Hal Smith Movies
Character actor Hal Smith (born Harold John Smith) cut his acting teeth in various touring road companies. Before serving in the Air Force during World War II, he had amassed impressive credits as a band singer, radio disc jockey, and writer. In the postwar years, he decided to try his luck in Hollywood, although holding down a real-estate job so he'd have a financial cushion between acting jobs. His first recurring TV role was on the vintage sitcom I Married Joan (1952-53). (It was a different actor who appeared in the bit role of Anne Baxter's suitor in O. Henry's Full House [1952].) He spent most of the '50s playing guest stints and providing voice-overs for cartoon characters, and was briefly Hal the Bartender, a commercial spokesman for a popular brand of beer. In 1960, he was signed for the semi-regular role of town drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show, essaying this hilarious (if politically incorrect) characterization with expertise, although he often insisted, "I don't think I've ever really been drunk in my whole life." Since Otis did not appear in every Griffith episode, Smith had time aplenty to free-lance, playing such film roles as a drunken Santa in Billy Wilder's The Apartment (1960) and an effeminate Roman emperor in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962), and supplying voices for such cartoon programs as Davey and Goliath and The Flintstones. By 1962, he was making 50,000 dollars per year, a tidy sum in those days. During the 1970s and '80s, Smith was most closely associated with Disney, replacing the late Vance "Pinto" Colvig as the voice of Goofy and providing voices for series ranging from Winnie the Pooh and Friends to Ducktales. Smith died in 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1970
This week, the bane of gentleman farmer Oliver Douglas' existence is Irene, a local cow who has been trampling his crops. In high dudgeon, Oliver (Eddie Albert) declares that he must get rid of Irene. As usual, wife Lisa (Eva Gabor) misinterprets Oliver's words and intentions, and soon has convinced the townsfolk of Hooterville that her long-suffering husband is a ruthless "cow killer." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hal Smith, Allan Melvin, (more)
- 1969
In his efforts to talk a man out of committing suicide, Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) commits a serious breach of police protocol, whereupon Sgt. MacDonald (William Boyett) rakes the veteran patrolman over the coals. In a less traumatic moment, a woman (Katherine Squire) insists that Malloy and his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord) drop whatever they're doing and fix her TV antenna (remember TV antennas?) This episode was originally scheduled to air on January 25, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) may have finally gone too far when he arranges a race between the Hooterville Cannonball and a jitney bus (a glorified taxi). If Joe loses, he also loses the Shady Rest--and even worse, he will be forced to work as a bellboy at the Pixley Hotel. Hal Smith,better known as town drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show, appears as Jug Gunderson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The town of Hooterville is gripped with melancholy when its population drops from a bustling 68 to a pitiful 46. It appears that, while there are plenty of middle-agers and oldsters in town, the "kids" are steering clear of the place. Oliver Douglas (Eddie Albert) expansively suggests that Hooterville attract younger residents by building a youth center -- but he didn't intend for the center to be erected on his own farm! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hal Smith
- 1968
June Lockhart makes her first series appearance as Dr. Janet Craig, the new replacement for Hooterville's Doc Stuart (Regis Toomey). Upon discovering that the town now has a female MD, the menfolk are none too pleased about it--nor are their jealous womenfolk! Although Bea Benaderet) is still billed in the opening credits, the actress died a month before this episode originally aired. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Winnie The Pooh & the Blustery Day was the second Disney animated featurette based on characters created by A. A. Milne. It was released December 20, 1968, two years and ten months after the first Disney "Pooh Corner" tales, Winnie the Pooh & the Honey Tree. As in the earlier film, Sterling Holloway delightfully supplies the voice of Pooh bear, while Sebastian Cabot serves as narrator. The light-as-a-feather storyline concerns the efforts by Pooh and his pals-Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet et. al.-to contend with a windstorm. Of Disney's four "Pooh Corner" cartoon shorts, only Winnie the Pooh & the Blustery Day received an Oscar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This animated compilation video is comprised of episodes from several popular Hannah-Barbera cartoons. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This animated compilation video is comprised of episodes from several popular Hannah-Barbera cartoons. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In the conclusion of a two-part story, a reluctant Mooney (Gale Gordon) has joined Lucy (Lucille Ball) and her songwriter friend Mel Tinker (Mel Torme) in their efforts to save the small town of Bancroft from being demolished to make room for a new freeway. In hopes of bringing Bancroft's plight to the attention of a major network TV reporter (Dan Rowan), Lucy stages a phony shootout at Mooney's bank. Three guesses as to what happens next! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Tormé, John Bubbles, (more)
- 1967
In the first episode of a two-part story, Lucy (Lucille Ball) turns activist to save the small town of Bancroft, which is slated to be demolished to make room for a new freeway. With sign in hand and slogans in her mouth, Lucy leads the citizens in a protest, blissfully unaware (at first) that her own boss Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) is funding the freeway project. Another of the protesters is Lucy's songwriter friend Mel Tinker (Mel Torme), who pens the stirring ballad "My Home Town" and joins Lucy and legendary song-and-dance man John Bubbles in a performance of the title tune "Main Street USA." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Tormé, John Bubbles, (more)
- 1967
In order to destroy a German ammunition factory, Hogan and his men go undercover as workers in the target factory. Their plans to blow up the place hit a snag when, through a fluke, Newkirk is drafted into the German army. Hal Smith, best known for his portrayal of town drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffth Show, is here seen as Hans Spear. Written by Art Baer and Ben Joelson, "The Swing Shift" made its first network appearance on February 3, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, (more)
Luther Heggs (Don Knotts) is a typesetter at a newspaper who longs for a chance to be a reporter. Editor Beckett (Dick Sargent) gives Luther his big break and assigns him to spend the night in a house generally considered to be haunted. The situation allows a broad canvas for Knotts to react to sight gags with the special brand of eye-popping nervousness that made him a star. Former Playboy Bunny Joan Staley plays the pretty girlfriend of star reporter Ollie Skip Homeier. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Knotts, Joan Staley, (more)
- 1966
Hoping to succeed where his predecessor Barney had failed, Deputy Warren Ferguson tries to reform town drunk Otis Campbell. Reasoning that Otis needs a hobby, Warren channels the old tosspot into mosaic art. As it turns out, however, Otis does his best artwork when he's three sheets to the wind! This episode was scripted by stalwart Andy Griffith Show contributors Fred Freeman and Lawrence J. Cohen. "Otis the Artist" originally aired on January 3, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The Hooterville telephone directory (two full pages this year!) comes out, and Oliver (Eddie Albert) is upset that Lisa (Eva Gabor) has listed him as "Attorney at Law." Oliver is worried that he will receive so many calls for his services that he'll never get his farm chores done -- and remember, every time the phone rings, he has to climb up a telephone pole to answer it! But the biggest crisis in this episode arises when Lisa tries to bake a pound cake, which turns out to be even heavier than her legendary hotcakes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Andy is captured and held hostage by a gang of bank robbers. Emergency deputies Howard and Otis go to the rescue, but Howard also falls into the gang's clutches. Thus, it is up to Otis to rescue his two comrades-a daunting task, considering the fact that Otis is, as usual, drunk as a skunk. Joe Turkel, a semi-regular in the films of Stanley Kubrick, appears as an outlaw named Fred, while his companion Larry is portrayed by familiar flat-nosed character player Charles Dierkop. First telecast on December 12, 1966, "Otis the Deputy" was written by Jim Parker and Arnold Margolin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hal Smith, Jack Dodson, (more)
- 1965
In the second of two consecutive "western" episodes, Fred and Barney comes to the rescue of Fred's wealthy Uncle Tex, who is being plagued by infamous cowasaurus rustler Billy the Kidder. Reasoning that the only way to capture Billy is to pose as a cowasaurus, our two heroes don the required disguise. Unfortunately, they also manage to capture the heart of an aggressive female cowasaurus named Carmen (it's an old joke, but it always works!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Winning some free flying lessons in a raffle, Fred begins entertaining dreams of becoming an airline pilot. However, he proves to be a less than apt pupil, and it isn't long before pretty female instructor Kitty Rockhawk has given up on teaching Fred how to fly. Even so, by episode's end is up to our hero and his copilot Barney to successfully land an out-of-control airplane, using only radioed instructions as their guide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Tony Curtis stars as The Great Leslie, a hero among heroes whose purity of heart is manifested by his spotlessly white wardrobe. Leslie's great rival, played by Jack Lemmon, is Professor Fate, a scowling, mustachioed, top-hatted, black-garbed villain. Long envious of Leslie's record-setting accomplishments with airships and sea craft, Professor Fate schemes to win a 22,000-mile auto race from New York City to Paris by whatever insidious means possible. The problem is that Fate is his own worst enemy: each of his plans to remove Leslie from the running (and from the face of the earth) backfires. Leslie's own cross to bear is suffragette Maggie Dubois (Natalie Wood), who also hopes to win the contest and thus strike a blow for feminism. The race takes all three contestants to the Wild West, the frozen wastes of Alaska, and, in the longest sequence, the mythical European kingdom of Carpania. This last-named country is the setting for a wild Prisoner of Zenda spoof involving Professor Fate and his look-alike, the foppish Carpanian king. When Leslie and Fate approach the finish line at the Eiffel Tower, Leslie deliberately loses to prove his love for Maggie. Professor Fate cannot stand winning under these circumstances, thus he demands that he and Leslie race back to New York. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk as Fate's long-suffering flunkey Max, Keenan Wynn as Leslie's faithful general factotum, Dorothy Provine as a brassy saloon singer, Larry Storch as ill-tempered bandit Texas Jack, and Ross Martin as Baron Von Stuppe. The film also yielded a hit song, Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's The Sweetheart Tree. The Great Race was dedicated to "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, (more)
- 1965
Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) is convinced that the Shady Rest is haunted by the ghost of Chester W. Farnsworth, who stayed at the hotel 50 years before, then vanished mysteriously. This puts Joe in a bit of a bind: Much as he'd like to exploit the ghost as a tourist attraction, he also feels he must exorcise the spirit to lift a supposed curse. Eccentric comedian Doodles Weaver, the "Beeeedelbaum" man from the old Spike Jones orchestra, is seen--sort of--as the ghost, while Hal Smith, best known as town drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show, appears as Mr. Richardson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
"Bears love honey and I'm a Pooh bear," sings Winnie the Pooh setting the stage for the goings-on in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, the first of four Disney featurettes based upon the A.A. Milne characters. Indeed, Pooh has rather an insatiable desire for honey, and when he spies a group of bees making some of the lovely sticky stuff in the top of a nearby tree, he taxes his mental resources -- difficult for "a bear of very little brain" -- and comes up with a scheme. Enlisting the aid of Christopher Robin, he covers himself in mud, grabs hold of a big blue balloon and (thinking himself cleverly disguised as a little black rain cloud), tries to get some of the honey. The bees are not fooled, but soon Pooh finds an easier way of getting what he wants: visiting friend Rabbit at lunch time. Rabbit has a tremendous store of honey -- so much so that, after ingesting it all, Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit's doorway and can get neither in nor out. There's nothing to do but wait for Pooh to lose enough wait to squeeze out. When he does finally get rescued, Pooh somehow ends up in another sticky situation -- but one that is much more pleasing to the little bear. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Daphne and Skippy (Jean Carson and Joyce Jameson), those two "fun girls" from Mount Pilot, are back for more mischief in Mayberry. The girls deliberately get arrested for speeding so that they can spend all their time with those handsome hunks Andy and Barney. Though the boys manfully resist the girls' advances, their own sweethearts Helen and Thelma Lou choose to believe the evidence of their own eyes. First telecast on April 5, 1965, "The Arrest of the Fun Girls" was written by Richard M. Powell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Once again, Fred falls for a get-rich-quick scheme--in this instance, the purchase of a carnival. Any hopes Fred had for show-business success are dashed when all of the acts quit because they haven't been paid in months. But the show must go on, so Fred, Barney, Wilma, Betty, and even Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm fill in for the missing performers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
When all his efforts to reform town drunk Otis Campbell fail, Barney orders Otis to do all his future drinking in Mount Pilot. Before long, however, Barney and Andy realize that they miss old Otis. Utilizing Barney's "psychological therapy" ploy, Andy tries to lure everyone's favorite tosspot back to Mayberry. Written by Fred Freeman and Lawrence J. Cohen, "The Rehabilitation of Otis" made its network TV bow on January 18, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hal Smith
Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette star in this Walt Disney family comedy as Mark and Fran Garrison, a dog-loving couple with different tastes in canines. When their dachshund gives birth to puppies, kindly veterinarian Dr. Pruitt (Charlie Ruggles) convinces Mark to take a Great Dane puppy home with him. The Great Dane, named Brutus, grows up with the tiny pups convinced that he's also a dachshund. Brutus's confused identity sets the stage for a number of mildly comic bits -- he chases policemen up trees, destroys Mark's studio, and ruins a garden party. Fran finally tells Mark that Brutus has to go, but changes her tune when Brutus saves Fran's favorite dachshund puppy, Chloe, from a scrap heap. When Fran announces that she is entering Chloe in a dog show, Mark secretly enters Brutus in the same contest in an effort to convince Brutus to think like a Great Dane. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1964
To earn extra money during the Christmas season, Fred signs up as a department store Santa at Macyrock. With typical Flintstonian logic, this leads to Fred being chosen to substitute for the genuine Santa (who is suffering from a bad cold) and delivering presents throughout the world on Christmas Eve. Highlights include two musical numbers, "Christmas is My Fav'rite Time of the Year" and "Dino the Dinosaur" (Perhaps it would nitpicking to wonder how a bunch of characters in the Stone Age could possibly celebrate Christmas!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
