Frank Aletter Movies
- 1964
After a dangerous tiger turns on its trainer and escapes from the circus, a small town in Texas finds itself in an uproar over its capture. As it is hunted by numerous parties, a young girl begins protesting and starts a nationwide movement to plead for the tiger's safety. As the situation gains more attention, the local attitude is torn by politics and outside pressure. At the time of its release, this feature (taken from a book by Ian Niall) was quite different for Disney as it portrayed realistic small-town politics rather than an ideal community. The titular tiger, on the other hand, seemed to have an uncanny knack of choosing baddies to prey upon while leaving all well-meaning folks alone. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Keith, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1974
Former B-western leading man Donald Barry guest stars as Charlie Bishop, an ex-convict who has ended up on skid row. Relaying a message to Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner), Charlie begs to sent back to prison--and indicates that he will go to any lengths to land behind bars. Malloy and his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord) race against time to prevent Charlie from doing something that everyone will regret. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Vera (Beth Howland) has taken up playing the cello, even though her talent somewhat exceeds her enthusiasm. That said, the gang at Mel's diner (except for Alice [Linda Lavin], who barely appears in this episode) is in for a surprise when Vera is invited to join a local string quartet. The music heard during the closing credits was reportedly played by series regular Beth Howland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Archie envisions a life free of financial worries when Edith is chosen to appear in a detergent commercial. Unfortunately for Archie -- and the sponsor -- Edith is incapable of telling lies in front of the camera. Former child star Darryl Hickman delivers a hilariously understated performance as a gay TV director. Scripted by Ben Starr and Ron Bloomberg from a story by Bloomberg, "The Commercial" first aired on January 8, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1960
The typical roles played by adults and children in sitcoms underwent a dramatic and stunning reversal in this one-season CBS series. Frank Aletter starred as Buddy Flower, a responsible, reliable and intelligent young man in his early 30s who worked as an investment counselor. His home life, however, was something else - he lived with two childlike and thoroughly daffy maiden aunts, Aunt Iris Flower (Doro Merande) and Aunt Violet Flower (Enid Markey). Though sweet natured, the women added an endless series of wacky complications to Buddy's life; typical situations had them attempting to make some dramatic change to the young man's lifestyle (such as presenting him with any one of several "perfect girls" to marry) or putting themselves in impossible circumstances from which Buddy had to liberate them. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Aletter, Enid Markey, (more)
- 1978
At first glance, How to Dial a Murder would seem to be a TV remake of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. But no, it's a 90-minute installment in the Columbo series, as we soon discover. Nicol Williamson guest stars as a wealthy psychologist and movie buff. He has already murdered his wife, and now he intends to do in her lover. To deflect suspicion from himself, he sets up the killing by phone. The victim-to-be answers, is prodded into repeating the word "Rosebud"-and is then torn asunder by Williamson's dobermans, who've been conditioned to attack upon hearing this verbal clue. Williamson manages to be miles away when the murder is pulled off. Still, the diligent Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) manages to beard the culprit in his memorabilia-laden den. How to Dial a Murder originally aired April 15, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
There's plenty of trepidation amongst the emergency staffers of Rampart Hospital when paramedic Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) tries his hand at cooking. On a more serious note, the staff must contend with a particularly odious case of child abuse at the hands of a drug-addicted parent, an attempted suicide, and the impending birth of a baby suffering from a defective heart. And elsewhere, a workman is stranded on a crane, while a repairman suffers a serious electric shock from a malfunctioning washing machine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
No one can drive John (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy (Kevin Tighe) crazier in less time than their fellow parmedic, the insufferably orderly Craig Brice (James G. Richardson). Brice's rigid by-the-book approach to his work proves doubly irritating when he is assigned to a paramedic advisory committee. Elsewhere, the emergency team is called to an accident scene involving a power-pole worker, a tall building where a stunt climber is trapped, and a mountain where two other climbers are stranded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
This episode takes place almost entirely in the cabin of a night plane travelling from Hawaii to San Francisco. Among the passengers are Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), his assistants, and a federal witness whom they are escorting to testify against a racketeer. Unfortunately, also on board is a professional hit man, determined to bump off the witness before the plane lands--and worse,there may be more than one killer on the plane. Featured in the cast is Michael Sevareid,the son of celebrated TV journalist Eric Sevareid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Dana Wynter guest stars as Alexandria, a former sweetheart of Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr. Now that Alexandria has returned to San Francisco, the Chief is anxious to rekindle their romance. Alas, the course of true love is destined not to run smoothly: Alexandria happens to be a professional thief--and Ironside knows all too well that she is currently planning to swipe an ancient Chinese statue left in his care. This episode features the original composition "December Song", which like so many other incidental themes heard on Ironside was written by Marty and David Paich and performed by Carol Carmichael. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
In his second Ironside guest appearance, Burgess Meredith is cast as Harry Grenadine, a Hollywood make-up expert who has done jail time for bank robbery. No sooner has Harry been released from prison than a series of holdups occur, each one bearing his distinctive "signature." Ironside (Raymond Burr) sets about to determine whether Harry is back in business, or if his technique has been hijacked by a clever copycat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
A half-decade after his sitcom Bringing Up Buddy wrapped, character actor Frank Aletter returned to CBS's prime-time lineup for this much different sci-fi-themed comedy about two astronauts, Hector and Mac (Jack Mullaney and Aletter), whose spaceship "took a wrong turn" in mid-orbit and broke through an interstellar "time barrier" without their knowledge. They re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, but touched down to discover themselves in the prehistoric age -- surrounded by bands of cavemen. Episodes for the first half of this one-season outing pertained to the 20th century boys' attempts to live in the Stone Age, surrounded by such nutty caveperson neighbors as Shad (Imogene Coca), her husband Gronk (Joe E. Ross), and their children Breer (Pat Cardi) and Mlor (Mary Grace). But in the January 22, 1967 episode, the format changed somewhat: the men figured out a way to repair their spaceship, returned to the present day, and took Shad and Gronk's family with them; thereafter, episodes focused exclusively on the attempts of the cavepeople to adjust to mid-20th century Los Angeles -- an experience fraught with complications (that probably, to no small degree, signified a desperate attempt on the part of the producers to clamor for higher ratings). It didn't work: It's About Time ran for the last time around a year after it premiered, on August 27, 1967. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Mullaney, Frank Aletter, (more)
- 1975
A pre-Rocky Sylvester Stallone is prominently featured in this episode as young detective Rick Daley, who accidentally shoots a boy while on duty. Daley claims that shots were being fired all around him at the time of the tragedy, and that he is innocent. Pressured by the higher-ups to protect Daley, Kojak (Telly Savalas) refuses to accept the young cop's story without positive proof--while certain members of the Internal Affairs division seem willing to throw Daley to the wolves whether he's guilty or not. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Henry Fonda returned to films after an eight-year absence in this masterful adaptation of the actor's Broadway hit Mister Roberts. Written and partially directed by Joshua Logan, the film stars Fonda as Lt. Doug Roberts, chief cargo officer of the supply ship "Reluctant." WW2 is in its last few months, and Roberts is itching for combat duty. But the Reluctant's surly, despotic captain (James Cagney), anxious to use Roberts to expedite his own promotion, refuses to sign any of Roberts' transfer requests. Helping to brighten Mister Roberts' humdrum existence are his best friends, Ensign Frank Pulver (Jack Lemmon, in an Oscar-winning performance) and the ship's philosophical doctor (William Powell, in his final film appearance). Most of the laughs are provided by Pulver, officer "in charge of laundry and morale." When he isn't wheeling and dealing to bring a bevy of beautiful nurses on board the Reluctant, Pulver is concocting elaborate schemes to avenge himself against the Captain -- even though he's spent 14 months on the Reluctant without ever meeting his nemesis. The film's highlights include the efforts by Roberts, Pulver, and Doc to mix a bottle of Scotch from Coca-Cola, Iodine, and other vital ingredients; and Mister Roberts' (and later Ensign Pulver's) assertion of manhood by tossing the Captain's precious palm tree overboard. Halfway through shooting, legendary director John Ford was replaced, ostensibly because of illness, by Mervyn LeRoy. One of the finest service comedies ever made, Mister Roberts spawned a less amusing sequel, Ensign Pulver (1964), as well as a 1965 TV sitcom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, James Cagney, (more)
- 1985
Mrs. Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) goes to Washington, where she has been tapped to serve out the term of a recently deceased Congressman. Before long, however, Jessica is up to her eyebrows in political intrigue, one-upsmanship, backstabbing and blackmail. Inevitably, a murder occurs--the victim is a Congressional secretary who "knows too much"--and Jessica, caught in the middle as usual, helpfully offers her services to truculent D.C. police detective Mendelsohn (Herschel Bernardi). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Martin (Ray Walston) knows that the government's new $2 billion space project is doomed to fail--but of course he can't tell anyone without revealing the fact that he's a Martian. So Tim cooks up a subterfuge whereby he will write an editorial based on an "anonymous" letter to the editor concerning the expensive project. As a result, the Government becomes convinced that Tim is a Russian spy--thereby setting up a hilarious "lie detector" scene involving an imperious psychiatrist played by the inimitable Richard Deacon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- G
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If anyone is interested in seeing what Kurt Russell used to do before transforming into Snake Plissken in Escape From New York, they can look no further than this labored Disney slapstick marzipan sequel to The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. Kurt Russell, once again, is Dexter Riley, a science major at Medfield College, who, along with fellow science majors Schuyler (Michael McGreevey) and Debbie (Joyce Menges), concocts an invisibility spray. A gang of thieves, headed by A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero), want to get a hold of the formula to use in a bank robbery. The kids find themselves the prey of the crooks, as the bad guys attempt to get the spray. Meanwhile, Dexter employs the spray at a golf tournament, much to the surprise of apoplectic college president Higgins (Joe Flynn). But before Higgins can spout out "Wha? Wha? Wha?,." Arno continues onward with the chase for Dexter and the invisibility spray. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, (more)
- 1964
Ex-fire chief Carey York (Tom Tully) hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to sue TV repoter Tommy Towne (Frank Aletter) for slander, after Towne claims on the air that York burned down his own warehouse for the insurance money. To avoid ponying up $1.5 million, Towne issues a "retraction"--still insisting that York is an arsonist, but now claiming that he was trying to save his son Dorian (Wynn Pearce) from bankruptcy. Ultimately, Towne is murdered, York is charged, and Perry must find out who is really going around setting fires and killing people. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
The citizens of Cliffside Heights hire Perry (Raymond Burr) to press a libel suit against novelist Richard Harris (Michael Pate), the author of a Peyton Place-style "roman a clef." A financial settlement is reached, but turned down by publisher Albert McCann (David Lewis), who for some reason is afraid of Harris. Likewise fearful is Harris' ex-wife Margaret Layton (Peggy McCay), who is desperate to hide her lurid past from her children--so desperate, in fact, that she becomes the Number One Suspect when Harris is murdered. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Can it be that one of the guests at the Shady Rest is invisible? That's what Kate (Bea Benaderet) is led to believe when another guest, a Mr. Benton (Frank Aletter), begins carrying on two-way conversations with his "partner" Mr. Dobble--whom no one can see! Naturally, Kate thinks she's going crazy...but of course, there's the usual Logical Explanation to all this (as if the viewer can't guess Mr. Benton's profession long before the episode ends). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Leslie Parrish, best remembered for her film work in Li'l Abner and The Manchurian Candidate, guests in this episode as beautiful and worldly novelist Jacqueline Moran. Arriving at the Shady Rest, "Jackie" begins acting like one of her fictional characters by setting her cap for a married man--namely, Steve (Mike Minor). It looks like Betty Jo (Linda Kaye Henning) has got a real problem on her hands, but fortunately her sisters volunteer to help her remove Ms. Moran from the scene (or so they hope!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Three of the hallmarks of education in America -- nudity, teenage sex, and big, destructive gags -- are on plentiful display in this teen comedy. Christine (Phoebe Cates), a student at an exclusive all-girls private school, is in love with Jim (Matthew Modine), who attends an academy for boys nearby. Christine's archrival Jordan (Betsy Russell) also has her eye on Jim, and she is willing to do whatever she can to steal him away. Jim's über-slob buddy Bubba (Michael Zorek) is going with Betsy (Kathleen Wilhoite), Christine's cynical friend, though he would probably be unfaithful if any other woman were willing to get near him. Bubba and his pals sneak into the girls' school dressed in drag in hopes of reaching the Promised Land (better known as the women's shower room), while Christine and Jim run away together for the weekend, though their escapade isn't as romantic as they had hoped. Among the adults observing the chaos are Ray Walston, Fran Ryan, Martin Mull, and Sylvia Kristel; one of the sexy students on display is future scream queen Brinke Stevens. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phoebe Cates, Betsy Russell, (more)
- 1978
At the height of a four-day torrential downpour, a mudslide unearths a body in a mountaintop cemetary. Peforming lab tests on the corpse, Quincy (Jack Klugman) discovers that the death may have been due to typhoid--and that this body and several others were buried illegally. In his frantic efforts to determine the truth behind this mystery, and to avoid a widespread epidemic, Quincy once again runs up against the brick wall of bureaucracy (to say nothing of that old municipal ritual popularly known as "C.Y.A.") ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
In this followup to the Season Six episode "Who Speaks for the Children", Quincy (Jack Klugman) continues his crusade to push forward the stalled "Orphan Drug Act" in congress, creating funding to develop curative drugs for rare diseases. The big problem is money, or lack of it: the major pharamaceutical companies don't want to invest in research that will benefit only a handful of consumers, while dedicated scientists like Dr. Styer (Joseph Campanella) are facing severe cutbacks. The situation becomes personal when Quincy befriends a young mother suffering from Myoclonus, a degenerative nerve disease that has already driven another of Styer's patients to suicide. Returning from "Who Speaks for the Children" are Michael Constantine as pharmaceutical activist Dr. Ciotti, and Paul Clemens as Ciotti's son Tony. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Season Seven of Quincy, M.E. begins at a crowded job fair, where guest lecturer Quincy (Jack Klugman) ends up rushing to the aid of a young woman (Sharon Acker) who has fallen down an escalator. Recovering from her injuries in the hospital, the woman awakens with no idea who she is nor what has happened to her. One thing is certain, however; her fall was no accident. As Quincy tries to help the woman recover her memory, he also endeavors to shield her from the person or persons who tried to kill her--a task that proves tragically futile, leading to a powerful finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
