William Daniels Movies
American actor William Daniels was teamed at age 6 with his sister Jackie in a song-and-dance act that would become "The Daniels Family" when his other sister Carol joined. At the height of their activity, the Daniels were performing in as many as three radio shows per week, a welcome break from the harshness of their Brooklyn neighborhood. Acting in the long-running Broadway play Life with Father in 1945, Daniels was advised by the play's star and co-author Howard Lindsey to attend college just in case the acting business fell apart; after Army service and graduation from Northwestern University, Daniels found that, for him, the business had fallen apart. His confidence eroded by several years of relative inactivity, Daniels nearly turned down an opportunity to play Brick in a road company production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but the play's author Tennessee Williams insisted upon casting him.In 1960, the actor was cast with George Maharis in the Edward Albee play The Zoo Story, which won him the Obie and Clarence Derwent Awards and led to such choice Broadway assignments as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and A Thousand Clowns. Much to his own amazement, Daniels found himself cast in a superhero-spoof sitcom, Captain Nice, in 1967, which fortunately wasn't on long enough to typecast him. The actor achieved recognition of a more positive nature for his role as Dustin Hoffman's obtuse father in The Graduate (1967) (he was all of ten years older than Hoffman). Daniels' role as John Adams in the 1969 Broadway musical 1776 resulted in another strong film showing when the play was transferred to celluloid in 1972. Reportedly as reserved and taciturn as his screen characters in real life, Daniels was perhaps ideally cast as the abrasive Dr. Mark Craig on the long-running (1982-88) TV drama St. Elsewhere; appearing as Mrs. Craig was Bonnie Bartlett, to whom Daniels had been married since college. Despite his high visibility in both films and television, William Daniels is probably best known internationally for a continuing TV role in which he was never seen--the ever-correct computerized voice of K.I.T.T., the superpowered automobile on the action series Knight Rider (1982-86).
In the coming years, Daniels would continue to remain as active as ever, playing the beloved Mr. Feeny on the sitcom Boy Meets World, and making memorable appearances on shows like The Closer and Boston Legal. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, and Will Arnett headline this high-concept comedy concerning two male figure-skating rivals aching to compete despite having been banned from the sport. Their medals stripped after getting into a highly publicized fight at the World Championships, star figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) are barred from ever competing in the sport again. Upon discovering a loophole that will allow them to perform together in the pairs figure skating category, the two athletes determine to put their differences aside in order to pursue their gold medal aspirations. Amy Poehler, Jenna Fischer, Craig T. Nelson, and Rob Corddry co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, (more)
- 2003
A snowbound Denver eatery called the Ritz Restaurante ends up as the Valentine's Day rendezvous for three troubled couples: Marty (Louis Mandylor) and Tricia (Wendie Jo Sperber), Amanda (Tembi Locke) and Riley (Cress Williams), and Ben (Lennie Loftin) and Charlotte (Kate Fuglei). While carrying out their assignment of revealing the true meaning of love to the gathered couple, the Angels are helped along by another twosome, George and Loretta (played by real-life husband and wife William Daniels, Bonnie Bartlett) who are celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary. Casting a pall over what should be a joyous occasion is the Angels' foreknowledge that this anniversary will be George and Loretta's last. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The seventh and final season of Boy Meets World opens on a less than lighthearted note, with Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) having broken off their engagement, and Cory's pal Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong) splitting up with his sweetie Angela Moore (Trina McGee-Davis). Eventually however, at least one of the couples patches things up, and Cory and Topanga are married in the appropriately titled episode "It's About Time." Later on, the newlyweds move to New York, where Topanga has accepted an internship. Back in Philadelphia, Cory's brother Eric (Will Friedle) exhibits a heretofore carefully hidden streak of responsibility as he and his roomie Jack (Matthew Lawrence) take over management of the student union at Penbrook College. In many ways, this turn of events is even more unbelievable than season seven's obligatory fantasy episode "As Time Goes By," in which the series regulars are recast as the characters from the 1942 film classic Casablanca. Without giving away too many details regarding the series finale, it can be noted that Angela moves to Europe to be nearer to her father; Shawn and Jack join the Peace Corps; and Cory's longtime friendly enemy, school principal George Feeny (William Daniels), delivers the poignant curtain speech. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
Season six of Boy Meets World instantly resolves the cliffhanger ending of season five, with 18-year-old Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) saying yes to the marriage proposal delivered by his childhood sweetheart Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) -- though he balks when Topanga suggests that they elope immediately! Having both graduated from John Adams High School, Cory and Topanga enroll at nearby Penbrook College, where Cory's brother Eric (Will Friedle) is entering his sophomore year. Cory's pal Shawn (Rider Strong) has moved out of the apartment he shares with Eric and Jack Newman (Matthew Lawrence), whereupon Eric and Jack welcome a new roomie in the very attractive form of no-nonsense, take-charge Rachel McGuire (Maitland Ward). Elsewhere, Cory's mother Amy (Betsy Randle) gives birth to her fourth child, a boy named Joshua; and former John Adams High principal Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) contemplates retirement, but moves back to town to ask for the hand of Ms. Bolander (Bonnie Bartlett). The season finale takes place at the wedding of Feeny and Bolander, during which a tearful Topanga, unnerved by the impending divorce of her parents, is on the verge of breaking off her engagement with Cory. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
When Boy Meets World began its ABC run in 1993, hero Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and his friends Shawn (Rider Strong) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) were all 11-year-old sixth graders. But as the series launched its fifth season in the fall of 1997, Cory, Shawn, and Topanga had all miraculously aged to the point that they were high school seniors! As Cory prepares to culminate his high school career, his older brother Eric (Will Friedle) heads off to Penbrook College, there to be introduced to his new roommate Jack Newman (Matthew Lawrence) -- who happened to be the long-lost half brother of Cory's best pal Shawn Hunter. At first hostile towards Jack, Shawn ends up moving in with his brother and with Eric. In the episode "Boy Meets Real World," the notoriously fickle and faithless Shawn finds true and lasting love in the form of Angela Moore (Trina McGee-Davis). In other developments, irascible high school principal Feeny (William Daniels) falls in love with Penbrook's Dean of Admissions, Ms. Bolander (played by Daniels' real life wife Bonnie Bartlett). And after innumerable roadblocks and setbacks, the romance between Cory and Topanga seems destined for a happy ending when, in the season finale, Topanga proposes to Cory at their high school graduation ceremony. Among the highlights during season five are a brace of crossover episodes: "The Witches of Penbrook" finds Melissa Joan Hart reprising the title character of her own series, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and "No Guts, No Cory" represents Boy Meets World's contribution to an experiment conducted by ABC, in which all of the network's Friday night TGIF sitcoms were linked together for one memorable evening by a single theme. And on a more serious note, the episode "If You Can't Be With the One You Love..." addresses the issue of teen drinking, with series star Ben Savage appearing as himself at the end of the episode, delivering a public service announcement for the National Clearinghouse of Alcohol and Drug Information. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
- 1996
TV talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford is cast as Jolene, a professional surrogate mother hired to provide a baby to childless couple Michael and Penny Russell (David Naughton, Barbara Alyn Woods). The fly in the ointment is Michael's old-fashioned grandfather Whit (William Daniels) who is deeply resentful of "new-fangled" technology and is dead set against the surrogacy. The situation worsens when Whit refuses to accept the fact that Michael is dying of cancer. Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) and Angel of Death Andrew (John Dye) put in a lot of overtime to bring about a happy (or at least satisfying) ending. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Based on one of Shirley Jackson's spookier stories, this made-for-TV thriller recounts a small New England town's chilling annual ritual, a quasi-pagan affair involving human sacrifice performed in a particularly horrific manner. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Season four of Boy Meets World finds the now 16-year-old Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) still trying to make sense of the world around him and the people in it. More specifically, Cory's relationship with classmate Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) has gone far beyond mere friendship...but is he willing to risk her anger and scorn by once more declaring his love? Elsewhere, John Adams High School's coolest teacher Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) is no longer on the series, his absence explained away as the result of a serious motorcycle accident. Since Turner had been the legal guardian of Cory's best friend Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), Shawn has no choice but to move back in with his irresponsible truck driver father Chet (Blake Clark). Also, Cory's older brother Eric is having trouble gaining admittance to the college of his choice, forcing him to make some serious decisions about the future. Similarly, Cory's dad Alan (William Russ) has begun asking himself if he really, truly wants to spend the rest of his life working in a grocery store. And finally, Cory loses track of another longtime buddy when the character of Frankie (Ethan Suplee) is written out of the series, not to return until the fifth season finale episode "Graduation." Of the many fourth season Boy Meets World episodes, a handful are standouts, notably the Christmas episode "Easy Street," featuring comedy legends Buddy Hackett and Soupy Sales; and the two-part "A Long Walk to Pittsburgh," wherein Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film version of Romeo and Juliet, appears as Topanga's Aunt Prudence. And we mustn't forget the first appearance of Bonnie Bartlett as Ms. Bolander, Dean of Admissions at Penbrook College -- and future wife of the redoubtable high school principal Mr. Feeny (played by Bonnie Bartlett's real-life husband William Daniels). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
Just as seasons one and two of Boy Meets World were seemingly separated by a two year time lapse, so too does season three apparently begin two years after the previous season. How else can one explain how Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), and Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) have suddenly surged ahead in age from 13 to 15 years old? Most of the familiar faces are back in their familiar roles this season, with one noteworthy exception. Lily Nicksay, who had played Cory's kid sister Morgan during the first two seasons, has been replaced by Lindsay Ridgeway, who makes her debut as Morgan in the episode "A Kiss Is More Than a Kiss." In other developments, Cory is cold shouldered by Topanga after impulsively telling her he loves her, whereupon he begins dating Melissa (Anndi McAfee) on the rebound. Shawn has moved in with high school teacher Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn), who has become his legal guardian. School bully Harley Keiner (Danny McNulty), written out of the series at the end of season two, returns (ostensibly from reform school) for one last appearance in "He Said, She Said." And Cory's school chum Joey (Blake Soper) drops out of sight, not to appear again until the fifth season finale episode "Graduation." Season three's many highlights include another of the series' pure fantasy episodes, "I Was a Teenage Spy," in which Cory is electronically transported back to the '50s -- where he meets former Happy Days regulars Tom Bosley, Anson Williams, and Pat Morita! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
Season two of Boy Meets World evidently takes place two years after season one, because series protagonist Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), an 11-year-old attending sixth grade in the first season, has now become a 13-year-old high school freshman. Likewise aging rather rapidly are Cory's best friend Shawn (Rider Strong) and erstwhile girlfriend Topanga (Danielle Fishel), who are also launching their first year at John Adams High School. Also on hand -- much to Cory's dismay -- is his least favorite elementary school teacher Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) who has been appointed principal of John Adams. Incidentally, this plot development represents one of the many in-jokes pervading Boy Meets World: William Daniels had played president John Adams in both the Broadway and film versions of the musical 1776. Another excellent example of this strain of humor can be found in the second season episode "Who's Afraid of Cory Wolf," in which Phyllis Diller guest stars as a gypsy woman named Madame Ouspenskaya -- an homage to actress Maria Ouspenskaya, who essayed the same type of role in the original Wolf Man movies of the '40s! But getting back to Boy Meets World, season two ushers in several new recurring characters: high school bully Harley Keiner (Danny McNulty); Cory's new buddies Joey (Blake Soper) and Frank (Ethan Suplee) -- aka "The Rat" and "The Enforcer"; and the school's coolest teacher, Mr. Hunter (Anthony Tyler Quinn), who favors leather jackets and drives a motorcycle, Fonzie-style. Also, this season introduces the kids' favorite after school hangout, Chubbie's Malt Shoppe. Perhaps the most noteworthy plot development this season is the desertion of Shawn Hunter, whose truck driver dad heads off for parts unknown to search for Shawn's runaway mom. As a result, Shawn moves out of his trailer park home and into the Matthews household, the first of many relocations for this nervously nomadic character. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
Series protagonist Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) is all of 11 years old as Boy Meets World launches its first season, but even at that tender age he has drawn up what he considers a definitive list of friends and enemies. In the "friends" column are his best friends, Topanga (Danielle Fishel), Shawn (Rider Strong), and Stuart (Lee Norris) -- whose last name changes from Lempke to Minkus early on because of a legal entanglement. Looming large in the "enemies" column is Cory's least favorite teacher, the highly demanding and unpredictable George Feeny (William Daniels) -- and worse still, Mr. Feeny lives right next door to Cory's family! A few facts about season one of Boy Meets World: the character of Nicholas (Chauncey Leopoldi) was supposed to have been a regular as one of Cory's school pals, but the part was minimized as the season rolled on; conversely, Topanga Lawrence, introduced in the fourth episode ("Cory's Alternative Friends") was intended to be a minor character, but her status was suddenly elevated after she and Cory shared their first on-screen kiss! A handful of other characters make their first-and-only Boy Meets World appearances during the series' freshman season: "Grandma Was a Rolling Stone" features Rue McClanahan as Cory's grandmother Bernice and a very young Keri Russell as Feeny's niece Jessica; and "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" marks the only apperance of Topanga's sister Nebula (Krystee Clark). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Savage, Rider Strong, (more)
- 1992
Hard-boiled San Francisco police detective Captain Mike Stone returns to his old beat in order to find the crook who killed his partner (played during the 1972- 1977 series by Michael Douglas, whose scenes are taken from clips of the original series) in this crime drama. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Karl Malden
- 1991
Michael returns to the Knight coroporation to help them build a new KITT for the 21st century. Gunrunners and evil cops provide the first crime the new Kitt foils. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- David Hasselhoff, Susan Norman, (more)
- 1990
As indicated by the title, this made-for-TV movie charts the rise and fall of Olympic figure skater Tai Babilonia. Partnered since childhood with Randy Gardner, Tai skated her way to the 1979 World Championship. Her hopes for Olympics success in 1980 are scuttled when her partner Gardner suffers a groin injury and is unable to compete. Tai responds to this disappointment by descending into drug abuse, culminating in an attempted suicide. The plucky skater recovers from all this, and the film ends on a hopeful note. On This Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story stars Rachel Crawford as Tai and Charlie Stratton as Randy, but that's the real Babilonia and Gardner recreating their classic routines in the long shots. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rachel Crawford, Charles Stratton, (more)
- 1989
The controversial case of a black man killed in Howard Beach, a working-class all white neighborhood of Queens, NY provides the basis of this docudrama. Much of the story centers around the attempts of Joe Hynes, the state prosecutor to bring the case to trial. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
A frustrated writer helps save a woman being railroaded by the law -- or is she? -- in this comic mystery with romantic overtones. Phil Blackwood (Tom Selleck) is a best-selling mystery novelist who has run into a bad case of writer's block. Hoping to find inspiration for his next book, Phil goes to the city courthouse and witnesses the arraignment of Nina Ionescu (Paulina Porizkova), a beautiful Romanian immigrant who is accused of killing a man with a pair of scissors. For Phil, it's love at first sight, and after sneaking into jail disguised as a priest, he makes her an offer. Phil offers to let her stay at his house, and he provides her with an alibi -- she can claim that she couldn't have committed the crime, because she was with him at the time of the attack. Nina agrees, but after Phil encounters a handful of dangerous foreign agents, Nina's acrobatic parents, and a highly suspicious district attorney, he begins to wonder if Nina might have committed the murder after all. Her Alibi also features William Daniels as Sam, and James Farentino as Frank Polito; the song "Falling In Love" was written and recorded for the film by Randy Newman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, (more)
- 1987
Keshia Knight-Pulliam stars as the title character, an orphaned waif of the 1920s who helps instill the Christmas spirit into a contentious New England family. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
When speaking of Laurel and Hardy's first feature film Pardon Us, Stan Laurel described it as "a three-story building on a one-story base"-in other words, a 2-reeler stretched and bloated into 6 reels. Much the same could be said of Blake Edwards's Blind Date, though one wonders if Stan Laurel could have even gotten two reels out of its wafer-thin premise. At the outset, yuppie Bruce Willis is warned not to let his blind date, southern belle Kim Basinger, drink anything stronger than lemonade. So what does Willis do the first chance he gets? That's right, kids; he plies poor Basinger with champagne. And then he wonders why his life rapidly goes to hell in a handbasket. In his first starring movie role, Bruce Willis manages to find all sorts of nuances in his one-note role, while Kim Basinger is very funny when she's blotto-at least, for the first five minutes or so. John Laroquette costars as a character straight out of a 1920s bedroom farce; he's also pretty good, even though his dialogue is numbingly unamusing. Blake Edwards is famous for his ability to make a lot out of a little...but there has to be a limit somewhere. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kim Basinger, Bruce Willis, (more)
The fourth and final season of Knight Rider stars David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a former cop who after being saved from death by a billionaire do-gooder becomes an undercover agent for the Knight Foundation for Law and Order. Michael continues to take his marching orders from the foundation's head man, Devon Ross (Edward Mulhare), even though there is little love lost between the two men. And of course, Michael's greatest ally in his fight against evil is the super-powered, weapon-laden Trans Am car K.I.T.T., who in addition to being rigged with state-of-the-art computer technology also possesses a brain and a voice (provided by William Daniels). Rounding out the cast is Patricia McPherson as K.I.T.T.'s curvaceous mechanic Bonnie Bristow; and a character new to the series, streetwise male mechanic Reginald Cornelius III, aka RC3 (Peter Parros). RC3 is introduced in season four's two-part opener, "Knight of the Juggernaut," in which Mike and K.I.T.T. rescue their new team member from the clutches of his old street gang. In other episodes, Bonnie is among those kidnapped by a disgruntled former government agent-turned-airplane hijacker -- and once she has escaped this dilemma, she poses as a jet setter in order to prevent the U.S. from succumbing to germ warfare. Additional adventures find Michael quitting the foundation after one close call too many; K.I.T.T. turning killer when he is reprogrammed by a mad genius; Michael and K.I.T.T. combining forces to trap a homicidal magician (played by real-life illusionist Lance Burton); our heroes trying to help a down-and-out boxer, in an episode featuring such luminaries as Ken Norton, Jerry Quarry, and Don King; and, in the last episode of the series, Michael, K.I.T.T., et al. endeavoring to get to the bottom of a supposed curse that has claimed the lives of several archeologists. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, (more)
In the third season of Knight Rider, Devon Miles (Edward Mulhare), head of the Knight Industries Foundation for Law and Order, continues dispatching his best agent, Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) -- who before being snatched from the jaws of death by the late billionaire Wilton Knight had been undercover cop Michael Long -- on a variety of do-gooding errands, protecting the helpless and vanquishing a daunting array of villains. And as in seasons past, Michael is assisted in his missions by K.I.T.T., a computerized Trans Am car equipped with the latest in weaponry and surveillance paraphernalia -- not to mention an artificial intelligence, as manifested in its rather condescending voice (provided by William Daniels). Also on hand, albeit briefly, is K.I.T.T.'s sexy mechanic, April Curtis (Rebecca Holden); and, returning as a regular after missing most of season two, April's "fellow" mechanic Bonnie Barstow (Patricia McPherson). Season three opens with the two-part "Knight of the Drones," pitting Michael and K.I.T.T. against a deadly army of bank-robbing robots. Later on, K.I.T.T. must face down its arch enemy, the evil, laser-equipped vehicle K.A.R.R. In other episodes, Bonnie is persecuted by someone who wants to frighten her out of her new apartment after she witnesses a murder; Michael apparently goes to the enemy camp after Devon fires him for drug possession; K.I.T.T. nearly becomes kaput, courtesy of a toxic-waste dump; Michael is forced to drive K.I.T.T. through a mine field in order to stop a murder; and K.I.T.T. becomes a circus attraction as a means of exposing a homicidal crook. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, (more)
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