Jackie Welch Movies
- 1999
- NR
Artists have become revolutionaries and a singer/songwriter is an enemy of the state in the musical satire Existo. After Christian fundamentalist groups have taken over America, leftists and bohemians are driven underground as subversives. Existo (Bruce Arnston) is a musician whose songs have earned him the enmity of Dr. Armond Glasscock (Mike Montgomery), a powerful televangelist. Existo, however, continues to spread his message, traveling to underground nightclubs to sing his songs to those who also fight the power. Jim Varney plays renegade poet Marcel Horowitz in this self-described "leftist musical" filmed in Nashville. Existo was shown at the 1999 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Arnston, Jackie Welch, (more)
- 1993
It is Veronica Hamel's show all the way in the fact-based CBS TV movie The Conviction of Kitty Dodds. Driven to desperation by her abusive policeman husband Charlie (Mark Rolston), Kitty Dodds (Hamel) ends up killing him and is sent to prison for life. Managing to escape from behind bars, Kitty starts life anew in a faraway town, where she marries gentle, warmhearted Chuck Hayes (Kevin Dobson), who knows nothing of her previous life. Ultimately, Kitty's past catches up with her and she is arrested again. Though shocked at the revelation of his wife's history, Chuck labors tirelessly with Kitty and her attorneys to get her sentence reduced on the basis of the terrible treatment afforded her by her deceased first husband. Covering a timespan of 12 years (though the characters don't seem to age very much!), The Conviction of Kitty Dodds originally aired on November 2, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ernest (Jim Varney) gets into deep trouble when he decides to build a treehouse for the neighborhood kid and accidentally digs up an ugly, evil-tempered troll who hates all children and shows it by promptly turning the five kids helping Ernest into wooden sculptures. This is the fourth entry in the Ernest series and is filled with the goofy humor that has made the films popular with preadolescent kids. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Varney, Austin Nagler, (more)
In Ernest Goes to Jail, Jim Varney returns as leering idiot savant Ernest P. Worrall, star of scores of TV commercials and feature films. Varney also takes on a second role in the film: an unrepentant, cold-blooded murderer named Felix Nash. When Ernest serves on the jury for Nash's murder trial, Nash arranges for look-alike Ernest to go to jail, while he stays on the outside to plan a major bank heist. Fortuitously for the criminal, it's the same bank where Ernest works as a security guard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, (more)
When Santa Claus decides to retire, he appoints a washed-up kiddie show host (Douglas Seale) to take his place. Along the way, the real Santa ends up in the slammer on Christmas Eve, and it's up to goonish, glad-handing Ernest P. Worrall (Jim Varney) to bust him out. Varney plays a handful of supporting characters, including a slick-talking attorney. This film was followed by Ernest Goes to Jail. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, (more)
- 1986
This drama is based on the true story of a housewife who becomes a helicopter pilot for the US Army after her husband suffers a massive coronary. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- PG
This comedy is a showcase for Jim Varney (of "Hey Vern! It's your old buddy Ernest!" fame) who plays several different roles, including Laughin' Jack, Dr. Otto, Guy Dandy, and others. Dr. Otto is a crazed and evil scientist intent on becoming a world dictator. One of his plans is to send the global economy into oblivion and towards that goal, he invents an appearance-altering device that allows him to assume any guise he chooses. His only nemesis is an inept anti-hero who looks like he could hardly tie his shoes, let alone outmaneuver anyone who can think and walk at the same time. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Varney, Myke R. Mueller, (more)
