David Alexander Movies
- 1999
Having been discredited by a "miscalculation" during a manned space flight in the 1960s, elderly astronaut Theodore Harris (Cliff Robertson) is given a chance to redeem himself nearly 40 years later. Taking over the controls of a brand-new passenger starship, Harris pilots the vessel into unchartered space, hoping to revisit the area where he had suffered the mishap that ruined his reputation. In his efforts to restore his good name, Harris endangers the lives of the vessel's terrified passengers -- none of whom have any idea why the ship has suddenly and dramatically gone off course. "Joyride" originally aired on February 26, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Quincy (Jack Klugman) and Sam (Robert Ito) come across a human skull while travelling through the desert. With the help of forensic artist Lynn Peters (Zohra Lampert), Quincy concludes that the skull is that of a controversial labor leader who had mysteriously vanished a few years back (guess which famous person was the inspiration for this episode: and we always thought that he wound up as an off-ramp of the Jersey Turnpike). This places our hero--and his friends--in danger at the hands of the mob boss who has risen to labor-union prominence during his missing predecessor's absence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- R
Less a movie than a purposely crude series of musical vignettes and inside jokes for die-hard fans, Frank Zappa informs viewers in the opening scene that "Touring can make you crazy, ladies and gentlemen, and that is what 200 Motels is all about." The rest of the plot-less production is filled with more self-reflexive reminders, as the close-up eye and tape recorder signal that Zappa is watching everything his bandmembers are doing. Reasonably, the Mothers of Invention make up the cast, notably Jimmy Carl Black, who repeatedly remarks how he just wants to quit the band and go play real music, have a beer, and get laid. The character of Jeff, played by Martin Lickert, was written for bassist Jeff Simmons, who actually did quit the band just prior to shooting. Other cast members include real-life groupies appearing in some bizarre nudity sequences, along with the Who's drummer Keith Moon as the Hot Nun who overdoses on drugs. Ringo Starr appears as Larry the Dwarf and lends some humorous narration, but that does not clarify any of the proceedings. The action supposedly takes place in Centerville, which is really a kind of poorly dressed set guarded by soldiers. The scenes are randomly assembled and interspersed with performances, including the songs "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," "Magic Fingers," and "Strictly Genteel." ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel, (more)
- 1970
- R
The British/American co-production My Lover, My Son stars Romy Schneider as Frances, the unhappy wife of businessman Robert (Donald Houston). When her lover is accidentally drowned, Frances turns to her teenaged son James (Dennis Waterman) for comfort. Her husband doesn't like this set-up and bundles James off to college, but upon his return the boy enters into an affair with his own mother. Robert discovers the incestuous couple in an embrace and reacts violently, whereupon Frances kills him in self defense. Knocked unconscious during the struggle, James thinks he is the killer and takes the rap. The boy is released on the grounds of self defense and returns to his mother -- only to renounce her when he discovers that he's the illegitimate son of his mother's dead lover. MGM was the American distributor for My Lover, My Son, and that low vibration you feel is Louis B. Mayer spinning in his grave. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Romy Schneider, Donald Houston, (more)
- 1969
Captain Kirk and the Enterprise become unwitting parties to the quest for a legendary, utopian planet in this episode from the third season of the well-known science fiction series. When the starship Aurora is stolen, the Enterprise is ordered to capture the hijackers. When the ensuing chase drives the Aurora to the point of collapse, Captain Kirk must rescue the thieves by beaming them aboard the Enterprise before their starship self-destructs. Unexpectedly, Kirk finds that the group is not a band of hardened criminals but an idealistic collective bearing a striking resemblance to 1960s hippies. Due to the seemingly nonviolent nature of the group, which includes a famed scientist and the son of an important Federation official, Kirk is lenient, treating them more as guests than prisoners. This proves to be a mistake when the group seizes control of the Enterprise, hoping to use the starship to find the planet of Eden which they believe holds an ideal paradise worthy of its name. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1968
After coming into contact with an uncharted planet, a series of mysterious disappearances begins to decimate the crew of the starship Enterprise in this installment of the 1960s science fiction television series. The rash of disappearances begins after a landing party explores the planet Scalos, causing much puzzlement for the Enterprise officers. Kirk becomes privy to the answer when he himself vanishes, however. He finds that he and the other missing crew members have been kidnapped by the Scalosians, an alien species that closely resembles humans but moves at a speed undetectable to human senses. Having been accelerated himself, the newly invisible Kirk must find a way to communicate his discovery to the others and save the Enterprise. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Captain Kirk and several other Enterprise crew members are captured by a race of aliens with immense mental powers in this episode of the original Star Trek television series. The trouble begins soon after the Enterprise's arrival on the planet of Platonious, so that Dr. McCoy can provide medical attention to the Platonian leader. After McCoy's healing mission is accomplished, the Platonians demonstrate their ingratitude by capturing the doctor, Captain Kirk, and several other Enterprise crew members. Using their advanced powers of telekinesis, the aliens transform the Enterprise crew members into marionettes, performing humiliating acts against their will for the Platonians' amusement. Kirk and his crew plot an escape from the aliens' control, finding an ally in Alexander, a sympathetic Platonian born without the power of telekinesis. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Once again, Tim (Bill Bixby) is victimized by the sinister minions of the enemy spy organization CRUSH. This time, Tim is held captive by CRUSH mastermind Butterball (Larry D. Mann), who thinks that our hero has information concerning the "good" espionage agency TOPSEEK. How will Martin (Ray Walston) extricate Tim from THIS predicament without revealing his own true identity? Featured in the cast is Tony Martinez, best known as the Hispanic handyman Pepino on The Real McCoys. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
While shopping at a department store, Martin (Ray Walston) takes a whiff of the new cologne "Home Fatale"--and promptly freezes in a mannequin-like posture. Unless Tim (Bill Bixby) can take him home to reverse the process, Martin will remain a permanent clothes dummy. Unfortunately, the store manager refuses to sell the mannequin Martin at any price--and just when things couldn't possibly get worse, Mrs. Brown (Pamela Britton) is likewise "frozen", moments before the untimely arrival of Detective Brennan (Alan Hewitt)! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
While on a dusting binge, Mrs. Brown (Pamela Britton) activates Martin's Personality Alternator--and is instantly transformed into a thief. Before the process can be reversed, Mrs. Brown hatches a scheme to steal the fabled Slotkin Diamond. As it turns out, someone has beaten her to it, but Mrs. Brown may be held responsible unless Martin (Ray Walston) does some quick thinking! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
A mosquito bite gives Martin (Ray Walston) a case of "sympsympatheticus", causing him to act and think like a race horse named Sweet Sue, which had also been bitten by the same insect. At the same time, Sweet Sue has begun displaying Martin's behavior and intellect! The outcome of the story hinges not only on Martin's actions but also on such venerable racetrack-movie cliches as the kindly old horse owner, his feisty granddaughter, a crooked gambler, and the obligatory Big Race. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Contacting the dreaded Martian "Virus M", Tim (Bill Bixby) develops red stripes on his face. Will Detective Brennan (Alan Hewitt) tumble to the fact that Martin (Ray Walston) is the source of this affliction? Nope: Brennan assumes that the red stripes are the result of a virus that Tim brought back from an assignment in Mexico, so he rushes both Tim and Martin to the hospital isolation ward. The trick now is to escape the ward before the staff finds out that Martin is "not of this world". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Needing help to repair his spaceship, Martin (Ray Walston) activates the CCTBS time machine and summons up his old friend Leonardo Da Vinci (Michael Constantine). Unfortunately, Leonardo spends most of his 20th-century visit bemoaning the fact that all of his inventions have been credited to others. Worse, he is convinced that the Mona Lisa has been "stolen" from him--and he demands it back. In the ensuing fracas, the famous portrait is destroyed, forcing Martin to reactivate the CCTBS to once again change the course of history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The entrepreneurial Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) may have to relinquish ownership of the Fort Courage saloon to blackmailing con artist Dan Larson (Peter Leeds). Determined to hold on to his ill-gotten gains, O'Rourke conspires with his confederate Agarn (Larry Storch) to beat Larson at his own game. The scheme involves dancing girls, of course, else this episode might have borne a different title! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The future of O'Rourke Enterprises is threatened by the arrival of Major Duncan (James Gregory). Not that Duncan suspects that anything crooked is going on: It's just that he is impressed by Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and wants to promote him to lieutenant. Realizing that such a promotion would be fatal to O'Rourke's many business ventures, Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch) goes out of his way to prove that the Sergeant is in no way qualified to be an officer or a gentleman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
F Troop launches its second season with the series' first color episode, in which Paul Lynde guest stars as singing Mountie Sgt. Ramsden, an incongruous new arrival at Fort Courage in Kansas. When not entrancing Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson) with his splendid tenor voice, Sgt. Ramsden is searching for the notorious "Burglar of Banff" (emphasis on the second "F")--who may or may not be French-Canadian trapper Lucky Pierre (Larry Storch), the lookalike cousin of F Troop's Corporal Agarn (also Larry Storch. With this episode, Don Diamond becomes a regular in the role of timorous Hekawi Indian Crazy Cat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Because of new orders issued by Washington, everyone at Fort Courage is transferred to another outpost--everyone but Corporal Agarn (Larry Storch). On his own for the first time in his military career, Agarn is saddled with the duty of training the newly arrived "G Troop"--which in its own way is even more inept and incompetent than F Troop. Meanwhile, Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) and Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) try to cook up a scheme to get their transfer orders rescinded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
As we all know, the members Hekawi Indian tribe are not fighters, but lovers: after all, they invented the peace pipe. Thus, Hekawi chief Wild Eagle (Frank De Kova) is both perplexed and disturbed when the Council of Indian Nations orders his tribe to go on the warpath. To prevent Wild Eagle from breaking his own self-imposed peace treaty--and to retain him as a business partner--O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch) arrange an elaborate charade to convince the Council that the Hekawis have triumphed over the men of F Troop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Julie Newmar guest stars as Yellow Bird, a white girl stolen by Apaches in infancy and raised as one of their own. Hoping to collect a huge reward, O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) offers to rescue Yellow Bird on behalf of her father, millionaire mining tycoon Gideon D. Jeffries (Jacques Aubuchon). Unfortunately, the girl has no intention of being rescued--and to make matters worse, she has fallen in love with Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) and refuses to leave his side. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Richard X. Slattery guest stars as Col. William Bartlett, the latest in a long line of Inspector Generals whose mission is to make life miserable at Fort Courage. Theorizing that a fort is only as good as its bugler, Bartlett demands to hear a reindition from F Troop's resident horn-tooter, Hannibal Dobbs (James Hampton). Inasmuch as Dobbs is the world's worst bugler--heck, he's the worst in the universe--O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch) must do some quick thinking to mollify Bartlett. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Forrest Tucker plays a dual role in this episode as both Sgt. O'Rourke and O'Rourke's Irish-born father. Arriving in Fort Courage fresh from the Emerald Isle, the bombastic elder O'Rourke quickly sets abuout transforming the fort into an American replica of the Auld Sod. When it becomes obvious that O'Rourke Sr. has no intention of returning home, Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch) must persuade him to do so--by disguising himself as a leprechaun! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Agarn (Larry Storch) unwittingly becomes the third corner of a romantic triangle involving a gorgeous Sicilian girl named Gina (Leticia Roman) and her hot-blooded suitor Mario (Joby Baker). As a result, Agarn is literally a marked man: it so happens that Mario is a member of a secret terrorist society called the Black Foot. It will take the combined efforts of Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and the Hekawi Indians to prevent Agarn from sleeping with the fishes! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
A crisis develops when Martin (Ray Walston) develops an allergy to his brain-power pills, breaking out in embarrassing green blotches. Thinking quickly, Martin feeds the pills to Tim (Bill Bixby), figuring this will make Tim smart enough to discover a cure for the allergy. Trouble ensues when "super-genius" Tim ends up working on a top-secret government space project, an assignment that could end in disaster literally with the snap of the fingers! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
My Favorite Martian launches its third and final season with its first color episode, and its first (and only) two-part story. In his efforts to return to the moment just before he crash-landed on earth in 1963, Uncle Martin (Ray Walston) deploys his Cathode-Ray Centrifugal Time Breakascope--which hurls himself and Tim (Bill Bixby) way, WAY back to the St. Louis of the year 1849. Here the two time-travellers meet Marshal Brennan (Alan Hewitt), great-grandfather of Martin's perennial nemesis Detective Brennan (also Alan Hewitt), who upholds family tradition by arresting the duo as counterfeiters when they try to pass 20th Century currency. Later on, Tim and Martin confront the great-grandmother of their landlady Lorelei Brown (both roles played by Pamela Britton)--and promptly make a mistake that could grievously alter the course of the future! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
This episode is set in a tiny Caribbean dictatorship, where resistance leader Dr. Delgado (Ken Renard) has been placed in a zombie-like trance at the behest of the despotic El Supremo (Claude Akins) and corrupt police chief Captain Ramirez (Rodolfo Acosta). Hoping to rescue Delgado, Solo and Illya receive unexpected assistance from Suzy (Linda Gaye Scott), an American hairdresser who is stranded on El Supermo's turf. Maidie Norman rounds out the cast as voodoo priestess Mama Lou. Written by Boris Ingster, "The Very Important Zombie Affair" originally aired on December 31, 1965. Reportedly, the episode was removed from the syndication package offered by the CBN cable service in the mid-'80s for religious reasons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
