Ed Marinaro Movies

Nine San Franciscans have been murdered in what seems to be a random homicide spree. Only after two more people have died does Monk (Tony Shalhoub) discover the unifying link of the eleven homicides: All of the victims had served on the same jury. Normally, the most likely suspect would be the defendant in the trial--except that said defendant had been found not guilty! Racing against time, Monk tries to figure out if the twelfth juror is the actual culprit...or the next intended victim. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This inspiring drama is based on the true story of Daniel Huffman, a gifted high school football star who looked like a shoo-in for a major athletic scholarship and seemed poised for a shot at a career in the NFL. However, when Huffman's grandmother -- who raised him as a child -- needs a kidney transplant in order to survive, Daniel unhesitatingly donates one of his own, even though this means an end to his career in football. The film stars Debbie Reynolds, Ed Marinaro, and Elden Henson. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A boy who's looking for trouble finds a lot more than he counted on in this action-comedy. Nathan (Ryan DeBoer) is a 12-year-old kid with a smart mouth and a bit too much attitude for his own good. Not happy at home, Nathan runs away and his parents report him missing to the police; when Nathan finds out, he finds himself dodging the cops at every turn. Low on money, Nathan happens upon a large amount of cash and figures his lucky day has arrived. However, it turns out the money he found belongs to gangsters who are bound and determined to get it back, and Nathan is forced to turn himself in to Norm (Tim Matheson), a police detective, in order to stay alive. But Nathan doesn't much care for cops, and Norm is not exactly charmed by Nathan, which makes working together rough sledding. Catch Me If You Can (also released as Deadly Game and Hide and Seek) also features William Katt and Carol Alt. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Originally aired as an epic mini-series, Doomsday Rock was the first revival of "what-if-an-enormous-(insert appropriate astral body)-hit-the-Earth" movies. Essentially a sub-genre of the disaster movie, the story centers on the struggle of one main character to save the planet while simultaneously presenting on-going vignettes following the predicaments of secondary characters. Famed astronomer Dr. Paul Sorenson has been studying the ancient paths of comets for most of his career; he knows that comets and large meteorites have hit our planet before and believes such impacts caused the mass extinctions of the past. According to his latest calculations, a large comet is due to collide with our planet very soon. Unfortunately, nobody but his daughter, also a respected researcher and astronomer, believes him. Desperate to save humanity from mass extinction, Sorenson and his few followers commandeer an nuclear silo. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The protagonist of this made-for-TV techno-thriller is Terri (Gigi Rice), a single mom who works in one of those offices where everyone has a computer terminal wired to the "hottest" sites on the web. Evidently one of Terri's co-workers is a little more computer-literate than the next. It is this mystery man who, using the handle "Cybergod," has inaugurated a campaign of terror aimed at our heroine. But is this online stalker the person who Terri strongly suspects, or someone whom she would never in a million years consider to be a dangerous predator? Whatever the case, an ex-cop named Jones (Ed Marinaro), whose partner was murdered by the selfsame Cybergod, declares his intention to solve the mystery and save Terri from a similar demise. Watch for familiar Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers in a supporting role. Deadly Web first aired April 15, 1996, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Monica (Roma Downey) and Tess (Della Reese) must somehow straighten out the domestic travails of lawyer Susana (Brooke Adams), her husband Jack (Ed Marinaro) and his mistress Megan (Nancy Allen). Using the Thanksgiving-weekend traffic rush to their advantage, the two angels contrive to have Monica and Tess meet in a car accident. And as if that wasn't enough, Monica and Tess also conjure up an "estate" where both ladies will be forced to spend the holiday with Jack...a situation that could turn either sweet or sour, depending on the breaks. As a bonus, we learn that even Angel of Death Adam (Charles Rocket) has qualms about killing a Thanksgiving turkey! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Having survived breast cancer, Alex Reed (Swoosie Kurtz), oldest of the Reed sisters of Winnetka, has launched a new career as a motivational speaker as Sisters begins its fourth season. Invited to appear on a local TV talk show, Alex is so hilarious that she causes the show's host, Harry Busby (Jack Betts), to literally die laughing -- whereupon she is invited to take over the show by producer Norma Lear (Nora Dunn). The outlook is less rosy for Alex's sister Frankie (Julianne Phillips), who has broken up with her husband, Mitch (Ed Marinaro). So bitter and vindictive is the custody battle over the couple's baby son, Thomas George, that the fed-up judge awards custody to the child's surrogate mother, Frankie's sister Georgie (Patricia Kalember) -- meaning that Georgie's husband, John (Garrett M. Brown), and sons Evan (Dustin Berkovitz)and Trevor (Ryan Francis) will have to put up with the squalling Thomas George for the next several months. At the same time, Georgie and John have serious problems with son Trevor, who has begun running around with a fast crowd and has gotten into booze and marijuana. After first arranging for Trevor to get a job at the Sweet Sixteen Maltshop, a favorite local hangout which Frankie has purchased, Georgie is forced to admit that her son's problems are beyond her control, and puts him into rehab. Ultimately, Georgie thinks about killing herself, but is saved with some much-needed good news about her other son, Evan.

As for Teddy (Sela Ward), the most troublesome of the Reed daughters, her happiness over making a success of her undergarment business is cut short with the news that her former sweetheart, millionaire Simon Bolt (Mark Frankel), has been lost at sea. The fact that rumors of Bolt's death prove to be slightly exaggerated does not help matters when Teddy finds out the circumstances behind Simon's disappearance. Elsewhere, Alex's daughter Reed returns from California under the influence of a religious cult, forcing Alex and Reed's husband, Kirby, to kidnap the girl in order to "deprogram" her; the sisters' mom, Bea (Elizabeth Hoffman), finds out that her current husband, Truman (Philip Sterling), has Alzheimer's; and Teddy's daughter, Cat (Heather McAdam), is brutally raped. In other developments, Teddy falls in love with James Falconer (George Clooney), the detective investigating Cat's assault; and Alex marries discount-store owner Big Al Barker (Robert Klein), her TV show's biggest sponsor -- only to stand by helplessly when Big Al is carted off to jail on a tax-fraud charge. As the season concludes, the Reed sisters come face to face with Dr. Charlotte "Charley" Bennett (Jo Anderson), the half-sister they never knew they had -- who is in dire need of a marrow transplant. And a nervous Teddy marries Falconer during a chaotic plane ride in the middle of a tornado. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season three of Sisters begins as Alex (Swoosie Kurtz), the oldest of Winnetka's Reed sisters, insists upon micro-managing the marriage between her widowed mom, Bea (Elizabeth Hoffman), and Judge Truman Ventnor (Philip Sterling). Fed up with her daughter's interference, Bea decides to elope with Truman, causing Alex to throw one of her many hissy fits. Another angry outburst results when Alex finds out that her daughter, Reed (Ashley Judd), has quit college to marry Kirby Philby (Paul S. Rudd). Likewise, Alex expresses jealousy over the unexpected business success of her younger sister, Teddy (Sela Ward), leading to a knock-down, drag-out wrestling match between the two siblings! This is the season that Teddy meets eccentric millionaire Simon Bolt (Mark Frankel), who expresses his fondness for Teddy by investing heavily in her undergarment company; he also donates lots of money to the local leukemia fund on behalf of Teddy's nephew Evan (Dustin Berkovitz). But Teddy is too independent -- and too much the loose cannon -- to adapt to Simon's sumptuous lifestyle; nor is she much of a diplomat business-wise, as proven when she throws a pie at a fashion columnist who has given her a bad review. Throughout the rest of the season, Teddy will alternately break up and reconcile with Simon, at one point accepting his marriage proposal...for a while, anyway. Meanwhile, Teddy's troubled daughter, Cat (Heather McAdam), is showing signs of developing into a problem drinker like her mother and grandmother.

On a more upbeat note, Evan and Trevor (Ryan Francis), the sons of Teddy's sister Georgie (Patricia Kalember), have apparently managed to overcome the health and emotional problems that plagued them in the previous season, while Georgie herself has agreed to be surrogate mother for her sister Frankie (Julianne Phillips) and Frankie's husband, Mitch (Ed Marinaro). Unfortunately, Frankie goes into labor while trapped in a wrecked car, when no one is able to come to her aid -- and with the local TV outlets covering the event. Once the baby is delivery as safely as possible under the circumstances, three different Hollywood studios approach Georgie, hoping to make a movie out of her ordeal. The subsequent film epic, "Her Sister's Love," does not meet with her sibling's approval, even though Suzanne Somers agrees to star in it. Later on, Georgie will find work as a real-estate broker, then as a newspaper advice columnist. As for Frankie, she begins cramming for a quick conversion to Judaism so that her child can be bar-mitzvahed for the sake of her husband, Mitch. Despite this, it is clear that the marriage between Frankie and Mitch is in serious trouble as the season draws to a close -- just as it appears that Alex will patch things up with her ex-husband, Wade (David Dukes), even though he has gotten married again. Season three ends with Alex finding out she has breast cancer, and Reed and Kirby leaving Winnetka for a new life in California. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As season two of Sisters gets under way, John Whitsig (Garrett M. Brown), the unemployed husband of Georgie Reed (Patricia Kalember), suddenly develops a sense of responsibility when his son Evan (Dustin Berkovitz) is diagnosed with leukemia. John records a musical tape, markets it himself, and gains a following as "The CPA of Song." His first nightclub engagement is less successful until he takes a female partner -- which of course does not meet with Georgie's approval. At the same time, the attention lavished on the ailing Evan by John and Georgie has a negative effect on the couple's other son, Trevor (Ryan Francis). Meanwhile, Georgie's impulsive sister Teddy (Sela Ward) tries to reconcile with her daughter, Cat (Heather McAdam), who has been living with her father, Mitch (Ed Marinaro), ever since Teddy used a shotgun to break up the wedding between Mitch and Teddy's sister Frankie (Patricia Kalember) -- the couple ultimately weds in secret to avoid any other such incidents. Clearly, Teddy has inherited her mother Beatrice's (Elizabeth Hoffman) drinking problem, and it is time for her to take the AA pledge. Later on, Teddy suffers a miscarriage (the baby was Mitch's); and, on a more positive note, she begins making good money marketing her own line of undergarments.

As for the oldest Reed sister, Alex (Swoosie Kurtz), she is still reeling from the discovery that her husband, Wade (David Dukes), is a philanderer. Worse, Wade's current girlfriend, Tiffany Blue (Kim Johnston-Ulrich), is an obsessive loose cannon, who tries to have Alex killed! In an effort to overcome her domestic travails, Alex begins seeing a nice-guy plumber named Victor Runkle (David Gianopoulos), but their relationship is scuttled when it becomes obvious that Alex and Wade still harbor fond feelings toward one another. Finally, the Reed girls' widowed mother, Bea, begins dating Judge Ventnor (Philip Sterling), who has helped her reclaim her revoked driver's license. This relationship will be placed on temporary hold when Bea suffers a heart attack, just as Georgie is making a speech while running for the Winnetka school board. This season, Ashley Judd takes over for Kathy Wagner in the role of Alex and Wade's overachieving daughter, Reed. Possibly as a byproduct of her parents' problems, Reed has been expelled from school and has taken a French lover. Later, Reed will become obsessed with Alex's current amour, Victor, prompting him to break off the relationship -- but not before pulling a few financial strings that will enable the Reed family to retain ownership of their house. As the season rushes to a close, Frankie and Mitch find out that they are unable to conceive, prompting Georgie to offer her services as surrogate mom. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The made for TV Menu for Murder was first telecast December 4, 1990. An unpopular PTA leader is murdered with a poisoned croissant sandwich during a gala luncheon. Though practically every woman on the committee had expressed a desire to kill the victim, the principal suspect is housewife Julia Duffy. Detective Ed Marinaro conducts an intense investigation of Julia-much to the discomfort of her husband. Joan van Ark and Morgan Fairchild also star, the latter incrongrously cast as a PTA treasurer. Originally titled Murder at the PTA Luncheon, Menu for Murder was reportedly withheld from view until a few legal matters could be smoothed out with the Parent-Teacher's Association. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A journalist is torn between the love for one of her subjects and the responsibility of reporting the story. ~ Rovi

A New York cop takes on drug-smuggling Soviet agents in this action-espionage thriller. The trouble starts when the rebellious agents disobey orders and begin glutting the Big Apple black market with illegal drugs. The cops become alerted to the problem after four topless dancers die of heroin overdoses. Renegade detective Mace Douglas, who has just been demoted for his tendency to kill suspects and now finds himself teemed up with a smarmy college-educated, irritatingly straight arrow, sets about solving the case. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi