Barbara Rush Movies
Fresh out of the University of California, sprightly Colorado-born actress Barbara Rush attended the Pasadena Playhouse, walking several miles to and from her classes to save up enough money for her tuition. Before launching her film career, she married actor Jeffrey Hunter, the first of two desultory unions. She became a favorite of little boys of all ages due to her leading-lady stints in two of the most influential science fiction films of the 1950s, When Worlds Collide (1951) and It Came From Outer Space (1953). After biding her time in idiotic programmers like Prince of Pirates (1953), she emerged as an A-list leading lady at the major studios, adept at both comedy (Oh Men! Oh Women! [1957]) and drama (The Young Lions [1958]). Easing into character parts in the 1960s, Rush was often cast as viper-tongued shrews, cheating wives, and abrasive alcoholics. She also surprised many of her fans by appearing as "special guest villain" Nora Clavicle on an outrageous 1968 episode of Batman, which proposed that the miniskirted policewomen of Gotham City could be cowed into submission simply by releasing mice into the community. Though she hasn't been seen in many films in later years, Barbara Rush has continued to flourish as a stage actress and TV guest star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1990
In the made-for-television film Web of Deceit, a West coast lawyer (Linda Purl) returns to her hometown of Atlanta to defend an unfairly accused teenager (Paul de Souza) of rape and murder. As she investigates the case, she re-ignites an old love affair with the prosecuting attorney, who just may be a suspect in the killing himself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Purl, James Read, (more)
- 1989
This is an ABC News documentary which was hosted by Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer, giving the viewer a guided tour through the White House with George and Barbara Bush, viewing the historical rooms and the priceless antiques and works of art throughout the mansion. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1987
The first episode of Murder, She Wrote's fourth season is partially filmed on location in Paris. Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) has arrived in the City of Light to witness the first major presentation of an old friend, now a fashion designer. Our heroine's pleasure becomes business when a loan shark is murdered and Jessica's financially-strapped friend is accused of the crime. Despite all this intrigue, guest star Juliet Prowse finds time to sing a medley of such Gallic favorites as "La Vie en Rose." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Barbara Rush guest stars as Magnum's beloved Aunt Phoebe, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright known for her extremely vivid imagination. When Phoebe insists that she is being stalked by a murderer, Magnum (Tom Selleck) wonders if the old dear is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimers'. As it turns out, she is--but that doesn't necessarily mean that her life isn't in danger. As an added complication, Magnum must do all of his investigating on the sly: thanks to a bureaucratic oversight, his detective's license has expired. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
As a personal favor, Deputy DA Carol Baldwin (Kathleen Lloyd) asks Magnum (Tom Selleck) to investigate the alleged murder of a young mother, a death witnessed by the victim's little daughter. It is highly possible that the woman committed suicide and that the main suspect may be guilty of an even worse crime, but Carol hopes to spare the youthful witness the trauma of testifying. But how can Magnum get his job done now that he has been deprived the use of Robin Masters' Ferrari? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Set upon a romantic Greek island, this drama chronicles the experiences of a pair of young American adults who go there for summer vacation. Their idyll is interrupted by a sexy archaeologist who has come there to work on a dig. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Gallagher, Daryl Hannah, (more)
- 1980
In this disaster movie, eight people stranded on a bridge find their lives jeopardized after a collision has caused the unstable structure to collapse. One of the eight is a bank robber on the lam. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Ever anxious to enter the "nighttime serial" market engendered by Dallas, NBC commissioned Flamingo Road, a casual remake of the 1949 Joan Crawford film of the same name. The TV-movie pilot, which aired in May of 1980, introduces the dramatiis personae. Howard Duff plays the corrupt political boss of a small Florida town (a role originated by Sidney Greenstreet in 1949). Cristina Raines is the Crawford counterpart, a faded nightclub singer who wanders into Duff's town and upsets the political and social apple cart by shacking up with a local contract (John Beck). Duff tries to destroy Raines by dredging up her past, to no avail. When Flamingo Road became a series in 1981, it manage to hang by its fingertips in the ratings for eighteen months. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Glitz producer Allan Carr tries to cash in on the late-'70s disco boom with Can't Stop the Music -- a film of such Brobdingnagian banality that it almost in itself stopped the disco movement cold. Comedienne Nancy Walker directed this musical chronicle, purporting to relate the legend of the formation of the disco group The Village People. Valerie Perrine is Samantha Simpson, a helpful ex-model who attempts to get her roommate, Jack Morrell's (Steve Guttenberg), songwriting career off the ground by assembling a motley group of her Greenwich Village friends (The Village People) together to cut a demo tape of Jack's ditties. All Samantha has to do is charm the square lawyer Ron White (Bruce Jenner) in order to get him to listen to The Village People's scintillating disco strains. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valerie Perrine, Ray Simpson, (more)
- 1979
The Seekers was the third and last TV movie based on John Jakes' Kent Family Chronicles (the others were The Bastard and The Rebels). Heading the huge all-star cast is Randolph Mantooth as Abraham Kent, son of elderly Revolutionary War vet Andrew Kent (played by Martin Milner, replacing the first two films' Andrew Stevens), who has resettled in the treacherous Northwest Territory. Part One of this two-part, four-hour production finds young Abraham trying out a series of occupations, while his brother Gilbert (George Deloy) goes into his father's publishing business. Part Two takes us up to the War of 1812, as seen through the eyes of Jarod and Amanda Kent (Timothy P. Murphy and Sarah Rush), who shortly thereafter head westward. Originally syndicated as part of the Operation Prime Time package, The Seekers made its debut during the week of December 2, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Former stuntman Hal Needham employed several of his old professional comrades in his made-for-TV Death Car on the Freeway. Shelley Hack plays a TV reporter investigating a series of freeway murders. Some demented van driver is swerving around and about, killing female motorists. This being Los Angeles, Shelley has at least a million suspects-daily-to choose from. This otherwise standard thriller is pepped up by the presence of several TV veterans, including George Hamilton, Frank Gorshin, Peter Graves, Dinah Shore, Harriet Nelson, BarbaraRush and Abe Vigoda. Director Needham also turns up in a cute supporting role. Death Car on the Freeway first aired September 25, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The murder of a policeman is blamed on an ex-hooker, but the real killer may turn out to be her unfaithful husband. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1977
This film tells the story of a young artist who desperately wants to finish a painting of his grandfather for his first one-man show. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1975
Bob Dalton (Robert Conrad) leads his notorious gang of outlaws into the town of Coffeyville, Kansas, in an attempt to rob two banks simultaneously. The only thing that stands in their way is former gunman Will Spence (Richard Widmark) and the courage of the townspeople, led by town marshal Charles Connelly (Gene Evans), in defending themselves. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- G
A concerned father decides to become closer to his daughter the hard way in this live-action comedy from Walt Disney Pictures. Charlie McCready (Bob Crane) is the father of Wendy (Kathleen Cody), a pretty teenager soon to enter college. Like most parents, Charlie only wants the best for his daughter, but he has little use for her circle of friends, most of whom he regards as half-witted and lazy. Determined to set a better example for his daughter (especially since most of her friends will be joining her at college), Charlie decides to become Wendy's new best friend, imposing himself upon her as often as possible and shoe-horning his way into her social circle, even if it means taking up surfing and water skiing to do it. Charlie's not-always-welcome presence doesn't change Wendy's feelings about her boyfriend Bart (Kurt Russell), but when Charlie decides to break up their romance, he gets even more trouble than he anticipated. Superdad also stars Barbara Rush as Charlie's wife Sue, and Joe Flynn as the memorably named Cyrus Hershberger. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Kurt Russell, (more)
- 1973
Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) investigate when a successful and universally admired politician dies in what appears to be an accident. As usual, Stone suspects foul play, and isn't afraid of ruffling a few feathers among the political elite to prove his point. The key to the solution of this case involves a complicated relationship among several prominent people with more than a few skeletons in their closets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Rod Serling, a master of speculative scriptwriting, penned the screenplay of The Man. Set a few days into the future, the story contrives to kill off the President, the vice president, and virtually everyone in line of succession in a bizarre accident. This turn of events elevates African-American senator James Earl Jones directly into the Oval Office. Based on a novel by Irving Wallace, The Man was originally intended as TV movie, but released theatrically because most sponsors were afraid of its supposed controversial content. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Martin Balsam, (more)
- 1972
Crime Club was the umbrella title given a series of monthly mystery novels in the 1930s and 1940s. Several films and radio programs ostensibly based on "Crime Club" stories were produced during that same period. The title was revived for a TV pilot film in 1972; this time the "Crime Club" referred to a high-tech crime solving organization which numbered among its members a private detective, a federal agent, a policeman and a judge. In the pilot, the private eye (Lloyd Bridges) and the judge (Victor Buono) pool their skills to solve the murder of a fellow club member. The film failed to lead to a weekly series, but another Crime Club pilot was commissioned in 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Eyes of Charles Sand is a TV-movie variation of Roger Corman's X -- the Man with the X-Ray Eyes. Peter Haskell plays an ordinary mortal who inherits "The Sight," a heightened sense of ocular awareness. With this gift, Haskell is able to see hazily into the future and to probe the minds of others--which comes in handy during a murder mystery. Too bad he can't peer into the past to see who's responsible for the killing. A pilot for an unsold series, The Eyes of Charles Sand utilizes Henry Mancini's music score from the feature film Wait Until Dark (67) because of a 1971 composer's strike. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
NBC was seeking a little ethnic diversity (a la Shaft) in its Mystery Movie lineup when the network commissioned Cutter. Peter DeAnda plays Frank Cutter, an African-American private eye headquartered in Chicago. Cutter's current assignment is to locate a missing pro quarterback. Stepin Fetchit, an echo from an earlier, demeaning era in black entertainment, shows up in the brief role of "Shineman". Cutter received a single 90-minute showing on January 26, 1972; it failed to make the NBC Mystery Movie cut as a regular entry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Working undercover, Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway) infiltrates the gang responsible for the kidnapping of the daughter (Kay Lenz) of a famous movie actress (Barbara Rush). Curiously, in his efforts to secure the girl's release, Ed's boss Ironside (Raymond Burr) encounters a stunning lack of cooperation from both the victim's mother and her overbearing business manager (Richard Anderson). Meanwhile, Ed finds out that the kidnapping was an "inside job" and that the abductors have been given strict orders not to hurt the blindfolded girl--but one of the gang members (Kaz Garas) has other ideas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Filmed for television, this story concerns a series of killings in the Louisiana bayou. The sheriff on the case believes that a werewolf is behind the murders. The film was adapted from a book by Leslie H. Whitten. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Suddenly Single is an assembly-line ABC Movie of the Week, given extra value by its attractive star lineup. The ball gets rolling when pharmacist Hal Holbrook is served divorce papers rather than dinner by his wife. Having been out of circulation since his marriage, the handsome but befuddled Holbrook plunges into the '70s singles scene. Comedy alternates with drama until the letdown finale, which may have been acceptable in October of 1971 but is most unsatisfying when seen today. The all-TV cast includes Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman here seen at their least excessive in their pre-Mel Brooks days. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) wants to find out why a terminally ill convict named Walter Butler (Ray Walston) has been denied parole. The trail of clues leads to Madame Jabez (Barbara Rush), a woman who claims to have supernatural powers. Many strange and inexplicable occurences follow as Ironside matches wits with the cagey Mme. Jabez, who is somehow linked with a missing $50,000 and a troubled parole board member. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Strategy of Terror began life as "In Darkness Waiting," a two-part 1964 installment of TV's Kraft Suspense Theatre. Newswoman Barbara Rush discovers that a right-wing extremist plans to kill four UN employees. No one believes her at first, but when she herself is attacked, a police officer Hugh O'Brian comes to the rescue. Of interest in this ersatz feature film are two members of the supporting cast. Frederick O'Neal, a leading light of African American theatre, is superb as a loquacious African UN delegate. And Neil Hamilton, onetime silent screen star and future Commissioner Gordon on TV's Batman, is surprisingly sinister as a pompous right-wing fanatic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh O'Brian, Barbara Rush, (more)
