Dennis Donnelly Movies
- 1989
After Hunter (Fred Dryer) delivers the baby of runaway teenager Cheryl Donovan (Allison Smith), the grateful girl names her infant daughter after the detective. Shortly afterward, Cheryl turns up murdered--and of course Hunter feels honor-bound to investigate personally. It turns out that the dead girl had reneged on her deal with a crooked baby-breeding ring which sells off newborn infants for illegal adoptions...and that "Baby Hunter" is now an extremely high-priced and much sought-after commodity! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
The A-Team is hired to protect Salina (Sue Kiel), the daughter of middle-eastern potentate Sheik Kamal Fad, from being assassinated by rebels on the eve of her wedding. Problem is, Salina doesn't want to be protected--especially since she's fallen in love with opportunistic rebel leader Koram (John Saxon). And if that wasn't enough of a complication, Face (Dirk Benedict) is himself smitten by the alluring Salina. This is the episode in which Murdock (Dwight Schultz) poses as that dashing adventurer "Pasadena Murdock" (fedora and all!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Chronic gambler Jim Sullivan (Frank Marth) is in danger of losing the foster home that owns to gambling-ring kingpin Johnny Royce (Edward Winter). The A-Team agrees to help Sullivan, with Face (Dirk Benedict) posing as a notorious New Jersey hoodlum in order to infiltrate Royce's operation. Elsewhere, Hannibal (George Peppard) attempts to beat Royce at his own game with some "special" casino equipment--and even manages to bring the Army to the rescue by dangling a carrot (figuratively speaking, of course) in front of his perennial nemesis Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
A Kenya game preserve is being plundered by a poacher named Madrid (John Calvin), who is working hand in glove with illegal animal trader McKaydoo (John Calvin). When her brother is killed by the villains, attractive game warden Kamora Kaboko (Daphne Maxwell Reid) turns to the A-Team for help. Complications ensue when B.A. (Mr. T) falls in love with Kamora--and is so smitten that he almost overcomes his fear of monkeys! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
To save rock singer Stevie Faith (Valerie Stevenson) from kidnappers who claim to be opposed to her politics, the A-Team hides Stevie in a quiet suburban neighborhood. This requires our heroes to curb their violent tendencies and act like gentlemen--an assignment taken to extremes by Murdock (Dwight Schultz), who adopts the "Hi, neighbor!" personality of Mister Rogers! Meanwhile, Hannibal (George Peppard) has his troubles with a neighborhood watch group led by the inordinately zealous Joe Skrylow (Walter Olkewicz). . .while Stevie's crooked manager, the man behind the kidnapping plot, bides his time, waiting to strike again. Future Murphy Brown regular Robert Pastorelli shows up in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
While travelling through rural Green County, B.A. (Mr. T) and Murdock (Dwight Schultz) are taken hostage by bank roobers Logan (Steve Sandor) and Jones (Jeff Doucette)--and then are arrested as the robbers' accomplices! Sentenced to a prison chain gang (without a trial!), our two heroes face danger from several sources, especially when the two robbers escape. Meanwhile, Hannibal (George Peppard) and Face (Dirk Benedict) attempt to rescue their comrades without being captured themselves by the relentless Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The "Bells" are an all-female singing group who once attended St. Mary's Orphanage with Face (Dirk Benedict; in fact, the lead singer is Face's sister. When the girls are threatened with violence by their former record label unless they sign a binding contract, the A-Team steps in to help out. Joseph Wiseman, the sinister "Dr. No" in the James Bond film of the same name, appears as the evil billionaire who is calling the shots at the record company; and in another development, can it be true that Murdock (Dwight Schultz) has chosen B.A. (Mr. T) as his personal hero??? This episode was originally scheduled to air on October 12, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The A-Team gets the opportunity to officially represent Law and Order when they're deputized to keep the peace in Rivertown, a small village in the South American republic of San Marcus. The village, built to house the workers from a local power plant, has been plagued by mysterious accidents in which several workers have vanished. Among those missing is the brother of Nikki Monroe (Wendy Kilbourne), who is conducting her own investigation--and placing herself in serious jeopardy as a result. The climax involves a secret missile base and a spectacular mine cave-in, not to mention the muscular heroics of good old B.A. (Mr. T). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
In Arcadia County, Georgia, gun-toting Reverend Taylor (John Amos) turns to his fellow Vietnam vets on the A-Team to help him crush a vicious moonshiner named Drew (Bo Hopkins). Complications ensue when B.A. (Mr. T) falls for the Rev's comely daughter Stephanie (Tracy Reed). Ultimately, the Team is trapped along with the Taylors in a burning barn--which, fortunately, is chock full of farm implements that can be transformed into escape tools and weapons (and let's not forget that cache of "borrowed" laughing gas!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Female army corporal Charlotte Brown (Lauren Chase) hires the A-Team to investigate the murder of her brother Paul at the hands of illegal arms dealers. Imagine the team's surprise when Charlotte betrays them to their nemesis, Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). When it turns out that Charlotte had done this because Decker had promised to catch her brother's murderer, the Team decides to ( a ) rescue Charlotte and solve the mystery themselves, and ( b ) play Decker for a sucker by staging a fake attack on a National Guard outpost, using little more than a record of movie sound effects. And as a bonus, Murdock (Dwight Schultz) imagines that he is a TV set, spewing out ersatz sitcoms! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Tipped off by a friend of B.A. (Mr. T), the A-Team targets a "chop shop" run by a gang of elusive car thieves. To bring the villains out in the open, the Team offers Face's beloved Corvette as bait--but it is B.A.'s van which is stolen. Played almost exclusively for laughs, this episode boasts a number of highlights, ranging from Face's impersonation of a used-car dealer to a last-minute ride to the rescue in a hearse! Future NYPD Blue star Dennis Franz appears as the ironically named Sam Friendly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Season Three of The A-Team begins as Hannibal (George Peppard), B.A. (Mr. T), Face (Dirk Benedict) and Murdock (Dwight Schultz) head to Miami at the request of two pretty young lasses, Sandy (Kimberly Ross) and Tina Betsy Russell). The girls run a tourist hotel which may be put out of business by gangster Joey Epic (Vincent Baggetta). Taking charge of the hotel for a while, the A-Team finds out that Epic is in league with Prescott (Ben Piazza), a crooked congressman who is pressing for legalized gambling in Miami, the better to take a juicy slice of the proceedings. The climax features the by-now-standard improvised weaponry, including a "machine gun" which shoots nails! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Shot while saving Hannibal's life, Murdock hovers between life and death as The A-Team closes its second season. Meanwhile, the other team members recall the good deeds performed by the mercurial Murdock, thereby triggering a series of flashbacks culled from such previous episodes as "Bad Day at Black Rock", "Holiday in the Hills", "Till Death Do Us Part", "Diamonds 'n' Dust", "There's Always a Catch", "Labor Pains", "Beast from the Belly of a Boeing" and "When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?" Meanwhile, the relentless Col. Decker (Lance LeGault) is rapidly closing in on the team--and it looks like he really has the upper hand this time! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
The Golden Pagoda, a Chinese restaurant owned by Wan Chu (James Hong) and sponsored by the A-Team, has been targeted for harassment by a local criminal gang. Things take a sinister turn when it is revealed that Tommy Chen (Peter Kwong), the boyfriend of Wan Chu's daughter Sun (Lydia Lei), is working with the villains, who are determined to smuggle infamous drug dealer Chris Tomas (Paul Mantee into the country. Once the A-Team is involved, the viewer can be assured of an explosive climax--literally, in this case! The episode's title refers to the latest delusion of Team member Murdock (Dwight Schultz), who this week imagines himself to be Humphrey Bogart) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
To help reporter Jimmy Baker (Joshua Bryant) expose the corruption of rural New Mexico sheriff Jake Dawson (Clifton James), Face (Dirk Benedict) impersonates the prodigal son of war hero Joe Morgan, who until his recent murder had been Dawson's opponent in an upcoming election. Unfortunately, Face's picture is printed in the local paper, drawing the attention of the A-Team's perennial pursuer Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). This episode marks Melinda Culea's final appearance as reporter Amy Allen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
After a tense, bloody beginning, The Toolbox Murders takes a turn first into TV movie-style suspense and then stumbles towards an incredibly silly conclusion. Despite a sensational reputation amongst splatter fans (including Stephen King, who provides a promotional blurb for the video release's packaging) the only gore occurs within the first 30 minutes, as a ski-masked maniac cuts a bloody swath through an apartment complex. Four attractive young women are dispatched in harrowing style with a variety of power tools, indicating a killer taking extreme sadistic pleasure in his work. It's no surprise when the apartment owner (Cameron Mitchell) is revealed to be the monster, but his claims of putting the "dirty" women out of their misery quickly doesn't jive with what's been presented earlier. He murders in order to avenge the unrelated car accident death of his only daughter, and to this end, kidnaps a virginal 15- year-old girl to replace her. Unfortunately, his nephew is also fixated on the dead girl, and has his own obsessions. Director Dennis Donnelly did most of his work in TV, thus the preponderance of familiar television faces on display: his brother Timothy Donnelly from Emergency!, Wesley Eure from Saturday morning's Land of the Lost, and Pamelyn Ferdin, a '70s sitcom perennial with many guest shots including The Brady Bunch and The Odd Couple. The incongruity of these appearances, along with the clumsily expressed psychosis of the villains, destroys any sense of dread created at the outset of The Toolbox Murders, and as a result, the only enjoyment that can be obtained from the film is ultimately derisive. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Mitchell, Pamelyn Ferdin, (more)
- 1977
Captain Stanley (Michael Norell) traces his grouchy behavior to his arm pains, prompting the staff to suggest that he have a medical checkup. But Stanley balks, worried that he may be suffering from arthritis, thus rendering him expendable. This week's emergency load includes a man who gets his hand caught in a garage-door opener, a raging refinery fire,and a woman whose plastic surgery has resulted in some rather nasty side effects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
An upcoming Chief's examination has Captain Stanley (Michael Norell) more uptight than usual, due to the "bad blood" between himself and his former commander (William Boyett). Meanwhile, an actor (Leon Ames) who plays a doctor on a popular soap opera checks into Rampart as a patient, driving everyone crazy with his "medical expertise", and bringing along a further burden in the form of his publicity-hungry producer (Tom Williams). Also, a retired doctor (Dabbs Greer) is stuck in an elevator while suffering from an aneurysm. This was the last hour-long Emergency! episode to be filmed, though not the last to be telecast on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The paramedics in general and Jim (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy (Kevin Tighe) in particular are outraged when Dr. Morton (Ron Pinkard]) insists that they handle all emergency calls equally, regardless of their severity. This new policy poses a number of problems during tonight's case roster, which includes a man suffering from extreme phosphorous burns and a youthful baseball player who suffers a concussion from a hit ball. Elsewhere, a hot tub proves to be a death trap. and a routine call takes a grim turn when Officer Vince (Vince Howard) suffers brain damage in car accident. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
After being involved in a fatal car accident, Dr. Brackett (Robert Fuller) is consumed by guilt over the fact that the father of a young girl has been killed--and the girl herself has seemingly gone into shock. Elsewhere, the emergency team is confronted by a raging ammonia fire, and a shootout in which a cop suffers chest pains. And on a lighter note, John (Randolph Mantooth) goes to extreme lengths to win a ticket-selling contest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
The doctors and paramedics of Rampart are in a state of shock and sorrow when their beloved former head nurse Millie Eastman (Anne Seymour) tries to commit suicide. However, it looks as though Millie will find a new lease on life when she bonds with a troubled young paraplegic. The emergency roster includes a family suffering from carbon-monoxide poisoning, a man trapped under a truck full of combustible fuel, and a woman who has somehow become mummified in plastic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Though Roy (Kevin Tighe) is worn to a frazzle by a heavier-than-usual workload, he must put up with the rest of the Squad, each one of whom has his own special idea of how Roy should spend his upcoming vacation. Back on the job, the Squad tends to a martial-arts instructor who is injured while conducting a class, a brace of hang-gliders standed on a high mountain, and a man suffering from an usual case of stomach trouble. Watch for a pre-Dallas Linda Grayin a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
While visiting a local laundromat, off-duty police officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) cannot help but notice that a shaggy-haired young man seems to be monopolizing all of the washing machines. It turns out that this busy customer is using those machines to dry his stash of marijuana. In case there was every any doubt that Adam-12 was a Jack Webb production, this episode should dispell it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
An unusally heavy load of emergencies prevents the paramedics from catching up with their voluminous paperwork--despite John's (Randolph Mantooth) "brilliant" idea for simplifying the process. This week's roster include a beautician who o.d.'s on diet pills, a girl imprisoned in an overturned car, and a fire on a ship at sea. And as if this wasn't vexing enough, the squad must deal with a stubborn young woman who demands that they transfer her stroke-victim father to a faraway hospital rather than nearby Rampart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Airline stewardess Diane Kenner (Barbara George) o.d.'s on sleeping pills but refuses treatment from the Squad 51 paramedics. In other emergencies, a man is pinned under a car, a teenager's arm is trapped in a pressing machine, and two wild drivers--and their car--somehow end up on the roof of a house. On a more personal note, fireman Chet (Tim Donnelly) takes up skiing, Dr. Brackett (Robert Fuller) does everything he can to avoid amputating a patient's arm, and problems arise from too many paramedic units using the same radio frequency. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
