Trish VanDevere

Each episode of this series offers different battles of the war. Each uses re-enactments, expert commentary, and readings by actors such as Burt Reynolds, Charlton Heston, and Richard Dreyfuss to bring the events of the war to vivid life. Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War, Vol. 3 concentrates on the campaigns surrounding the battles of Vicksburg, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

Even though Charles Bronson doesn't carry a gun in this feature, there are still plenty of the fights, car chases, and explosions -- all hallmarks of Bronson's action films. Bronson plays Denver Tribune crime reporter Garrett Smith, who investigates the murder mystery of a Mormon family. Smith tries to mediate between rival factions who have broken off from the Salt Lake theology and are carrying on a bloody feud. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This Western comedy is set in the early 1900's and features the inept duo of Ben (Roy Clark) and Booger (Mel Tillis). The two men visit a bank seeking a loan but carry a shotgun with them. Understandably, this gives the wrong impression to the bank staff and before they know it, they are being chased all over creation by the sheriff (Burl Ives) and an army captain (Glen Campbell). Several songs are interspersed with the chase scenes, and Burt Reynolds makes a cameo appearance as an ace poker player who cleans out Ben and Booger. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Michael Roemer both wrote and directed the 60-minute TV drama Haunted. Brooke Adams stars as a troubled young woman who returns to her Rhode Island home. Why she does this is a mystery: her childhood was a textbook example of misery, exacerbated by her spiteful adoptive mother and her abusive foster father. Unable to close old wounds with her family, Brooke befriends neighbor lady Trish Van Devere. But her new friend has serious problems of her own, forcing Brooke to mediate between Trish and her resentful daughter Ari Meyers. Haunted was first telecast March 20, 1984, as part of PBS' American Playhouse anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The issue of forced school busing is explored with an unfortunately heavy hand in All God's Children. Richard Widmark plays a judge who is tortured with guilt after a school bus is stolen. The robbery was a prank, committed as a reaction to the judge's ruling that selected black students must be bused to white schools, and vice versa. The vehicle was appropriated by two high schoolers, one black, one white. The film's tension arises from the fact that a burned-beyond-recognition body was found in the wreckage; the families of both boys wait in anguish to discover the identity of a victim, while the rest of the community threatens to erupt into violence no matter what the outcome of the autopsy. All God's Children was first telecast April 20, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally titled The Voyage of the Mayflower, this made-for-TV historical drama was, not surprisingly, first telecast as a CBS Thanksgiving special. In the tradition of the 1952 theatrical feature Plymouth Adventure, the film meticulously recounted the journey in 1620 A.D. of 103 Pilgrim "separatists" from their religiously restrictive English homeland to the shores of the New World. The dramatic crux of the film was manifested in the conflict between mercenary, untrustworthy Mayflower captain Christopher Jones (Anthony Hopkins) and idealistic but tough Pilgrim leader William Brewster (Richard Crenna). Also incorporated in the narrative are the intertwining relationships between Miles and Rose Standish (David Dukes, Trish Van Devere), John Alden (Michael Beck), and Priscilla Mullens (Jenny Agutter). Mayflower: The Pilgrim's Adventure was originally shown on November 21, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This spoof of a "typical" double-feature bill of the 1930s is introduced by George Burns, who explains that we're about to see two classic films produced by the legendary Warren Brothers. The first, "Dynamite Fists," is a black-and-white takeoff of such boxing dramas as Golden Boy. Harry Hamlin plays a John Garfield-like pugilist who is brought along by a tough-but-lovable fight promoter George C. Scott. Nasty gangster Eli Wallach attempts to compromise Hamlin by offering him the delectable Trish VanDevere, but Hamlin proves loyal to Scott. When Scott is killed by Wallach, Hamlin vows to become an attorney and bring the murderer to justice -- which he does in the space of one year. Along the way, Hamlin's gangster brother-in-law secures an eye operation for his nearly blind sister Kathleen Beller (whose bump-in-the-wall myopia is good for several laughs). After "Dynamite Fists," we are treated to a coming-attractions trailer for a Dawn Patrol-style aviation epic, again starring George C. Scott. The last segment, "Blansky's Beauties of 1933," is an all-stops-out Technicolor lampoon of Busby Berkeley musicals. Told by doctor Art Carney that he is dying, Broadway impresario Blansky (George C. Scott again) determines to produce one last spectacular show before the curtain goes down for good. The highlights in "Blansky's Beauties" are too numerous to mention here: memorable bits include composer Barry Bostwick's rooftop number, and the opening dialogue exchange between Carney and Scott (told that he has a month to live, Scott philosophically replies that at least he has 30 days left -- whereupon Carney dolefully reminds his patient that it's February). An additional sequence, parodying the Republic serials of the era, was filmed for Movie, Movie but cut from the final release print. Michael Kidd, who plays "Pop Popchick" in "Dynamite Fists," handled the choreography in "Blansky's Beauties." On the videocassette version of Movie, Movie, "Dynamite Fists" has been reprocessed in color. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast stars George C. Scott and his wife Trish Van Devere in the title roles -- and it should not take a rocket scientist to determine who plays what role. It all begins when Edward Beaumont (Bernard Lee) makes the fatal error of offending a bestial nobleman (Scott), whose ugly, boarlike countenance seemingly reflects a malevolent personality. To save her father from harm, Edward's gorgeous daughter, Belle (Van Devere), agrees to live as a permanent guest in the beast's huge, forboding mansion. Although he has all the resources of magic and mysticism at his beck and call, the Beast comes to the melancholy conclusion that the otherwise dutiful Belle will never consent to become his bride. But miracles do happen, and the virtuous Belle is able to burrow through the Beast's hideous façade and reveal the kindly, fragile soul within -- and in so doing, she herself grows and matures as a human being. Filmed in England, this production originally aired December 3, 1976, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George C. Scott produced, directed and distributed this offbeat drama. Near the turn of the century, John (Scott), his wife Maidi (Trish VanDevere) and their young son David (Lee Montgomery) are shipwrecked on a remote island. Resigned to the fact they may never be rescued, John teaches David how to survive on his own, and instills in him a macho philosophy that the strong will always defeat the weak. As the years pass, David (now played by John Carson) grows to adulthood, and he begins formulating his own interpretation of his father's teachings -- as the stronger man, he is now ruler of the island, and that the island's only woman should rightfully be his. The Savage Is Loose was the second and last theatrical feature George C. Scott would direct, though he would later helm a made-for-TV movie about the life of baseball great Satchel Paige. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this engaging crime drama with an undercurrent of subtle humor, James Coburn stars as Harry, a "cannon" (a top-flight pickpocket), who works in association with Casey (Walter Pidgeon), an older career criminal with a fondness for cocaine. Ray (Michael Sarrazin) and Sandy (Trish Van Devere) are two aspiring thieves who meet when he tries to steal her watch; eventually, they both come under Harry's tutelage, as he teaches them both the finer points of lifting people's wallets. Harry in Your Pocket was the sole theatrical film for television director and producer Bruce Geller, who died in a plane crash five years after this film was released. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

George C. Scott stars in The Last Run as an aging mob driver hoping to make one last big haul and retire. Harry Garmes (Scott) is persuaded by his old cronies to drive escaped criminal Paul Ricard (Tony Musante) and his girlfriend, Claudio Schemer (Trish VanDevere), across Spain to safety. Garmes has premonitions throughout the flight of his own demise, but his fate will not be known until the end of his journey. John Huston was supposed to direct, but was replaced after a series of confrontations with Richard Fleischer.The cast includes Scott's then-wife, Colleen Dewhurst, alongside his wife-to-be, Trish VanDevere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wealthy, insensitive young Beau Bridges buys an inner-city tenement, planning to evict the present occupants and construct a luxury home for himself. But once he ventures into the tenement, he grows quite fond of the low-income ethnic types who dwell within. He even kicks over the traces of his WASP upbringing by romancing black tenants Diana Sands and Marki Bey. Though essentially a comedy, The Landlord offers several painful truths about ghetto existence. Essentially, Beau Bridges acts as the audience's "eyes:" we learn as he learns, we grow as he grows. The Landlord represents the first directorial effort of Oscar-winning film editor Hal Ashby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide