Keenan Wynn Movies
Actor Keenan Wynn was the son of legendary comedian Ed Wynn and actress Hilda Keenan, and grandson of stage luminary Frank Keenan. After attending St. John's Military Academy, Wynn obtained his few professional theatrical jobs with the Maine Stock Company. After overcoming the "Ed Wynn's Son" onus (his father arranged his first job, with the understanding that Keenan would be on his own after that), Wynn developed into a fine comic and dramatic actor on his own in several Broadway plays and on radio. He was signed to an MGM contract in 1942, scoring a personal and professional success as the sarcastic sergeant in 1944's See Here Private Hargrove (1944). Wynn's newfound popularity as a supporting actor aroused a bit of jealousy from his father, who underwent professional doldrums in the 1940s; father and son grew closer in the 1950s when Ed, launching a second career as a dramatic actor, often turned to his son for moral support and professional advice. Wynn's film career flourished into the 1960s and 1970s, during which time he frequently appeared in such Disney films as The Absent-Minded Professor (1960) and The Love Bug (1968) as apoplectic villain Alonso Hawk. Wynn also starred in such TV series as Troubleshooters and Dallas. Encroaching deafness and a drinking problem plagued Wynn in his final years, but he always delivered the goods onscreen. Wynn was the father of writer/director Tracy Keenan Wynn and writer/actor Edmund Keenan (Ned) Wynn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A John Carpenter story served as the launching pad for Black Moon Rising. Veteran thief Quint (Tommy Lee Jones) is hired by the FBI to steal some politically volatile computer tapes. The owners of the tapes are displeased, and begin chasing Quint all over the countryside. Just when he's about to surrender his booty, Quint's car -- wherein the tapes are stored -- is stolen by Nina (Linda Hamilton). She delivers the car to her corporate-villain boyfriend Ryland (Robert Vaughn), who runs a hot auto ring. Nina then has second thoughts and decides to throw in with Quint...and round and round we go. The "Black Moon" of the title is the name Quint's high-tech, low-slung vehicle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Hamilton, (more)
- 1986
In this pilot film for the short-lived satirical TV series The Last Precinct, a group of misfit police-academy rejects are given one final opportunity to distinguish themselves in the field of law enforcement when they are assigned to the LA's seediest and most woebegone precinct, the 56th. Under the diligent but ineffectual leadership of Captain Rob Wright (Adam West), these losers-in-blue immediately ingratiated themselves to their higher-ups by stealing a sheriff's drug-sniffing dog, which leads them to the headquarters of a drug ring--and possible redemption if they can make an arrest without killing themselves in the process. Inasmuch as Stephen J. Cannell was the prime instigator of The Last Precinct, NBC had such high hopes for the property that the network scheduled its two-hour premiere on January 26, 1986, right after the Super Bowl telecast. But to no avail: Though picked up as a weekly series, The Last Precinct was mustered out after only six episodes. ~Saw Film/Marsh/Marrill/TV Guide/Internet/Expert ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In this action movie, a wanderer goes looking for a missing woman's brother and instead gets entangled in a war between two gangs of smugglers along the Arizona-Mexico border. The film is also titled "Dalton." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1985
A young woman faces a difficult decision in this drama. She has spent most of her life preparing to dance ballet. She is also involved with a dashing reporter. Despite her love, she leaves Detroit to dance in New York, and while there she has an affair with her dance partner. Her dilemma comes when the reporter proposes marriage as her career is taking off. Now she must choose between her career and her lover. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Call to Glory was intended as an ABC miniseries, depicting the turbulent 1960s as seen through the eyes of an Air Force family. A pre-Coach Craig T. Nelson stars as Colonel Raynor Sarnac, with Cindy Pickett as his wife Vanessa and Elizabeth Shue and Gabriel Damon as the Sarnac children. The 2-hour pilot concentrates on the 13 fateful days of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the Fall of 1962. This pilot, and the miniseries itself, was originally slated for telecast in May of 1984, but ABC smelled potential in the project and ordered that it be expanded to a 13-week series. The premiere was moved up to August 13, 1984, with the pilot film unveiled right after ABC's Olympics coverage. Call to Glory was a huge ratings hit at the outset; alas, ABC's decision to move away from the historical aspects of the program to concentrate on the soapish goings-on within the Sarnac family prompted a severe drop-off in viewer interest. The program was finally axed in February of 1985. Later that year, scenes from the untelecast Call to Glory episodes were stitched together into another 2-hour TV "movie", Call to Glory: JFK. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Having nothing whatever to do with the popular TV series Knight Rider, Mid Knight Rider is more like a trip through a sewer in a glass bottom boat. Michael Christian plays an impoverished actor who, unable to make a go of his chosen profession, turns to prostitution. He manages to make a great deal of money fulfilling the fantasies of wealthy, foolish middle-aged ladies. During a wild orgy, Christian suddenly rebels against his new lifestyle and goes on a violent rampage. Costar Keenan Wynn must have done this one on a dare. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Quincy (Jack Klugman) recognizes elderly murder victim Violet Winston (Louise Fitch) as a onetime vaudeville headliner, and the partner of long-retired comedian Morris Perlmutter (Keenan Wynn). The only witness to the killing is Violet's sister Eugenia (Rosemary DeCamp), who is handicapped by a variety of debilitating infirmaries. Elsewhere, the aforementioned Perlmutter prepares to make a comeback on live TV, only to begin suffering the early stages of senility. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
- Add The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. to QueueAdd The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. to top of Queue
Fifteen years after the cancellation of the tongue-in-cheek spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., stars Robert Vaughn and David McCallum were reunited in this made-for-TV movie. It all begins when Janus (Geoffrey Lewis), a former agent for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement (aka U.N.C.L.E.) joins forces with the evil rival agency T.H.R.U.S.H. Stealing the new H975 atomic bomb, Janus threatens to detonate the device unless a 350-million-dollar ransom is paid. But there is another condition: The ransom money must be delivered in person by Janus' old enemy, retitled U.N.C.L.E. operative Napoleon Solo (Vaughn), now a big-business executive. Despite never having heard of Napoleon Solo, U.N.C.L.E.'s new top agent, Benjamin Kowalski (Tom Mason), offers Solo the job, which he accepts, if only because he needs some quick cash. Deciding that the combined forces of Janus and ex-T.H.R.U.S.H. leader Justin Sepheran (Anthony Zerbe) may be a bit much for him -- after all, he is 15 years older -- Solo asks for, and receives, the assistance of his former partner, Illya Kuryakin (McCallum), now a prominent dress designer. Also figuring into the plot is Andrea Markovich (Gayle Hunnicutt), a Russian ballerina who may or may not be one of the villains. Despite some cute in-jokes and bantering byplay, this TV movie bears less resemblance to Man From U.N.C.L.E. than it does to the James Bond films, perhaps because writer/executive producer Michael Sloan reportedly only watched a handful of the original series' episodes before embarking on this project. One nice touch is the casting of former Avengers star Patrick Macnee as Solo and Illya's new superior, Sir John Raleigh. Originally telecast April 5, 1983, on CBS, The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. (subtitled "The 15 Years Later Affair") failed to deliver sufficient ratings to warrant the planned revival of the series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Anne de Salvo reprises her role as Vicki, the "date from hell" foisted upon Tony (Tony Danza) in the earlier fifth-season episode "The Shloogel Show." Now Vicki has returned to Tony's life with some startling news: She is pregnant -- and guess who the father is? Making things even dicier, Tony has received this news on the very night that he is to box with a ranked contender -- and the last thing he needs at this moment is the sort of emotional baggage piled on by Vicki. Watch for a few sly references to the Rod Serling drama "Requiem For a Heavyweight," notably the presence in the cast of veteran character actor Keenan Wynn. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1982
A wilderness-loving man must clear himself of a wrongful murder charge and rescue his daughter who may be sent to an orphanage in this made-for-TV movie. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Haggerty, Chuck Connors, (more)
- 1982
Directed by George Schaefer, this light made-for-television drama is based upon the novel of the same name by Robert Oliphant. Starring Bette Davis as Esther Cimino, a 73-year-old widow, the film traces the events following Esther's son George's (George Hearn) decision that she is no longer capable of caring for herself in her ederly state. Despite her protests, Esther is ruled incompetent by the legal system, leading her to wage a court battle to regain not only her estate but her dignity as well. Also starring Penny Fuller and Christopher Guest, A Piano for Mrs. Cimino first aired on February 3, 1982 on CBS and was later nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Film Editing. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
We'd rather not speculate over how much of Best Friends is autobiographical. We'll just note that this story of a male-female screenwriting team was written by real-life married scenarists Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin. Lovers as well as collaborators, scriveners Richard Babson (Burt Reynolds) and Paula McCullen (Goldie Hawn) decide to make their union legal. Predictably enough, they discover that their relationship goes straight downhill after they say "I do." The stars are far less interesting than the supporting cast, including Jessica Tandy and Barnard Hughes as Hawn's parents, Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn as Reynolds' folks, Ron Silver as an avaricious producer (no names, please!), and Richard Libertini as a Mexican justice of the peace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, (more)
- 1981
The Monkey Mission was the second of three feature-length pilot films for the never-sold Robert Blake TV series Joe Dancer. On this occasion, hard-boiled private eye Joe Dancer (Blake, of course) takes on the challenge of return a priceless European vase to its rightful owner. Stolen by Nazis during WWII, the vase is now the property of a high-scale museum -- with round-the-clock guards to prevent its being swiped again, even by the "good guys." To pull off his assignment, Dancer enlists the aid of shady electronics genius Stump Harris (Keenan Wynn), veteran sneak thief Jimmy Papadopolous (John Fiedler), and Jimmy's "assistant" -- a chimpanzee named Gregor. Airing March 23, 1981, on NBC, The Monkey Mission failed to result in a weekly Joe Dancer series, though critical and viewer response was positive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Based on the book by Norman Klein, Mom, the Wolfman & Me stars Patty Duke, David Birney and Danielle Brisebois. Ms. Duke plays a free-lance photographer, the single mother of 11-year-old Brisebois. Both mother and daughter are "liberated" in the anything-goes-1980s sense. But Duke finds herself questioning her values (or lack of values) when she meets Brisebois' English teacher Birney, an uptight conservative save for his bushy beard (hence his nickname). Co-starring are Keenan Wynn and Viveca Lindfors as Patty's parents, and John Lithgow in a pivotal supporting role. Produced for TV's Operation Prime Time series, Mom, the Wolfman and Me was released for syndication starting October 20, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
As this gritty drama about a young teen's fight to overcome her past begins to unfold, flashbacks are interspersed with the present-tense story. This technique keeps viewers wondering exactly where Sam (Tracey Mann) is going: in the direction that led her to jail, or towards a normal life? After she gets out of prison, her old friends and a corrupt cop named Brady (Bill Hunter) provide formidable obstacles. They all see her as a rebellious delinquent in spite of her efforts to change. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, Sam's struggle for her future is not going to be easily won. Mann won a 1980 Best Actress Award from the Australian Film Institute for her performance. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tracy Mann, John Arnold, (more)
- 1979
Star Rod Taylor co-wrote the screenplay for Jamaican Gold. For centuries, the treasure of Morgan the Pirate has been resting somewhere beneath the waters of Carribean. Diver Taylor goes after it, hoping to beat his rivals Stuart Whitman, Elke Sommer and Jeremy Kemp to the punch. All four adventurers must contend with a few scurvy criminal types. Keenan Wynn also shows up as the gloriously yclept "Meat Cleaver Stewart." Filmed in the early 1970s, Jamaican Gold underwent several title and distributor changes before it was released in 1979 as The Treasure Seekers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Four disparate scuba divers go to the Caribbean in search of lost treasure. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Jake (Charles Grodin), an insurance investigator, is assigned to probe the killing of a wealthy businessman in Acapulco. To help him, he hires a beautiful New York model, Ellie (Farah Fawcett), to act as his wife, and they pretend to be tourists on vacation. Art Carney plays Marcus, a local detective who befriends Jake but gets him into various scrapes. Joan Collins also appears as the suspicious Nera. Sunburn was a made-for-TV movie which featured a pop-song soundtrack blaring from characters' tape recorders that included tunes by Herbie Hancock. The movie was based on the novel The Bind by Stanley Ellin. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Charles Grodin, (more)
- 1979
This made-for-TV espionage thriller was approximately fourteen years too late for TV's "spy cycle". Dale Robinette plays a Bondlike secret agent, while Ralph Bellamy is the "M" counterpart. Robinette is assigned to solve the mystery of several UFO sightings in Utah. The instigator turns out to be an eco-villain (Patrick MacNee), who threatens to destroy the ozone layer unless he's paid one billion dollars within 48 hours. When Billion Dollar Threat failed to yield a weekly TV series, its producers revamped the project--and the result was the equally unsuccessful Once Upon a Spy (80). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Produced for the syndicated "Operation Prime Time" series, The Bastard is the first of John Jakes' "Kent Family Chronicles" (followed by The Rebels and The Seekers). Presented in two parts, the story begins in 1771, with 17-year-old French commoner Philippe Charboneau (Andrew Stevens) discovering that he is the illegitimate son of a British Duke. He goes on a long journey, girdling several countries, to claim his birthright, with his mother (Patricia Neal) along for the ride. Settling in America in 1772, our hero--now known as Phillip Kent--becomes involved with the American Revolution. The all-star cast includes Buddy Ebsen, Barry Sullivan, Harry Morgan, Lorne Greene, Donald Pleasence, Tom Bosley (as Ben Franklin), William Shatner (as Paul Revere) and William Daniels (as Samuel Adams). Distributed nationally beginning May 22, 1978, The Bastard was re-titled Kent Family Chronicles in the more conservative TV markets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
When a group of Nazi doctors plot world dominance by replacing global leaders with brainwashed clones, it's up to a lone U.N. employee to save the planet. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Sex and the Married Woman stars Joanna Pettet as a housewife and Barry Newman as her liberal-minded husband. Encouraging his wife to find her "inner self," Newman has no notion that Pettet will translate this invitation into writing a book based on the sex habits of her friends and neighbors. The book becomes a best-seller, Pettet becomes a celebrity, and Newman seethes with envy. When first telecast in 1977, Sex and the Married Woman was advertised on the basis of its large cast of celebrity cameos (Jayne Meadows, Keenan Wynn, etc.) Virtually ignored was the fourth-billed F. Murray Abraham, seven years away from his Oscar win as Salieri in 1984's Amadeus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
