Donald Ross Movies
- 1996
Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) is given the opportunity to solve her 286th murder, this one connected with a San Francisco fine-arts radio station. The station's ruthless new manager has elected to boost ratings by changing the outlet's image and format, and by firing a number of employees who are deemed too old for a hard-rock audience. So just guess who gets murdered. . .just guess! "Death by Demographics" is an ironic title for the final hour-long episode of Murder, She Wrote, which had been cancelled by CBS after 12 seasons and 264 episodes because it "skewed old" in the ratings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Hollywood is abuzz with the news that a film completed back in 1960, but shelved after its director died mysteriously, has been rediscovered and restored. This takes place at a studio that has become a target for a wide variety of movie pirates--and not a few dedicated film buffs. When one of those buffs is killed, Jessica suspects that a murder has been committed, and that this killing is tied in with the death that occurred way back in the sixties. Featured in the cast is a young James Caviezel, who a decade later would star in Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Murder, She Wrote's 241st episode largely takes place in a trendy Fifth Avenue beauty salon. A powerful financier has been found murdered in the establishment, and a hairdresser who has been passing along "trade secrets" is among those suspected. It is possible, however, that a burglar may be the culprit--or that the victim had been involved in a lethal love triangle. Whatever the cast, leave it to Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to unentangle this "bad hair day" and solve the mystery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) installs herself in the offices of a San Francisco paper, there to concentrate on serializing one of her novels. At the same time, the paper's advice columnist has become the target of a campaign of harassment. Jessica warns the columnist to take the situation seriously, but it's too late--a mysterious gunman already has the ink-stained wretch in his sights. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
As part of a promotional book tour, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) agrees to appear in a TV informercial. Also appearing is Matt Matthews (Anthony Zerbe), a once-popular author laid low by alcoholism. It turns out that Matthews--who of course is an old friend of Jessica's--is acquainted with a member of the informercial's studio audience, and with a blackmailing professional extra, both of whom are murdered in the course of the action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A metal sculpture created by artist Kim Mitchell (Loretta Swit) proves quite versatile when it used as a murder weapon. The victim is Philip Jovi (Edward Hibbert), an art gallery owner with whom Kim did not see eye-to-eye. Fortunately for Kim, her friend Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is on hand to help her beat a murder rap...maybe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
While attending a celebrity-studded party held by the editor of a Beverly Hills gossip magazine, Jessica (Angea Lansbury) begins formulating the plot of her next mystery novel. The principal ingredients include a trendy florist with a roster of A-list clients who is secretly helping an unscrupulous writer dig up dirt for a series of scandalous articles. The florist soon turns up dead, and virtually every member of the Beverly Hills "in crowd" falls under suspicion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
The 200th episode of Murder, She Wrote finds Jessica (Angela Lansbury) supporting an effort to preserve a New York brownstone where Ernest Hemingway once wrote a novel. At the center of the conflict is a feud between Jessica's editor and a powerful land developer. Murder enters the scene when the brother of the man who opposes destroying the building is killed. And it is a bad kill. And nobody is dreaming about the lions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Just outside of St. Louis sits the main factory for Edna's Pies, a baking concern run by Edna Hayes (Phyllis Newman), an old friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). When the IRS swoops down on Edna demanding a fortune in back taxes, Edna concludes that she has been betrayed by her ex-husband Nolan (Macon McCalman)--who, sure enough, is the government's key witness. Inevitably, Nolan is murdered and Edna is accused of the crime...and it is at this point that Jessica takes a hand in matters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The ladies of Cabot Cove are enchanted by a newcomer to the community, handsome gym instructor Wayne Bennett (Jason Beghe). Especially fascinated by Bennett is Eve Simpson (Julie Adams), who naturally is an old friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). When Bennett's onetime partner, con artist Fred Kepper (Hugh O'Brien), turns up dead in Eve's bedroom, Jessica can't bring herself to believe that her friend had anything to do with this awkward turn of events--and as always, Jessica knows best. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) travels to Moscow to attend the International Artists and Writers Conference. No sooner has she arrived that someone steals her purse--and when the police catch up with the thief, they find a role of microfilm amongst Jessica's belongings. Immediately, the KGB accuses our heroine of being a spy--which doesn't anger her quite as much as the subsequent murder accusation leveled at an old friend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) accuses the wife of a Palm Springs real estate developer of murdering her philandering husband. Shortly thereafter, the accused woman commits suicide, and her sister bitterly accuses Jessica of driving the woman to her death. Teaming up with police detective Hanna (Elliott Gould), Jessica tries to find out if she indeed condemned an innocent person--and in the process, the two sleuths search high and low for the $3 million allegedly embezzled by the murder victim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Jessica heads to the baseball stadium to visit her nephew, up-and-coming ballplayer Johnny Eaton (Todd Bryant). Soon afterward, the team's new TV pre-game hostess is murdered, and a startled burglar is arrested for the crime. So what has this to do with Jessica? Well, it seems that the hapless burglar is nephew Johnny's best friend... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In the final episode of Murder She Wrote's fourth season, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) volunteers as a speech writer for her old friend Kathleen Lane (Shirley Jones), whose wealthy husband Jackson (Eddie Albert) is bankrolling her political campaign. Not surprisingly, politics and scandal go hand in hand on this occasion, with rumors flying that Kathleen is carrying on a romance with her handsome campaign manager. When the manager is murdered, the tabloids have a field day--and Jessica has a not-so-high old time trying to prove that Kathleen was not the killer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
During a non-stop flight to London, a valuable necklace is stolen and the courier hired to guard the necklace is poisoned. One of the passengers is Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who of course offers her services to Scotland Yard as they try to retrieve the gems and catch the killer. Among the main characters in this melodrama are a famous actress, a taciturn former police officer, and a furtive-looking tourist couple. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
The first episode of Murder, She Wrote's fourth season is partially filmed on location in Paris. Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) has arrived in the City of Light to witness the first major presentation of an old friend, now a fashion designer. Our heroine's pleasure becomes business when a loan shark is murdered and Jessica's financially-strapped friend is accused of the crime. Despite all this intrigue, guest star Juliet Prowse finds time to sing a medley of such Gallic favorites as "La Vie en Rose." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
In addition to sexual encounters and nudity, toilet humor is on a roll in this story about some teens trying to finish a 12-week course in fast-food service -- yes, 12 weeks to study how to make and sell a hamburger. As their final exam, the teens have to run a burger place. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leigh McCloskey, Dick Butkus, (more)
