Ron Vernan Movies
- 1990
- R
The wife of a wealthy man hatches a plan to gain his inheritance by murdering her unsuspecting husband. She is helped by the sniveling man with whom she's having an affair. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zach Galligan, Michael Bowen, (more)
Victoria Principal plays a deputy District Attorney; that we can believe. James Farentino costars as a judge; this is also believable. Opponents in the courtroom, Principal and Farentino are lovers in bed; okay, we'll buy that. Principal is trying to secure a murder conviction for a pimp/blackmailer; we're still with this. But what Principal doesn't know is that the actual murderer is none other than Judge Farentino. Now you've lost us. Naked Lie was first telecast February 26, 1989, an event deemed worthy of a TV Guide cover; one gets the feeling that Victoria Principal could have gotten a TV Guide cover in 1989 by reading the phone book. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
In this first episode of a two-part story arc, Virginia Madsen guest stars as Maddie's married cousin Annie Charnock. When David (Bruce Willis) goes to great length to help Annie with her problems, Maddie assumes that it is because David is in love--not with Annie, but with Maddie! This episode was cowritten by longtime David Letterman associate Merrill Markoe), and features a very significant cameo appearance in the elevator scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Best remembered for containing the film debut of phenomenally popular comedian of the early '90s, Jim Carrey, Once Bitten is a horror comedy that chronicles the attempts of a bloodthirsty female vampire living in modern day Los Angeles to find the three male virgins she needs every year to stay alive and young-looking. If she cannot do it by Halloween, she will surely die. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lauren Hutton, Jim Carrey, (more)
The year is 1997. Manhattan Island is now a heavily guarded maximum-security prison, where the scum of the earth have converged. When Air Force One crash-lands in Manhattan, the president (Donald Pleasence) is held hostage by its denizens. One-eyed mercenary Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is strong-armed into rescuing the chief executive. He is aided, not always willingly, by a tough gal (Adrienne Barbeau) and a manic cab driver (Ernest Borgnine). Escape from New York was followed by a sequel of sorts in 1996, Escape From L.A., again starring Kurt Russell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, (more)
No one can escape from Alcatraz, right? Try telling that to lifer Frank Morris (Clint Eastwood). This Donald Siegel-directed nailbiter is a reenactment of Frank Morris' 1962 attempt to bust himself and two other cons out of The Rock. Eastwood, as Morris, tilts with nasty warden Patrick McGoohan for a while, befriends several fellow prisoners, and picks the guys with whom he'll make his escape. Among his break-out buddies are the Anglin Brothers (Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau), with whom he'd served in other lockups, and several others who've got their own special reasons to despise the sadistic McGoohan. Filmed on location at the newly renovated Alcatraz, Escape From Alcatraz was another box-office winner for the Eastwood/Siegel combo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, (more)
- 1977
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Edith is still grieving over the death of her female-impersonor friend, Beverly LaSalle, who was killed by a vicious street gang for no reason other than being "different." So shaken is Edith that nothing can snap her out of her depression. Not even the Christmas season can lift her spirits; in fact, she has renounced her faith in God, appalled that He would allow such a horrible thing to happen. Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf wrote the script, from an original story by Erik Tarloff. "Edith's Crisis of Faith, Part Two" was first telecast on December 25, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1977
While standing in the deposit line of his bank, Bob is taken hostage by a likable bank robber named Mel (Robert Pine). As the police, headed by Sgt. Webber (Walker Edmiston), negotiate Bob's release, the nonplussed psychologist tries to analyze his way out of the situation. Also appearaing are Ron Vernan as the police officer, Andrea Adler as the teller, and Richard Dioguardi as the bank guard. Written by Michael Zinberg and Martin Davidson, "Desperate Sessions" first aired on February 26, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
