Ben Wright Movies

Van Johnson portrays a blind American writer living in London. Blessed with an acute hearing sense, Johnson overhears a kidnapping plot but neither his friends nor the authorities believe him, chalking up his story as the product of a writer's imagination. Disgruntled, Johnson vows to scuttle the kidnapping himself -- with the assistant of his fiancée Vera Miles. Despite his handicap, Johnson puts the pieces together using sounds as evidence and guidance. Ultimately Johnson finds his life in danger when he corners the criminal in a dark alley. 23 Paces to Baker Street was one of several ''50s 20th Century-Fox films shot on location in London to take advantage of Fox's "frozen funds" -- money earned by the studio in England which by law could only be spent in that country. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A Man Called Peter is the story of Scottish-born Presbyterian minister and world-renowned author Peter Marshall, here played by Richard Todd. In his youth, Marshall moves to Washington DC, where he becomes pastor of the Church of the Presidents. His wisdom and conviction enables Marshall to communicate with men of all faiths. In private life, the pastor is given moral support by his loyal wife Catherine Marshall (Jean Peters). At the time of his comparatively early death, Marshall has become chaplain of the US Senate. Interestingly enough, while Marshall and his family are identified by name, the peripheral political characters are given fictional monickers--and sometimes, as in the case of the President played by William Forrest, no names at all. Director Henry Koster expertly avoids filming Marshall's sermons in a static, declamatory fashion. As Catherine Marshall, Jean Peters does wonders with a comparatively limited role; her best scene is her last, when she overcomes her lifelong fear of the ocean for the sake of her son (Billy Chapin). A Man Called Peter was certainly not conceived out of any box-office considerations, but it still paid its way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Arnold of Arnold, like the Harry of The Trouble With Harry, is stone cold dead from the outset of this film. That doesn't stop Arnold's mistress Stella Stevens from marrying the corpse so as to come into his millions. The trick is to hide the fact that Arnold is indeed stiff as a mackerel. To accomplish this, a series of murders is a necessity. Special guest victims include Stevens' wastrel brother Roddy McDowall, her dotty sister Elsa Lanchester, handyman Jamie Farr, as well as lawyers Farley Granger and Patric Knowles. Also on hand are such dependables as Victor Buono, Shani Wallis, John McGiver and Bernard Fox. The script is by TV-sitcom stalwarts Jameson Brewer and John Fenton Murray. As one-joke films go, Arnold is as good as any. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Part Two of "Ride the Wind", Curtis Wade (Rod Cameron takes over from the late Charles Ludlow as head of the new Pony Express service. Determined to keep the service running and to finish the route despite attacks by the Paiutes, Wade is driven not so much by duty as by his ego, which has been fuelded by exploitive Eastern journalist Tully (DeForrest Kelley. Wade's delusions of grandeur may prove fatal for Joe Cartwright, who has signed on as a Pony Express rider despite the protests of his father Ben. Tom Lowell appears as Charles Ludlow's son Jabez, who ends up as the story's eleventh-hour problem solver. Written by Paul Schneider, the second half of the two-part "Ride the Wind" was originally broadcast on January 23, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Searching for an evacuation hospital behind enemy lines, King Company medic Doc Walton (Steven Rogers) is captured along with Pvt. Braddock (Shecky Greene) and several wounded soldiers. The prisoners are herded into a chateau owned by French aristocrat Count De Gontran (Ben Wright) and his daughter Gabrielle (Joan Hackett), currently under the command of Nazi major Richter (Dan O'Herlihy). Walton hopes that De Gontran will help him and the other Americans escape, but the Count is more concerned with the survival of himself and his home than in the outcome of the war--and to that end, he continues currying favor with Richter, a self-styled art connoisseur who has been "rescuing" the valuable paintings adorning the chateau walls, and isn't about to let the prisoners get in his way. Series stars Vic Morrow and Rick Jason do not appear in this episode, though both are billed in the opening credits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

We don't see much of Omaha Beach in D-Day, the Sixth of June. Instead, the film concentrates on a romantic triangle involving American officer Robert Taylor, British officer Richard Todd and the lovely Dana Wynter. Taylor and Todd spend the last hours before D-Day reminiscing about Wynter. The romantic dilemma is eventually solved shortly after the invasion, when one of the men conveniently steps on a land mine. Lionel Shapiro's novel was geared more for the beach-and-bonbons crowd than war buffs, and the film follows suit. 20th Century-Fox gives a far more thorough account of D-Day itself in 1963's The Longest Day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Fed up with low-quality television programs, John (Randolph Mantooth) stays up all night--for several consecutive nights--to develop his own TV game show. Back on the job, John joins Roy (Kevin Tighe) in treating an ex-jazz singer who may have heart problems. Other emegencies on tonight's docket include a tightrope walker who is trapped between two tall buildings, and a multiple-injury incident caused by a careless driver. This final episode of Emergency!'s sixth season is also the series' last hour-long episode; thereafter, the program would resurface in the form of six movie-length "specials", spread out over the next two years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paladin (Richard Boone) ventures into the temporary tent-town of Borasca Bend, intending to return a pouch of gold. Instead, he is captured by the half-deranged prospectors who populate the town and charged with murdering one of their number. Subjected to a bizarre kangaroo court, Paladin must rely upon his wits to avoid ending up swinging from a rope. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ubiquitous 1960s TV actress Arlene Martel (herein billed as Arline Sax) guest stars as Serafina, the princess of a tiny European kingdom. While on a tour of the United States, Serafina disappears, and her aides suspect she has been kidnapped. Hired to locate the Princess, Paladin finds--as he often does--that there is no simple solution to the situation. Featured in the cast is British actor Ben Wright, who was heard as Paladin's general factotum Hey Boy on the radio version of Have Gun, Will Travel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After a confrontation with a roughneck named Merton (Gene Lyons) in a seedy flophouse, Paladin (Richard Boone) rides off into the mountains--only to be waylaid and robbed by Merton's gang. Left without food, weaponry, a horse or a coat, Paladin must now make his way through a treacherous, snowswept mountain range. En route, he meets a pair of father-and-son prospectors who could offer him assistance...but strangely refuse to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Klink trembles in anticipation of a visit from his old flame Marlene Schneider (Norma Eberhardt. Convinced that he is still "irresistible" to Marlene, Klink worries that he will incur the wrath of the lady's new husband, SS officer Count Von Heffernick (Ben Wright). Conversely, Hogan is delighted by the couple's arrival; he hopes to plant a short-wave radio in the Count's Paris-bound honeymoon car. The ending of this episode is a good illustration of actor Werner Klemperer's insistence that his character, Colonel Klink, should never come out on top -- not even when he deserves it. Written by Arthur Julian, "Klink's Old Flame" originally aired on February 8, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Several of Hogan's men are caught in the act of espionage by some Gestapo agents. Even though the Germans inexplicably allow the men to slip through their fingers, Hogan prepares an all-out escape for himself and his crew. And then two of the "Gestapo" officers reveal themselves to be German scientists, hoping to defect to London. John Stephenson and Ben Wright are cast respectively as Professor Bauer and Dr. Reimann (Ben Wright), while ubiquitous Canadian character actor Gordon Pinsent is seen as SS Captain Steinr. Written by Laurence Marks, "The Dropouts" first aired on December 27, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide