Carl Byrd Movies
In this human-scale drama/comedy, a pair of Beverly Hills parents, Albert (Ryan O'Neal) and Lucy (Shelley Long) first come together as a couple interested in writing (she) and teaching (he), but Albert's life takes an upscale turn when he starts both writing and then directing in Hollywood. As he becomes successful, Lucy is forced to burrow into her own writing in self-defense, and after her book is well-received, she is compensated a little for Albert's lack of attention and philandering. After Hollywood and its well-known flaws are sketched out in the increasingly strained marriage, the story reaches its primary focus: Albert and Lucy's 9-year-old daughter Casey (Drew Barrymore) talks to a lawyer because she wants to sue her parents for divorce. She gets no hugs or affection, and precious little attention, and she would prefer to go live with the maid. Given the parents' celebrity, the case receives wide press -- and the family begins to reconsider where it is going and why. Although a bit long, especially in the first half which wanders off course a little, the story is engaging enough (especially for Hollywood buffs) to balance any weaknesses. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, (more)
Habitually unlucky in love, Florence (Marla Gibbs) is reluctant to start a new relationship with a handsome and personable policeman (Kene Holliday). Coming to the rescue is -- of all people -- Florence's boss, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley). It seems that George has "all the answers" concerning "what men want" from the women in their lives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
Don Ameche guest stars as Harry Whitehead, a retired magician whose protégé Mark Santini drowns while performing Whitehead's famous underwater-escape trick on a live TV special. Quincy (Jack Klugman) investigates the tragedy and unearths evidence of a possible murder scheme--while the elderly Whitehead prepares to perform the same stunt on another nationwide broadcast. This Columbo-style episode was originally scheduled to air on September 28, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Don Siegel took over the directing chores from Peter Hyams on this taut cold war action film, based on the novel by Walter Wager. With the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union thawing, old KGB hard-liner Nicolai Dalchimsky (Donald Pleasence) activates a group of Americans who were brainwashed twenty years earlier to blow up United States defenses when a passage from a Robert Frost poem is recited to them. When bombs go off at an abandoned United States defense installation, the Kremlin realizes that they have a rogue KGB agent on their hands who is trying to re-ignite the cold war. To stop him, the Russians send out KGB agent Grigori Borzov (Charles Bronson). Accompanying him is KGB double agent Barbara (Lee Remick). As the two agents try to stop Nicolai from starting World War III, they find time to fall in love with each other. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Lee Remick, (more)
In this thriller, an enigmatic phantom lives in the dank tunnels running beneath the ramshackle back lot of a former movie lot. When prospective buyers endeavor to purchase the property, the furious phantom goes on the rampage. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Publicity-mad Danny (Danny Bonaduce) plants a newspaper article about the Partridge Family that unfortunately reveals far too many of the family's secrets. As a result, both Keith (David Cassidy) and Shirley (Shirley Jones) find themselves the objects of public ridicule and scorn. But don't despair: The family settles the score by publishing an article that exposes the "awful truth" about Danny! Song: "If Ever You Go". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Imprisoned mobster Gunther Schell (H.M. Wynant) is the only person who knows where a stolen cache of money is located. Before the IMF can reach Schell, he is sprung from jail by a mob-controlled "underground railroad", which specializes in robbing its clients before smuggling them out of the country. To put both Schell and the "underground" out of business --- and, incidentally, to recover the stolen millions --- Jim Phelps poses as a wanted murderer. Peter Mark Richman also appears in this episode as criminal mastermind Hargreaves. Originally aired on October 28, 1972, "Underground" was written by Leigh Vance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
In this melodrama a mother tries to compensate for her feelings of inadequacy and failure as a parent to her own children by taking in a troubled foster child. As she struggles to make up for her past mistakes, her jealous daughters mistreat the girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A trio of Las Vegas go-go dancers are pursued by a homicidal maniac in this suspenseful murder thriller. Alan Morris (Luke Askew) murders his wife when she seeks a divorce then goes after her three friends. Believing the women have turned his wife against him, Alan hunts down the dancers and kills one of them. A terrified Michele (Raquel Welch) flees to Los Angeles where she takes a job at a club called The Losers. She falls for the parking-lot attendant Joe (James Stacey) and romance blossoms between the two. Unfortunately, the vengeful husband Alan tracks her down and threatens to kill Joe before her eyes, but Michele is ready for him; she douses the killer with gasoline and lights a match. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raquel Welch, James Stacy, (more)
Former Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In regular Chelsea Brown guest-stars as Paola, the young secretary of Convent San Tanco. When Paola claims that she found a baby on the convent's doorstep, the nuns are skeptical about her story. Sr. Bertrille takes it upon herself to learn the truth-and to ascertain the identity of the baby's mother. Written by Michael Morris, "The Paola Story" was originally broadcast on October 8, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Don Rickles guest-stars as "Killer" Kiski, a mean-spirited physical fitness instructor who is convinced that astronauts Tony (Larry Hagman) and Roger (Bill Daily) haven gotten too soft for their own good. To whip our heroes into shape, Kiski subjects them to an exhausting exercise regimen during a wildnerness outing. Sense that her Master has been nearly exercised to death, Jeannie (Barbara Eden) attempts to save the day by trying to appeal to Kiski's "tender" side...assuming he has one! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide













