Jessica Walter Movies
Learning the ropes at the Bucks County Playhouse and New York's Neighborhood Playhouse, Jessica Walter made her Broadway debut in 1961's Advise and Consent. The raven-haired leading lady was then seen on a regular basis in several Manhattan-based TV programs, including the daytimer Love of Life and the 1965 nighttime series For the People. In films from 1964, Jessica was one of eight young female "newcomers" (Candice Bergen, Elizabeth Hartman, Joanna Pettet et. al.) who went on to greater things after appearing en masse in Sidney Lumet's The Group (1966). Her flashiest screen role was as the dangerously possessive "number one fan" Evelyn Draper in Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me (1971). Of her many weekly-TV assignments, Walter's title role in the mid-'70s cop series Amy Prentiss garnered her the most attention; that is, until recently, when Walter found late-career acclaim on the award-winning sitcom Arrested Development. As the insensitive, materialistic matriarch of the Bluth family, Walter garnered a plum comedic role, and Emmy attention to boot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Five Holocaust survivors conspire to have revenge upon the Nazi doctor who tormented them in this taut made-for-TV drama. All five are women living in Los Angeles and all have vividly painful memories of the atrocities he performed upon them. The memories come flooding back when they find him innocently running a local restaurant. Realizing that no one else will help them, the ladies conspire to kill him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The sagacious old physician faces disaccreditation in this medical drama. The trouble begins when a financially troubled hospital he works at proposes to cut the privileges of its oldest staggers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Set in 1963, The Flamingo Kid finds 18-year-old Brooklynite Matt Dillon, the son of blue-collar Hector Elizondo, getting a taste of the Good Life by joining several of his friends at "El Flamingo", a swank Long Island beach club. Wealthy car salesman Richard Crenna, the uncle of Matt's girl friend Janet Jones, befriends the boy and takes him under his wing. Thanks to Crenna's influence, Matt secures a good job at the Flamingo. The boy is bedazzled by Crenna's sumptuous lifestyle, and most especially by the older man's reputation as the Flamingo's reigning gin rummy champ. Dillon begins taking on airs, which alienates his down-to-earth father. Watch for a scene in which, while channel-surfing with his new remote control, Richard Crenna watches a fleeting clip from the old TV sitcom The Real McCoys--featuring Richard Crenna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, (more)
- 1984
In this film, set in a British girls school just before the outbreak of WW II, two young girls build a beautiful friendship despite their disparate backgrounds. Their teachers disapprove of their close relationship and try to discourage it, which suggests to the viewer that they suspect a lesbian affair could evolve, but as was true to the era being portrayed, this was never verbalized. This film gently touches upon the vulnerable days of adolescence. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie-Therese Relin, Tara Mac Gowran, (more)
- 1983
Thursday's Child is full of woe in this made-for-TV drama. Rob Lowe was given "and introducing" billing in the role of a teenaged athlete in dire need of a heart transplant. As Rob's parents Gene Rowlands and Don Murray prepare to face the possibility that they may lose their son, his aunt Jessica Walter remains relentlessly optimistic and cheerful. For various reasons, the debut of Thursday's Child was twice postponed. The film finally aired February 1, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
- PG
In this comedy, the death of his rich father leaves Foster (Tony Danza) as the sole heir to a five-million-dollar estate -- if he can keep his dad's three pet orangutans safe and sound for the next five years. With the help of his disgruntled girlfriend (Stacey Nelkin), Foster must struggle keep the outrageous apes out of trouble. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Danza, Jessica Walter, (more)
- 1981
Underpublicized and underappreciated, the US ice hockey team heads for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York. Driven a manner than can be described as merciless by coach Herb Brooks (Karl Malden), the team has learned how to swallow months of defeat and disappointment press on to success. The result: A stunning victory over the high-profile Russian and Finnish skating teams. Actual scenes from the Olympic finals are seamlessly blended with recreations of the event in this made-for-TV movie. Miracle on Ice costars Andrew Stevens as team captain Mike Eruzione. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
- PG
First released in 1981 as Sneakers, this feeble story about a young teen trying to succeed on the amateur tennis tour is heavy on tennis sequences and light on content, storyline, and character development. The heroine Karen (Carling Bassett) is an unseeded, talented player snubbed by her peers because her mother (Susan Anton) is a Las Vegas showgirl. Karen's eventual friend, the top-seeded Missy (Shawn Foltz) has a tough-as-nails mom (Jessica Walter), so both young teens have their own personal crosses to bear. The biggest test of their friendship will come when they face off in the finals, like it or not. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Anton, Frank Converse, (more)
- 1979
- PG
The very healthy looking Susan Anton is appropriately cast in Goldengirl. The daughter of a former Olympic athlete, Goldengirl (that's her name!) has been groomed for athletic competition since childhood. Her hero worship of her dad (Curt Jurgens) comes to an abrupt end when she finds out that he was an intimate of Adolf Hitler and that, through experimentation, he has converted his darling daughter into a near android. Somehow, Goldengirl must regain her humanity and sustain her integrity in the face of a myriad of celebrity endorsement deals. Originally intended as a two-part TV movie to be run in conjunction with the 1980 Olympics, Goldengirl was re-edited and released theatrically when the U.S. pulled out of competition. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Anton, James Coburn, (more)
- 1979
This remarkably chilling made-for-TV horror film plays as equal parts old-fashioned supernatural tale and 1970s-style detective thriller. After the groundbreaking of a San Francisco cathedral disturbs the resting place of an ancient European bloodsucker (professional creeper Richard Lynch), an architect (Jason Miller) joins forces with a retired gumshoe (E.G. Marshall) to hunt down and destroy the undead menace before he claims Miller's girlfriend as his nocturnal mate. Gothic trappings, slick production values, and some creepy night photography lend an effective edge to this modest production, although the frequent lapses into "trendy" disco-era setpieces become a bit annoying. Lynch, whose gravelly voice and sinister looks have typecast him for life, thankfully avoids lapsing into camp, exuding instead a powerful air of controlled sexual menace. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Miller, Richard Lynch, (more)
As a once-famous fashion designer prepares to make her big comeback, a mysterious killer begins stalking the beautiful models who gather for the gala celebration in his made-for-television thriller starring Eleanor Parker, Clive Revill, and Jessica Walter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1978
In this western adventure set in 1903, four imprisoned cowgirls bust out and begin trailing a famed Irish killer who is planning to assassinate President Teddy Roosevelt. Along the way, the foursome encounter many exciting adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Another of the many Arthur Hailey literary properties which were transformed into TV miniseries in the 1970s, the five-part, ten-hour Wheels took place in Detroit sometime in the late 1960s. Rock Hudson starred as Adam Trenton, executive in charge of project development at the fictional auto-manufacturing firm of National Motors. Ambitious and ruthless, Adam let nothing stand in the way of his development and production of a new, youth-marketed car known as the Hawk. Meanwhile, Adam's bored and neglected wife Erica (Lee Remick, who earned an Emmy nomination for her performance) drifted into an extramarital affair and a brief "career" as a shoplifter. Eventually, Adam himself acquired a mistress, who in turn fell in love with Adam's son Kirk (James Carrol Jordan). As if things couldn't get any seamier, Kirk's brother Greg (Howard McGillin) was plagued by a blackmailer, while crooked car dealer Smokey Stevenson (played by miniseries stalwart Anthony Franciosa) cooked up a sinister deal that threatened to destroy National Motors. Originally telecast from May 7 to 15, 1978 on NBC, Arthur Hailey's Wheels posted such disappointing ratings that, when it was later rebroadcast, the property was whittled down from ten hours to four -- with episodes three and four summarily dropped from the proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rock Hudson, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1978
Quincy (Jack Klugman) positively identifies the charred remains of a motel-fire victim as being the body of Jessica Ross (Jessica Walter), the most popular and highest-paid female journalist in the country. Imagine Quincy susprise when, while appearing on a televised press conference to announce his finding, Jessica herself waltzes into the room, very much alive. Though advised to keep a low profile after this humiliating experience, Quincy intends to prove that the woman claiming to be Jessica is an impostor--and that a murder may have been committed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Dr. Steven Strange, the Marvel Comics magician/superhero created in 1963 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, made his long-awaited screen debut in this 1978 TV pilot film. Peter Hooten plays Strange, while Sir John Mills portrays the doctor's sorcerer shaman, "The Ancient One." The Ancient One (whose real name is Lindmer) allows Strange access to the "Hermedic Arts," which enables him to control the elements. In the pilot, Strange's origin is retraced, then the story segues into a titanic battle between Strange and Camelot-era villainess Morgan LeFay (Jessica Walter), who has come back to life in order to collect human souls. Stan Lee reportedly disowned the video version of Dr. Strange, perhaps because one of his beloved characters was "camped up" for TV consumption. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Hooten, John Mills, (more)
- 1978
No, the "three hungry wives" in this made-for-TV movie aren't in search of a square meal. It's sex they're after, though much is talked about and little is shown. The eponymous wives are played by Jessica Walter, Gretchen Corbett and Heather MacRae; their respective husbands are Richard Roat, Craig Stevens and John Reilly. When multimillionaire James Franciscus is murdered, we learn that each of the wives has had an affair with him. Produced by the folks at Penthouse magazine, Secrets of Three Hungry Wives debuted October 9, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Elizabeth Christman's novel A Nice Italian Girl was the source for the TV-movie Black Market Baby. Desi Arnaz Jr. plays a slick lothario who is paid by an illicit adoption agency to impregnate impressionable college student Linda Purl. The racketeers stand to make $50,000 by selling the baby to an anxious middle-aged couple. When Arnaz falls in love with Purl and tries to help her keep her baby, the crooks take swift and violent action. Originally titled A Dangerous Love, Black Market Baby was released theatrically overseas as Don't Steal My Baby--a title more appropriate to the overall tawdriness of the film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Purl, Desi Arnaz, Jr., (more)
- 1976
Within months after the spectacular July 4, 1976 rescue of hostages from Uganda's Entebbe airport, there were two competing TV movies on the subject. The longest (and least) of the two was Victory at Entebbe, hurriedly shot on videotape. The story begins when Arab terrorist capture a civilian airliner and force a landing at Entebbe. Ugandan president Idi Amin (Julius Harris, substituting for recently deceased Godfrey Cambridge), struts about at the airport, insisting that he can do nothing--but apparently siding with the terrorists, especially when the Arabs begin separating and mistreating the Jewish passengers. A surprise Israeli commando raid masterminded by defense minister Shimon Peres (Burt Lancaster, who more than compensates for his miscasting with an excellent performance) rescues most of the hostages, though at least one of the passengers (played by Helen Hayes with a Jewish accent that wouldn't convince a duck) is apparently killed out of retribution while en route to hospital. The teleplay's bad dialogue, and the producers' Airport-like decision to use only big stars in the major roles (Richard Dreyfuss, Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas et. al.) tends to trivialize one of the most auspicious acts of selfless heroism of the 1970s. A far better dramatization of the incident, Raid on Entebbe, was telecast a few months later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Jessica Walter guest stars as Maggie Jarris, the wife of former Mob bookkeeper Ben Jarris (Harry Guardino). Slated to testify against her husband's criminal bosses, Maggie is forced to adopt several alias and move from one "safe house" to another to avoid being murdered. Placed in charge of Maggie's safety is detective Mike Stone (Karl Malden), who in so doing becomes a marked man himself! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Originally titled Giving Birth, Having Babies was the first of three pilot films for a TV series that eventually appeared under the title Julie Farr MD. In omnibus fashion, the film focuses in on four couples and their reactions to impending parenthood. Essentially, this is a feature-length "commercial" for the Lamaze method of natural childbirth. Adrienne Barbeau plays Lamaze-class supervisor Allie Duggin, while the mommies-to-be are portrayed by Karen Valentine (as tennis pro Beth Paterno), Jessica Walter (as middle-aged Sally McNamara), Linda Purl (as teenager Laura Gorman) and Vicki Lawrence (as unwed mother Grace Fontrell). Having Babies was originally telecast October 17, 1976. It was followed by Having Babies II in 1977, Having Babies III in 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
In this crime drama, the Chief must quickly solve the murder of a detective whose corpse was found in a cheap motel room with a young woman, before a scandal erupts and his reputation is ruined. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The two-hour final episode of Ironside's seventh season serves as the pilot film for the spinoff cop series Amy Prentiss. Jessica Walter plays the title character, a hardworking San Francisco police woman who aspires to the position of Chief of Police. Though up against a lot of resistance from the all-male establishment, Amy has a staunch supporter in the form of former chief Robert Ironside (Raymond Burr. Originally telecast as a single extended episode, "Amy Prentiss: AKA The Chief has been divided into a brace of one-hour installments for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In the conclusion of Ironside's two-part Season Seven finale (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), new San Francisco police chief Amy Prentiss (Jessica Walter) runs up against a wall of hostility and resistance from the town's all-male establishment. Fortunately, Amy can count former chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) and his team among her supporters. But even Ironside may not be able to help Chief Prentiss as she is assigned a "make-or-break" murder case. This episode served as the pilot for the spinoff series Amy Prentiss, with supporting player Art Metrano retained in the series proper as Amy's aide Tom Pena. Johnny Seven, here seen in his standard Ironside role as Lt. Carl Reese, would join the Amy Prentiss cast as Detective Contreras, while the role of Joan, here played by Joan Pringle, would be taken over by Gwen Mitchell (Pringle would be compensated with a recurring Ironside role as the new wife of Chief Ironside's former bodyguard Mark Sanger [Don Mitchell]). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Amy Prentiss: Baptism of Fire stars Jessica Walter in the title role. Mrs. Prentiss is the new chief of detectives in a big, tough city. As if she doesn't have enough trouble battling the resentment of her male subordinates, Amy is stuck with two delicate dilemmas during her first week on the job. A mad bomber has the city in his maniacal grip, and an old friend of Amy's has been accused of murder. William Shatner and Peter Haskell guest star in this 2-hour premiere episode of the Amy Prentiss TV series; it was originally telecast December 1, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
