaret Colin) comes into possession of disturbing evidence that Patrick may still be alive. Even worse, it appears that Patrick faked his death and has assumed a new identity -- and is now the patriarch of a whole new family. Angered over the fact that Patrick has forced her to live a hardscrabble life as a single mother for over a decade, Elizabeth prepares for a showdown with the man who left her and their children in an advanced state of financial ruin. An unexpectedly sentimental finale caps the made-for-TV The Familiar Stranger, in keeping with the factual story upon which the film was based. The production first aired over the Lifetime cable network on March 12, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margaret Colin, Jay O. Sanders, (more)
- 2000
Originally staged on Broadway in 1953 and filmed two years later, William Inge's Pulitzer Prize-winning romantic drama Picnic went before the cameras a second time in 2000 as a made-for-TV movie. Josh Brolin stars as Hal Carter, a handsome and impecunious drifter who shows up in a tranquil Kansas town to pay a visit to his wealthy pal Alan Benson. Hal's arrival coincides with the town's upcoming Labor Day festivities, so naturally he is invited to stay a while. Alan soon regrets welcoming Hal into his community when the charismatic drifter falls in love with Alan's fiancée, Madge Owens (Gretchen Mol) -- and the feeling is definitely mutual. Meanwhile, Hal's presence awakens the dormant passion between two of the town's middle-agers -- spinsterish schoolteacher Rosemary Sydney (Mary Steenburgen) and her erstwhile beau Howard Bevans (Jay O. Sanders) -- and also has a disturbing effect upon Madge's mom, Flo (Bonnie Bedelia), and kid sister, Millie (Chad Morgan). Though lacking the star power embodied by William Holden and Kim Novak in the 1955 movie version of Picnic (and also bereft of that film's Oscar-winning musical score), the TV remake nonetheless possesses its own special charm, thanks to the deft directorial hand of Czech filmmaker Ivan Passer. The "new" Picnic aired over the CBS network on April 16, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bonnie Bedelia, Josh Brolin, (more)
Paul Castellano was once one of the most powerful and most feared figures in American organized crime. Starting his criminal career as a runner for numbers agents, Castellano became an associate of the Gambino crime family, and in 1976 was named the top man in New York's Mafia as he attempted to merge the mob's illegal businesses with more legitimate money-making concerns. However, Castellano's hatred and distrust of rising mob boss John Gotti earned him some very powerful enemies, and in 1985 he was murdered by Gotti's associates. Boss of Bosses is a made-for-TV movie that chronicles the rise and fall of Castellano's career in organized crime. Chazz Palinteri stars as Castellano, with Patricia Mauceri as his wife Nina, Angela Alvarado Rose as his mistress Gloria, Sonny Marinelli as John Gotti, and Al Ruscio as Carlo Gambino. Boss of Bosses was first aired on the TNT cable network on June 3, 2001. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chazz Palminteri, Daniel Benzali, (more)
- 1999
This 200th episode of Law & Order is set in motion when a professor of philosophy is pushed in front of a subway train. Investigating the murder, detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) must deal with a wily suspect (Jay O. Sanders) who changed his identity and place of residence after a bitter divorce and child-custody battle. Can the key to the mystery be found with the suspect's ex-wife, or with the children he "appropriated" before taking flight? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Laurie Weltz directed this period drama, set in 1959 at a seaside New Jersey town where former silent-screen actress Lulu Fraker (Claire Bloom) runs Lulu's Look Out, a women's rooming house. Teen Maddy Hawkins (Aleksa Palladino of Manny & Lo), employed at a local garage, feels abandoned after the wedding party for her best friend, Mary (Adrienne Shelly), who's moving to Colorado. However, Maddy's attention is soon directed toward carnival worker Will (Sam Trammell), and she also gets involved in the problem of Lulu's boarder Claire (Joely Richardson), a French war bride and widow now pregnant by gregarious garage owner Rick (Jay O. Sanders). The problem is that Claire doesn't love Rick, so Claire and Maddy set off on a journey to visit an abortionist. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aleksa Palladino, Joely Richardson, (more)
- 1996
Grumpy, chain-smoking prosecuting attorney Ingrid Maynard (Stockard Channing) hasn't accepted a case since the accident that left her confined to a wheelchair. But when the husband of assistant DA Rachel Simone (Michelle Forbes) is killed in a robbery, Ingrid decides to return to the courtroom to take over the investigation and ultimate prosecution of the culprit. Forced to work together, the embittered Ingrid and the dispirited Rachel don't always see eye to eye, but this does not compromise the value of their work. However, a major "conflict of interest" crisis threatens to slow the wheels of justice to a grinding halt. Made for the NBC network by the same team responsible for the series Homicide and Prime Suspect, The Prosecutors originally aired on December 2, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Ann-Margret stars in the made-for-cable movie Nobody's Children, filmed on-location in Bucharest, Romania, and based on a true story. Ann-Margret and Jay O. Sanders star as the real-life Carol and Joe Stevens, a married couple from Detroit who are unable to conceive a child of their own. They travel to Bucharest in 1990, just following the end of Ceausescu's regime, where a secret police controls the populace and state institutions are filled with abandoned children. The Stevenses bear witness to the deplorable conditions under which the unwanted babies must live as well as the extreme poverty and illness of the other Romanian children. French doctor Stephanie Vaugier (Dominique Sanda) helps Carol wade through the bureaucracy so she is able to adopt two children and return to the States. Originally aired on the USA television network in March of 1994. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Set in a busy inner-city emergency room, this made-for-cable television drama follows the struggles of a world-weary surgeon who takes on the hospital administrators whose budget-cutting is affecting his ability to adequately care for his patients. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Lynn Whitfield, (more)
Updated from the 1951 film of the same name, Angels In The Outfield takes liberties with the original to bring sentimental values to a modern setting. Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a foster child whose irresponsible father promises to get his act together when Roger's favorite baseball team, the California Angels, wins the pennant. The problem is that the Angels are in last place, so Roger prays for help to turn the team around. Sure enough, his prayers are answered in the form of angel Al (Christopher Lloyd), and, before you know it, the Angels' bitter manager (Danny Glover) is watching in amazement as his team starts making the plays -- with the help of angels visible to the audience only as glowing special effects. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Tony Danza, (more)
