Michael Parks Movies

This is the first of four consecutive episodes in which Perry Mason appears only briefly, while a "guest" lawyer handles the case at hand (Raymond Burr was at the time recovering from minor surgery). No less than Bette Davis is cast as female attorney Constant Doyle, the widow of famed defense attorney Joe Doyle. Taking her late husband's place, Constant agrees to defend young Cal Leonard, who is accused of burglarizing the offices of Otis Industries and beating up a night watchman. Actually, Constant doesn't like Cal very much and was thinking of dropping the case until her curiosity was aroused by the fact that Lawrence Otis was all too willing to drop the charges against the boy. As it turns out, Cal is lucky to have Constant on his side when he charged with the murder of his cousin Steven (Jerry Oddo). Removed from the original Perry Mason syndicated rerun package in 1966, this episode remained unseen until it was telecast on cable TV in the mid-1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wild Seed was produced by Universal as part of the studio's short-lived "new talent" policy, which permitted untried actors and/or directors a low-cost opportunity to prove themselves with a theatrical feature. Director Brian G. Hutton was no newcomer, having been a TV actor and director for several years, but Wild Seed was his first big-screen directorial effort. Michael Parks plays a young drifter who forms an alliance with runaway girl Celia Kaye. Parks helps guide the girl on her trek to California, falling in love along the way. The plotline is wafer thin, but Wild Seed was a particular favorite of cinematographer Conrad Hall, who welcomed the opportunity given him by director Hutton to tell most of the story through imagery and visual juxtapositions rather than dialogue (the film was also Hall's first major studio credit). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Bible was intended by producer Dino De Laurentiis as the first in a series of films which would eventually cover the Old and New Testament in their entireties. The many directors engaged for this project dropped out one by one, leaving only the adventurous John Huston. As a result, this film was the first and last in the series; its subtitle In the Beginning refers to the fact that only the first 22 chapters of Genesis ended up on film. After creation, we are introduced to the buff-naked Adam and Eve (Michael Parks and Ulla Bergyd), whose fall from grace segues into the Cain and Abel story. Next on the docket is the story of Noah, played by director Huston, who'd originally wanted Charlie Chaplin for the role. Abraham's sacrifice is then dramatized, with George C. Scott as the beleaguered protagonist. In quick succession, we are offered the Tower of Babel, the defiance of Nimrod, and Sodom and Gomorroh. Tying together these Old Testament episodes is Peter O'Toole as three angels; Ava Gardner also shows up in the role of Sarah. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A prime early example of how to make a truly worthwhile TV movie, Stranger on the Run is a tough, minimalist western in the tradition of the theatrical oaters of director Anthony Mann (one of whose favorite actors, Dan Duryea, has a supporting part in Stranger). Michael Parks is painfully convincing as a sadistic 1880s railroad detective who has a curious notion of fun and games. Upon catching drifters who hitch rides on the trains in his Southwestern jurisdiction, Parks allows the "criminals" one hour head start in the desert, with horse and supplies; then he and his deputies track the men down and kill them. Parks' latest victim is hard-bitten ex-convict Henry Fonda, who has come to town to deliver a message to his cellmate's sister. Fonda proves to be more of challenge than Parks is accustomed to, a fact that gives this brutal little tale its teeth. Anne Baxter costars in this superior TV-movie outing. Stranger on the Run's multilayered teleplay is by Reginald Rose. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Four neophyte criminals get some unexpected help from their first victim in this caper comedy. A quartet of Miami Beach bohemians -- Sureshot (Michael Parks), Taurus (George Maharis), Herby (Robert Walker Jr.), and Sandy (Faye Dunaway) -- are looking for kicks and some fast money, and they hatch a scheme that they're sure will bring them both. Roc Delmonico (Anthony Quinn) is a well-known local restaurateur believed to be connected with the Mafia; the four beach bums kidnap Roc and hold him for ransom. To the surprise of the first-time kidnappers and the great annoyance of Roc, neither his wife, Monica (Martha Hyer), nor his business partners are willing to pony up 200,000 dollars to set the former gangster free. The angry Delmonico soon joins forces with his kidnappers, and with his background in crime, he advises them on how to make a hostage situation work. Roc's advice is right on the money, and the price for his safety zooms from 200,000 dollars to three million dollars. Roc's new friends are happy about this unexpected windfall, and Delmonico likes the idea of putting the screws to the so-called "friends" who let him down, but actually getting their hands on the money turns out to be far more complicated than any of them expected. The theme song from The Happening proved to be a major hit for Diana Ross & the Supremes -- in fact, a much bigger hit than the movie itself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This 1974 TV movie was based upon recent news stories about brainwashing techniques practiced by certain religious communes. Ellen (Kathy Cannon) is a confused teenager who falls in with a group of fanatics, who promise that they'll purge the "Devil" from her soul. Her anguished parents (Leslie Nielsen, Louise Fletcher) hire John Saxon to kidnap Ellen from the commune, and to exorcise the fanatics' influence from her psyche. This film was outdated within a year, but would come back in fashion during the height of the "Moonie" activity in the late 1970s. The original title of Can Ellen Be Saved?, understandably rejected by the network, was Children of God. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Michael Parks guest stars as MacDane, a college professor who for years has been a good friend of Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway). Now MacDane is "persona non grata" on campus, due to the suicide of a female philosophy student for which the professor is held responsible. With someone making anonymous death threats, MacDane turns to Ed for help--which of course brings Ironside onto the scene to sift through a malaise of contradictory clues and sinister secrets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) is partnered with neurotic, pill-popping police officer Scotty (Michael Parks) during a frustratingly long drug stakeout. What Baretta doesn't know -- at least not at first -- is that Scotty is at the end of his financial rope, having been spent into the poorhouse by his selfish girlfriend. Can it be that Scotty is open for a bribe from the very perps he has been assigned to nab? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A group of rape victims form an organization in hopes of bringing their attackers to justice. At present, the group is fighting legal red tape and procedure to convict the man who raped Nancy Price (Deirdre Lenihan), a close friend of Mike Stone's (Karl Malden) daughter Jeannie (Darleen Carr). Frustrated in her efforts, the outraged head of the organization (Vera Miles) is poised to rely upon truly desperate measures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this actioner, a rebel leader hijacks a boat and holds the passengers hostage in the hopes of beginning a coup. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide