Stephen Kandel Movies

Richard Thomas stars as country music star Hank Williams Jr. in this made-for-TV biopic, based on Williams' own memoirs. Williams wasn't yet four years old when his father, the legendary country singer/songwriter Hank Williams, died en route to a show. By the time he was eight, his mother, Audrey (Allyn Ann McLerie), had put Hank Jr. on-stage, singing his father's songs as a novelty act. As a teenager, Williams was signed to a recording contract, still specializing in his father's material. Williams made a respectable living in the music business, but he longed to create a musical identity of his own. Williams' struggle to come out from under the long shadow of his father's legacy was a difficult one, and it took a prolonged bout with alcoholism, an unsuccessful suicide attempt, and a near-fatal fall while mountain climbing before Williams was able to come to terms with his father's reputation, forging a country-rock style all his own and finding success on his own terms. Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story also features Williams' long-time manager and friend Merle Kilgore as himself; country star Naomi Judd also makes a cameo appearance as one of Hank's many one-night romances on the road, and a 14-year-old Christian Slater plays Hank's son. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The "broken promise" was made to eleven-year-old Melissa Michaelsen, whose parents have deserted her and her siblings. Taken in by the County, Michaelsen has had to watch helplessly as her brothers and sisters are split up and farmed out to different families. One of the kids is even institutionalized. Juvenile court officer Chris Sarandon joins Michaelsen in her struggle to reunite her family under one roof. Broken Promise was originally offered as a "General Foods Golden Showcase" presentation. It was first telecast May 5, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Mel Tillis, who'd later show up as "himself" on Dukes of Hazzard, is here cast as horse-farm owner Burl Tolliver. Mr. Tolliver owns an extraordinarily fast stallion, which Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) plans to steal and enter in the "Mrs. J.D. Hogg Stake Race"--after framing Bo (John Schneider) and Duke (Tom Wopat) for the crime, of course. Unfortunately for all concerned, the prize horse has also attracted the attention of some professional rustlers who have a bad habit of killing people. Seen as Burl Tolliver's wife Sherri is Dorothy Collier, who later married series regular James Best (Roscoe P. Coltrane). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this made-for-TV thriller, a vacation for two men turns deadly when their wives are kidnapped by several escaped convicts. ~ John Bush, Rovi

The IMF again invades the world of professional boxing to get the goods on crooked sports promoter Paul Mitchell (William Windom) and his Syndicate boss Jay Braddock (Joe Braddock). Terrified by Braddock's homicidal tendencies, Mitchell is on the verge of turning informer, but he needs a little dose of incentive. Thus, IMF agent Casey poses as Mitchell's daughter Susan (Jennifer Shaw) as part of a divide-and-conquer strategy aimed at utterly destroying Braddock. First broadcast on February 9, 1973, "The Fighter" was scripted by Stephen Kandel and Nicholas E. Bashr, from a story by Orville H. Hampton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Elizabeth Ashley, whose guest-star turn as a pathetic alcoholic on the sixth-season Mission:Impossible episode "Encounter" won her the praise of critics and viewers alike, again tackles a difficult and demanding role in the seventh-season entry "The Question." This time, Ashley is cast as IMF agent Andrea, who poses as an operative of the "Federal Intelligence Service" to find out if alleged defector Nicholas Varsi (Gary Lockwood) is telling the truth to his Federal captors. George O'Hanlon, best known to TV fans as the voice of cartoon favorite George Jetson, appears as Captain Douglas. First broadcast on January 19, 1973, "The Question" was written by Stephen Kandel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While stealing computerized Syndicate secrets, minor hoodlum Tom Bachman (George Maharis) injures mob chieftan Matt Drake. With Drake hot on his trail, Bachman escapes to the jungles of Mexico --- where the IMF is waiting for him. Hoping to extract the aformentioned secrets from the fugitive crook, the IMF agents convince him that he has stumbled upon the fabled Fountain of Youth, which explains why Phelps, Willy, and Casey are made up to look like senior citizens. But if they don't get the necessary information before Drake catches up with Bachman, no one will grow any older. Written by Stephen Kandel, "The Fountain" first aired on January 26, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Syndicate boss Charles Rogan (Robert Webber) has salted away $5,000,000 in order to finance a mob-benefiting political coup in the Carribean nation of Camagua. Commandeering a Navy patrol boat, the IMF stages a characteristically elaborate scam (including the "murder" of agent Barney) in order to locate the key to Rogan's hidden millions. Barbara Anderson makes her second appearance as temporary IMF agent Mimi Davis. Originally telecast on September 30, 1972, "The Deal" was scripted by George F. Slavin and Stephen Kandel, from a story by Slavin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ironside (Raymond Burr) has trouble believing that Samantha Dain (Marcia Strassman), a famous folksinger who sent him a cheer-up note during his convalescence, has committed suicide by leaping from a tall building. Suspecting that Samantha was murdered, Ironside conducts his own investigation--and unearths a sordid tale of drug addiction, depression and despair. In a true "sign of the times" moment, one sequence takes place in a discotheque called "The Psychedelic Daffodil", clearly inspired by the popular LA nightspot The Daisy. Actor-librettist George Furth, who later who the book for the Broadway musical "Company", appears as Ray Harrison. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dale Robertson stars as Ben Calhoun, a cagey professional gambler in the west of the 1870s. After an unusually successful card game in Kansas City, Calhoun finds that his opponent has no ready cash. Instead, the gambler wins ownership of the Buffalo Pass, Scalplock and Defiance Railroad. Calhoun soons learns that his prize is no prize--the railroad is plagued by bandits, Indians, bad track, and rival railroad barons who'd like nothing better than to see Calhoun fail. First telecast on The ABC Sunday Night Movie on April 10, 1966, Scalplock was the pilot film for Dale Robertson's subsequent series The Iron Horse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Future movie executive Tony Bill guest-stars as Gary Shaw, an American jet fuel scientist. In concert with agents Kelly and Scotty, Gary pretends to be a traitor, the better to fall into enemy hands and to impart phony information. The plan is bollixed up by Gary's father (Austin Willis, a rabidly patriotic Army general who believes that his son is a genuine turncoat. Largely filmed on location in Italy, "Father Abraham" was written by Stephen Kandel; the episode was originally telecast on December 21, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While in Venice, Kelly bumps into his hometown orthodontist Dr. Mattison (Bud Williams), who introduces him to Giana Paluzzi (Barbara Steele), a sexy Italian tour guide. Eagerly engaging Giana's services, Kelly inadvertently seals the doom of several fellow secret agents, and also prompts his partner Scotty to conclude that Kelly has gone over to the Other Side. The "maguffin" in this story is an expensive wristwatch-which happens to be bugged. Written by Stephen Kandel, "Bridge of Spies" originally aired on November 9, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi