Penny Santon Movies

Jonah (Jeffrey Bravin) is a lonely deaf child who has been misdiagnosed as retarded. Jonah's mother (Sally Struthers) and father (James Woods) struggle to establish communication from their withdrawn son. As the specialists shake their heads and cluck their tongues, Jonah's parents finally manage to teach the child sign language, thereby opening up his world both intellectually and emotionally. And Your Name is Jonah is proof enough that Sally Struthers once had potential for greatness, and confirmation that James Woods was on the right artistic track as early as 1979. Despite competition from the network premiere of Taxi Driver, And Your Name is Jonah managed to post excellent ratings upon its original telecast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) is in for quite a drubbing from his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and the rest of the police force when he decides to grow a mustache. But the kidding diminishes as the day wears on and the two mobile cops tackle a variety of tough cases during their brief sojourn with the Van Nuys Division. Foremost on the docket tonight is a plane crash in which a passenger is injured, and a scatterbrained female shoplifter. Featured in the cast is Priscilla Pointer, the mother of film star Amy Irving. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of a seven-part story arc, the Stephenses arrive in Rome, where Endora immediately makes her mark by bringing a statue of Venus to life. In her human state, the irresistible Venus (Francine York) causes trouble for Darrin by causing his client, Mr. Baldoni (Lou Krugman), to stray from his marital vows. There is nothing for Samantha to do but deflect Venus by "enlivening" a statue of Adonis. First telecast on October 13, 1971, "Bewitched, Bothered and Baldoni" was written by Michael Morris. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In 1907, the brilliant physicist Albert Abraham Michelson won the Nobel Prize for developing the optical precision instruments which made it possible for his fellow scientists to measure light waves. According to Bonanza scriptwriters Robert Fresco and Paul Rink, the German-born Michelson spent his youth in Virginia City, Nevada, where he was a student in the classroom presided over by the stern and merciless Mr. Norton (William Schallert). When young Albert (Douglas Lambert) is designated as a "problem child" and expelled from school, Ben Cartwright tries to find out why. Originally telecast March 18, 1962, "Look to the Stars" also features Joe De Santis and Penny Santon as Albert's hard-working immigrant parents Samuel and Rosalie Michelson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this sequel to the previous season's "The Big Shadow of the Land", Jack Kruschen returns as Giorgio Rossi, the bombastic patriach of a family of Italian winegrowers. Hoping to improve the Rossis' financial situation, Ben Cartwright grants Giorgio eighty acres of Ponderosa property, which the effusive immigrant immediately converts into a lush vineyard. A crisis develops when Ben's nasty neighbor Gurney (Donald Woods shuts off Rossi's water supply. Also making return appearances are Penny Santon and Brioni Farrell) as Giorgio's wife Maria and daughter Regina. Written by William F. Leicester as the pilot episode for a projected TV series, "The Deed and the Dilemma" first aired March 26, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Allegedly based on the 1946 film starring Ray Milland but bearing no real resemblance to it, this is the story of the fight for statehood in California. The Californians want to break from Mexico, but Mexico doesn't want them to. This tale brings to the screen two brothers who are fighting on opposite sides in the battle. Not one of the best of Hollywood's efforts. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

In a bombed-out French village, Saunders (Vic Morrow) is astonished to come across a well-tended rose garden completely unscathed by the ravages of war. The garden is watched over by a young, mentally challenged girl named Jeanine (Antoinette Bower), who having lost her entire family has retreated into a world of her own. Saunders must convince Jeanine and her elderly guardian Celeste (Penny Santon) to leave the village before the arrival of the Germans, but the girl refuses to budge: she is convinced that as long as her garden is safe, no harm will ever come to her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from his own TV play by Reginald Rose, Dino stars Sal Mineo (who also appeared in the TV version) in the title role. Sent to reform school for his complicity in a gang killing, Dino is released in the custody of kindly settlement worker Sheridan (Brian Keith). Despite the efforts by Sheridan and parole officer Mandel (Frank Faylen) to set the boy on the right path, sullen Dino intends to rejoin his old gang at the first opportunity. Only when he realizes that his younger brother Tony (Pat DeSimone) is in danger of becoming an irredeemable juvenile delinquent does Dino gets wise to himself. It also helps when he falls in love with Shirley (Susan Kohner), a "plain-Jane" girl he meets at Sheridan's settlement house. Rarely seen today, Dino is one of the better "j.d." films of its era. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Chevy Chase added a classic comic hero to the film landscape with Fletch, one of his few truly popular star vehicles in a famously misguided post-Saturday Night Live career. Chase plays Irwin M. Fletcher, known to everyone as Fletch, a Los Angeles Lakers-loving investigative reporter with a gleeful disdain for deadlines and a knack for pushing the buttons of his frustrated editor (Richard Libertini). He's also known for donning numerous disguises and assuming zany false identities to help gain information. While pursuing an ongoing story about a powerful drug dealer who operates from Venice Beach, he comes across an intriguing offshoot in which he becomes intimately involved. Aviation executive Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) has an unusual proposition for Fletch: If Fletch agrees to an elaborate plan to kill him, for reasons Stanwyk refuses to divulge beyond explaining that he has bone cancer, Fletch will walk away with a healthy sum of money and a plane ticket to Brazil. Curious yet suspicious by profession, Fletch begins investigating Stanwyk's true motives, which leads him through numerous misadventures. Among them are a visit to a stuffy country club; a high-speed car chase with an unwitting passenger; repeat encounters with Stanwyk's wife (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), although she may not be his only one; and a trip to Provo -- that's Utah, not Spain. Inspired by a novel of the same name by Gregory McDonald, Fletch went from thriller to comedy as it was adapted into a vehicle for Chase. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

When Emily Rocco (Judy Holliday) waddles into view at the beginning of Full of Life, her appearance marked a cinematic breakthrough; seldom had so pregnant a leading lady ever appeared on an American movie screen. With her baby's birthdate only a month away, Emily and her husband Nick (Richard Conte) prepare for first-time parenthood. What they aren't prepared for is Nick's Italian-bricklayer father (Salvatore Baccaloni) who descends upon their humble household with the intention of ruling the roost. Most of all, Papa wants Nick and Emily to go through a proper Catholic wedding, since he doesn't consider their civil ceremony valid. This situation is good for a few laughs, but far funnier is the all-too-typical erratic behavior of expectant mother Emily. Adapted by John Fante from his own novel, Full of Life effortlessly runs the gamut from warm family comedy to outrageous slapstick and back again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Probationary angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and his ghostly sidekick Mark Gordon (Victor French) tackle two difficult assignments in this episode. It is Jonathan's task to provide comfort and solace to Evelyn Nealy (Carrie Snodgress), a young widow whose son, Arthur (Barret Oliver), is terminally ill. As for Mark, his challenge is to straighten out a surly young thief named Tony (Tony LaTorre), whose parents have deserted him. Inevitably, the lives of Tony and Evelyn intersect -- almost as if by divine intervention! ~ All Movie Guide

Interrupted Melody is the inspirational filmed biography of world-renowned Australian soprano Marjorie Lawrence. Eleanor Parker plays Ms. Farrell, while her vocal renditions, ranging from selections from Madame Butterfly to MGM's own Over the Rainbow, were dubbed by Eileen Farrell, who would be with the Met from 1960-1966. The story traces Marjorie's long, hard road to the top, her success on two continents, and her turbulent marriage to American doctor Thomas King. While touring South America, Lawrence is stricken with polio, which not only abruptly ends her career but briefly robs her of the will to live. The rest of the film is devoted to Ms. Lawrence's emergence from depression and her triumphant comeback. William Ludwig and Sonya Levien shared an Academy Award for their cinemadaptation of Marjorie Lawrence's autobiography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Ironside (Raymond Burr) has degenerated from a respected law enforcement officer to a seedy skid-row bum, apparently because 10-year-old murder witness Jerry Abbott (Lee H. Montgomery) was killed while in the Chief's protective custody. What even Ironside's loyal assistants are unaware of is that little Jerry is still alive, and that the Chief is only posing as a derelict to flush out the murderer. The situation reaches the crisis stage when two attempts are made on Ironside's alive--and the Chief can't summon the aid of his associates without blowing his cover. This episode features two original songs by David and Marty Paich: "Street Song", peformed by Carol Carmichael; and "Way Up Here", sung by Marty Paich. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide