Alan Thicke Movies

The second of two made-for-television "reunion" movies starring the cast of the popular TV series Growing Pains (1985-1992), this one begins as newly retired psychologist Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke) and his wife Maggie (Joanne Kerns, who also directed the film) prepare to sell the family house and spend their declining years elsewhere. Jason wants to "hit the road" in an RV, but Maggie has her heart set on purchasing a villa in Tuscany. Meanwhile, the Seaver's children all react different to the news that their house is for sale. Wheeler-dealer Ben (Jeremy Seaver) is delighted, since he is the real estate agent who brokered the deal; older brother Michael (Kirk Cameron) and his wife Kate (Chelsea Noble) are less than delighted, since they'd hoped to leave their children with Jason and Maggie while Michael took on a new job in Japan; oldest sister Carol (Tracey Gold) is appalled, inasmuch as she needs to have her parents around to help her juggle motherhood and a career; and youngest sister Chrissy (Ashley Johnson), an aspiring rock singer, had intended to "crash" in her parents' home while looking for show-biz gigs. Thus is set up a situation straight out of the "original" Growing Pains, with Jason and Maggie each endeavoring to win the other over to their indivudal retirement plans, Mike and Carol going to extreme lengths to sabotage Ben's sale, and Chrissy setting herself up for another disillusionment. Also known as Growing Pains II: Home Equity, this film first aired October 16, 2004, on the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dutch filmmaker Marleen Gorris directs the romantic comedy Carolina, written by Los Angeles-based screenwriter Katherine Fugate. Julia Stiles stars as Carolina Mirabeau, a young woman who grows up in an eccentric southern family. She and her two sisters -- Georgia (Azura Skye) and Maine (Mika Boorem) -- have been raised by their well-meaning if meddling grandmother (Shirley MacLaine). Carolina's family seems to think that she should marry the novelist Albert (Alessandro Nivola), whom she has known since childhood. However, when she starts dating the well-to-do Heath (Edward Atterton), Albert becomes very jealous. Carolina has to choose which man she wants without letting her grandmother take over. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Actor and comedian Harry Shearer makes his directorial debut with this mock documentary about the slightly sordid pastimes of some of America's wealthiest and most powerful men. Zambesi Glen is a private resort in Northern California whose highly exclusive membership rolls includes high-echelon politicians, leaders of America's military, owners of the nation's biggest corporations, renowned and respected political thinkers, and a handful of celebrity guests; the club's membership is overwhelmingly white and exclusively male. Once a year, Zambesi Glen holds a week-long retreat for its members, and while this gathering features the occasional group discussion of political and economic issues, most of the week is devoted to swilling booze, staging comic skits, performing odd rituals not out of place at a Boy Scout camp, doing business with the prostitutes imported for the festivities, and generally carousing like frat boys on a bender. However, not all is well in this playground for the power elite; feminist groups are protesting Zambesi Glen's "men only" membership policy, and far more embarrassing, a television reporter has found a way to smuggle cameras into the well-guarded resort, giving the world a less than flattering look at what America's leadership likes to do for a good time. The revelers at Zambesi Glen are played by a top-shelf comic cast, including Michael McKean, George Wendt, Henry Gibson, Kenneth Mars, Fred Willard, Howard Hessman, and Bob Einstein; among the female interlopers are Morgan Fairchild, Joyce Hyser, and Ming-Na. Teddy Bears' Picnic was inspired by Harry Shearer's visit as a guest to Bohemian Grove, the real-life men's-only retreat whose members are said to include George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Dick Cheney, Malcolm Forbes, David Rockefeller, Casper W. Weinberger, and William F. Buckley, though the film's opening credits humorously disavows any resemblance between Zambesi Glen and Bohemian Grove. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast from 1985 to 1992, the popular sitcom Growing Pains briefly roared back into life with this made-for-TV movie. The proceedings commence with Dr. Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke, who also coproduced the film) offering a capsule summary of what has been going on with himself and his family since the cancellation of their series. Then the story segues into an amusingly complicated tale of romance and politics, as Jason's wife Maggie (Joanna Kerns), fired by her politician boss, decides to run against her ex-employer in an upcoming primary. The fun really begins when Jason and Maggie's daughter Carol (Tracey Gold), now a high-profile attorney, falls in love with the rival politico's campaign manager. Meanwhile, Carol's brother Mike (Kirk Cameron) continues seeking out his true place in the world, and younger sister Chrissy (Ashley Johnson) has a few problems of her own sustaining her high GPA in school. The Growing Pains Movie first aired on November 5, 2000, as a two-hour episode of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Eleven-year-old Emily (Kaitlyn Burke) is an environmental activist in training, having saved a bear cub wounded by poachers and nursed it back to health . When Emily's 16-year-old sister Melissa (Kimberley Warnat) -- another would-be environmentalist -- and her high school pal Daniel (Kristian Ayre) go to the woods to document evidence of a shady millionaire's (Alan Thicke) clear-cutting operation, Emily follows her and promptly gets washed away down a fast-flowing woodland river. Soon everyone is looking for the lost girl, including Melissa and Scott (Eric Johnson), a hunky slice of logger beefcake. With only the trusty bear cub -- now grown into a 700-pound adult named Masha -- as her guide, Emily struggles to make it out of the woods alive. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

Veterinarian Molly Saunders (Gail O'Grady) is mighty depressed as she attends the wedding of her former husband Bruce (Corbin Bernsen). During the ceremony, Molly makes the acquaintance of sportswriter Jake Michaelson (Rob Stewart), a sentimental guy who is in attendance because his ex-wife Joan (a rare acting appearance by onetime Donald Trump vis-à-vis Marla Maples) happens to be Jake's new bride. Though Molly and Jake are a mismatched couple, to say the least, it is remotely possible that a romance will develop (this is, after all, a made-for-cable movie). Two of Hearts originally aired February 14, 1999 on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a three-part story (originally intended as a two-parter), Bud (David Faustino) and Kelly (Christina Applegate) welcome the news that Peg (Katey Sagal) has dumped Al (Ed O'Neill) and is slated to wed a cool guy named Bruce (Alan Thicke). But the kids change their tune when they find out that Bruce intends to force them both to find jobs. Meanwhile, Al stands quietly by on the sidelines, hoping that this situation will turn to his advantage--without his having to exert himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The lives of a down-and-out but loving and optimistic Florida couple change dramatically when their desperately impoverished relatives abduct the 11-year-old son of a wealthy businessman and bring the child to their house. When Lucas and Roberta find that Roberta's sister Carrie and her husband Carl have kidnapped little John Wesley Danforth from a little-league game, their first instinct is to call the cops and send the boy back home. But Carl is in dire financial straits and desperately needs the ransom money. He pulls out a loaded gun and forces Lucas and Roberta to become accessories to the crime. Meanwhile, the boy's upstanding father August Danforth hires a private detective. Against the advice of the investigator, he then agrees to pay the $100,000 that Carl demands. When it is time to pick up the loot, Carl remains at home with Roberta and the boy and forces Lucas to accompany Carrie to get the money. While they are gone, Roberta engineers an escape for herself and John Wesley.

As soon as Lucas returns with the money, the three speed off in a truck. Lucas and Roberta want to take John Wesley straight to the police, but he refuses to go. Shortly thereafter, they learn the shocking reason why: it seems that his fine, well-respected father is a child batterer. All John Wesley wants is to be reunited with his estranged mother in Louisiana. When faced with the child's obvious suffering, the good-hearted couple feel they have no choice but to obey his wishes. This puts all three of them plus the mother in grave danger for not only has the vengeful August called in the FBI, but the dangerously enraged Carl and Roberta are rapidly closing in on them. In order to survive, the four fugitives make one final effort to make it to the safety of Mexico. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This actioner is set at a California high school and centers on the courage of misunderstood and ostracized newcomer from New York who proves himself a fearless and creative leader in the face of terrorism. Lenny hasn't been in the school long. Branded a troublemaker by teachers, bullied by jocks and ignored by the girls, his new West Coast life is a shambles until the terrorists, who have just robbed a nuclear plant, show up and take almost everyone hostage. Lenny is among the few who are not captured. It is he who rallies the other stragglers and begins luring the terrorists individually into the school where they are killed in clever and gory ways while outside the school the military and the police, led by Lenny's father, scramble and bicker uselessly amongst themselves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In a spoof of the popular NBC sitcom Friends, Kelly (Christina Applegate) goes out with delivery guy Tom (Matt Borlenghi), who is trying to get even with his regular girl Shannon (Nicole Eggert). In retaliation, Shannon agrees to date a middle-aged millionaire named Henry (Alan Thicke). Both couples end up at a cheap diner, where they do their best to "out-sex" each other. This episode, in which series regular Katey Sagal (Peggy) does not appear, was intended as the pilot for an unsold Married. . .With Children spinoff starring Nicole Eggert and Matt Borlenghi. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jack Coleman plays a down-on-his-luck baseball player who becomes a Beverly Hills masseur. One of his male clients hires Coleman to make love to the man's wife (Michelle Phillips) to provide grounds for a divorce. Needless to say, the client ends up dead, and Coleman is the prime suspect. American Gigolo, anyone? Made for cable, Rubdown does little to enhance the careers of supporting players Alan Thicke, William Devane or Catherine Oxenberg. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This lightweight horror movie is geared towards younger audiences as it follows the exploits of a little boy who is firmly convinced that the woman his father plans to marry is really a horrible monster in disguise. It all begins when his rather dull architect father George, as compared to young Todd's highly imaginative and much-loved grandfather, takes a job designing the immense country home for the seductively beautiful Denise. In time, Todd begins believing that scaly green monsters called tropopkins, are living in the forest near her house. Suddenly, his mother mysteriously vanishes and Todd is sent to live with his grandparents while his father completes his job. Six months pass and George returns with Denise, his new fiancee in tow. Things happen that cause Todd to suspect this step-mother-to-be is the leader of the tropopkins. No one believes him and Todd is sent into therapy. He remains convinced though and continues trying to postpone the wedding until he, his grandfather, his older sister and her boy friend Phlegm and can figure out how to destroy her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide