Howard Storm Movies

Monica (Roma Downey) and Andrew (John Dye) are assigned to the old-time comedy team of Salt and Pepper, who are about to be inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Maury Salt (Jerry Stiller) and Ed Pepper (Tom Poston) have hated each other ever since the argument that broke them up thirty years ago. Reluctantly reunited for the induction ceremony, the two showbiz veterans start quarrelling all over again, and it takes the intervention of Monica, posing as Salt's woefully inept new comedy partner, to restore a semblance of peace and quiet. As it turns out, if a reconciliation is to take place, it had better be soon; one of the partners hasn't much longer to live. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It is bad enough that Debra (Patricia Heaton) has to drive around town in the wheezy old car that Ray (Ray Romano) purchased from his parents. It is even worse when Debra finds out that the ancient clunker was the same vehicle in which Ray lost his virginity back in high school. And it is horrible beyond endurance when Debra discovers that Ray purchased the car only because of his nostalgic attachment to the original "make-out-mobile." ~ All Movie Guide

Randee Heller appears as Elaine, the light-fingered mother of Jake Ochmonek (Josh Blake). Even though Elaine insists that her kleptomania is a thing of the past, the resentful Jake cold-shoulders his mom. ALF tries to arrange a reconciliation between mother and son--but this proves difficult when he catches Elaine in a blatant act of thievery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It's a big event in the Tanner household when baby Michelle (played by the Olsen twins) utters her first word--"Da Da." Unfortunately, she says this not to her real "Da-Da" Danny (Bob Saget), but to Joey (David Coulier) and Jesse (John Stamos). Now Danny feels guilty about spending too much time at work and not enough time with his daughters--and he's determined to correct this mistake even if it kills him. Meanwhile, Joey takes some "cool" lessons from that renowned expert Jesse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This entertaining version of Pecos Bill is from the Tall Tales and Legends series by Shelley Duvall and features more adventures from the wild man who was raised by coyotes. ~ All Movie Guide

In an unusual comedy by Joan Darling, Brian Dennehy and Anne Archer star as the Richard, a druggist, and his wife Peggy, a pair of debt-ridden parents who rebel against the system. Nothing goes right while they try to uphold the system, then things get even worse when they leave it. Richard decides to pull the plug on modernity when he cannot meet his utility bills and creditors are at his door like wolves. He shuts off the electricity and sets up candles, buys a goat, and digs a well in the back yard. He finally does hit water, but it happens to be the city's water main. Peggy is not quite as crazed as her husband so she goes to see a shrink -- who promptly dies on her. If anything can go wrong for Richard and Peggy, it will. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A smaller, amusing comedy from writer/director Woody Allen, Broadway Danny Rose begins with a bunch of show business vets sitting around a table at New York's Carnegie Deli and reminiscing about the legendary titular character, a loser of an agent who would represent anyone, including blind xylophonists, piano-playing birds, and has-been crooners with drinking problems. Allen plays Rose as a befuddled, warm-hearted schlub who finally has a shot at getting somewhere when he signs washed-up lounge singer Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte) and nearly brings his career back to life. Danny gets him a date at the Waldorf, where Milton Berle is in the audience, looking for guests for his TV special. Canova has a complicated love life, juggling both a wife and a girlfriend. so he enlists Danny to take the girlfriend, Tina Vitale (Mia Farrow), to the concert. But Canova and Tina have a fight, she goes back to her Mafioso boyfriend, and Danny winds up getting chased halfway around New York and New Jersey by the Mob. And of course, once Canova gets his big break, he dumps Danny for another agent. Allen, Forte, and especially Farrow all do strong work with characters that could have easily become stereotypes, and the film has a lighter, warmer touch than the Allen films that preceded it (Stardust Memories and Zelig). ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

The growing attraction between cabbies Alex (Judd Hirsch) and Elaine (Marilu Henner) is further explored in this episode. When Elaine accompanies Alex on a vacation to Europe, Alex is worried that she will feel lonely and neglected while he wines and dines a variety of sexy foreign damsels. But as it turns out, it is Elaine who is the toast of the Continent, while Alex remains alone and ignored...at least until Elaine takes a special kind of pity on him. Originally intended as the opening episode of Taxi's fourth season, "Vienna Waits" was shown second after "Jim the Psychic." ~ All Movie Guide

Selma Diamond makes her first series appearance as Mildred Rafkin, sister of Henry's late tenant. Swooping into the apartment now occupied by Henry's daughters, Jackie (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) and Sara (Lydia Cornell), Mildred presumptively strips the place of all its furniture. Outraged, the girls threaten to move out, leaving poor Henry (Ted Knight) with the unenviable task of making nice-nice with the impossible Mildred. ~ All Movie Guide

This lively musical comedy pays tribute to the birth of rock & roll in the late 1950s and the instrumental role played by disc jockey Alan Freed who helped bring the new sound into vogue. Much of the story centers on the daring deejay's attempts to put on the very first live rock & roll stage show at the Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn. To do this he must overcome the protests of concerned and angry parents, conservatives, and local police. Several performers of the era appear in the film including Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Hoping to enliven her moribund social life, Laverne goes out on a date with a tough guy named Jake (Larry Bishop), who as the leader of the Purple Fiends motorcycle gang enjoys a "dangerous" reputation. Unfortunately, Jake lives up to that reputation by staging a robbery in the middle of the date. Will Laverne be able to escape, or is she doomed to a bleak future as Jake's "old lady"? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Laverne (Penny Marshall), Shirley (Cindy Williams) and the rest of the series regulars agree to do a Christmas show at a local hospital. It is only after they have arrived for the show that gang discovers that they're visiting a mental hospital--and that the affable doctor (Howard Hesseman) who is there to greet them is actually one of the patients. This hilarious and touching episode ends with a rare example of the series breaking the "fourth wall" to deliver a heartfelt message to the home viewers. Musical highlights include "Silent Night", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Winter Wonderland" and a new Yuletide tune, "The Jolliest Fat Man", written by series regular Michael McKean (Lenny). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sanford and Son launched its sixth and final season with an unforgettable location-filmed jaunt to Hawaii. Heading to the land of pineapples and hula skirts for a junkman's convention, Fred and Lamont Sanford (Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson) get innocently mixed up with jewel thieves. The crooks plant their loot on Fred in hopes of smuggling the gems to L.A. -- but of course, their best-laid schemes go hilariously agley. Highlighting Part One of "The Hawaiian Connection" is Fred Sanford's impromptu hula lesson. (This episode, originally running a full hour, has since been edited into two half-hour segments for syndication.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide