David P. Harmon Movies
- 1981
The seven stranded castaways find comical chaos when an insane scientist, his trusty sidekick and the title basketball tricksters, playing robots visit their tropic island nest in this third in a series of made-for-television films based on the enduring early '60s sitcom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Eleven years after the network cancellation of Gilligan's Island, the crew and passengers of the ill-fated S. S. Minnow returned to the small screen in Rescue from Gilligan's Island. The cast remains the same, with one significant change. Bob Denver plays inveterate bumbler Gilligan, Alan Hale is the long-suffering Skipper, Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer are the fabulously wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III, Russell Johnson is the resourceful Professor, and Dawn Wells, as perky as ever, is Mary Ann. Tina Louise wanted no part of any Gilligan's Island reunion, so her role-perennial starlet Ginger Grant-is filled by Judith Baldwyn. The premise: a huge tidal wave transports the seven castaways back to civilization. While they're thrilled to be back in the real world, none of the seven are able to adjust to life outside the island....least of all Gilligan, who on top of all his other problems must contend with a pair of enemy agents (Vincent Schiavelli and Art LeFleur). Conceived as a two-hour pilot film for a weekly revival that never materialized, Rescue from Gilligan's Island was originally telecast in two ratings-grabbing 60 minute installments, shown on October 14 and 21, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
En route to testify before a Senate committee, syndicate snitch Vincent Ritchie (Paul Stevens) is seriously wounded in an ambush. Ritchie is rushed to a hospital, where he is kept under constant surveillance by the SWAT team while he undergoes life-saving surgery. Meanwhile, Ritchie's mob "pals" are intent upon invading the operating room to take him out permanently -- and never mind who else gets killed in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Forrest, Rod Perry, (more)
While bound for London from New York, the occupants of a 747 are terrorized by a mad bomber. The jet's pilot (Robert Stack) and several brave passengers must thwart the plot. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The team infiltrates a hotel where a gangland convention is being held. While Mark (Don Mitchell) and Ed (Don Galloway) go undercover as thugs, Ironside (Raymond Burr) poses as a visiting businessman. Their purpose: to thwart the efforts of mob kingpin Harry Blocker (Pernell Roberts) to unify all California criminals under a single, all-powerful leader--himself. Though filmed for Ironside's eighth season, this episode remained unshown when the series was abruptly cancelled by NBC in January of 1975, and would not be aired until the show went into syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
This episode focuses on Lt. Carl Reese, the police-inspector friend of Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) who is played on a recurring basis by Johnny Seven. Shortly after five pounds of heroin disappears while in the custody of Reese and his partner Don Borden (Sandy Ward), Borden is killed in a mysterious accident. Now Reese himself is suspected of collaborating with the drug dealers, and a swift conviction would seem to be a foregone conclusion. Despite the formidable opposition of the DA's office, Ironside is determined to clear Reese's name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In order to run for public office, George Jefferson must have all his neighbors sign a petition in his favor. Yes, all the neighbors -- including Archie Bunker. But what will Archie demand in return for his support of George's political aspirations? It was clear when "George and Archie Make a Deal" first aired on November 30, 1974, that Sherman Hemsley (George Jefferson) had outgrown his supporting-player status and would soon have a series of his own. This particular episode was written by David P. Harmon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Three armed criminals invade a bank, take everyone inside hostage, and nervously await the arrival of a payroll truck. Among the hostages is Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), who hopes to take advantage of the robbers' internal squabbling in order to play one against the other--but the thieves may be a bit too smart to fall for that trick. Reportedly based on a true story, this episode features a young actress named Kathleen Gackle, better known in later years as Kathleen Lloyd. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
No one in the police department seems to care too much when call girl Wanda Bolen (Tisha Sterling) turns up murdered. All this changes when Chief Ironside meets and befriends the girl's elderly, grief-stricken father (Titos Vandis). Making it his personal crusade to bring Wanda's killer to justice, the Chief must forge a temporary truce with the pimps and hookers who may be able to provide him with the necessary leads. This episode features an orginal song by Marty and David Paich, "Money Girl", sung by Carol Carmichael). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Killer by Night is reminiscent of such early 1950s film noir exercises as The Killer That Stalked New York and Panic in the Streets. The police of a large city are plagued with two crises at once: A diphtheria epidemic and a triple murderer. With the help of health officials Robert Wagner and Diane Baker the authorities narrow down the source of both the disease and the murders as being the selfsame person. The problem: To track him down with only a skeleton police force at hand. Killer by Night manages to create a claustrophobic, paranoid atmosphere with only a minimum of 1970s-style camera trickery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Filmed in Spain, this TV movie stars Janet Leigh as an American woman honeymooning with her new husband. She awakens after the wedding night, only to be confronted with a stranger who insists that he's her husband. Leigh goes to the authorities, who unfortunately believe the ersatz husband's story. Or perhaps it's not as unfortunate as it seems...because Leigh herself is not all she seems. The central plot twist in Honeymoon With a Stranger was reworked into several subsequent TV-movies, until overuse robbed the twist of any surprise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The castaways discover that Gilligan (Bob Denver) is secretly keeping a diary. This leads to several flashbacks to the day that the island was invaded by a Japanese soldier (Vito Scotti) who didn't know that WW2 was over (as chronicled in the previous episode "So Sorry, My Island Now." In their efforts to get Gilligan to write down the true story of the fateful day, each one of the castaways comes up with his or her version of the events--and in each case, the "truth" is wildly exaggerated. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti
- 1965
When Gilligan digs up a strange-looking gemstone, the Skipper is certain that the stone has magical powers. In fact, the Skipper tells Gilligan that if he makes three wishes before sundown, all three will come true. After wasting the first two wishes on ice cream, Gilligan is determined to make the third wish count--and as the sun sets in the west and the other Castaways gather around him, Gilligan closes his eyes and shouts "I wish we were off the island!" (Too bad he couldn't have been more specific, however). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Harold J. Stone guest stars as Alexi Gregor Dubov, an eccentric painter who has arrived on the island to escape civilization. It turns out that Dubov has a short-wave radio transmitter--but he has no intention of using it to help the castaways get of the island. In an effort to force Dubov to contact the mainland, the castaways devise a devastating blow to the painter's ego by convincing him that goofy Gilligan (Bob Denver) is an artistic genius. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harold J. Stone
- 1965
In a real acting stretch, Zsa Zsa Gabor appears in this episode as jet-setting playgirl Erika Tiffany Smith. Alighting on the island in her private helicopter, Erika raises hopes amongst the Castaways that they will soon be rescued. Well, not quite THAT soon: First, Erika intends to use the island as the site for a new luxury resort--and second, she plans to bag the Professor (Russell Johnson) as her latest husband! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zsa Zsa Gabor, Michael Whitney, (more)
- 1965
Versatile character actor Vito Scotti guest stars as a Japanese soldier who has been piloting the local waters in his one-man submarine for twenty years, unaware that WW2 is over. Bobbing to the surface, the soldier "captures" the island and takes the castaways prisoner, locking them in a makeshift jail booby-trapped with hand grenades. It is up to Gilligan (Bob Denver) to rescue his companions without getting blown up in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti
- 1964
An Italian count is willing to do almost anything to win the hand of a beautiful woman in this drama. The trouble begins after he invites the woman, an art appraiser, and her partner to his villa on the Italian Riviera to examine some art treasures. The count immediately tries to seduce the woman, but she is not interested in him. To convince her to marry her, he then tries to tell her that his crazy wife is really his daughter. A murder ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley Jones, Rossano Brazzi, (more)
- 1962
Janos Willinski (Robert Emhardt), Julie Vernon (Herschel Bernardi) and Frankie Gruder (Don Gordon) have hit upon a brilliant scheme to extract money from the Syndicate. The three crooks begin turning in minor hoodlums to Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) and the Feds in order to take the heat off the Big Boys--whereupon they charge hefty protection fees to the Syndicate higher-ups. Hoping to prove that the trio's phony employment agency, Nationel Personnel Services, is actually a recruiting office for down-and-outers willing to be "fall guys", Ness finally gets his chance in the form of washed-up Mob chieftan Big Joe Hovack (Jay C. Flippen). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
This long, 135-minute feature is divided into four different segments, three highlighting fairy tales and the first introducing the two Brothers Grimm. Wilhelm (Laurence Harvey) is the dreamer, and Jacob (Karl Boehm) is the practical one, and between them, some marvelous fairy tales develop. Seguing into the first tale about the "Dancing Princess," co-directors Henry Levin and George Pal -- also the producer -- allow their special-effects artists full rein. In-between dancing, the princess (Yvette Mimieux) falls in love with a charming woodsman (Russ Tamblyn). In the second story about the "Cobbler and the Elves," a Christmas miracle of dedicated labor helps the cobbler out when he most needs it. In the last story, a fire-breathing dragon threatens the kingdom until a lowly servant (Buddy Hackett) saves the day. One of the highlights of this production are the Puppetoons, and another is Cinerama -- three projectors working to create a three-paneled (sometimes visibly so), wide-screen panorama. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, (more)
- 1961
In the 15th episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, John (Tom Tryon) has vowed to permanently hang up his guns and live a peaceful life as a cattle rancher and family man. But upon learning that his old enemy Billy Soto (R.G. Armstrong) is rustling his cattle, John prepares to settle matters with hot lead. Persuaded by his wife, Viola (Betty Lynn), to seek a more peaceful solution, John agrees to file a complaint against Soto with Tombstone's Sheriff Hatch. As usual, however, one thing leads to another, and before long, Slaughter himself has pinned on the sheriff's badge. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents antholgy, "A Holster Full of Law" was released as a theatrical feature in 1966, its running time padded with footage from the subsequent episodes "A Trip to Tucson" and "Frank Clell's in Town." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In the 14th episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, John (Tom Tryon) is summoned by General Miles (Onslow Stevens) to aid the cavalry in tracking down the elusive renegade Apache Geronimo (Pat Hogan). The two men are assisted by John's old Texas Rangers comrade Ben Jenkins (Harry Carey Jr.), now serving as a cavalry corporal (it must have been "old home week" for actor Carey, who had previously donned a cavalry uniform in several John Ford Westerns). Originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "The End of the Trail" and the 1960 episode "Geronimo's Revenge" were edited together in 1964 and released theatrically overseas as a "feature film," also titled Geronimo's Revenge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the 13th episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, John (Tom Tryon) finds himself in the uncomfortable position of mediating an argument between his son Willie (Brian Corcoran) and his new bride Viola (Betty Lynn). This domestic disturbance is temporarily shelved when word arrives that Apache marauders are killing the local ranchers' cattle. Hoping to stem this wave of terror, John pays a visit to his Indian friend Natchez (Jay Silverheels), who is now chief of the Apaches. Alas, the situation is beyond Natchez' control; the person responsible for the present crisis is the renegade Geronimo (Pat Hogan). Much against the wishes of his family, John tries to bring Geronimo out into the open by challenging the Apache to mortal combat. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "Geronimo's Revenge" and the 1961 episode "The End of the Trail" were edited together in 1964 and released theatrically overseas as a "feature film," also titled Geronimo's Revenge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the 12th episode of Walt Disney's 17-part miniseries Tales of Texas John Slaughter, widower John (Tom Tryon) has finally wed the lovely Viola Howell (Betty Lynn), thus providing a mother for his children Willie (Brian Corcoran) and Addy (Patricia Gorman). En route to register his land claim, John rescues his old friend Ashley Carstairs (Darryl Hickman) from ambushers. Having returned to Tombstone to deliver the two Kentucky Thoroughbred horses that he promised John a few episodes back, Ashley proves to be much more short-tempered and quicker to use his guns than before. Fueling Ashley's anger is the fact that he himself was once in love with John's new bride Viola. "Kentucky Gunslick" first aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
