Larry Hagman Movies

Having proven itself as a viewer magnet during its five-episode trial in the spring of 1978, the multi-plotted prime-time serial Dallas launched its second season (and its first "full" one) in the fall of that same year, though it would not be until the series was moved from Saturday to Friday night that it would begin its rapid upward climb in the ratings. Already established as the series' antihero is the charming but thoroughly untrustworthy J.R. Ewing, eldest son of Texas oil millionaire Jock Ewing (Jim Davis) and his wife, Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes). Throughout the second season, J.R. carries on a two-pronged battle, not only feuding with the politically ambitious Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval), the son of Jock's hated rival Digger Barnes (played briefly by David Wayne before the role is taken over by Keenan Wynn), but also engaging in a fierce power struggle over control of Ewing Oil with his honest younger brother, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) -- who happens to be married to Cliff's sister, Pam (Victoria Principal). This season marks the first appearance by J.R. and Bobby's other brother, Gary, played in the first three episodes of the year by David Ackroyd, who would be replaced by Ted Shackelford when it was decided to spin Gary and his wife, Valene (Joan Van Ark), into their own series, Knots Landing.

Perceiving Gary as a threat, J.R. connives to get Gary's daughter Lucy (Charlene Tilton) to move out of the family mansion, Southfork; however, many of his schemes come a cropper, such as his plan to marry off Lucy to millionaire Kit Mainwaring (Mark Wheeler) -- who turns out to be gay. J.R. also does his best to undermine Bobby by trying to break up his marriage to Pamela. This may not be too difficult, inasmuch as Bobby is considerably put out when he discovers that Pam was married before, to Vietnam veteran Ed Haynes (Robin Clarke). Meanwhile, J.R.'s troubled wife, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), worried that Pam will bear a child before she will, embarks upon a "conception race" with her sister-in-law. Also, the viewer is introduced to Pam's mother, Patricia (Martha Scott), and her younger sister Kristin, played in two episodes this season by Colleen Camp (the role would be taken over on a permanent basis by Mary Crosby in season three). Almost immediately upon arrival, Kristin makes a play for Bobby -- which of course delights the devious J.R. In other developments, Morgan Fairchild makes her one and only appearance as Bobby's old flame Jenna Wade, a role that would ultimately be played, as a "regular," by Priscilla Presley. Miss Ellie faces a crisis when her presumed-dead brother, Garrison (Gene Evans), shows up, insisting that he is rightful owner of Southfork; Susan Howard is introduced as the politically well-connected Donna Culver, who proceeds to cheat on her husband with Southfork's sullen and secretive manager, Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly); and after facing political ruin at the hands of J.R., Cliff Barnes steps up his vendetta against the "man you love to hate." As the season rushes to a close, a pregnant Sue Ellen is rushed to the hospital to bear a son, John Ross Ewing III -- but J.R., who doesn't trust his wife any farther than he can throw her (he's already tried to have her locked away in a sanitarium), is convinced that his rival Cliff is the baby's father! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Initially telecast September 9, 1978, A Double Life was the pilot film for the weekly TV series Sword of Justice. Dack Rambo stars as Jeff Cole, who has just spent three years in prison after being framed on an embezzlement charge. Swearing vengeance against the actual crook -- who was also responsible for his father's death -- Cole devotes his post-prison life to bringing to justice criminals beyond the reach of the life. Having learned a great deal about such underhanded activities as electronic bugging and lock-picking while in stir, Cole utilizes these talents for good rather than evil (shades of It Takes a Thief--and no wonder, since Glen A. Larson produced both series). Aiding Cole in his mission is his ex-cellmate Hector Ramirez (Bert Rosario), while federal agent Arthur Woods (Alex Courtney) spends most of his time trying to second-guess the elusive hero. Sword of Justice remained on the NBC prime time schedule until August 11, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Made for television, this little gem was based on a novel by Patrick Anderson. The title character, the sister of a government courier, barely has time to acquaint herself with the audience before she is murdered - leading us to wonder who did it, and if it is, in fact, true that the dead woman was a Soviet spy. Beau Bridges, Karen Grassle, Susan Blanchard, Larry Hagman, Don Porter and Gail Strickland are among those present. The President's Mistress was "World Premiered" on February 10, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of four miniseries comprising NBC's Best Sellers anthology, The Rhinemann Exchange was adapted from the Robert Ludlum novel of the same name. Stephen Collins stars as American intelligence officer David Spaulding, who under cover of his musician father's concert tours embarks upon a number of fact-finding missions in Europe just before WW2. Once hostilities break out, Spaulding relocates to Aergentina, there to exchange industrial diamonds for a secret gyroscope needed for the American war effort. Naturally, the Nazis are equally interested in those diamonds, putting Spaulding in any number of perilous predicaments. Lauren Hutton costars as Leslie Hawkewood, one of those ravishing "mystery women" so common to espionage fiction. Originally running 5 hours and telecast in three segments on March 10, 17, and 24, 1977, The Rhinemann Exchange was later rebroadcast as a four-hour, two-part "TV movie." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Beth (Gretchen Corbett) asks Jim (James Garner) a favor on behalf of her current client (and her onetime college rival) Susan Kenniston (Margaret Impert). Jim is to check up on Richard Lessing (a pre-Dallas Larry Hagman) the principal investor in a suspicious-looking undersea research project in which Susan is involved. When murder rears its ugly head, both Jim and Susan find themselves in the direst of dire peril. This is the episode in which Jim's girlfriend Beth makes a crucial career decision which not only changes her life but also precipitates the exit of series regular Gretchen Corbett. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Larry Hagman stars as an incompetent New York motorcycle cop who suffers a head injury. Upon awakening, he's convinced that he is actually Sherlock Holmes, on the trail of the elusive Professor Moriarity. Jenny O'Hara plays a psychologist named Watson, who of course finds herself the would-be Sherlock's assistant. As it happens, the ersatz Holmes manages to solve a genuine mystery, and at the end it appears that he and Watson will continue to operate as a team. At least, that's what the producers hoped when they filmed this movie-length pilot for a potential TV series. Like most Sherlock Holmes spoofs, The Return of the World's Greatest Detective (aka Alias Sherlock Holmes) didn't sell, though the real Holmes (in a manner of speaking) enjoyed a 1980s renaissance on British television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Sturges directed this taut adaptation of Jack Higgins' suspense novel about an attempted kidnapping of Winston Churchill by the German high command during World War II. When it is discovered that in November 1943 Winston Churchill is scheduled to spend a weekend in a country home in Norfolk, the Germans plan to kidnap him. Heinrich Himmler (Donald Pleasence), under orders from Hitler, assigns Nazi colonel Max Radl (Robert Duvall) the chore of sneaking the English-hating Irishman Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland) into the British countryside and arranging for a 16-man task force to be parachuted into the English country town of Sudley Constable, under the auspices of Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine). The efficient planning works too well, and before long their exactingly perfect timetable begins to come apart. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The Big Rip-Off was the pilot film for Tony Curtis' shortlived TV series McCoy. Curtis plays a sly but basically decent con artist who is engaged to recover $250,000 in ransom money from a recent high-society kidnapping. In the tradition of The Sting, Curtis uses scam tactics to get the money back--all the while keeping one step ahead from his own mobster creditors. Roscoe Lee Browne costars as Curtis' loyal assistant, a nightclub comedian, while Brenda Vaccaro guests as an investigate reporter who assists in the sting. When McCoy graduated to series status in the fall of 1975, Curtis and Browne were back, but Vaccaro was off to her own series, Sara. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A post-I Dream of Jeannie, pre-Dallas Larry Hagman guest stars as Terry Vine, the smarmy host of a radio advice show. Enjoying the idolatry of his many female fans, Vine begins dating one of them, who after he proves himself to be a louse threatens him with exposure. Shortly afterward, the woman is found murdered--and Vine is targeted by Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) as the Number One Suspect. Ingredients essential to the story include a second murder--not to mention a delicious comeuppance for the two-timing Terry Vine! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This comedy western is the failed pilot for a TV series based on the 1971 feature film Skin Game. Like the original, this tells the story of two bungling con artists, one white the other black, who ride around trying to collect an outlaw bounty and outsmart slave traders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide