Harlan Warde Movies

Having passed his California Bar exam, Mark Sanger (Don Mitchell) is now qualified to practice law. This means that he no longer has time to work as bodyguard for Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), compelling police sergeant Ed Brown (Don Galloway) to move in with the chief until a replacement can be found. Other new developments in Mark's life include his engagement to fellow lawyer Diana (Joan Pringle in her first regular series appearance)--not to mention his first case, involving an elderly grocery-store owner accused of murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Inspector Erskine (Stuart Whitman) is determined to put a Communist spy ring headed by Damian Howards (Stuart Whitman) out of commission for keeps. Meanwhile, Howards concocts a scheme to get his hands on some top-secret information. Essential to the spy's success is his former girl friend Kate Waller (Sharon Acker)--but can he convince her that the flame of romance still burns? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Making her second Bonanza appearance, Mercedes McCambridge is cast as wealthy widow Matilda Curtis, who helps Ben Cartwright establish a free school for the children of Ponderosa's employees and tenant farmers. When the schoolmaster is murdered, troublesome student Billy Burgess (a pre-Partridge Family David Cassidy) angrily confesses to the crime. To save Billy from being hanged, Matilda insists that he be placed in her custody without the formality of a court trial. But Ben, unconvinced by Billy's confession, demands that the boy get his day in court-even if it may cost him his life. Comedian Foster Brooks, aka "The Lovable Lush", plays the stone-sober role of Judge Rogers. Originally telecast on February 15, 1970, "The Law and Billy Burgess" was written by Stanley Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Grand Jury witness Charles Ball (James Patterson) is prepared to charge seven men with fraud-not out of any sense of civic duty, but because he has been paid off by Vandeman (Mark Richman a co-conspirator of the seven defendants, and the worst of the lot. With his life in jeopardy, Ball hides out at the Ponderosa, which rests not at all well with Candy. Meanwhile, the seven accused men align themselves with Vandeman to arrange a fatal "accident" for Ball. Others in the cast include Linda March as Harriet Ball, John Milford as Rodgers, and John Archer as Ludlow. Written by Preston Wood, "A World Full of Cannibals" first aired on December 22, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hoss Cartwright is among the jurors who votes to hang Frank Scott (Claude Akins) for murder. Only after the sentence is carried out does Hoss discover he may have erred, and that the genuine killer was probably Frank's lookalike Mel Burns (also Claude Akins). Unfortunately, none of the other jurors are willing to admit their mistake; especially recalcitrant is Hoss' friend Andy Buchanan (Carl Reindel), whose inability to own up to his fatal error results in even more tragedy. Others in the cast include Nita Talbot as Gladys, Shannon Farnon as Eleanor, John Hubbard as Eads, and Tol Avery as the Judge. Written by Jack Miller, "Justice Deferred" first aired on December 17, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) launches an investigation into the beating death of drug addict Joseph Spooner. Veteran police detective Frank Harris (Andrew Duggan) was the last to see Spooner alive, and is the chief suspect in his death. Making matters worse is influential news commentator Tom Barrett (Larry Gates), who has publicly accused Harris of police brutality--making it all but impossible for the man to receive a fair trial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Now posing as "Ed Sanders", Kimble (David Janssen) shows up at an electronics demonstration being held in a shopping mall, where he witnesses security guard Pete Dawes (Howard Da Silva) gunning down a teenage thief. Now Kimble must save an innocent man from being accused of the shooting--but he dares not make a move out of the mall for fear of being arrested. Caught in the middle of this dilemma is camera-store employee Marcia (Lois Nettleton), who has offered to provide Kimble a safe harbor from the authorities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Perry Mason's one-and-only color episode is a loose adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The "Fagin" character is slimy art collector Benjamin Huggins (Victor Buono), who with the assistance of henchman Bill Sikes (Scott Graham) masterminds a teenage car-stripping gang. Murder rears its ugly head when 18-year-old gang member Lennie Beale (Kevin O'Neal) is charged with killing Sikes, apparently as retaliation for Sikes' shooting of Lennie's girlfriend Robin Spring (Lisa Seagram). Even though he had previously been robbed by Lennie, Perry (Raymond Burr), in true "Mr. Brownlow" fashion, agrees to defend the boy in court. One of the seventy-six Perry Mason episodes removed from the series' original 1966 syndication package, "The Case of the Twice-Told Twist" was finally rebroadcast on cable TV in the early 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is the second of two Season Eight episodes in which a "special guest attorney" takes over from Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), who is ostensibly in Europe on business. This time the substitute is Perry's lawyer pal Ken Kramer (Barry Sullivan), who is hired by Lona Upton (Kathie Browne) to bail out her "friend "Maxine Nichols (Nina Shipman). It seems that Maxine has swiped a necklace worth $50,000 from Lona's half-sister Amy (Bettye Ackerman), who in turn is the widow of a yachtsman who'd died several years earlier under suspicious circumstances. But Lona isn't as kind-hearted as she seems: she hopes that Maxine will provide her with the combination to Amy's safe. Instead, Maxine is murdered and Lona is charged with the crime, prompting Kramer to figure out if someone else might have had a motive to bump off the "thermal thief." This episode was removed from the Perry Mason syndication package prepared in 1966, and was not seen again until the mid-1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Billie is a screen version of Ronald Alexander's perennial stage favorite Time Out For Ginger. Patty Duke plays a tomboyish high schooler who excels in athletics but who continues to strike out socially. Jim Backus and Jane Greer perform yeoman service as Duke's parents, who wonder how long it's going to be before their daughter stops trying to be their son. Backus is particularly concerned because he's running for mayor on a platform of "male supremacy" (this is 1965, remember?). From time to time, Duke expresses her frustration in song: her big number finds her holding her gym shoes in one hand, a bottle of perfume in the other. Warren Berlinger also stars as Duke's long-suffering boyfriend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Child actor Ronnie Dapo delivers a disturbingly realistic performance as young Arnold Winkler, an obnoxious brat who has been spoiled rotten by his widowed father (Harlan Warde). When Opie expresses admiration for Arnold's new bicycle, Arnold helpfully advises Opie that he can get a bike as well-if only he'd learn how to throw temper tantrums in front of his own father Andy. The climactic scene, in which Arnold finally receives his comeuppance, is priceless. First shown on February 18, 1963, "Opie and the Spoiled Kid" was written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the 1961 Bonanza episode "Elizabeth, My Love," Ben Cartwright's thoughts drifted back to his first wife Elizabeth, the mother of his oldest son Adam. In the April 15, 1962 installment "Inger, My Love", Ben recalls his life with wife number two, Scandanavian émigré Inger Borgstrom (Inga Swenson), who would ultimately bear him his second son Hoss. It all began in Galesburg, where young Ben was given a job by tavern owner McWhorter (James Philbrook). During his brief stay in town, Ben fell in love with McWhorter's fiancee Inger, and also ran afoul of Inger's hotheaded brother Gunnar (Jeremy Slate). Organizing a wagon train to California, Ben headed out for the "promised land" with his 5-year-old son Adam and new bride Inger at his side-but his happiness over his latest marriage would inevitably prove short-lived. All of this occurs in flashback, as Ben prepares a birthday party for the grown-up Hoss. This pivotal Bonanza episode was cowritten by David Dortort, Frank Cleaver and Anthony Lawrence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide