George Tyne Movies

In a comedy as flat as the cardboard cut-outs of movie stars that appear in one scene, Steve Martin plays Larry Hubbard, a wild and lonely guy who has been dumped by his girlfriend. Since misery loves company, he takes up with Warren, a fellow Lonely Guy (Charles Grodin), and eventually both Warren and Larry find some surprising companions, especially after Larry writes a best-selling Lonely Guy Guide. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In Fun and Games, a professional career woman is harassed by her boss, who then rejects her for promotion. The woman then sues her boss for sexual harassment ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Margaret (Loretta Swit) thinks she's pregnant, and demands that the doctors conduct a test to make sure. Alas, this procedure requires the death of a rabbit, and the only available bunny is Radar's (Gary Burghoff) beloved pet Fluffy. Elsewhere, a gun-wielding patient (Kurt Andon) demands to be relieved from duty, or else Fluffy won't be the only "casualty" in the O.R. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third "weather" episode of M*A*S*H's seventh season, the 4077th is placed in deep freeze by a bitter cold spell. Only Charles (David Ogden Stiers) is unaffected by the plummeting temperatures--after all, he's just received a thermal suit sent from home. Ultimately, of course, Charles finds ample reason to shiver in his boots, but not before his colleagues have dealt with such contigencies as an explosion, a severe case of hypothermia--and a marathon screening of the Sonja Henie skating epic Sun Valley Serenade. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Frank Burns (Larry Linville) blows his ultrapatriotic top when he finds out that wounded patient Pvt. Fitzsimmons (Brian Byers) has shot himself to get out combat. The reaction of Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) is rather different; eager to understand what motivated Fitzsimmons to injure himself, the good Father asks Radar (Gary Burghoff) to accompany him to the front, where he can experience the "shooting war" for the first time in his life. Ultimately, Mulcahy's ordeal by fire results in a lifesaving emergency tracheotomy--performed via radioed instructions from the 4077th. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this second episode of M*A*S*H's unofficial "mail call" trilogy, Frank (Larry Linville) receives word that his wife plans to divorce him (the "secret" affair with Hot Lips [Loretta Swit] is secret no more), while Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) is told that he's about to become a grandfather. But the most compelling package from home is a reel of 8-millimeter family movies sent to Radar (Gary Burghoff). And yes, the "actress" playing Radar's mom is just who you think it is. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Carol's new fiancé, Don Felzer (Richard Schaal), is, for want of a better word, weird. Not only is he an unpublished poet (and not without reason), and without a job, but he also has bad feet. But while love is blind, Carol's friends and associates are not, and all of them hope that she'll come to her senses before it's too late. Written by Jerry Mayer, "Life Is a Hamburger" was originally broadcast on November 16, 1974 -- hanging on by its fingernails opposite the first network airing of The Godfather. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Emmaline Henry guest stars as Mrs. Walker, Bob's newest patient. When Mrs. Walker convinces herself that she's in love with Bob, he tries to take it in stride, writing off her ardor as a professional hazard. But when he returns home, Bob discovers that his wife, Emily, is not inclined to be quite so understanding of Mrs. Walker's unwarranted attentions. First aired on January 27, 1973, "The Two Loves of Dr. Hartley" was written by Bill Idelson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anxious to help out her recently divorced friend, Marilyn Dietz (Mariette Hartley) -- who frankly needs no help whatsoever in affairs of the heart -- Emily goes on another matchmaking expedition. As a result, both Howard and Jerry end up dating Marilyn. The ensuing rivalry threatens to spread throughout Bob and Emily's small circle of friends. Also in the cast is David Fresco as Brown. First telecast October 20, 1973, "Have You Met Miss Dietz?" was written by Bill Idelson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) feels sorry for Lou Grant (Ed Asner), who, recently separated from his wife, is about to have a birthday all by himself. In her usual fix-it fashion, Mary arranges a surprise birthday party for her boss. But she hasn't counted upon two things: Lou hates birthdays and he despises surprises. Betty White makes her second series appearance as the sickeningly sweet "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens. "Happy Birthday, Lou" originally aired on December 22, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a novel by Harry Kressing, Something for Everyone must hold some sort of record for having the largest number of unsympathetic characters within a single film. Mercenary layabout Michael York talks himself into a footman's job at the estate of dissipated countess Angela Lansbury. In his efforts to advance himself socially and monetarily, York stops at nothing--including murder. He is eventually roasted on his own spit, courtesy of Lansbury's gross, ugly daughter Jane Carr. Guiding the debauched destinies of the characters is none other than Broadway luminary Harold Prince. The film has also been released as The Rook and Black Flowers for the Bride. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James Garner is so good as Raymond Chandler's philosophical gumshoe Philip Marlowe that you forget he's totally wrong for the part. Based on Chandler's The Little Sister, Marlowe involves the detective's efforts to locate the missing brother of Orfamay Quest (Sharon Farrell). He follows the clues to two men who deny any knowledge of the brother's existence. Since both men soon find themselves on the wrong end of an ice pick, Marlowe deduces that there's more to this caper than a mere missing-person case. The plot thickens as more "dramatis personae" are added to the intrigues, including TV star Gayle Hunnicutt, Hunnicutt's gangster boyfriend H.M. Wynant and stripper Rita Moreno. A pre-stardom Bruce Lee shows up as a karate-happy thug who lays waste to Marlowe's office shortly before suffering a spectacular demise. It is preferable to view Marlowe in videocassette or theatrical form; the commercial TV print cuts so much out that viewers are left with virtually nothing but protection leader and a few close-ups of James Garner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Boston Strangler adopts the split-screen technique then in vogue (see also The Thomas Crown Affair) to relate the true story of self-confessed mass murderer Albert DeSalvo. Adapted by Edward Anhalt from the book by Gerold Frank, the film covers the years 1962 to 1964, during which time a dozen women were raped and murdered in the Boston area. State-appointed officer John Bottomly (Henry Fonda) arrests as many known sex offenders as he can get his hands on in hopes of finding a clue as to the Boston Strangler's identity. As these things often happen, the police come across the necessary evidence through pure luck. Well-played by Tony Curtis (whose makeup is startling), DeSalvo himself does not appear until an hour into the film. When caught, the schizophrenic DeSalvo insists that he knows nothing of the murders. Under interrogation and hypnosis, his homicidal impulses are exposed. Meticulously cast, The Boston Strangler offers excellent vignettes by Sally Kellerman as the Strangler's only surviving victim and by Hurd Hatfield as an erudite sex pervert. When Boston Strangler was first shown on TV in 1974, a voice-over coda was added, noting that Albert DeSalvo was stabbed to death in prison on November 26, 1973, and that many experts were convinced that he was not the killer but that his confessions were the product of a delusional mind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide