Amzie Strickland Movies

By now convinced that her friend Dr. Lawrence (Alan Alda) is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, Weaver (Laura Innes) dolefully conspires with Greene (Anthony Edwards) to force Lawrence to face his problem. A nursing-home fire brings in a multitude of patients and heap of trouble for Carter (Noah Wyle). Carol (Julianna Margulies) goes out on a limb to help the pregnant, heroin-addicted Meg (Martha Plimpton). Dr. Dave (Erik Palladino) may have caused the explosion that has been blamed on Cleo Finch (Michael Michele). And Jeanie Boulet (Gloria Reuben) bids goodbye to the ER. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paul's (Paul Reiser) "weed" documentary takes precedence over Jamie's (Helen Hunt) romantic weekend in Pennsylvania. Things get dicier when Jamie's boss, Lance Brockwell (curiously unseen in this episode), has an embarrassing encounter with organized crime. And, once again, it looks as though Paul's job with the Explorer Channel is on the chopping block. ~ All Movie Guide

Nearly three decades after climbing the top-ten charts with his ballad "Big Bad John", Jimmy Dean stars in a film version of the song. Dean doesn't play the title character, though; that honor goes to ex-footballer Doug English. After killing a man who needed killing, Big Bad John loses himself by going to work in a treacherous Colorado coal mine. A whole slew of plot complications later, the film finally gets around to the gist of the song, with Big Bad John saving the lives of his fellow miners at the price of his own. For the record, Dean plays a sheriff who reluctantly pursues the fugitive John all over the country. Also in the cast is Ned Beatty, playing an abusive father to end all abusive fathers, and Jack Elam and Bob Hopkins, doing their usual. Big Bad John was directed by Burt Kennedy, an old hand at backwoods melodramas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Involved in a very minor traffic accident, Murphy (Candice Bergen) is touched by the sweetness and gentility of Bob and Myrna Bickner (Eric Christmas, Amzie Strickland), the drivers of the other car. But her feelings are slightly different when the Bickners hit her with a lawsuit amounting to $1.5 million! With all this going on, it is rather surprising that Murphy's ex-secretary Robert (Charley Lang) would have the courage to show up again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Not much time is actually spent in Weasel Creek in this made-for-TV movie, despite its title. Essentially, this is a semiserious "road" picture concerning the misadventures of a rambunctious young girl (Mare Winningham). Linking up with a runaway farm boy (John Hammond), the girl heads to California with only the clothes on her back and the few possessions from her house trailer. En route, the boy stops over in the aptly named Weasel Creek to visit his aunt (Colleen Dewhurst). The film is populated with such familiar rustic types as Barry Corbin, Richard Farnsworth and Trey Wilson. A Few Days in Weasel Creek first aired October 21, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Future WKRP in Cincinnati co-star Howard Hesseman reprises his role as Mr. Plager, the gay, culturally inclined member of Bob's therapy group. Urged on by Bob and the other patients, Plager writes, produces, and directs a play. Unfortunately, Plager's masterpiece, though ostensibly set during WWI, is a thinly disguised carbon copy of the group's therapy sessions, replete with characters based on Mr. Carlin, Mr. Petersen, Mrs. Bakerman -- and Bob himself. (For the record, these "faux" roles are filled by Jerry Devine, Lou Cutell, Amzie Strickland, and Frank Ashmore, respectively). Scripted by Andrew Smith, "Group on a Hot Tin Roof" was originally scheduled to air in February or March of 1978, but was moved up to January 28, due to Bob Newhart's absence from several other like-vintage episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While researching her family "roots" with the help of Jason (Jon Walmsley), Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton) comes across a slave ornament that had been worn by her grandfather. This artifact leads Verdie to a disturbing visit with a descendant of her grandfather's white owner. Elsewhere, 12-year-old Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) tries to impress the solider to whom she has been writing by claiming to be sixteen--and mailing him a picture of her older sister Erin (Mary Elizabeth McDonough). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Finally getting custody of his son Howie, Howard must now face the problem of proper child care when he isn't around. At first, Howie is left in the hands of Bob and Emily, who in turn hire a gorgeous babysitter named Mitzi Margolis (Brooke Adams). Howard is so impressed by Mitzi that he asks her to remain in his home on a permanent -- and definitely nonprofessional -- basis. Also in the cast is Amzie Strickland as Mrs. Walhauser. Written by WKRP in Cincinnati writer Hugh Wilson, "The Boy Next Door" first aired on February 21, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While visiting a local laundromat, off-duty police officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) cannot help but notice that a shaggy-haired young man seems to be monopolizing all of the washing machines. It turns out that this busy customer is using those machines to dry his stash of marijuana. In case there was every any doubt that Adam-12 was a Jack Webb production, this episode should dispell it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-TV movie, six persons have won a cruise-ship vacation, but they find that the awards were just a trick to begin a killing game. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

All the experts have declared that it is impossible to rob a safety-deposit vault surrounded by a sophisticated, high-tech alarm system--but that's just what happens. Clearly the heist was the work of a well-trained team, and the cops are able to arrest one of the suspects almost immediately. Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), however, is certain that the man in custody is innocent...and meanwhile, the actual master thief is working on a plan to seal Ironside's doom! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bill Bixby sheds his "lovable sitcom hero" persona in the role of smooth-talking psychopath Tom Dayton. Seven years after killing the fiancee of Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway), Dayton is delcared to be "safe" by the authorities and is given his freedom. But Ed is convinced that Dayton's pathological hatred for female authority figures will soon resurface and tragedy will result unless the man is put out of commission permanently. This final episode of Ironside's third season features a flashback sequence in which Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) is able to move around without his wheelchair--presumably to squash the then-prevalent rumor that star Burr was genuinely paralyzed from the waist down! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide