Michael Cavanaugh Movies
Number three in the Dirty Harry series, The Enforcer equips macho cop Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) with a female assistant, Kate Moore (Tyne Daly). Their quarry is a terrorist organization which has kidnapped the mayor of San Francisco (John Crawford). Harry goes undercover, attempting to root out the terrorists by beating up anybody who looks at him cross-eyed. When Harry and Kate discover that the mayor is being held at Alcatraz Island, it is only a matter of time before the climactic bloodbath. The Enforcer cleared enough at the box office to warrant yet another Dirty Harry opus, Sudden Impact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, (more)
- 1976
Former Brady Bunch costar Maureen McCormick appears in the radically different guise in this episode as 16-year-old call girl Cindy Lawson. Stone (Karl Malden) and Robbins (Richard Hatch) are called in when several of Cindy's "johns" are methodically murdered. Only the audience knows that the murderer is Cindy's pathetically deranged father Vic Lawson (James Olson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Heroes is an old-fashioned social problem movie concerning a troubled Vietnam veteran and the loving woman who helps him to work out his problems. Henry Winkler plays Jack Dunne, a veteran who has a history of mental problems. Jack fools the hospital doctor Elias (Hector Elias) and escapes from the hospital with the intention of starting a worm farm with money collected from his fellow inmates. Jack hops aboard a bus, where he meets up with Carol Bell (Sally Field), who, invites Jack to join up with her on a trip to California. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Sally Field, (more)
- 1977
In this drama, a middle-aged factory worker decides to go for his secret dream and become a professional major league baseball player. Meanwhile, his beleagured wife grows tired of supporting him emotionally while also caring for the children. She wants a job, but he will not allow it. Eventually, the two begin to drift apart. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Viharo, Sharon Goldman, (more)
Playing police stooge Ben Shockley, Clint Eastwood sends up his Dirty Harry-ness in this 1977 cop film-action movie-romantic comedy. Ben is assigned to escort tough Vegas hooker Gus Mally (Sondra Locke) to Phoenix for a Mob trial because, he thinks, he always "gets the job done." But corrupt commissioner Blakelock (William Prince) chose alcoholic Ben precisely because Ben does not get much done at all, and Blakelock has no intention of letting them get to Phoenix alive. Once Gus figures this out and makes Ben see the truth, Ben resolves to prove Blakelock wrong, even if it means surviving car bombs, a house shot to pieces, a helicopter-motorcycle chase, and finally driving an armored bus through a gauntlet formed by scores of shooting cops. Amidst the mayhem, Ben falls in love with the smart-mouthed, college-educated Gus, and she insists on riding out the gauntlet with her Ben. An obedient cop who is not as clever as his female charge, Ben Shockley is the opposite of Eastwood's ultra-capable loner Harry Callahan from the Dirty Harry series, allowing Eastwood to poke fun at his image even as Shockley eventually does get the job done. While the exaggerated action set pieces also parody the Eastwood cop hero's usual invincibility, their efficient, energetic staging still makes them effective; The Gauntlet was another popular success for Eastwood as director as well as star. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, (more)
- 1978
Kojak (Telly Savalas) is tempted to leave the police force when he is offered a highly-paid position as private investigator for a prestigious law firm. Meanwhile, however, the detective is kept busy tracking down the source of some dangerously contaminated heroin. Will Kojak's sense of responsibility for the citizens he is protecting outweigh his ambition to advance himself? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
The 11th Victim was partially based on the activities of California's Hillside Strangler. Bess Armstrong stars as a Des Moines TV journalist whose younger sister, an aspiring actress, has entered a life of prostitution in Los Angeles. When the sister becomes the eleventh victim of a sex murderer, Armstrong conducts her own investigation into Hollywood's night world of commercial sex. Max Gail plays a sympathetic cop who tries to save her from becoming a victim herself. The 11th Victim had potential, but was defeated by the usual TV-movie budgetary restrictions and desire to exploit rather than explore a "hot" issue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
This made-for-TV drama tells the story of how a nice young widow becomes a stripper. She only does it because she desperately needs money to support her young son. When her son's grandfather finds out, he immediately starts a custody battle to take the son away from her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1979
- R
Escaping from her childhood life of poverty and abuse on the farm, in the 1930s, Polly Franklin (Pamela Sue Martin) sets her sights on Hollywood as the promised land and leaves home. However, she doesn't get that far - she lands in Chicago instead. Taking the low-paying jobs which are available to her, she quickly finds herself in a situation which is as oppressive as anything she knew at home. Despite her best efforts to keep her head above water, she soon winds up in prison. The best situation in her life comes afterwards, when she becomes a prostitute in a whorehouse run by Anna Sage (Louise Fletcher). However, even this doesn't last, as the police close down the house during a "decency crusade." Back on the streets once again, she meets a wonderful man (Robert Conrad) who claims to be working for the Board of Trade. She tells Anna (who is still her friend) about this new love in her life, and Anna realizes that he must be America's Most Wanted Man, the bank robber John Dillinger. Anna, in danger of being deported, arranges for the police to corner Dillinger and kill him while in Anna and Polly's company. In the ensuing publicity, everyone makes it look as though Polly was Dillinger's betrayer, and her life becomes even more miserable than it was before. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Sue Martin, Robert Conrad, (more)
- 1980
In the 122nd and final episode of The Rockford Files, Jim Rockford (James Garner) heads to the small community of Parama for a peaceful fishing trip; instead, he ends up in the middle of a violent Mob power struggle Last episode. If only Jim hadn't agreed to cast a proxy vote for "Propostiion 46D", which will determined whether or not gambling will be legalized in Parama. Also enmshed in the intrigue is snoopy journalist Carrie Osgood (Sandra Kerns) and a shady Las Vegas entrepreneur named Belding (Joseph Sirola). And though Jim has come up against corrupt political officials in the past, those guys were saints compared to the villains in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
The real Belle Starr was a homely, ill-tempered woman whose career as a western bandit was blown out of proportion by the "dime novels" of the era. Previous media Belle Starrs have included such attractive performers as Gene Tierney, Isabel Jewell and Abby Dalton, all of whom appeared to have included a cosmetician amongst their bandit cohorts. To her credit, Elizabeth Montgomery tries hard to deglamorize Belle in this 1980 TV movie, but she's still Elizabeth Montgomery. The script, by James Lee Barrett, attempts to stick closer to the facts than the earlier versions of Belle's exploits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This sequel to Every Which Way But Loose finds Philo Beddoe (Clint Eastwood) on the road, orangutan companion Clyde in tow, as he makes his way as a bare-knuckle fighter. The action begins with Philo punching out a new victim while Clyde relieves himself on the seat of a police car, setting the tone for the rest of the story. From there, Philo and Clyde return home, where Philo, who still lives with Ma (Ruth Gordon), is offered a contest with Jack Wilson (William Smith), the Mafia-sponsored East Coast bare-knuckle champ. Philo inadvertently saves Wilson's life, but then the Mafia kidnaps his girlfriend (Sondra Locke) to force him to go ahead with the match. Philo and Wilson team up to battle the Mob, but somehow they end up fighting anyway in a grueling climactic sequence. Country music, bikers, the Mafia, an orangutan, pick-up trucks, defecation jokes, fighting, drinking, and swearing -- it's all here in this lowbrow comic stew. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, (more)
In the tradition of his earlier work in Grapes of Wrath and Twelve Angry Men, Henry Fonda played another social-protest role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV presentation Gideon's Trumpet. Clarence Earl Gideon (Fonda) is a poor, ill-tempered Florida handyman who is arrested for petty larceny in 1961. Unable to afford a lawyer, Gideon is sentenced to five years in prison. His treatment by the Florida judicial system, a clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, is brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. As a result, a landmark decision is reached, assuring free legal representation for anyone accused of a crime in the United States. Also appearing are Jose Ferrer as Gideon's attorney Abe Fortas, John Houseman (who also produced) as the Chief Justice, and Fay Wray as the owner of the lodging establishment where Gideon lived. Gideon's Trumpet premiered on April 30, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, John Houseman, (more)
- 1981
Underpublicized and underappreciated, the US ice hockey team heads for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York. Driven a manner than can be described as merciless by coach Herb Brooks (Karl Malden), the team has learned how to swallow months of defeat and disappointment press on to success. The result: A stunning victory over the high-profile Russian and Finnish skating teams. Actual scenes from the Olympic finals are seamlessly blended with recreations of the event in this made-for-TV movie. Miracle on Ice costars Andrew Stevens as team captain Mike Eruzione. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this martial-arts actioner, a pugnacious, taciturn Vietnam vet begins working for an honest casino owner to help keep the evil gangsters at bay. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chuck Norris, Mary Louise Weller, (more)
- 1983
California wives band together to form a tough neighborhood watch in this crime drama that is a failed television pilot. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Blood Feud was a two-part TV drama, originally presented as an "Operation Prime Time" special. Robert Blake is disturbingly convincing as labor leader Jimmy Hoffa, engaged in a decade-long war of words with attorney (and later attorney general) Robert F. Kennedy. Cotter Smith makes his TV debut as Kennedy, a role he'd repeat on future occasions. Thoroughly compelling when sticking to the facts, the drama falls apart whenever indulging in flight of fanciful speculation (Sample: two of Hoffa's lieutenants watch the live telecast of Lee Harvey Oswald's murder, then celebrate the fact that Oswald will never be able to reveal their complicity in the JFK assassination!) Blood Feud was syndicated to local TV stations beginning April 24, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Cotter Smith, (more)
Heart Like a Wheel stars Bonnie Bedelia as real-life racing champion Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney. Overcoming sexist hurdles, Shirley works hard to qualify for the major auto race competitions of America. Firmly in her cheering section is her dad (Hoyt Axton), and--at least at first--her husband, mechanic Jack Muldowney (Leo Rossi). When Jack, jealous of Shirley's success, leaves her, she casts her lot with troublesome banned racer Connie Kalita (Beau Bridges). The film comes to a head at the 1966 National Hot Rod Association World Championship, which Shirley eventually wins three times. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, (more)
- 1984
Inspired by the popular Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry movies, the weekly, hour-long NBC cop drama Hunter starred former NFL star Fred Dryer as the Eastwoodesque title character, LAPD detective sergeant Rick Hunter. Originally operating out of the Homicide department, Hunter spent the series' first season patrolling the mean streets of Los Angeles' less savory districts, partnered with the equally no-nonsense lady cop Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer), aka "the Brass Cupcake." Using a Magnum revolver that he called Simon--as in "Simon says 'Freeze'!"--Hunter gave no mercy or quarter to the various thugs, pimps, pushers and lowlifes with whom he came in contact. And like Dirty Harry, our hero was given to pithy catchphrases, notably the oft-repeated "Works for me." Introduced with a two-hour TV movie on September 18, 1984, Hunter languished near the bottom of the ratings during its first season due to the stiff competition of CBS's Dallas. Things improved significantly when Roy Huggins took over as executive producer at the beginning of Season Two, primarily due to a softening of the previously grim and intractible characters of Hunter and Dee Dee, and the decision to move them to a more upscale section of LA to provide them with a wider variety of antagonists. Also, Hunter's unsavory past as the son of a mobster--and his checkered present with a slew of crooked relatives and former acquaintances--faded into the background and eventually disappeared altogether. During the first two seasons, Hunter went through several superior officers, each one of whom despised him and sought out any excuse to divest him of his badge. Finally in Season Three, the producers settled on Charles Hallahan as Charles Devane, who remained with the series for the remainder of its run. Though not much more fond of Hunter than his predecessors, Devane was at least willing to cut his most contentious cop a little slack due to the results he'd gotten with his strongarm methods. At the end of Season Six, Dee Dee McCall left the department to get married. The following season, both Hunter and Devane were moved out of Homicide and into the department's elite Metro Division, focusing on cases that warranted extra-special attention. Hunter's new partner was Officer Joanne Molinski (Darlanne Fluegel) who unfortunately was killed halfway through the season. In the series' final months on NBC, Hunter developed a romantic relationship with Sgt. Chris Novak (Lauren Lane), a former girlfriend and presently the single mom of a cute little girl named Allison (Courtney Barella). Ending its network run on August 30, 1991, Hunter was briefly revived four years later in the form of a TV movie, The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A., then again in 2002 with another feature length episode, Hunter: Return to Justice. This last project led to a brief weekly revival of the property, reuniting Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer, which ran from April 12 through May 10, 2003 on NBC. Created by Frank Lupo, Hunter was a Stephen J. Cannell pro ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Hunter launches its seven-season run with the series' two-hour pilot, starring former football proFred Dryer as Rick Hunter, a mobster's son who has grown up to become a thoroughly incorruptible LAPD detective sergeant. Hunter's "Dirty Harry" tactics and his flagrant flouting of the rules have earned him thousands of loyal supporters and an equal number of bitter enemies--the latter on both sides of the law. Though the higher-ups would prefer that Hunter pack up his bottomless arsenal of weaponry and his pithy "Make my day"-style catchphrases (notably "Works for me") and leave town, he is obviously the one man capable of trapping an elusive murderer who is holding the city in thrall. Teaming up with Hunter for the first time in this episode is his friendly enemy, Sgt. Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer), better known as "the brass cupcake." Michael Cavanaugh appears as Captain Lester Cain, a role taken over in subsequent episodes by Arthur Rosenberg. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
A group of villains previously defeated by the A-Team pool their savings and hire professional assassin Major Kyle (Ed Lauter) to get rid of the Team once and for all. Kyle's plan is to play upon the well-known weaknesses of the various team members in order to kidnap them one by one--and then to kill them slowly and painfully, while Team leader Hannibal (George Peppard) is forced to watch. Tricia O'Neill repeats her portrayal of Dr. Maggie Sullivan, a character introduced in the first-season A-Team episode "Bad Day at Black Rock". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Don't look for Alex Trebeck or listen for the familiar "thinking music" in the made-for-TV Final Jeopardy. This chiller-diller stars Richard Thomas and Mary Crosby as a small-town couple who find themselves stranded in an unfamiliar--and most unfriendly--big city. Weaving in and out of the proceedings (sometimes literally so) are a bunch of bad dudes with names like Slash, DOA and Ice. And they don't say "Your money or your life" in the form of a question. Final Jeopardy debuted December 8, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Mary Crosby, (more)
- 1985
Made for television, Hostage Flight fomented a well-publicized controversy when first aired by NBC on November 17, 1985. On a domestic flight headed for Detroit, 65 passengers are held hostage by four international terrorists. The demands of the hijackers are simple: Release their imprisoned leader or the hostages will be executed one by one. Only after innocent blood is shed do the outraged passengers form a united front to rebel against their captors, and, ultimately, to take justice in their own hands. The film's original ending found the passengers, having staged their own "trial" of the hijackers, doling out punishment in a gruesome manner (and a highly unlikely manner, given the limited head-space on a typical jetliner). This denouement proved too horrifying for the NBC executives, who demanded that a modified ending be filmed (though the original climax was shown when the film was released outside the United States). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
High-school basketball star Brian Baldwin (Glenn Michael Jones) has been assured a hefty scholarship to the college of his choice. Unfortunately, Brian is disqualified because of a heart condition -- and his chances for acceptance in any other college (or any adult job, for that matter) are slim to none because the boy is completely illiterate. Probationary angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) arrives on the scene to help Brian learn to read before the boy's future can be ruined -- and despite the intrusion of a criminal gang who threaten to destroy an adult literacy program. ~ All Movie Guide
