Allan Burns Movies
A timid aerobics instructor learns that her new best friend is also her husband's mistress in this domestic drama starring Mary Tyler Moore. Suffering from a bit of empty-nest syndrome as her children pass through adolescence, indecisive homemaker Holly Davis (Moore) reluctantly accepts a part-time gig teaching exercise classes for frazzled gym owner Helga (Salome Jens). There, she meets struggling, independent-minded broadcast journalist Sandy Dunlap (Christine Lahti) and they quickly become thick as thieves. As it turns out, though, Sandy is actually an adulteress -- she's engaged in a clandestine affair with Chip (Ted Danson), Holly's seismologist husband. Chip loves both women and wants to continue seeing Sandy, but she breaks things off with him now that she knows his wife. When Chip dies suddenly, Sandy helps Holly cope and finances Phase Two of her life as the new owner of Helga's aerobics center. Unfortunately, though, evidence of Chip's infidelity lies around just waiting to be discovered. In the end, it's up to Chip's friend Harry Crandall (Sam Waterson) -- who's been nursing a crush on Holly for years -- to help a pregnant Sandy and a heartbroken Holly come to terms with their complicated friendship. Just Between Friends marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Allan Burns. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Tyler Moore, Christine Lahti, (more)
- 1984
- PG
In this standard human interest comedy, Susan Berlanger (Kristy McNichol) has been crippled since a child and has to wear a leg brace in order to get around, but that does not in any way prevent Sam (Robert Carradine) and several other men from being very attracted to her. Susan is a professional flautist with a ballet-company orchestra and is given a chance to travel to Europe for a concert tour, which she is more than happy to accept. Since she has doubts about relationships (do these men feel sorry for her?), she puts a cast on her leg and goes to a ski resort to find out what it is like to be treated "normally" by others. Once there, she meets a captivating photographer (Michael Ontkean) and falls in love -- but does not tell him the truth about her leg. Making matters even worse, a wealthy Frenchman courting Susan's roommate at the resort is an amputee -- he lost a leg in an automobile accident. Sooner or later, Susan will have to come to grips with her deception, her forthcoming marriage, and her interest in the photographer. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy McNichol, Michael Ontkean, (more)
- 1979
- R
- Add Butch and Sundance: The Early Days to QueueAdd Butch and Sundance: The Early Days to top of Queue
This "prequel" to the Newman/Redford vehicle Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was written by TV sitcom veteran Allan Burns and stars Tom Berenger as Butch and William Katt as Sundance. The film, per its title, traces the formative days of Butch and Sundance's careers as soft-hearted western outlaws, and their creation of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. There's no Etta Place this time around; the fictional heroine, named Mary, is played by Jill Eikenberry. Only Jeff Corey, as Sheriff Ray Bledsoe, repeats his role from the original film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Katt, Tom Berenger, (more)
The disarming comedy A Little Romance features Diane Lane as a 13-year-old American, living in Paris with her businessman stepfather (Arthur Hill) and her promiscuous mother (Sally Kellerman). Mom is currently enamored with pretentious-filmmaker David Dukes, and it is on the set of Dukes' latest picture that Lane meets another 13-year-old, insatiable French film buff Thelonious Bernard. A likeable street-smart petty thief and gambler, Bernard is instantly attracted to Lane. With the help of roguish old Laurence Olivier, Lane and Bernard arrange a romantic rendezvous under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Naturally, when the kids disappear it's a cause for international concern, but all ends as it should. Some of the best moments in A Little Romance belong to Broderick Crawford, unselfconsciously playing "himself" at a movie party. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurence Olivier, Arthur Hill, (more)
- 1977
It is a testament to the brilliance of The Mary Tyler Moore Show that the series' 168th and final episode earned an Emmy Award for Best Comedy Writing. When WJM-TV is taken over by new owners, everyone in the newsroom is certain that he or she will be given the pink slip -- none more so than anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight), who literally hides behind his family during a meeting with newly installed station manager Coleman (Vincent Gardenia). But in one of the worst-kept secrets of the 1976-1977 TV season, everybody in the newsroom is fired except for Ted. Even so, there's still plenty of time for laughter, tears, and cameo appearances by former regulars Valerie Harper (Rhoda) and Cloris Leachman (Phyllis). And remember: It's a long way to Tipperary.... "The Last Show" originally aired on March 19, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Season three of The Mary Tyler Moore Show was launched with a spoof of a then-current broadcasting trend: "Happy Talk" TV newscasts. Ordered by station management to lighten up the format of WJM-TV's six o'clock news report, Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) is stuck with the responsibility of transforming humorless anchor Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) into a veritable laugh riot. The strategy backfires when Ted begins cracking bad-taste jokes at the slightest opportunity, culminating in an on-the-air confrontation with a fed-up Mary. Meanwhile, she tries to convince her chauvinistic boss, Lou Grant (Edward Asner), that equal pay for female employees is not merely a political slogan. "The Good-Time News" first aired on September 16, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Not altogether certain that she wants a blast from the past, Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) nonetheless attends her high school reunion. During the festiviites, Mary is reunited with her ubiquitous former beau, Howard Arnell (Richard Schaal), who is all for rekindling the old romantic flames. Meanwhile, Rhoda (Valerie Harper), who didn't attend Mary's high school, but has tagged along just to see if anyone will pretend to "remember" her, has a little adventure of her own. Jack Riley, who later played the contentious Mr. Carlin on The Bob Newhart Show, makes his first Mary Tyler Moore Show appearance as Eldon Golfax. "Didn't You Used to Be...Wait...Don't Tell Me" was originally telecast on October 30, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Quite unexpectedly, Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) and Rhoda (Valerie Harper) are given the opportunity to leave wintry Minneapolis behind for a vacation in Mexico. As usual, however, there's a hitch; the vacation is contingent upon the mood of a Mexican-restaurant owner (Frank Ramirez). Unless Mary and Rhoda grant an unusual wish, they may as well kiss the sun goodbye and pull out their gloves and mufflers. "He's No Heavy...He's My Brother" was first broadcast on October 2, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) is swept off her feet by dashing, romantic foreign correspondent John Corcoran (Monte Markham). He'd like to get serious with her and she wants to reciprocate. There's only one problem: Corcoran is married. Joyce Bulifant makes her first series appearance as Marie Slaughter, the wife of newswriter Murray (Gavin MacLeod). "Just a Lunch" was originally broadcast on January 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
One of the best network sitcoms to emerge from the 1970s (and it was a crowded field indeed during that remarkable decade!), The Mary Tyler Moore Show starred the titular actress as Mary Richards, a single, slightly insecure woman in her early thirties who worked as associate producer for the evening news broadcast at independent Minneapolis station WJM-TV. Mary's boss was irascible-but-lovable producer Lou Grant (Edward Asner); head writer for the newscast was upbeat if somewhat sarcastic Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod); and the WJM anchorman was Ted Baxter (Ted Knight), blessed with dazzling looks, a mellifluous voice, an enormous ego, and a pea-sized intellect. In the early seasons, future Good Times star John Amos was seen as WJM weatherman Gordy Howard; and beginning in the series' fourth season, Betty White was added to the cast as Sue Ann Nivens, hostess of the station's "Happy Homemaker" show, whose sugary-sweet demeanor masked a powerful sex drive. When not at the studio, Mary Richards could be found in her small apartment, palling around with her brash, New York-bred neighbor Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper), who worked as a department-store window dresser; and with her landlady, supercilious busybody Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), who prattled endlessly about her never-seen husband, Lars, and who carried on a battle of wits with the acidulous Rhoda. Seen on a less frequent basis were Phyllis' spoiled daughter, Bess (Lisa Gerritsen); Murray's perky wife, Marie (Joyce Bulifant); and beginning in the third season, Ted Baxter's soft-spoken but iron-willed girlfriend, Georgette Franklin (Georgia Engel), who eventually married Ted and bore him a daughter.
As The Mary Tyler Moore Show rolled on, both Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman departed for their own spin-off series, respectively Rhoda and Phyllis. Also, Lou Grant and his wife, Edie (Priscilla Morrill), were divorced, Ted and Georgette adopted an eight-year-old boy named David (Robbie Rist), and Mary moved out of her old apartment and into a high rise -- though she took her trademarked "Big M" wall decoration with her. In the series' now-legendary final episode, the new station manager of WJM-TV decided to fire everyone on the staff -- except, incredibly, for the dimwitted Ted Baxter! Originally telecast by CBS from September 19, 1970, through September 3, 1977, The Mary Tyler Moore Show was not only the recipient of numerous industry awards, but it also served as the cornerstone for the thriving MTM Productions TV-series factory, which turned out such worthwhile efforts as Lou Grant, a straight dramatic series starring Ed Asner in a continuation of his Mary Tyler Moore role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
As The Mary Tyler Moore Show rolled on, both Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman departed for their own spin-off series, respectively Rhoda and Phyllis. Also, Lou Grant and his wife, Edie (Priscilla Morrill), were divorced, Ted and Georgette adopted an eight-year-old boy named David (Robbie Rist), and Mary moved out of her old apartment and into a high rise -- though she took her trademarked "Big M" wall decoration with her. In the series' now-legendary final episode, the new station manager of WJM-TV decided to fire everyone on the staff -- except, incredibly, for the dimwitted Ted Baxter! Originally telecast by CBS from September 19, 1970, through September 3, 1977, The Mary Tyler Moore Show was not only the recipient of numerous industry awards, but it also served as the cornerstone for the thriving MTM Productions TV-series factory, which turned out such worthwhile efforts as Lou Grant, a straight dramatic series starring Ed Asner in a continuation of his Mary Tyler Moore role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Big-hearted Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) offers to substitute for the WJM-TV employee who normally mans the studio's newsroom on Christmas Eve. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but before long, she is desperately lonely for human companionship. Henry Corden, longtime voice of cartoon character Fred Flintstone, makes an appearance (sort of). "Christmas and the Hard-Luck Kid" was originally broadcast on December 19, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Originally telecast September 19, 1970, "Love Is All Around" is the classic opening episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Newly arrived in Minneapolis, Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) rents an apartment from airheaded Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), then manages to get off on the wrong foot with her waspish neighbor Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper). The next day, Mary applies for a clerical job at the newsroom of bottom-rated WJM-TV, where in quick succession, she meets long-suffering news writer Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod) and egotistical anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight). Surviving a contentious job interview with cantankerous TV producer Lou Grant (Edward Asner) -- who, as everyone knows, hates spunk -- Mary unexpectedly lands the position of associate producer for "The Six O'Clock News." And there's still time left over for a bittersweet reunion with her ex-boyfriend (Angus Duncan). A model of brisk and economical comedy construction, "Love Is All Around" set the high standards for all the brilliant Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes to follow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Nancy Walker makes her first series appearance as Ida Morganstern, the guilt-dispensing, impossible-to-please mother of Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper). Arriving in Minneapolis, Ida unexpectedly shows up at the doorstep of her daughter's friend, Mary (Mary Tyler Moore). The reason? Rhoda isn't home, or at least, she's pretending she isn't home. Even though CBS didn't want this episode to be filmed because the network "suits" found no humor in the prickly Rhoda-Ida relationship, "Support Your Local Mother," which first aired on October 24, 1970, won The Mary Tyler Moore Show its first Emmy Award for outstanding writing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Those creepy-but-lovable residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane are on deck for 38 hilarious half-hours during season one of The Munsters. Seen throughout the season are Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, a softhearted replica of the Frankenstein monster; Yvonne de Carlo as Herman's voluptuously vampirish wife, Lily; Al Lewis as Grandpa Munster, a 350-year-old Dracula clone who spends most of his time cooking up mischief in his laboratory; and Butch Patrick as Herman and Lily's young son, Eddie, a budding werewolf. During the season's first 13 episodes, Beverly Owen appears as the Munsters' beautiful niece Marilyn, the only normal-looking member of the family (though she thinks she's a homely freak). Thereafter, and throughout the rest of the series' run, Pat Priest is seen as Marilyn. Some of the season's funniest entries include "Pink's Pique," in which the gas company is in for quite a shock when they accidentally build a pipeline in the Munsters' dungeon -- er, basement; "Low-Cal Munster," featuring Paul Lynde as a nearsighted doctor who puts Herman on a diet (and who, fortunately for his own sanity, can't see what Herman really looks like!); "Autumn Croakus," wherein Grandpa's nearly four-century lifespan may come to an end at the hands of a murderous widow; "Herman the Great," with Herman becoming a pro wrestler to pay for Eddie's education; "Eddie's Nickname," featuring a magical milk shake which, thanks to Grandpa's bungling, grows a thick beard; "Far Out Munsters," a spoof of "bizarre" '60s rock & roll groups featuring future softcore film producer Zalman King and The Standells; and "Herman the Rookie," the one in which Herman gets a tryout with the Los Angeles Dodgers as manager Leo Durocher and former football star Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch look on with mouths agape.
Two of the more fascinating first-season Munsters episodes are "Love Comes to Mockingbird Heights," featuring a cameo appearance by another of Universal's copyrighted monsters, the Creature from the Black Lagoon (aka the Munsters' "Cousin Gilbert"); and "Come Back Little Googie," guest starring child actor Bill Mumy, who had been the series producers' first choice for the role of Eddie Munster -- but whose mother did not like the idea of subjecting her boy to a daily two-hour makeup session. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Two of the more fascinating first-season Munsters episodes are "Love Comes to Mockingbird Heights," featuring a cameo appearance by another of Universal's copyrighted monsters, the Creature from the Black Lagoon (aka the Munsters' "Cousin Gilbert"); and "Come Back Little Googie," guest starring child actor Bill Mumy, who had been the series producers' first choice for the role of Eddie Munster -- but whose mother did not like the idea of subjecting her boy to a daily two-hour makeup session. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne De Carlo, Fred Gwynne, (more)
