John Fiedler Movies
American actor John Fiedler did his first professional work in his native Wisconsin. Fiedler's many Broadway appearances included the 1960 play A Raisin in the Sun, in which he was the only Caucasian in a virtually all-black cast. His first film role was as the supplicative Juror No. 2 in Twelve Angry Men (1957). Fiedler's stock in trade was the meek-looking soul who compensated for his demeanor with a nasty temper or sadistic streak. In this capacity, he was often seen as vindictive school principals, obstreperous civil servants or combative psychiatric patients (vide TV's The Bob Newhart Show). Incredibly prolific in films and on television, John Fiedler's best-known role was Vinnie, Oscar Madison's card-playing crony in both the stage and screen versions of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A Puerto Rican youth is on trial for murder, accused of knifing his father to death. The twelve jurors retire to the jury room, having been admonished that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Eleven of the jurors vote for conviction, each for reasons of his own. The sole holdout is Juror #8, played by Henry Fonda. As Fonda persuades the weary jurors to re-examine the evidence, we learn the backstory of each man. Juror #3 (Lee J. Cobb), a bullying self-made man, has estranged himself from his own son. Juror #7 (Jack Warden) has an ingrained mistrust of foreigners; so, to a lesser extent, does Juror #6 (Edward Binns). Jurors #10 (Ed Begley) and #11 (George Voskovec), so certain of the infallibility of the Law, assume that if the boy was arrested, he must be guilty. Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall) is an advocate of dispassionate deductive reasoning. Juror #5 (Jack Klugman), like the defendant a product of "the streets," hopes that his guilty vote will distance himself from his past. Juror #12 (Robert Webber), an advertising man, doesn't understand anything that he can't package and market. And Jurors #1 (Martin Balsam), #2 (John Fiedler) and #9 (Joseph Sweeney), anxious not to make waves, "go with the flow." The excruciatingly hot day drags into an even hotter night; still, Fonda chips away at the guilty verdict, insisting that his fellow jurors bear in mind those words "reasonable doubt." A pet project of Henry Fonda's, Twelve Angry Men was his only foray into film production; the actor's partner in this venture was Reginald Rose, who wrote the 1954 television play on which the film was based. Carried over from the TV version was director Sidney Lumet, here making his feature-film debut. A flop when it first came out (surprisingly, since it cost almost nothing to make), Twelve Angry Men holds up beautifully when seen today. It was remade for television in 1997 by director William Friedkin with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, (more)
Sean Connery attempted to make a clean break from his "James Bond" image in the boisterous comedy A Fine Madness. Connery plays Samson Shillitoe, a Brendan Behan-like poet with a mile-wide misogynistic streak. Try as he might to complete his latest masterpiece, Shillitoe is constantly interrupted by the women in his life. Driven to a nervous breakdown, he seeks help from the medical establishment -- and ends up a babbling shell of his former self. The film takes scattered potshots at a repressive society that forces the truly creative among us into near-madness; at times, it is sidesplittingly funny, though never quite as potent as the Elliot Baker novel upon which it is based. Sean Connery is brilliant, but the public wanted James Bond to behave himself, thus the film didn't do as well at the box office as it should have. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Joanne Woodward, (more)
While this original movie version of Lorraine Hansberry's award-winning play may have dated somewhat, it was groundbreaking when first released in 1961, and a wealth of future plays, films, and TV productions have taken their lead from this socially conscious drama about a struggling African-American family. Lena Younger (Claudia McNeil) is a strong, proud woman who has raised a family in a crowded apartment on the South Side of Chicago. Her son Walter Lee (Sidney Poitier) works as a chauffeur; intelligent and ambitious but impulsive and often angry, he desperately wants to get ahead in a world that offers him few opportunities. His wife Ruth (Ruby Dee) takes in laundry to help make ends meet and watches over their son. Younger daughter Beneatha (Diana Sands) is a college student who wants to become a doctor and often speaks of searching for her cultural identity. On the death of her husband, Lena becomes the beneficiary of a $10,000 life insurance payment, and suddenly the family is in conflict over how the money should be spent. Lena wants to use the money for a down payment on a house. Beneatha is hoping that Lena will help her pay for medical school. And Walter Lee wants to go into business with friends who plan to open a liquor store, which he's convinced will be a sure money maker. The cast, nearly all reprising their roles from the original Broadway production, offers a collection of superb performances; also keep an eye peeled for a young Louis Gossett Jr. as George Murchison. While Daniel Petrie's direction never takes A Raisin in the Sun very far from its roots as a stage play, it captures the power and tension of a strong ensemble cast working with an intelligent and moving script. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, (more)
- 1961
While traveling through the tiny community of Bugletown, traveling salesman Leon Gorwald (John Fiedler) is arrested for jaywalking. A little later, Leon finds himself with a cellmate: a local mechanic (Richard Jaeckel) who is suspected of murdering a young girl. As a lynch mob gathers outside the jail, the desperate mechanic coldcocks Leon and changes clothes with him -- hoping that it will be Leon and not himself who is dragged outside and "strung up!" Graced with a deliciously nasty climactic twist, this episode earned an Emmy nomination for film editor Edward W. Williams. "Incident in a Small Jail" was remade as a segment of the pilot film for the Alfred Hitchcock Presents revival of 1985, with Ned Beatty as the hapless salesman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Business has been bad of late for mortician Amos Duff (John Fiedler), and things don't brighten up much when Marvin Foley (Ed Gardner) arranges the cheapest funeral possible for his late partner, Robert Kessler. Luckily for Duff, he figures out that Foley murdered Kessler, and is thus able to blackmail the man into paying for the lavish "Class-A Funeral." Foley agrees, figuring that he'll be able to double-cross Duff once the body is cremated...but the murderer hasn't taken into account Duff's thorough knowledge of what is flammable and what isn't. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Show-business hopeful Alice (Linda Lavin) is convinced that her big break has come when she is chosen to sing and dance in a commercial for Mel's Diner. Alas, the assignment requires Alice to hide much of her talent--and most of her body--under a huge, idiotic-looking hamburger costume. Though filmed as the third episode of Alice, this entry was held back until mid-March of 1977, ultimately airing as the Season One finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
The impressionable Vera (Beth Howland) has fallen in love again. This time the lucky man is Jerry (Tom Poston), a middle-aged mortician. But things may not be as idyllic as Vera imagines they are: there's a strong likelihood that Jerry is already married. Once Alice (Linda Lavin) is in possession of what she thinks are all the facts, she must figure out a way to gently break the news without once more breaking Vera's notoriously fragile heart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
"Bad" Ronald (Scott Jacoby) has been in hiding in a secret room ever since going off the deep end and killing a teenaged girl who'd made fun of him. Ronald's mother (Kim Hunter) helps her son to remain hidden, even when the house in which he is sequestered is rented by a family. As luck would have it, three of the family members are nubile young girls--perfect targets for the lonely, and looney, Ronald. In the original John Holbrook Vance novel on which this TV-movie is based, Ronald abducts, repeatedly rapes and ultimately kills two women. The video version of Bad Ronald is heavily laundered, but no less terrifying. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Jacoby, Pippa Scott, (more)
- 1972
In this crime drama, corporate thieves, plan to steal an experimental car that is being sent to Boston via rail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
In this first episode of a two-part story, Samantha's father, Maurice, gives Darrin a most unusual birthday present: a pocket watch, which endows Darrin with the powers of a warlock. Mired in another troublesome ad campaign, Darrin figures that it wouldn't hurt to try out his new magical skills just once. Unfortunately, witchcraft proves to be much more addictive than anyone could imagine. Written by Rick Mittleman, "Daddy Comes to Visit" first aired on November 20, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, (more)
- 1969
In the conclusion of a two-part story, an enchanted pocket watch has endowed Darrin with the powers of a warlock. Alas, Darrin's newfound magical skills have gone to his head, delighting Endora and Maurice, while devastating Samantha. Clearly, Sam's parents will have to be convinced that Darrin would be better off as a mortal. As it turns out, however, Darrin is not quite as intoxicated by his powers as it seems. Written by Rick Mittleman and Ed Jurist, "Darrin the Warlock" was originally telecast on November 27, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, (more)
- 1969
Hoping to match her cousin Samantha's happiness by marrying a mortal, Serena subscribes to The Human Equation, a computer-dating service run by Mr. Beams (John Fiedler). Constitutionally incapable of telling the truth on her application form, Serena is paired up with sophisticated Franklyn Blodgett (Lloyd Bochner). Though at first things look rosy for Serena, it turns out that her new match has not been made in heaven. Written by Michael Morris, "Marriage, Witch's Style" was originally broadcast on February 20, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, (more)
- 1967
John Fiedler guest stars as Fergus F. Finglehoff, a frog who has been transformed into man. Having fallen in love with a female amphibian, Fergus demands that Samantha return him to his original frog form, but only the witch who cast the spell in first place can do that. Sam's solution is to change Fergus' froggy girlfriend, Phoebe (Corin Camcho), into a human -- a bit of magic which, alas, does not alleviate the crisis. Written by Ruth Brooks Flippen, "Nobody but a Frog Knows How to Live" originally aired on April 27, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
- 1970
Samantha gives Darrin a magic amulet, which, when worn, forces Endora to be nice to him. When Endora discovers the source of her uncharacteristic good nature, she spitefully turns the tables on Sam and Darrin. Naturally, this fit of pique occurs just when Darrin is trying to curry favor with his latest client, greeting-card manufacturer Augustus Sunhsine (John Fiedler). Originally telecast on April 9, 1970, "Turn on the Old Charm" was written by Richard Baer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, (more)
- 1963
Perennial loser Claude Miller (John Fiedler) becomes a winner overnight when he strikes a rich silver lode. Determined to get even with the people who had previously subjected him to ridicule, Claude buys out his tormentors' mortgages. Alas, once a loser, always a loser: Claude's plans for revenge are undermined by his new partner, a crooked deputy. The supporting cast includes Florence Sundstrom as Daisy, J. Pat O'Malley as Clancy, Jay Lanin as Slauson, Ken Mayer as Tarbosh, and Ken Drake as Claude. First shown on May 12, 1963, "Rich Man, Poor Man" was scripted by Richard P. McDonagh and Barbara and Milton Merlin, from a story by Arnold Belgard and Robert Fresco. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1971
William Conrad stars as corpulent private eye Frank Cannon in this 2-hour pilot for the subsequent Cannon series. He responds to a plea for assistance from ex-flame Vera Miles (an actress who was in practically every pilot film made between 1965 and 1975). She is the prime suspect in the murder of her husband, and has also become the target of vicious anonymous phone calls. Cannon's investigation unearths a hotbed of small-town corruption. Cannon was first telecast March 26, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Conrad
- 1982
Rabid Red Sox booster Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) gets steamed when boorish Yankees fan Ed Kellner (Ron Karabatsos) drops in at Cheers. So inflammatory are Ed's abrasive anti-Boston insults that Carla ends up slugging the guy. As a result, Ed threatens to slap an enormous lawsuit on Sam (Ted Danson) unless Carla is immediately fired. But never fear, there's a "sweet revenge" finale in this classic episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
It goes without saying that the 1973 TV-movie version of Double Indemnity doesn't come within shouting distance of the classic 1944 theatrical-movie version. Still, the basic story is a solid one, and the actors are eager to please. Richard Crenna plays the old Fred MacMurray role of Walter Neff, the slightly larcenous insurance salesman inveigled into an elaborate murder/fraud scheme by sexy Phyllis Dietrichson (Samantha Eggar, replacing the 1944 version's Barbara Stanwyck). The scheme almost goes off without a hitch, but Walter's boss Barton Keyes (Lee J. Cobb; originally Edward G. Robinson) has this "stinking" hunch-and besides, you can't trust Phyllis as far as you can throw her. Originally telecast October 13, 1973, Double Indemnity is based on the Raymond Chandler-Billy Wilder script for the 1944 film, which in turn was adapted from James M. Cain's Three of a Kind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
When an aging philanthropist falls on hard times, her butler starts to rob the rich so that she can keep on giving to the poor in this comedy. Claude Fitzwilliam (Dick Van Dyke), known to his friends as "Fitzwilly," works as a butler for Victoria Woodworth (Edith Evans), who -- ever since the death of her husband -- has been using her inheritance to benefit her favorite charitable causes. However, no one has the heart to tell Mrs. Woodworth that she doesn't have much money left, and to compensate for the shortfall brought on by her philanthropy, Fitzwilly and his fellow domestics have been pulling a series of robberies at department stores. When Mrs. Woodworth gets the idea of compiling "A Dictionary for Dopes," which indexes phonetic spellings of commonly misspelled words, she hires Juliet Nowell (Barbara Feldon) to help on the project as a secretary. Juliet senses that there's something fishy about Fitzwilly, especially when she finds out that he has a college education but earns a meager salary as a butler, and she imagines the worst when she finds out about his criminal activities. Watch for Sam Waterston in a small role; this was his first film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, (more)
One of Elvis Presley's most popular vehicles, Girl Happy is also one of the most typical. Elvis plays Rusty Wells, the leader of a four-piece rock group, consisting of Gary Crosby, Joby Baker and Jimmy Hawkins. Hired by Chicago gangster boss Big Frank (Harold J. Stone) to protect the virtue of Frank's cute daughter Valerie (Shelley Fabares), Rusty and his buddies follow Valerie to Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break. The girl falls in love with Rusty, then falls out of love when she learns that he's in her dad's employ. Valerie then becomes involved with a slick Italian playboy (Fabrizio Mioni), forcing Rusty to break up the romance lest he end up in a cement overcoat. It all ends happily, of course: after all, Elvis hadn't died on screen since Flaming Star. A bikini-watcher's dream, Girl Happy is less successful as a musical; of the many songs, the title number is the only one with lasting value. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, (more)
- 1964
Guns of Diablo was cobbled together from two episodes of the TV series The Travels of Jamie McPheeters. 14-year-old Kurt Russell plays Jamie, an orphaned boy heading westward with a wagon train. Charles Bronson tops the cast as wagon scout Linc Murdock, who runs into difficulties when he meets old flame Maria (Susan Oliver), who is now married to corrupt lawman Rance Macklin (Jan Merlin). The jealous Macklin has Murdock arrested, but Maria frees him, permitting Murdock and Jamie to embark on a new adventure involving a "lost" gold mine. Curiously, Dan O'Herlihy, Kurt Russell's costar on Travels of Jamie McPheeters, does not appear in this ersatz feature. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Susan Oliver, (more)
- 1958
Adapted by Sally Benson (Meet Me in St. Louis) from the novel by Mary Mapes Dodge, this dazzling musical version of Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates) stars 1950s Hollywood heartthrob Tab Hunter in the title role (as Hans, not the Skates). Living in a small Dutch village, Hans yearns to compete in an upcoming ice-skating competition, for a grand prize of 500 guilders and a gleaming new pair of silver skates. Also, all poor Hans and his sister Trinka (Ellie Sommers) have to their name is two pair of crude wooden skates. Making matters worse, the Brinker family has been living in poverty ever since Hans' father (Ralph Roberts lost his mind while trying to save the local population from a burst dyke. But though Hans is certain that things will never get better, his erstwhile sweetheart, the wealthy Rychie Van Gleck (Peggy King), has faith in both Hans and his future. While the songs in this production, written by Hugh Martin, are rather unremarkable and a bit silly at times (notably the production number "Clop, Clop, Clop", wherein the chorus does a dance in wooden shoes), Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates" is redeemed by a talented supporting cast, including Basil Rathbone (complete with German accent) as the crusty-but-lovable Dr. Boekman, opera diva Jarmila Novotna as Hans' mother, and Olympic skating champ Dick Button as Rychie's brother Peter (in fact, it is Button who steals the show with some astonishing figure skating). Originally telecast live and in color, this 90-minute extravaganza was presented as a Hallmark Hall of Fame special. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Peggy King, (more)
This low-budget expansion of the popular Tom T. Hall/Jeannie C. Riley song "Harper Valley PTA" is surprisingly good, boasting lively performances by star Barbara Eden and everybody else in the cast. Eden plays Stella Johnson, a widowed single mom whose gaudy makeup, miniskirts and tight jeans are a source of scandal for the smug, self-righteous members of the local PTA. Forced to leave town with her teenaged daughter Dee (Susan Swift), Stella gets revenge with photographic evidence revealing the sexual peccadilloes and drunken misbehavior of the oh-so-righteous PTA members. The supporting cast includes such seasoned comic pros as Nanette Fabray, Louis Nye, Pat Paulsen and Audrey Christie, all performing above and beyond the call of duty. A weekly-TV version of Harper Valley PTA, also starring Barbara Eden, soon followed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Ronny Cox, (more)
