Leonard Stone Movies

This made-for-cable biopic recounts the incredible career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who after a hardscrabble childhood in Austria came to America in the pursuit of the three goals: to be a champion bodybuilder, a popular film actor, and a mover and shaker in the world of politics. It goes without saying that he succeeds in all three endeavors -- spectacularly so -- and, as a bonus, enjoys a happy and enduring marriage to Maria Shriver, one of the many well-publicized offshoots of the influential Kennedy family (who, ironically, are Schwarzenegger's political polar opposites). The film parallels Schwarzenegger's dizzying campaign for the governor's office in California with his strenuous efforts to be chosen as "Mr. Olympia" some three decades earlier. Jürgen Prochnow stars as the Arnold Schwarzenegger of 2003, Roland Kickinger is seen as the younger Schwarzenegger, and Mariel Hemingway is cast as Maria Shriver. While the film doesn't really take sides, it is entertaining and good-humored enough to please both fans and detractors of Schwarzenegger alike. Based on the book by Nigel Andrews, See Arnold Run ran on the A&E Network on January 30, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sullen teenage orphan Johnny Miles (Josh Albee) is wrongfully accused of stealing from his foster parents. Running away from home, Johnny forms a bond with another youthful "runaway"--this one a leopard who has escaped from a nearby wild-animal compound. Both fugitives are sheltered by a harsh but lovable kennel owner, Angela Lakey (Dorothy McGuire), who senses that neither boy nor leopard are as bad as they're cracked up to be. Assuming the responsibility of caring for the animal, Johnny risks being captured by the authorities--and while his punishment will be relatively benign, the leopard might well be destroyed. Adapted from a novel by Victor Canning, The Runaways premiered April 1, 1975, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

It was perhaps inevitable that the breakdancing craze of the early 1980s would pervade even a traditionalist sitcom like Alice. In this episode, a group of talented breakdancers are hired to perform at an art festival held at Mel's Diner; unfortunately, Mel (Vic Tayback) mistakes the dancers for hoodlums and boots them out. Featured in this episode are professional dancers Steven "Sugar Pop" DeSilva and Jason "Elf" DeSilva), not to mention a veritable chorus line of familiar faces, among them What's Happening!!'s Fred "Rerun" Berry, Coach's Kenneth Kimmins, and singer-model Donovan Leitch. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A surly Mel (Vic Tayback) refuses to build a handicapped-access ramp for the diner, arguing that people with physical impairments shouldn't come into his establishment in the first place. But his perspective on this subject changes radically when Mel is himself confined to a wheelchair with two sprained ankles. Fortunately, this "very special" episode manages to strike a happy medium between mirth and moralizing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The rise and growth of American popular music through the 20th century is reflected in the lives of four generations of one family in this animated drama directed by Ralph Bakshi. Zalmie (voice of Jeffrey Lippa), a Russian Jew, emigrates to America, and tries to struggle along as a comic and musician in vaudeville, until an injury suffered in World War I ends his singing career. Zalmie's son Benny (voice of Richard Singer) inherits his father's love for music, and when he grows to adulthood, he joins a jazz combo as a pianist; his career is cut short, however, when he's killed while fighting in World War II. Benny's son Tony (voice of Ron Thompson) is also bitten by the music bug and is determined to make his mark as a songwriter; he becomes involved in the Beat poetry and music community in San Francisco, and later falls in with a pioneering psychedelic band. Along the way, Tony fathers an illegitimate son named Pete (voice of Eric Taslitz), and ends up becoming Pete's guardian in New York City without realizing he's the boy's father. After Tony's death, Pete supports himself by dealing drugs, while struggling to make his dream of becoming a rock star a reality. Ralph Bakshi achieved American Pop's unique look through a process called "rotoscoping" -- shooting the scenes with live actors, and then tracing their movements onto animation cells.
~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Quincy (Jack Klugman) is outraged to learn that young Sherry Anderson (Heidi Bohay) has died from injuries sustained in a car accident after being treated at a standard emergency hospital. It seems that Sherry's father Bruce (Leonard Stone), who at the crash scene appeared to be the more seriously injured of the two, was rushed to the Memorial Hills emergency trauma center, where the doctors were able to save his life. Arguing that the same special medical care should have been made available to Sherry, Quincy begins lobbying the city to finance additional trauma centers--even as Memorial Hills faces extinction due to lack of funds. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When Daisy Duke (Catherine Bach) is kidnapped after snapping a photo of a bank robbery in progress, Deputy Enos Strate (Sonny Shroyer) defies orders from Sheriff Roscoe (James Best) and Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke), joining Bo and Luke Duke (John Schneider, Tom Wopat) in their efforts to rescue their cousin. As a result, Enos finally gets his chance at a throughly honest job in a big-city police department. Making their first series appearances are Nedra Volz as Hazzard County's cycle-ridin' postmistress Miz Tisdale and Flash the Dog as "himself", while Rick Hurst becomes a full-fledged regular in the role of Deputy Cletus. This episode was designed as the pilot for the Dukes of Hazzard spinoff series Enos, which (of course) starred Sonny Shroyer and originally ran on CBS from November 5, 1980 through September 19, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Edith faces a crisis of conscience when she is assigned to care for Sunshine Home resident Mrs. Loretta Dillon (Angela Clarke), an 81-year-old woman who is dying of heart failure. Though the rest of the staff is determined to keep Mrs. Dillon alive, she is equally determined to die with dignity. When the old woman begs Edith to "hold my hand and don't let go" late one evening, Edith does so, whereupon Mrs. Dillon quietly passes into the next world. As a consequence of not summoning assistance, Edith is promptly fired, but she cannot convince herself that she did anything wrong. Written by Patt Shea and Harriet Weiss, "Edith Gets Fired" originally aired on February 25, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Deadman's Curve is a made-for-TV biography concerning "California sound" rock-n-rollers Jan and Dean. Richard Hatch plays Jan Berry, while Bruce Davison is seen as Dean Torrence. The meat of the story is Jan's grueling efforts to fully recover from a disastrous 1966 auto accident. The film's most powerful scene occurs when the still-shaky Jan attempts a concert comeback, only to be booed offstage when the audience realizes that he's lip-synching. First telecast February 3, 1978, Deadman's Curve is seasoned with cameo appearances by Dick Clark, Wolfman Jack, and Beach Boys Mike Love and Bruce Johnson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

General Korshack (Ed Binns demands that Hawkeye (Alan Alda) become his personal physician. While the rest of the camp mulls over Hawkeye's imminent departure, Radar (Gary Burghoff) becomes surrogate daddy for the baby of an American GI's Korean girl friend (Suesie Elene). Both situations are resolved before the final fade-out, but the results are neither entirely happy nor entirely sad. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

About to embark upon an out-of-town trip, Bob tries to divest himself of the dependent Howard by foisting his friend off on a fellow psychologist, Dr. Ned Podbillion (Leonard Stone), whose unorthodox methods invariably yield positive results. Upon his return, Bob is confronted by the new Howard -- and he's not altogether delighted with what he sees. This episode was the return of future WKRP in Cincinnati maven Hugh Wilson. "Still Crazy After All These Years" originally aired on October 9, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A 12-year-old Jodie Foster makes one of her periodic ABC Afterschool Special appearances as the title character in The Secret Life of T.K. Dearing. Considered something of an oddball by her family and peer group, peppery preteen T.K. Dearing finds a friend and kindred spirit in her young-at-heart grandfather (Eduard Franz). The story shifts into high gear when T.K. invites grandpa to join her secret club. (Hard to believe that Jodie Foster starred in this wholesome little escapade the same year that she played "working girl" Iris in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver!) ~ Rovi

Richard Fleischer directed this nightmarish science fiction vision of an over-populated world, based on the novel by Harry Harrison. In 2022, New York City is a town bursting at the seams with a 40-million-plus population. Food is in short supply, and most of the population's food source comes from synthetics manufactured in local factories -- the dinner selections being a choice between Soylent Red, Soylent Yellow, or Soylent Green. When William Simonson (Joseph Cotten), an upper-echelon executive in the Soylent Company, is found murdered, police detective Thorn (Charlton Heston) is sent in to investigate the case. Helping him out researching the case is Thorn's old friend Sol Roth (Edward G. Robinson, in his final film role). As they investigate the environs of a succession of mad-from-hunger New Yorkers and the luxuriously rich digs of the lucky few, Thorn uncovers the terrible truth about the real ingredients of Soylent Green. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi