Don Medford Movies
- 1961
Making a rare TV appearance after falling victim to the 1950s Hollywood Blacklist, Larry Parks guest stars as minor hoodlum George "Blackie" Dallas, a character obviously inspired by real-life outlaw "Machine Gun" Kelly. Egged on by his ambitious wife Lily (Norma Crane), Dallas kidnaps millionaire Thomas Randall (Dabbs Greer) and holds him for ransom. Though he is unable to save Randall's life, Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) still holds out hope that he can bring Blackie and Lily to justice--and to do this, he exploits the couple's personal problems with their young daughter Arlene (Judy Strangis). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
The ongoing trial of Nazi war criminal Adolph Eichmann was the obvious inspiration for Rod Serling's "Death's-Head Revisited." Oscar Beregi stars as Capt. Lutze, the sadistic former commandant of the Dachau concentration camp. Travelling incognito, Lutze makes a "sentimental journey" to the camp, fondly recalling the misery he had wreaked in the final months of WWII. But Lutze is in for quite a few horrible surprises when one of his former prisoners, the emaciated Becker (Joseph Schildkraut), shows up to see that justice is finally done. "Death's-Head Revisited" was originally telecast November 10, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Schildkraut, Oscar Beregi, (more)
- 1961
This sledgehammer attack on Cuban dictator Fidel Castro stars Peter Falk as bearded banana-republic revolutionary Ramos Clemente. Upon taking control of the government, Clemente summons forth the man he has deposed, General DeCruz (Will Kuluva). Gloating, Clemente asks DeCruz if he has anything to say before he is executed. With a sly smile, DeCruz directs Clemente's attention to a huge mirror in the presidential palace, informing Clemente that the mirror will reveal the faces of those who will ultimately destroy him. He's right, of course, and any viewer who can't see the ending coming a mile away deserves to be drummed out of the living room in disgrace. Written by Rod Serling, "The Mirror" was originally telecast October 26, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Falk, Richard Karlan, (more)
- 1960
Written by Rod Serling, this episode represented the joint Twilight Zone debut of actor Jack Klugman (who went on to star in three additional episodes) and director Don Medford. Klugman stars as trumpet player Joey Crown, who, regarding his life as empty and futile, tries to kill himself. Instead, he is briefly hurtled into Limbo, where he learns a number of valuable lessons from a mysterious musician named Gabe (played by Twilight Zone "regular" John Anderson). Originally telecast May 20, 1960, "A Passage for Trumpet" was the first of four Twilight Zone episodes introduced by the "big-eye" opening logo. Also: watch for a brief "inside joke" when Joey Crown passes by a construction company named for series producer Buck Houghton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Klugman, John Anderson, (more)
- 1960
This variation of the old "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" yarn stars Luther Adler and Vivi Janiss as Arthur and Edna Castle, the debt-ridden owners of a failing pawnshop. The Castles' luck changes dramatically when, after purchasing an old bottle, they discover that the bottle contains a dapper and somewhat sinister genie (Joseph Ruskin). Granted the usual three wishes, Arthur and Edna soon learn that they were better off when they were worse off. Written by Rod Serling, "The Man in the Bottle" was originally telecast October 7, 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luther Adler, Vivi Janiss, (more)
- 1959
John Carradine and Michael Landon guest star in this early episode of The Rifleman. The only one in town to own a shotgun, young Billy Mathis (Landon) becomes the obvious suspect when Hallager (Robert Bice) is shot in the back. Especially when Sheriff Torrance (Paul Fix) learns that the victim had refused young Billy to court his daughter Lucy (Sue Randall). But both the sheriff and Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) remain unconvinced and the latter finally agrees to let traveling mind reader James Barrow McBride (Carradine) add his two cents. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Carradine
- 1955
This episode is based on a famous urban legend, previously filmed as the 1949 theatrical feature. Patricia Hitchcock (daughter of the boss) stars as Diana Winthrop, who attends the 1899 Paris World's Exposition in the company of her mother (Mary Forbes). Having left their hotel room to fetch some medicine for her ailing mother, Diana returns a few hours later, only to be told that she has not been registered. Further investigation reveals that no one can remember ever seeing Diana or her mother -- and there is serious doubt that her mother ever existed! The key to the mystery is a patch of wallpaper...and the solution involves an elaborate ruse to save the Exposition from being closed down before it has a chance to open. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In a fleabitten Western town, gunslingers Dell Delaney (Gene Barry) and Red Hillman (Darren McGavin) challenge each other to a shootout. Local cook Maggie Flynn (Ellen Corby) does everything she can to talk the two cowpokes out of their challenge, but they are determined to slap leather the moment a clock on Maggie's mantle strikes the hour. Clearly, what Maggie needs to prevent bloodshed is something spectacular -- for example, a "Sign from God." And that is precisely what Maggie gets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
One of the most famous of the pre-East of Eden TV appearances by the immortal James Dean, this 30-minute adaptation of Sherwood Anderson's short story "I'm a Fool" originally aired live as the November 14, 1954 episode of the CBS anthology General Electric Theater. Narrated by Eddie Albert, this is an extended flashback, wherein a young country boy (Dean), working in a menial job in a middle-sized midwestern town, falls in love with that town's prettiest gal, Lucy (Natalie Wood). Aware that Lucy is already being courted by the wealthier youths in the vicinity, the boy tries to impress the girl by pretending to be something he's not. Only when it is too late does he realize that he would have been far, far better off simply being "himself" (it gives away nothing to reveal that Eddie Albert and James Dean essentially play the same character). Worth noting is the play's impressionistic staging, using fragmentary sets and minimal props, and the remarkable chemistry between James Dean and Natalie Wood, even before they were paired in Rebel without a Cause. On November 18, 1956, nearly a year after Dean's untimely death, a kinescope of "I'm a Fool" was rebroadcast on General Electric Theatre by popular request (at least according to host Ronald Reagan); it is this rerun version that is currently available on home video. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
