Joseph Campanella Movies
Actor Joseph Campanella's father, a Sicilian immigrant, was an early member of the American Federation of Musicians; perhaps as a result, the younger Campanella remained active in liberal "underdog" political causes all his life. At eighteen, Campanella became one of the youngest-ever skippers in the wartime navy. He went on to attend Columbia University, then began his acting career on the New York stage and in TV soap operas. Over the next three decades he would portray Joe Turino on The Guiding Light, Alec Fielding on The Doctors, Dr. Ted Steffen on the nighttime TV serial The Doctors and the Nurses and Senator Harper Devereaux on Days of Our Lives. Additional TV assignments for Campanella included the role of Mike Connors' boss on the first season (1967-68) of Mannix; attorney Brian Darrell on four seasons (1969-73) of The Bold Ones; and Hutch Corrigan on the 1985-86 season of The Colbys. He also narrated several National Geographic Specials, and was host of the syndicated 1983 revival of This is Your Life. A steadfast film supporting player, Campanella was finally awarded a lead in 1972's "rampaging rat" thriller Ben, only to find that his was the second name above the title: "Leave it to me," Campanella remarked with his usual self-deprecation, "to get second billing to a rat in my first big starring movie." Recent credits include a "guest voice" role as Dr. Thorne on the Fox Network's Batman: The Animated Series. Joseph Campanella is the brother of Frank Campanella, a character actor usually cast as uniformed big-city cops. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1991
- R
In this martial arts actioner, two estranged brothers reunite and work together to see that the terrorists who killed their father comes to final justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Set in a popular coffee house located in an Italian neighborhood, this romantic comedy comments upon the lives of several young Italian-Americans looking for their place in the outside world. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Have you ever wondered how much the cat in your lap resembles his wild cousin the tiger? The answer is, more than you think! By day he may be a playful and loving companion, but at night he's transformed into a ruthless hunter with a keen sense of sight and smell. Cats: Caressing the Tiger shows dramatic sequences of this transformation, revealing that domestic cats are never far removed from their cousins in the wild. ~ Gayla Mills, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this drama, based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a depressive, middle-aged writer attempting to make a comeback at a movie studio must deal with his enemies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this thriller, television reporter Kate Ryan de Melendez (Amy Irving) investigates the death of two radical Puerto Rican activists, whom she begins to believe may have been framed and murdered by undercover American agents. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Irving, Robert Duvall, (more)
When a bodacious doctor assists a married sex researcher in the lab, they begin an affair that she seems to grow obsessed with. Before long, the regretful man realizes that he has snagged a psychopathic nymph who would rather kill him than give him up to his wife. If not already apparent: there is a bit of sexual content in this suspense film. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marc Singer, Lisa Pescia, (more)
- 1989
- R
In this comedy, defense lawyer Vic Scalia (Andrew Stevens) teams up with the criminals he defends in order to pull off a lucrative robbery. However, Scalia's accomplices are less-than-honorable as they backstab and steal from each other on the way to deliver the loot. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1989
A gang of rich, sadistic killers captures people and then sets them loose so they can be hunted down and killed. Joseph Campanella stars as a man who infiltrates the gang to avenge the murders of his family. This film is a variation of The Most Dangerous Game, which has been filmed as Hard Target, The Hounds of Zaroff and numerous other titles. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1987
An educational program that outlines important history facts in a fun way. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1987
The scene is a small town in Idaho where corruption is a way of life. The outraged populace have voted in a "reform" mayor, but he soon dies mysteriously--and when the mayor's father demands an investigation, he too turns up dead. Unfortunately for the villains, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) happens to be in town on personal business--and wherever Jessica Fletcher shows up, someone is going to end up doing the "perp walk". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
An alcoholic Vietnam vet who has lost both his wife and his job as a cop while struggling to adjust to civilian life in southern California heads out for unintentionally hilarious revenge against the newly immigrated Vietnamese drug lord who slaughtered his best friend and his family in this campy "Rambo-esque" actioner. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Explore the ceremonies of Holy Week in Rome along with a profile of the highlights of Pope John Paul II's life and his poetry read by Orson Welles. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1985
When Cabot Cove resident Beverly Garrett is electrocuted in her own bathtub in a locked bathroom, Sheriff Amos Tupper (Tom Bosley) is willing to write the tragedy off as an accident; Tupper, you see, is thinking about retirement, and has already hand-picked his successor. But Jessica (Angela Lansbury) can't shake the belief that Beverly was murdered, prompting the long-suffering Tupper to dare Jessica to prove it! Adding to the intrigue is a controversial land sale, a vicious poison-pen campaign that has spread throughout town, and Jessica's mounting frustration over playing hostess to a visiting travel writer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Two kids visiting a comic strip artist's studio are given the power to project themselves into the stories. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1982
In this followup to the Season Six episode "Who Speaks for the Children", Quincy (Jack Klugman) continues his crusade to push forward the stalled "Orphan Drug Act" in congress, creating funding to develop curative drugs for rare diseases. The big problem is money, or lack of it: the major pharamaceutical companies don't want to invest in research that will benefit only a handful of consumers, while dedicated scientists like Dr. Styer (Joseph Campanella) are facing severe cutbacks. The situation becomes personal when Quincy befriends a young mother suffering from Myoclonus, a degenerative nerve disease that has already driven another of Styer's patients to suicide. Returning from "Who Speaks for the Children" are Michael Constantine as pharmaceutical activist Dr. Ciotti, and Paul Clemens as Ciotti's son Tony. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Originally telecast as an ABC Theatre of the Month special, My Body, My Child nobly attempts to tackle the abortion issue--but does so with a painfully contrived, mazelike Perils of Pauline script. Irish-American schoolteacher Vanessa Redgrave, married to Italian fireman Joe Campanella and already the mother of three daughters, believes that she's pregnant. Her doctor pooh-poohs the notion and prescribes several forms of drugs to counter her "faux" morning sickness. The effect of the narcotics, coupled with the fact that Redgrave's invalid father (Jack Albertson, in his final role) has been charged with the mercy killing of her mother, lead the poor schoolmarm to attempt suicide. This time the doctor on the scene announces that Redgrave is pregnant, and that her previous drug intake will result in a deformed, retarded child. Now arrive at the abortion issue: With all the cards stacked against her, what will Redgrave do in regards to her body and her child? Unfortunately, after raising so many diverse social issues, My Body, My Child drops many of those issues in order to rush towards its climax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
This is a series of five episodes profiling the Old West and its ranches, cattle roundups, and people. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1981
- PG
In this sci-fi film, a spaceship crash lands in the Midwest and strands an alien family. A gentle innkeeper takes in the marooned group. Except for their green chimpanzee that eats light bulbs, the aliens look like normal humans. Unfortunately, the family is pursued by a government agent determined to see that the aliens don't intermingle with the humans. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burl Ives, Christopher Connelly, (more)
- 1981
Quincy (Jack Klugman) joins forces with police lieutenant Alex Markesian (Joseph Campanella) to determine the identity of the human monster who brutally raped and murdered nine-year-old Polly Carmody (Wendy Lynn). As the forensic and circumstantial evidence mounts, Quincy finds it impossible to escape the conclusion that the girl's killer was her own stepfather, Donald Thompson (Jim Antonio). But believing something and proving something are two different things--especially when the existing laws are stacked against Quincy and in favor of the slimebag suspect. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Max Carson (Tom Troupe), one of Quincy's old war buddies, manages to survive a plane crash--only to die after receiving a blood transfusion from his business partner Charlie Barnes (Joseph Campanella), who was likewise in the crash and suffered more serious injuries. The authorities are convinced that somehow, some way, Charlie has murdered Max. Refusing to believe this, Quincy (Jack Klugman) performs an autopsy and discovers that Max died of arsenic poisoning...but how did he get it? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
This made-for-TV drama produced by David Susskind preceded the release of Silkwood by three years, but tells basically the same story. Janet Margolin is the nuclear plant employee who blows the whistle on hazardous conditions and finds herself intimidated, harassed and finally targeted for elimination by her superiors. Powers Boothe and Bo Hopkins are among the supporting cast of this well-directed telefilm, which -- although not as brave as its theatrical counterpart -- still makes for interesting viewing. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Could it be true? Is the U.S. government really hiding an alien spaceship in the mysterious Hangar 18? According to the producers at Sunn Classic Pictures, the answer is yes, and this sci-fi drama sets out to prove it. The trouble begins when an orbiting satellite runs into the UFO and it crashes. Inside are alien bodies, and the President, who is busy with his re-election campaign, is most eager to conceal them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Darren McGavin, Robert Vaughn, (more)
The Soviets and Americans combine forces to save the world from a meteor in this science fiction disaster adventure. Bradley (Sean Connery) is an American scientist who teams up with Dubov (Brian Keith), and his translator-assistant Tatiana (Natalie Wood) later falls in love with Bradley. Hong Kong and New York are hit hard by tidal waves as the scientists race against time to prevent global disaster. Although a fine cast is assembled, nobody stands out, and the real star of the film is the special effects. This 18-million-dollar feature faced real economic disaster at the box office, although four engineers received an Oscar nomination for "Best Sound" for this forgettable film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Natalie Wood, (more)
