Royce Wallace Movies

Now that his mom Vy (Vernee Watson-Johnson) has broken up with her boyfriend, Will (Will Smith) accepts her invitiation to come back to Philadelphia for a family reunion. But he is less obliging--in fact he's downright appalled--when Vy begs him to remain in Philly after he graduates from prep school, rather than return to Bel-Air and begin college. Another of the series' trademarked surrealistic nightmares caps this episode. Robert Torti takes over from Diedrich Bader in the role of Will's caucasian Uncle Frank. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A passion for blues music is evident in this drama based on a contest-winning script by former blues musician John Fusco -- and featuring one of the decade's best-received motion picture soundtracks, written and performed by Ry Cooder. Eugene Martone Ralph Macchio is a classically trained guitarist who desperately wants to locate a long-lost blues song. At a Harlem nursing home, Eugene finds Willie Brown (Joe Seneca), a legendary blues man who may be able to help him. Eugene becomes part of the master guitarist's scheme to reclaim his soul from the Devil, which he sold in exchange for musical greatness at a rural crossroads many decades before. Making their way across the Mississippi Delta, the duo meets Frances (Jami Gertz), a runaway who becomes a love interest for Eugene. After launching his career with the sale of his script for Crossroads (1986), which is loosely based on the mythical character of Faust and a fable involving real-life blues legend Robert Johnson (played in the film by Tim Russ), Fusco went on to write the highly successful Young Guns (1988). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV drama was based on the true story of George McKenna (played by Denzel Washington in one of his first leading roles), an educator in Los Angeles who faced the greatest challenge of his career when he was named Principal of George Washington Memorial High School. Located in a run-down inner-city neighborhood, Washington High was being torn apart by gang violence and drug dealing, and much of the student body seemed more interested in surviving the day than in learning. McKenna was determined to make Washington High a safe place where students could get a quality education which would allow them to go to college if they so desired, but he soon realized he was facing an uphill battle, having to deal not only with gangs and delinquent students, but apathetic teachers and parents too busy or unconcerned to help in the education of their kids. The George McKenna Story also stars Lynn Whitfield, Debra Artis, and Richard Masur; after Denzel Washington's later rise to superstar status, the film was rereleased on home video under the title Hard Lessons. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The Atlanta Child Murders is a five-hour, two-part dramatization of one of the most tragic and controversial homicide cases of the past twenty years. From 1979 through 1982, some 28 African-American children and young adults disappeared from Atlanta--some without a trace, but others to later turn up as murder victims. Part One (which debuted February 10, 1985) details the beginning of the manhunt conducted by the Atlanta Chief of Police (James Earl Jones). Screenwriter Abby Mann uses the actual events as a springboard for his thesis that the case and its outcome revealed many uncomfortable truths about the still-fragile state of race relations in the New South. Both parts of The Atlanta Child Murders were later combined into one 245-minute "feature film."

The second part of the five-hour TV docudrama The Atlanta Child Murders originally aired February 12, 1985. After 28 African-American children and young adults have either disappeared or been murdered, the Atlanta police finally have a suspect in custody: Small-time show business entrepreneur Wayne Williams (Calvin Levels). Scriptwriter Abby Mann utilizes actual court transcripts of Williams' trial, which results in a conviction on one count of murder. This decision in essence leaves the cases of the other 27 victims unresolved--and in so doing, Mann opens the door to speculations that Williams, a black man, was a "convenient" suspect, who might possibly have been railroaded in the authorities' haste to find a solution to the sordid case. Whatever Mr. Mann may have felt concerning Williams' guilt or innocence, the fact remains that the murders and disappearances stopped cold once Williams was in custody (as of this writing, Williams persists in his efforts to reopen the case, claiming that he was framed by the white power structure). Morgan Freeman served as narrator for both installments of The Atlanta Child Murders. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Vincent Sherman, who back in Hollywood's heyday directed Humphrey Bogart in The Return of Dr. X and All Through the Night, helmed the TV biopic Bogie. Unfortunately, Sherman was unable to overcome a cliched, bowdlerized screenplay, nor could he cover up the fact that star Kevin O'Connor had none of Humphrey Bogart's movie-star charisma. The film sketchily covers Bogart's life between 1899 and 1944, then zeroes in on the romance between Bogie and his To Have and Have Not leading lady Lauren Bacall, phlegmatically portrayed by Kathryn Harrold (the real Bacall reportedly refuses to see this film). Ann Wedgeworth makes a meal of her portrayal of Bogart's third wife Mayo "Sluggsy" Methot, while Bogie's close pals Patrick O'Moore and "Prince" Michael Romanoff are played, respectively, by Donald May and Alfred Ryder. Other Bogart intimates impersonated in this film include Peter Lorre (played by Herb Braham), Jack Warner (Richard Dysart), Leslie Howard (Stephen Keep), Howard Hawks (Ross Elliot), and wife #2 Mary Phillips (Carol Vogel). The script was by Daniel Tadarash, who wrote the 1949 Bogart film Knock on Any Door; it was based on Joe Hyams' affectionate (and far superior) biography of the star. Bogie was first telecast March 4, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Evanses' neighborhood is being terrorized by the Warlords, a rampaging street gang. Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) joins a citizens' group to form a united front against the gang -- little suspecting that her own son Michael (Ralph Carter) has become a Warlord himself. Desperately hiding his association with the gang, Michael tries to quit the Warlords cold -- which is just the way he may end up, if the street punks have anything to say about it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kojak (Telly Savalas) is certain that he has finally nailed an elusive heroin dealer when the man is accused of shooting and killing a prominent plastic surgeon. Problem is, the victim may have already been dead when the dealer shot him. Once it is determined that the surgeon did not die of natural causes, Kojak is faced with two unpleasant possibilities: His prize suspect could be entirely innocent, and there may be another, even more slippery murderer on the loose. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Singer Nancy Wilson guest stars as Darlene Clark, a nasty, selfish nightclub entertainer who incurs the wrath of her long-suffering manager Abel Norton (Hal Linden) by reneging on a promise to finance an operation for Norton's desperately ill son. Grieving over his boy's death, Norton exacts revenge by kidnapping Darlen's daughter Linda (Hal Linden)--forcing Darlene to do some serious soul-searching while the FBI canvasses Las Vegas in search of the missing girl. Future Magnum PI star Tom Selleck appears in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lynn Hamilton makes her first series appearance as Verdie Grant (Lynn Hamilton), one of the black residents of Walton's Mountain. Receiving word that her daughter is about to graduate from college, Verdie is reluctant to attend the ceremonies because she is unable to read or write, a secret she has always been too proud to reveal. John-Boy (Richard Thomas) offers to tutor Verdie on the condition that no one will ever find out about her illiteracy. The two work out a subterfuge whereby John-Boy will instruct Verdie while pretending to "play school" with his little sister Erin (Mary Elizabeth McDonough)--who reveals the truth at a critical juncture in the story. This episode earned an Emmy Award for scriptwriter John McGreevey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) gives African American FBI agnet Harry Dane (Booker Bradshaw) plenty of latitude as Dane combs through a tough ghetto neighborhood in search of athlete-turned-criminal Nate Phelps (Billy Dee Williams). Meanwhile, Nate turns to his former girlfriend Lenore (Lola Falana), hoping she'll summon his underworld buddies for help in escaping the FBI agent. But none of Nate's cohorts want anything to do with him: He's a cop killer, and that's bad for business all around. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Young (19-year-old) reggae and rhythm-and-blues singer Johnny Nash stars in this conventional coming-of-age story about a well-heeled, Afro-American teen trying to find his way in a white-man's world. The realities of that world hit Spencer (Nash) hard, and at first he looks for solace and comfort in the black community, especially since like most teens his age going to his parents for support or consultation is out of the question. In his search for identity and meaning, Spencer comes to see the family maid Christine (Ruby Dee) in a way he never did before, and an implied sexual relationship with this kind-hearted, older woman begins to awaken in him a different, more adult viewpoint on life and its traumas. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide