Arnold Stang Movies

In this highly acclaimed series hosted by LeVar Burton, youngsters are encouraged to participate in the fun of reading. Each episode features a picture book, usually read by a celebrity, with activities and field trips related to the subject. In addition to the main story, other books are highlighted and reviewed by young students. Reading Rainbow: Archibald Frisby concerns a character who wonders how things work. Burton discusses the importance of science, and its role in the creation of roller coasters and Velcro. Kid-reviewed books include What Makes Popcorn Pop and Science Magic With Lights. ~ Alice Day, Rovi

Bill Cosby mugs so uncontrollably that it looks as if he may be the victim of a muscular disorder in the inane and unfunny Ghost Dad. Cosby plays Elliot, a workaholic widower with three children -- Danny (Salim Grant), Amanda (Brooke Fontainbe), and the teenage Diane (Kimberly Russell). Elliot is hoping to close a big deal that will mean a promotion, more money, and lots of perks, but a cab ride with a freaked-out cab driver causes his untimely demise. Elliot discovers that he is now a ghost and has to learn to spend more time with his kids rather than worry about money and career. Otherwise, after three days, he'll be whisked away into the great beyond. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

This feature-length adaptation of the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same title first screened on television in 1987. As it opens, alley cats Fancy-Fancy (John Stephenson), Benny the Ball, Brain (Leo de Lyon), Top Cat (Arnold Stang) and Choo-Choo (Marvin Kaplan) find themselves in Gertrude Vandergelt's posh mansion; meanwhile, a crisis is afoot, as Benny must simultaneously fight his way out of the dog pound, and evade capture by the butler Snerdly and his wolfhound Rasputin. One event leads to another, and before long, Top Hat and his boys find themselves in Beverly Hills, living the high life in limos, crashing ritzy costume parties, saving the heir to a fortune, and much more. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

This animated children's film tells the story of the two popular dolls who go off to find a pretty French doll who has been stolen by pirates. Many songs from popular children's composer Joe Raposo ensue, including: "I Look and What Do I See!," "No Girl's Toy," "Rag Dolly," "Poor Babette," "A Miracle," "Ho-Yo," "Candy Hearts," "Blue," "The Mirage," "I Never Get Enough," "I Love You," "Loony Anthem," "It's Not Easy Being King," "Hooray for Me," "You're My Friend," and "Home." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The Rampart emergency staff must find bed space for its own members when Dr. Brackett (Robert Fuller) is trapped under a pile of fallen debris and Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) comes down with tonsilitis--and even the station's doggie mascot Boot undergoes surgery. At the same time, famous actor Raymond Boyd (Robert Alda), an old flame of head nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London), checks in with a mysterious illness. And elsewhere, things get very ugly at a girl's college lacrosse game. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The great Venetian explorer's grandson, journeys to Xanadu to return his grandfather's golden medallion of friendship to its rightful owners in this tuneful animated adventure. En route he meets various foes including dragons and pirates. Eventually his medallion is joined with that of a beautiful princess. They fall in love and he helps the helpless lass make it to the throne. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

When irascible boss T.R. Hollister (Jim Backus) threatens to pull the plug on an underwater environmental living project, employee Fred Miller (Tony Randall) and his wife, Vivian (Janet Leigh), take their family down in the deep to live for 30 days. With all the modern conveniences of a home on land, the family even invites a rock & roll band to get down and record. Merv Griffin (himself) arranges an underwater interview for his television show while Mel Cheever (Ken Berry) schemes to get Fred's job back on dry land. Two of the Miller kids, Lorrie (Kay Cole) and Tommy (Gary Tigerman), join three others (Richard Dreyfuss, Roddy McDowall, and Lou Wagner) in the rock band. Friendly dolphins fend of shark attacks as the land sharks try to scuttle the underwater project in this family film. Music is provided by Jeff Barry. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

In this musical comedy, an enterprising young husband decides to help out his wife by staging a benefit with Country and Western singers when the Italian opera company she had scheduled suddenly cancels. Mayhem ensues when two bunglers get confused and show up dressed in Italian costumes. Songs include: "Young Love," "Don't Let Me Cross Over," "Hello Walls," "Columbus Stockade Blues," "John Henry," "Born to Lose," "Honky Tonk Angels," "Abilene," "Ain't that a Shame," and "Careless Love." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

With this all-star Cinerama epic, producer/director Stanley Kramer vowed to make "the comedy that would end all comedies." The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante), who, before (literally) kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot, "under the Big W." The various motorists setting out on a mad scramble include a dentist (Sid Caesar) and his wife (Edie Adams); a henpecked husband (Milton Berle) accompanied by his mother-in-law (Ethel Merman) and his beatnik brother-in-law (Dick Shawn); a pair of comedy writers (Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney); and a variety of assorted nuts including a slow-wit (Jonathan Winters), a wheeler-dealer (Phil Silvers), and a pair of covetous cabdrivers (Peter Falk and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson). Monitoring every move that the fortune hunters make is a scrupulously honest police detective (Spencer Tracy). Virtually every lead, supporting, and bit part in the picture is filled by a well-known comic actor: the laughspinning lineup also includes Carl Reiner, Terry-Thomas, Arnold Stang, Buster Keaton, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, and The Three Stooges, who get one of the picture's biggest laughs by standing stock still and uttering not a word. Two prominent comedians are conspicuous by their absence: Groucho Marx refused to appear when Kramer couldn't meet his price, while Stan Laurel declined because he felt he was too old-looking to be funny. Available for years in its 154-minute general release version, the film was restored to its roadshow length of 175 minutes on home video; the search goes on for a missing Buster Keaton routine, reportedly excised on the eve of the picture's premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Originally released in Japan as Saiyu-ki, this animated feature film was purchased by American-International Productions, then retitled, re-edited and redubbed for American consumption. Alakazam is a timid little monkey, who has greatness thrust upon him when he is chosen to rule over all the animals on earth. Unfortunately, once Alakazam attains the crown, he also develops a swelled head. On the orders of King Amo, ruler of an island where all retired magicians reside, Alakazam is imprisoned and taught a lesson or two. The American version of Alakazam the Great was sold to theatres on the strength of its voice talent: Frankie Avalon (as Alakzam), Jonathan Winters, Dodie Stevens, Arnold Stang and Sterling Holloway. Among its Japanese writer/directors was Osamu Tesuka, the man responsible for Astro Boy and Kimba, the White Lion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This animated cartoon features Top Cat and his gang of street-wise cats going after Officer Dibble. ~ Rovi

Future Tonight Show host Johnny Carson made one of his rare acting appearances in this 1957 Playhouse 90 adaptation of George Abbott and John Cecil Holm's 1935 stage farce Three Men on a Horse. Carson plays Erwin Trowbridge, a henpecked husband who makes his living writing sappy verse for a greeting-card company. Erwin also possesses a unique gift: The ability to pick winning race horses (though he would never, ever dare to bet on one). It is thus inevitable that our hero would find himself genteely abducted by a trio of Runyonesque horse players who hang out in a seedy bar. Only one problem: Since there's money involved, Erwin's picking prowess is stymied--so the gamblers must figure out a way to get him over his mental block. Jack Carson (no relation to Johnny), Carol Channing and Edward Everett Horton are among the outstanding supporting players in this delightful comedy, which also features Frank McHugh, who'd starred as Erwin in the 1936 film version of Three Men on a Horse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When Otto Preminger was willing to release his drug-addiction drama Man With the Golden Arm without the sanction of a Production Code seal, it proved to be yet another nail in the coffin of that censorial dinosaur. Based on the novel by Nelson Algren, the film stars Frank Sinatra as Frankie Machine, expert card dealer (hence the title). Recently released from prison, Frankie is determined to set his life in order -- and that means divesting himself of his drug habit. He dreams of becoming a jazz drummer, but his greedy wife Eleanor Parker wants him to continue his lucrative gambling activities. Since Parker is confined to a wheelchair as a result of a car accident caused by Frankie, he's in no position to refuse. Only the audience knows that Parker is not crippled, but is faking her invalid status to keep Frankie under her thumb. Gambling boss Robert Strauss wants Frankie to deal at a high-stakes poker game; terrified that he's lost his touch, Frankie asks dope pusher Darren McGavin to supply him with narcotics. When McGavin discovers that Parker is not an invalid, she kills him, and Frankie (who is elsewhere at the time) is accused of the murder. He is willing to go to the cops, but he doesn't want to show up with drugs in his system. So with the help of sympathetic B-girl Kim Novak, Sinatra locks himself up and goes "cold turkey"-a still-harrowing sequence, despite the glut of "doper" films that followed in the wake of this picture. After Parker herself is killed in a suicidal fall, the path is cleared for Frankie to pursue a clean new life with Novak. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi