Andrew Smith
- 1996
The "perfect" family life of rock star Jon Mateos (A Martinez) is shattered when his Evie (Rosalind Allen) dies in a car accident while rushing to make a TV appearance with her husband. Now Jon must shoulder the burden of looking after his three children, whom Evie had raised all by herself while he pursued success. Unable to connect with his kids, Jon retreats into a nether world of booze and drugs--and Monica (Roma Downey) and Tess (Della Reese) must somehow help him get his act together before tragedy strikes his eldest daughter Samantha (Ivey Lloyd). TV journalist Kathleen Sullivan appears as herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Insisting that he has voluntarily turned his back on his Hollywood career, ex-soap opera star Joel Redding (Ted Shackelford) becomes a drama professor at a small-town college. Though Joel's son Marshall (Harley Cross) idolizes his dad, the same cannot be said for Joel's wife Sally (Stephanie Faracy), who is all too aware of her husband's philandering--and of his current affair with a pretty co-ed. Ultimately, the relationship between Joel and Marshall also collapses when the elder Redding directs the younger in a fund-raising play. If Monica (Roma Downey) hopes to remedy this situation, she'll have to work quickly; Sally is now gravely ill. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- R
This adventure is yet another adaptation of Richard Connell's enduring 1924 tale The Most Dangerous Game. The tale is set in contemporary times and centers on four bored business executives who are looking to do something a little more exciting on their latest African excursion than shoot mere animals. They begin by luring an innocent, unemployed journalist into playing a little mock hunting game using paint pellets for bullets. At first all involved are using phony bullets, but then, the group leader, Eric Du Pont, quietly loads real bullets into his gun and begins killing the others one-by one, leaving the survivors to begin blaming the journalist who must now run for his life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In her efforts to prove herself a worthy mother (and about time!), Peggy (Katey Sagal) spends the mortgage money on her "adopted" son Seven's doctor bills. Taking things several steps farther, she exiles her own kids from the Bundy house to keep Seven (Shane Sweet) from catching cold. Meanwhile, a financially strapped Al moonlights as a bartender in a topless club--where he's the one who is topless (that is, he keeps his head, but not his shirt). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A year after appearing in the box-office sleeper Shanghai Surprise, pop superstar Madonna starred in the screwball comedy Who's That Girl? She plays Nikki Finn, who is being released from prison after serving a four-year sentence for a murder she didn't commit. Meanwhile, wealthy lawyer Loudon (Griffin Dunne) is about to get married that afternoon to the snobby Wendy (Haviland Morris), the daughter of Simon Worthington (John McMartin). Worthington does not approve of the wedding and he wants Nikki out of town as soon as possible, so he sends Loudon to collect Nikki and take her to the bus station. Instead, the flamboyant Nikki seeks her revenge while trying to find out what happened to her friend Johnny, which causes Loudon a lot of trouble. Naturally, wild action ensues -- some of it involving an escaped Cougar belonging to Loudon's boss, the millionaire animal collector Montgomery Bell (John Mills) -- and Loudon having to choose between the prim Wendy and the unpredictable Nikki. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madonna, Griffin Dunne, (more)
- 1987
Rick was never a very nice man, all his life he has been prone to beating people up with very little provocation. Somehow he becomes a member of the police's elite special forces unit. When he beats up a hippie at a demonstration rather than simply keeping order as he is charged to do, his fellow officers back up his story rather than suffer the humiliation of having this "bad apple" in their ranks be exposed, bringing disgrace on them all. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Spendlove, Elizabeth Edmonds, (more)
- 1980
In the third episode of the four-part story "Full Circle," the Doctor (Tom Baker) realizes that he and Romana (Lalla Ward) have been marooned in E-space on the planet Alzarius, where the full evolutionary cycle repeats itself every 50 years. He also makes a startling discovery about the "disabled" starliner where he and several other space castaways have been confined. Written by Andrew Smith, "Full Circle, Episode 3" was originally telecast on November 8, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
In the second episode of the four-part story "Full Circle," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) have been trapped in E-space, marooned along with several other space travelers on the planet Alzarius. Confined to a crippled starliner during an atmospheric emergency, the Doctor soon discerns a dire threat to the wellbeing of the castaways -- namely, the morphing Marshmen. Written by Andrew Smith, "Full Circle, Episode 2" was originally telecast on November 1, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
In the conclusion of the four-part story "Full Circle," the Doctor (Tom Baker) has discovered that the marooned passengers of a crippled starliner have had it within their power to escape Alzarius for centuries. The trouble is, the passengers are unaware of this -- or rather, they don't seem to want to be aware. Will the Doctor be able to realign their thinking, and thereby wrest himself free of E-Space so that he can answer an urgent summons from his fellow Time Lords? Matthew Waterhouse joins the regular cast as the Doctor's new companion Adric. Written by Andrew Smith, "Full Circle, Episode 4" was originally telecast on November 15, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
While heading toward Gallifrey to answer an urgent summons, the TARDIS passes through a CVE (Charged Vacuum Embodiment). As a result, the vessel ends up in E-Space, where the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) land on the planet Alzarius, currently the "home" of several other marooned space travelers. Written by Andrew Smith, "Full Circle" lasted four episodes, the first of which was originally telecast on October 25, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal attempt to recapture the screwball spark of What's Up, Doc? in the labored farce The Main Event. Streisand plays Hillary Kramer, a bankrupt perfume executive who discovers that one of her tax write-offs from more prosperous times was the ownership of prizefighter Kid Natural (Ryan O' Neal). Kid Natural is now a driving instructor who wants nothing to do with boxing, but Hillary is determined to resurrect the Kid's less-than-spectacular boxing career. She installs herself as the Kid's manager and tries to get him in shape to go the distance. Along the way, the two fall in love. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, (more)
- 1978
Jerry Fogel is cast as Paul Billingham, aka "Ralph Alfalfa the Happy Farmer" of Chicago radio fame. Though a huge success on the airwaves, Billingham harbors a dark secret: He stutters. Now that he has been offered a TV job, Billingham is terrified that the bizarre physical subterfuges he uses to speak coherently into the microphone will be exposed -- so naturally, he goes to Bob for advice. Written by Andrew Smith, "Easy for You to Say" originally aired on February 11, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1978
Future WKRP in Cincinnati co-star Howard Hesseman reprises his role as Mr. Plager, the gay, culturally inclined member of Bob's therapy group. Urged on by Bob and the other patients, Plager writes, produces, and directs a play. Unfortunately, Plager's masterpiece, though ostensibly set during WWI, is a thinly disguised carbon copy of the group's therapy sessions, replete with characters based on Mr. Carlin, Mr. Petersen, Mrs. Bakerman -- and Bob himself. (For the record, these "faux" roles are filled by Jerry Devine, Lou Cutell, Amzie Strickland, and Frank Ashmore, respectively). Scripted by Andrew Smith, "Group on a Hot Tin Roof" was originally scheduled to air in February or March of 1978, but was moved up to January 28, due to Bob Newhart's absence from several other like-vintage episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1977
Bob's prickly patient, Mr. Carlin, is given yet another reason to be neurotic; a woman from his past has slapped him with a paternity suit. But upon meeting his "son" for the first time, Carlin hasn't the heart to tell the boy that the suit is a phony. Meanwhile, Bob has troubles of his own with a recalcitrant telephone paging service. Future WKRP in Cincinnati co-star Loni Anderson appears as "wronged woman" Leslie Greeley, Sparky Marcus plays Billy, and occasional Star Trek supporting player Mark Lenard is seen as Earl S. Plummer. Written by Andrew Smith, "Carlin's New Suit" originally aired on October 22, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
