Granville van Dusen Movies

Her nervousness heightened by the well-meaning counsel of friends and family, Rory (Alexis Bledel) anxiously awaits the arrival of her application forms from Harvard. Before filling out the forms, Rory seeks out the advice of two alumni, who simply tell her to "be original." Meanwhile, Taylor (Michael Winters) pressures Luke (Scott Patterson) to add an "old-fashioned" soda fountain to his establishment; though she's still trying to keep her musical aspirations a secret from her conservative mother, Lane (Keiko Agena) joins the rock band led by Dave Rygalsky (Adam Brody, in his series debut); and we meet a few stray members of the celebrated Springsteen family. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hunter (Fred Dryer) comes back into the life of his high school sweetheart Laurie (Cristina Raines Crowe) when she witnesses a murder. Naturally, it is Hunter's intention to keep Laurie under wraps so that she can testify in court, and just as naturally she cooperates with his efforts. Unfortunately, the woman's no-good husband Eddie (Granville Van Dusen) has other ideas--and before long he is threatening to reveal what his wife has witnessed in order to blackmail the corporate "fat cats" who ordered the killing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dr. Quest is invited to the London museum, there to determine the origins of a mysterious crystal skull. Unfortunately, an ancient Druidic cult is also interested in the skull -- so much so that they're willing to kill in order to steal the artifact. It is up to the Quest team to prevent the cult from unleashing the skull's awesome and horrifying powers upon the modern world. "Skullduggery" made its syndicated TV bow on March 1, 1987, as part of the weekend "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A middle eastern shiek is being terrorized by a band of outlaws riding robotic horses. Dr. Quest is summoned to put an end to the villains' activities. Only trouble is, the steel nags are completely impervious to weapons -- and they also have the capacity to kill. First broadcast on September 21, 1986, as part of the "Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera" syndicated series, "Nightmare of Steel" was later incorporated in the standard Jonny Quest package, along with the "classic" episodes from 1964-1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Twenty-one years after ending its original ABC prime-time run in 1965, the Hanna Barbera animated adventure series Jonny Quest was revived with 13 brand-new episodes as a component of the weekend syndicated package "Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera." All of the original characters were revived: globetrotting research scientist, Dr. Benton Quest; his tousled-haired son, Jonny; Jonny's bodyguard-tutor, Race Bannon; his mystical young Indian friend, Hadji; and the pet bulldog, Bandit. Of the original voice actors, only Don Messick (as Dr. Quest and Bandit) and Victor Perrin (as perennial villain Dr. Zin) were heard on the later series. In the sixth of the "new" episodes, another member of the Quest team was introduced, a "Monolith Man" named Hardrok. Slightly better animated than the original -- and with markedly wittier dialogue as well as a refreshing increase in its sci-fi-fantasy content -- the Jonny Quest (1986 series) was later incorporated in the same package as the 26 "original" Jonny Quest episodes. Under the blanket title "Classic Jonny Quest," this manifest was seen on cable's Cartoon Network from 1992 to 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dr. Quest leads his team to Scandanavia, there to embark upon an archeological expedition. In the course of events, the team comes across the frozen body of a huge Viking ape, who, when thawed, turns out to be very much alive. The furry orange beast turns out to be a likeable fellow, and as a result, the Quest Team pulls a "reverse King Kong", rescuing Vikong from hostile villagers and mercenary carnival hucksters. "Vikong Lives" originally aired on October 19, 1986, as part of the weekend syndicated series "Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera," before it was incorporated into the standard Jonny Quest rerun package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dr. Zin, the Quest team's perennial nemesis from the 1964-1965 run of Jonny Quest, returns in the October 5, 1986, episode "Deadly Junket." Kidnapping Jessie Bradshaw, the daughter of a prominent rocket scientist, Zin hopes to use the girl as a bargaining chip in his efforts to seize control of her father's rocket-brain technology. The plucky Jessie manages to escape, ending up in the protection of Dr. Quest and his son Jonny -- who soon begins to wonder why the resourceful girl would ever need anyone's protection. This "new" episode of Jonny Quest (1986 series) originally aired as a component of the weekend "Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera" package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dr. Quest's latest invention is a computer brain which can pilot aircraft faster and safer than any mere mortal. Unhappy that the invention will put a lot of good pilots out of work, Quest's associate, Race Bannon, tries to prove that the brain is not infallible by racing a computerized plane. Alas, he is captured by a mad aviator named Skyborg, who holds Race responsible for the accident which left him horribly disfigured. Seeking revenge, Skyborg intends to steal the brain and auction it to the highest bidder. The climax of this episode, an old-fashioned aerial dogfight, is reminiscent of the 1965 Jonny Quest adventure "Shadow of the Condor" (albeit with better animation). "The Scourge of Skyborg" first aired on November 23, 1986, as part of the weekend "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" syndicated package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While excavating an archaeological site in Tibet, a scientist friend of Dr. Quest completely vanishes. Investigating, the Quest team discover that the scientist was attacked by an army of clay statues, zealously guarding the tomb of an ancient Chinese emperor. Unfortunately, Dr. Quest and his colleagues have now also disturbed the emperor's resting place, and they too are slated for elimination. "Secret of the Clay Warriors" was first telecast on November 9, 1986, as a component of the syndicated "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" cartoon omnibus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode revives a plot that goes as far back as the 1917 Douglas Fairbanks Sr. movie vehicle Flirting with Fate. Grieving over the death of his wife, Roger Clements (Jeffrey DeMunn) has paid an enormous sum to be murdered by a contract killer, but then changes his mind. Unfortunately, the hit man is nowhere to be found--and besides, the "contract" is non-negotiable. It is up to David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) to locate the killer and prevent Clements' demise. Sound simple? Not quite: For starters, Mrs. Clements isn't entirely dead yet... Watch for episode director Alan Arkush in the hilarious "adult bookstore" scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from a book by Joan Barthel, A Death in California is a harrowing two-part TV movie based on fact. Cheryl Ladd plays Hope Masters, a wealthy Beverly Hills woman who is forced to watch in mute horror as a criminal sociopath (Sam Elliot) murders her boyfriend (Granville Van Dusen). She is kidnapped by the killer and forced to accompany him on a long and grueling getaway trip. Despite repeated sexual assaults, Hope forms something of a bond with her kidnapper. He allows her to go free, but Hope's ordeal is far from over; when the killer is recaptured, both he and Hope are put on trial for murder. Despite the tawdry nature of the tale, Death in California is handled with taste and tact, allowing the weirder aspects of the case to speak for themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, the life of a TV reporter is jeopardized during her investigation of a series of murdered nurses. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The 1981 TV version of Madame X was the seventh filmization of the old war-horse play by Alexandre Bisson. This time around, Tuesday Weld (replacing Susan Blakely) plays the poor woman (an airline stewardess in this version) who marries "outside her class" (hubby is a Presidential candidate). She is disgraced, gives up her baby to her wealthy in-laws, and sinks into a life of degradation. 25 years later the woman is accused of murder, and is defended in court by her own grown-up offspring. Adaptor Edward Anhalt makes a few feeble stabs at updating the story, adding drug abuse to the woman's descent into prostitution. Also, her child is now a girl instead of a boy, rabbeting a tentative feminist angle in the proceedings. Other than that, the 1981 Madame X has even less to offer than the lavish but empty 1966 Lana Turner version--except for an offbeat appearance by comedian Jerry Stiller as a slimy blackmailer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide