Howard Wendell Movies

On this occasion, Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) race against time to stop a rampaging arsonist. The two mobile officers also try to neutralize a domestic squabble between an elderly couple (Dorothy Konrad, Charles Wagenheim). And in a particularly suspenseful moment, Jim and Pete attempt to talk sense to an escaped mental patient (Richard Van Vleet) who is holding his own wife (Betty Ann Rees) hostage with a knife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, Rob (Dick Van Dyke) makes quite an impression with his heartfelt speech at a community meeting. In fact, he was so impressive that the Citizen's Committee for Better Government wants Rob to run for city councilman. At first, Rob is thrilled and flattered -- but then he gets an up-close and personal look at contemporary politicking, courtesy of an overly aggressive campaign manager. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Axelrod's script for How to Murder Your Wife isn't politically correct in the least, but you're likely to get a charge out of it -- provided you are of the male persuasion, that is. Jack Lemmon stars as Stanley Ford, a successful cartoonist and a confirmed bachelor who shares a lavish apartment with his misogynistic manservant, Charles (Terry-Thomas). While attending a friend's bachelor party, Stanley falls head over heels in love with the gorgeous bikini-clad girl (Virna Lisi) who pops out of a cake. He impulsively marries her, but thinks better of it the next day. Alas, Stanleycan't get a divorce because his bride is an Italian Catholic (this is 1966). Dicier still, she is a "domestic goddess," lovingly plying her hubby with rich Italian food until Stanley's once-athletic physique is as bloated as the dirigible Hindenberg. Stanley's descent into husbandhood is reflected in his work: his popular adventure comic strip "Bash Brannigan" metamorphoses into a Blondie-like "idiot husband" daily. As a catharsis, Stanley vicariously "kills" his lovely wife by having Bash Brannigan murder his missus. Stanley's wife sees the finished strip on his desk and runs tearfully out of his life (at least temporarily). The publication of the strip, coupled with his wife's disappearance, results in Lemmon being put on trial for murder. We won't tell you how things turn out; suffice it to say that most feminists will be outraged, while most husbands will laugh immoderately. Eddie Mayehoff and Claire Trevor provide sparkling support as Lemmon's bombastic editor and his dragon-like wife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Steve McQueen stars as the Cincinnati Kid, a crackerjack New Orleans stud poker player. Tired of chicken feed, the Kid decides to challenge The Man (Edward G. Robinson), the reigning poker champ, who is in town for a private game. The Shooter (Karl Malden), another gambling pro, arranges a game between the Kid and the Man, with the Shooter dealing. The game is compromised by the intervention of Slade (Rip Torn), an old foe of the Man's who tries to fix the outcome. The Kid finds out about this and tells Slade to get lost, preferring to win fair and square. The outcome is in the cagey hands of The Man, who is smart enough to do (as one reviewer put it) the wrong thing at the right time. The Cincinnati Kid was based on the novel by Richard Jessup. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dick Van Dyke plays a dual role as Rob Petrie and Rob's late Uncle Hezekiah, who appears in this episode via a filmed "living will." As one the main heirs to the curmudgeonly Hezekiah Petrie's vast fortune, Rob is a bit confused by the old man's capricious legacy -- which consists of an ancient roll-top desk, a cryptic poem, and a snatch of the old song "Me and My Shadow." Ultimately, Rob and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) plunder the contents of the desk, but find absolutely nothing of interest -- except for a yellowed old photograph.... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

During a family jaunt to the beach, Herman (Fred Gwynne) goes scuba diving with full regalia. No sooner has he submerged than Herman is scooped up by a net cast from a Russian submarine. The Soviet sailors are thrilled at their "catch", believing that they've at last found the Missing Link. But a gimlet-eyed commissar (Jan Arvan) is convinced that Herman is an American espionage agent and acts accordingly--thereby nearly bringing down the fall of the USSR some 24 years ahead of schedule! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

During a magazine interview, Rob (Dick Van Dyke) recalls his first job interview with Alan Brady (Carl Reiner) -- which, quite frankly, he can barely remember at all. It seems that, just before the all-important interview, Rob, then a radio DJ, had participated in a stunt wherein he was obliged to broadcast nonstop for 100 hours. Naturally, this required him to go without sleep -- and by the time he presented himself to Alan Brady, Rob was, to put it mildly, a gibbering shell of his former self! This episode was originally slated to air on April 7, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Social-climbing car thief Philadelphia Harry (Telly Savalas) thinks he's finally hit the big time when he steals a Rolls Royce belonging to millionaire Sheridan Westcott (Darren McGavin). But Harry's delight turns to dismay when he discovers the body of Westcott's wife in the back seat. Though he may be a thief, Harry would rather die than have people think he has stooped to murder -- and as it happens, death may be the only way out of this mess when Westcott, the real murderer, tells the police that his wife was still alive when the car was stolen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rob (Dick Van Dyke) feels like a fish out of water when he and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) are invited to a literary party honoring poet Henry Walden (Everett Sloane). For one thing, he's the only comedy writer in a room full of poets and novelists. For another, it appears that he has been invited by mistake, especially since the hostess (played by Doris Packer) constantly refers to him as "Mr. Petroff." This doesn't stop Rob from getting inveigled into making a huge contribution to a literary scholarship fund in Walden's name. As Rob broods over how he can possibly afford such a donation, Henry Walden himself shows up at the offices of "The Alan Brady Show," wryly explaining that it was he who invited Rob to the party -- and further explaining his rather surprising ulterior motive! Dick Van Dyke Show creator Carl Reiner makes a cameo appearance as bearded avant-garde poet Yale Sampson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

David Janssen is hardly perfect casting for the role of 1920s gambling king Arnold Rothstein (Rod Steiger or Gene Barry may have been better choices), but the sure-handed direction of Joseph Newman smooths over all the rough spots in this fanciful biopic. Set up in the gambling business by crooked politico Jack Carson, Rothstein cheats his partner Mickey Shaughnessy, cheats on his lovely wife Dianne Foster, and does his best to discredit his bitterest enemy, on-the-take police detective Dan O'Herlihy. When O'Herlihy engineers the death of Rothstein's pal Mickey Rooney, Rothstein pulls strings in the New York judicial system, assuring the conviction and execution of the rogue cop. As quickly as he rises to the top of the dung-heap, Rothstein falls with equal rapidity, and ends up riddled with mob bullets. Curiously, King of the Roaring Twenties bypasses Rothstein's involvement in the "Black Sox" baseball scandal of 1919, perhaps because too many participants in that debacle were still alive in 1960 (this incident would later be covered in toto in the 1988 film Eight Men Out, which co-starred Michael Lerner as Rothstein). While King of the Roaring Twenties ignores the facts, for the most part the film is to be treasured if for no other reason than the fact that director Newman managed to draw uncharacteristically subtle performances from Mickey Rooney and Jack Carson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Southern sympathizer Fred Kyle (Cameron Mitchell arrives in Virginia City, hoping to raise money for the Confederate cause. Upon learning that the citizens' loyalties are evenly divided, Kyle attempts to stir up hostility for his own benefit. The Cartwrights become involved when Little Joe begins to be swayed by his longtime friend Kyle. Others in the cast are Stacey Harris as Regis, Howard Wendell as a mine owner, and Marianne Stewart as Lily. First shown on January 16, 1960, "House Divided" was written by Al C. Ward. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Following the example set by Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond), Wally (Tony Dow) combs his hair into a "cool" ducktail. Ward (Hugh Beaumont) and June (Barbara Billingsley) attempt to apply reverse psychology to persuade Wally to drop his new 'do, but he doesn't take the bait. The situation reaches the crisis stage when Beaver (Jerry Mathers) emerges from the bathroom sporting the same hipster hairstyle. (Listen for that "authentic" rock & roll music in the background!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An angry head-shrinker (not a psychiatrist) puts a curse upon a family of white traders in this well-wrought low-budget horror film. It must have been a doozy for 200 years later it is still going strong. The story opens as the eldest male descendant of the cursed Drake family finds himself on the brink of losing his head at the hands of a strange witch doctor and his spooky-looking servant. Fortunately his daughter and a detective show up in time to save his noggin from a fate too horrible to disclose here. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide