Joseph Campanella Movies

The "Greatest Heroes of the Bible" series brings you this view of Moses as the liberator of the Jewish people. ~ All Movie Guide

Ring of Passion is a self-described "docudrama" of the professional rivalry between African-American boxing great Joe Louis and German fistic champ Max Schmeling. On June 19, 1936, Schmeling (Stephen Macht) beats Louis (Bernie Casey) for the European championship. Germany's Nazi government uses this bout to trumpet the superiority of the Aryans over the "inferior" races. But in the return match of 1938, described by such sports scriveners as Damon Runyon (Allen Garfield) and Paul Gallico (Joe Campanella) as the "Fight of the Century," Joe Louis defeats Max Schmeling in one round. This TV movie takes great pains to convince us that, while Schmeling was in effect fighting for political reasons, he himself was not a Nazi (we are told that the public slurs against Louis attributed to Schmeling are the handiwork of Joseph Goebbels' propaganda machine). Given the subject matter at hand, Ring of Passion is surprisingly stingy in its boxing sequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A sequel to the 1977 TV movie Fantasy Island, this film was originally titled Fantasy Island II and slated to air on November, 1977, but was instead re-christened and broadcast as the initial episode of the weekly Fantasy Island series. Once again, six people spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to fulfill their dreams on a lavish island resort overseen by the enigmatic Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) and his dwarf assistant, Tattoo (Herve Villechaize). This time, "de plane" arrives on the island with a passenger roster including Charles Fleming (Horst Buchholz), who allegedly wants to restore the memory of his amnesiac wife, Janet (Karen Valentine); love-struck executive, Benson (George Maharis), and his bitchy boss, Margo Dean (Adrienne Barbeau), whom Benson hopes to woo and win Taming of the Shrew style; and long-married couple Brian and Lucy Faber (Joseph Campanella and Pat Crowley), who yearn to be reunited with the child they gave up for adoption years earlier. Return to Fantasy Island premiered January 20, 1978, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This adventure is based upon the true life exploits of 17th-century missionary, Father Francisco "Kino" Kin who was instrumental in developing the Southwest and fought hard to keep the murderous conquistadors from slaughtering the Apaches. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Made for television, Journey From Darkness is based on the true story of medical student David Hartman. Marc Singer plays David, a brilliant scholar who under normal circumstances would be accepted into medical school without a hitch. But David has been blind since birth, a fact that has been closing doors on him all his life. As the boy receives rejection after rejection, his family and girl friend (Kay Lenz) try to be supportive, but David's bitterness threatens to overwhelm him. The happy ending of Journey From Darkness does not diminish the dramatic punch of the scenes detailing David Hartman's pain and frustration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-TV movie, a group of ambitious thieves steal a helicopter carrying $10 million worth of gold bullion and are pursued by airborne law enforcement officers. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Hit Lady star Yvette Mimieux also wrote the screenplay for this made-for-TV suspenser. Per the title, Mimieux plays a professional assassin. "And she never misses," declared the print ads for this film. When not working for the mob, she is a successful painter. Hit Lady slammed and blammed its way to the airwaves on October 8, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Diana Hyland plays a woman whose marriage is on the verge of collapse. Wandering on the beach lost in thought, she finds herself in the middle of a raging storm. She takes refuge in the beach home of Joseph Campanella, a stranger who takes the time to listen to her troubles--as her husband never did. Things I Never Said was originally telecast October 31, 1973. It was one of a series of sporadically scheduled "ABC Afternoon Playbreak" specials. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Joseph Bottoms plays a 17-year-old high school boy who gets his girl friend Kay Lenz pregnant. The girl wants to put the baby up for adoption, but Bottoms decides to take on the parental responsibilities himself. He battles in court to gain custody of the child, even after being apprised of the heavy financial and personal burdens he's about to assume. Made for TV, Unwed Father has a good concept defeated by poor execution. One wonders whether the boy or the girl would have been the "good guy" had this film been made ten years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A detective guards rich homes after a series of robberies. ~ All Movie Guide

Gay Talese's bestseller Honor Thy Father is given a superb, albeit slightly expurgated, treatment in this made-for-TV movie. Joseph Bologna plays Bill Bonanno, the son of New York City Mafia-don Joe "Bananas" Bonanno (Raf Vallone). When his father disappears in 1964, Bill is compelled to take over the "family business." This proves well-nigh impossible as several Mafiosi fall over themselves trying to stake their own claims within the Bonanno empire. Lewis John Carlino, the script writer for the 1968 Mafia flick The Brotherhood, adapted the Talese novel for television. Joseph Campanella "appears" as the slyly noncommittal off-screen narrator. Honor Thy Father was first telecast March 1, 1973. The producers sagaciously withheld the film from the critics until that night to make certain no reviewer would spoil the audience's enjoyment by prematurely cataloging the differences between the film and the book. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A crisis ensues when Air Force One crashes while on a flight out west, apparently killing all those aboard, including President Jeremy Haines (Tod Andrews). The United States is in the midst of a confrontation with China that could lead to a nuclear war between the two countries, and the government is now in the hands of Vice President Kermit Madigan (Buddy Ebsen), a not too intelligent or sophisticated man, who was deliberately kept out of the loop. His confidence on foreign policy issues virtually nil, Madigan seeks to carry out Haines's intended policy in confronting the Chinese but gets two completely different accounts of what that policy was to be. Secretary of State Freeman Sharkey (Raymond Massey), a career diplomat, claims that Haines was pursuing firm but peaceful containment of the problem, while National Security advisor George Oldenburg (Rip Torn) says that Haines was ready to go eyeball-to-eyeball with the Chinese and go to war if necessary -- and Oldenburg quickly picks up on how to gain Madigan's confidence. As if Madigan doesn't have enough problems, the stunned Washington community cannot help but openly doubt his competence, while his ambitious wife (Mercedes McCambridge) sees this unfolding tragedy as a way for herself and her husband to finally get some respect and settle a few scores with those who belittled the Second Couple. Even more troubling, as the search teams comb the wreckage, another mystery ensues -- they can't seem to find the president's body. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Pattern of Morality is the syndicated title of the made-for-TV Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law. Arthur Hill stars as Owen Marshall, a crusading attorney, who defends hippie Bruce Davidson, accused of murdering a wealthy housewife. Though all characters and names are fictitious, the film was clearly inspired by the Tate-LaBianca killings of 1969. The supporting cast includes Joseph Campanella as the husband of the murdered woman, William Shatner as the DA, and Dana Wynter as the judge. First telecast September 12, 1971, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law served as a preview for the series of the same name, which premiered on September 16 and ran until August 24, 1974. Carried over the pilot film were Arthur Hill as Marshall and future producer/director Joan Darling as Marshall's secretary Frieda Krause. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide