Barry Morse Movies

Future action-film expert Basil Dearden cut his directorial teeth on The Goose Steps Out, a wartime espionage comedy. The star (and co-director) is Will Hay, a major British comedian of the era whose stock in trade was playing pompous, inefficient schoolmasters. This time Hay and his confederates cross the path of a gang of Nazi spies, operating covertly in London. Using his wits (such as they are), Hay collars the Nazis and preserves the Empire. The popularity of Will Hay did not extend to American audiences, who couldn't see anything funny in such a pathetic character, but The Goose Steps Out was a big moneyspinner in Britain. The film also served as the screen debut of 20-year-old Peter Ustinov. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from the stage hit by J. B. Priestly, When We Are Married is a barbed satire of smug British conservatism. Set in turn-of-the-century Yorkshire, the story concerns three middle-aged married couples, who tend to look askance towards anyone who does not come up to their high moral and religious standards. These pecksniffs are especially critical towards those who advocate a break from the repressive sexual taboos of the era. Imagine their dismay, then, when all three couples discover that they're not legally married. Their efforts to hide this fact, and their eventual comeuppance, provides several hearty laughs. When We Are Married remains a favorite of the British repertory circuit, due to its large number of colorful and well-rounded characters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This holiday comedy is set during the Christmas of 1946 and centers upon a fellow who has returned to his native Canada to spend the Yule. When he receives a telegram from "the Fergusons," many memories of the Christmas they spent together come flooding back. The story jumps backward four years when the man was serving in the Canadian army and was stationed in England. This family took him in for the holiday. While there, the soldier finds himself pursued by the Fergusons' daughter and by their maid. The story then jumps to the present where the former maid--now in the military too--is seen preparing the soldier's Christmas dinner in their home. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Set in 1783, this romance chronicles the doomed relationship between a prince regent and a Catholic widow. The prince falls for her first, but as there is a great gulf in social class, she laughs at his advances. The poor prince is so distraught he attempts suicide. The widow then feels compassion and secretly marries him. Unfortunately, their secret becomes grist for the rumor mill and when it threatens the relationship between the prince and the king, the prince denies his marriage. The jilted woman runs away, and the prince marries the woman to whom he was originally betrothed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Crime novelist Robert Southley (Hugh Sinclair) has a fondness for basing his books on his own experiences. This means that Southley has to maintain underworld connections, and it is this that leaves him vulnerable to blackmailer Fenton (Michael Brannon). Adopting a disguise, Southley kills Fenton -- then has enough cheek to help Inspector MacDougall (John Laurie) track down the "unknown" killer. Barry Morse, better known as Lieutenant Gerard from TV's The Fugitive, is featured as MacDougall's assistant. No Trace was written by Robert Baker, an old hand at gimmicky murder melodramas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An atypical Twilight Zone entry from scriptwriter Earl Hamner, Jr., this episode stars Barry Morse as theatrical critic Fitzgerald Fortune, whose snide cynicism is matched only by his sadistic streak. While seeking out a birthday present for his young wife Esther (Joan Hackett), Fortune happens upon an old player piano, which, when activated, forces the people in its vicinity to reveal their true feelings. Wickedly amused by this, Fortune utilizes the piano at his wife's birthday party, resulting in a deluge of hidden emotions -- and, ultimately, disaster for Fortune himself. Not one of the better Twilight Zone episodes, this one benefits immensely from a stellar supporting cast, including Muriel Landers and Cyril Delevanti. Directed by future Hill Street Blues stalwart David Greene, "A Piano in the House" first aired February 16, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this historical adventure saga, Balam (George Chakiris) is the son of the ruler of the Mayan people; when his father is killed in battle, Balam succeeds his father as King and leads his followers out of Mexico to a coastal region. The Mayan's new home, however, is already the province of a hostile Indian tribe led by Black Eagle (Yul Brynner), who leads a raid against the Mayan's camp. Balam is severely injured, but Black Eagle's wife Ixchel (Shirley Ann Field) tends to his wounds, and eventually the two leaders agree to settle their differences and coexist in peace. Hunac Ceel (Leo Gordon), Balam's old nemesis, is not so forgiving. He has followed the Mayans to their new home, where he and his troops mount a furious attack, with the Indians and the Mayans leading a united front against the invaders. Kings of the Sun also features Richard Basehart, Brad Dexter, and Barry Morse. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Through a bizaree a twist of fate--namely, a spectacular train wreck--Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen, wrongly condemned to death for the murder of his wife, is able to escape his captor, Lt. Philip Gerard (Barry Morse), and to embark upon a nationwide odyssey in search of the One-Armed Man who was the actual killer of the unfortunate Mrs. Kimble. Though this scenario does not constitute the action in the debut episode of The Fugitive's first season, the series' premise would be firmly established in the pre-credits "teaser" that ran at the beginning of each and every Season One episode, accompanied by the stentorian narration of William Conrad. As in subsequent seasons, the first 32 Fugitive episodes find Dr. Kimble taking on a variety of odd jobs and assuming a number of false identities as he travels from town to town, hoping to either catch up with the One-Armed Man or otherwise prove his innocence. Also in each episode, Kimble's trail is dogged by the tireless Lt. Gerard, who has made it his mission in life to recapture the fugitive and deliver him to "Death Row, State Prison." The premiere episode "Fear in a Desert City" finds Kimble, six months after his escape, travelling under the name of Fred Lincoln in Tucson, Arizona (Ironically, Tucson would serve as the locale for The Fugitive's legendary two-part series finale in August of 1967). Vera Miles and Brian Keith are the first of the series' multitude of guest stars, playing local citizens whose lives would be inexorably altered by Kimble's presence. In the weeks to come, Kimble would pop up in Missouri, West Virginia, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, Alaska, Kentucky, Utah, Connecticut, Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana (Kimble's home state). Among the guest performers appearing during Season One are Sandy Dennis, Robert Duvall, Ruby Dee, Geraldine Brooks, Jack Weston, Leslie Nielsen, Jack Klugman, Bruce Dern, Telly Savalas, Eileen Heckart, Carroll O'Connor, Lee Grant and Gloria Grahame. In the episode "Home is the Hunted", Jacqueline Scott makes her first appearance as Kimble's married sister Donna Taft, who has always believed in his innocence and with whom he will sporadically remain in contact throughout the remained of the series. And in the two-parter "Never Say Goodbye", Kimble rescues Lt. Gerard from death, a selfless gesture that will occur time and again in the future--but which will not prevent the relentless Gerard from pursuing his former prisoner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wrongly sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, escaped prisoner Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssencontinues to travel all over the country in search of the elusive One-Armed Man who actually committed the crime in Season Two of The Fugitive. Assuming such aliases as "Frank Borden", "Pete Broderick", "Paul Kelly", "Jim Russell", "Jeff Parker", "Stu Manning", "Steve Younger" and "Bill Douglas", Kimble takes on a variety of temporary jobs in a multitude of cities and towns, profoundly changing the lives of the local citizens on each occasion. Invariably, Kimble must hastily depart each destination as his relentless pursuer Lt. Gerard (Barry Morse), from whom Kimble had escaped en route to Death Row, closes in. It was during the series' second season that a persistent urban legend surfaced. According to rumor, the final episode of The Fugitive had been filmed, revealing that the murderer of Helen Kimble was neither her husband Richard nor the One-Armed Man, but instead Lt. Gerard, who intended to bump off Kimble in order to cover up his crime! Although the series' creator Roy Huggins and producer Quinn Martin denied that any such episode had been shot, they did little to discourage circulation of the rumor,undoubtedly figuring that any publicity was good publicity. Ironically, The Fugitive did not require an unfounded rumor to sustain audience interest: Ranking as America's 28th most watched series during its first season, the program had skyrocketed to fifth place during its second year on the air. Among this season's guest stars is Ed Begley, who in the season opener "Man in a Chariot" plays a character based on F. Lee Bailey, onetime defense attorney for Dr. Sam Sheppard, who was reportedly the real-life role model for Richard Kimble. In the later "Ballad for a Ghost," Janis Paige appears as a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Kimble's late wife (and never mind that the unfortunate Helen Kimble was generally portrayed in flashback sequences by Diane Brewster!) Other well-known performers appearing this year are Suzanne Pleshette, Diana Hyland, Kurt Russell, Arthur O'Connell, Tuesday Weld, Phyllis Thaxter, Strother Martin, Warren Oates, Angie Dickinson, Dabney Coleman, Harry Dean Stanton, Shirley Knight and Celeste Holm. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Switching from black and white to color for its fourth and final season, The Fugitive otherwise follows the patten established during its first three years on the air. Wrongly condemned to death for the murder of his wife, Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) has managed to escape custody, and is presently travelling all over the country, assuming innumerable aliases and tackling a variety of odd jobs, all the while searching for the real murderer, a one-armed criminal named Fred Johnson (Bill Raisch). Meanwhile, police lieutenant Philip Gerard (Barry Morse), from whom Kimble had escaped during a train wreck, persists in his own lonely mission, to track down and recapture the fugitive doctor. Though enough evidence has surfaced to indicate that Kimble was telling the truth about the One-Armed Man, and despite his own gut feelings about the whole affair, the duty-bound Gerard is still determined to see that "justice" is served and that Kimble will be shipped off to Death Row. Throughout Season Four, the distance between Kimble and Fred Johnson, and between Gerard and Kimble, continues to narrow, leading inexorably to the now-legendary two part series finale, in which Kimble, learning that Johnson has been arrested in LA on a separate crime, agrees to surrender to Gerard. Unfortunately, Johnson escapes, and for a while it looks as though Kimble's goose is cooked. Instead, Gerard is persuaded to allow Kimble to chase after Johnson himself, in hopes of extracting a confession. The climax finds Kimble and Johnson perilously perched on a high water tower in a deserted amusement park. Johnson confesses to the murder, but before he can repeat his confession to Gerard, he falls to his death. Has Kimble finally run out of options? Don't be too sure. . . Originally telecast on August 29, 1967, The Fugitive's final episode was seen by 72 percent of all American viewers, establishing a ratings record that would remain unbroken for the next thirteen years! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It was supposed to look like a suicide, but the death of a government contractor on a ski-lift near Denver was actually the handiwork of enemy spy Glen Parmenter (Barry Morse). In order to ensnare Parmenter, Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) poses as drug-addicted government employee, willing to be "corrupted" into handing over top-secret information to the Other Side. Managing to infiltrate Parmenter's mountain-cabin headquarters, Erskine finds out that the female of the species--namely Elaine Ross (Victor Shaw)--can be just as deadly as the male in the espionage business. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The debut of writer and director Jerry Schatzberg, this cinema verite drama won accolades for the Golden Globe-nominated performance of lead actress Faye Dunaway. Dunaway stars as Lou Andreas Sand, a former fashion model who has retreated to her seaside cottage and is being interviewed by Aaron Reinhardt (Barry Primus), a photographer and filmmaker who helped make her famous and with whom she was once involved. Aaron wants to make a movie about Lou's rise from rags to riches but as Lou recalls it, her seemingly glamorous existence was anything but a Horatio Alger tale. In an addled fog, Lou struggles to recite a shocking litany of casual sex and rape, drug and alcohol abuse, and the anger of her lesbian mentor Paula Galba (Viveca Lindfors) when her romance with wealthy boyfriend Mark (Roy Scheider) nearly led to marriage. Her career deteriorating, Lou even attempted suicide. A former fashion photographer himself, Schatzberg was an apt choice for director of this melodramatic portrait of the industry's ugly underbelly. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide