ABC Movie of the Week
The ABC Movie of the Week was a weekly television anthology series featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975.
| ABC Movie of the Week | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 90–120 minutes (approx.) |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | September 23, 1969 – May 14, 1975 |
History
In the 1960s, movie studios viewed television as a second-rate medium but also as a threat to their theatrical revenue, so they charged high fees for the privilege to broadcast their films. The networks experimented with having films made specifically for TV to lower expenses. NBC created the first weekly umbrella for such films with their World Premiere Movie in 1966, running in a two-hour time slot.
Until the late 1960s, ABC ran a distant third behind rivals CBS and NBC, leading to jokes about its acronym meaning "Almost Broadcasting Company" or coming in fourth among the three networks. Desperation and a looser corporate structure allowed ABC to consider plans that the other two networks would not. Barry Diller, then a junior executive at ABC and later a co-founder of the Fox network, is often cited as the creator of the Movie of the Week (MotW), but the concept was actually originated by producer Roy Huggins. Huggins reasoned that many older theatrical films ran shorter than 90 minutes so requiring a 120-minute time slot was unnecessary. His proposal was rejected by all three networks but became the subject of a cover story in Variety magazine. ABC's interest was renewed but they lacked confidence that Huggins could produce an entire season of telefilms by himself. As the Variety article had effectively placed the concept into the public domain, ABC continued to develop it without Huggins' permission or involvement. They approached Universal, which demanded a larger budget than ABC wanted to spend, as well as the exclusive right to produce all future TV movies for ABC, conditions that pushed ABC to control production on their own, assigning them to various studios and production companies. ABC consoled Huggins by allowing him to produce several films, including The Young Country, precursor to Alias Smith and Jones.
The shorter format allowed a smaller budget than previous two-hour films ($350,000 per film compared with NBC's $400,000 World Premiere).[1] It featured the work of producers like Aaron Spelling and David Wolper (both of whom later developed hit series of their own), and was produced by different production companies such as Bing Crosby Productions, Spelling-Goldberg Productions, Thomas-Spelling Productions (partly owned by Danny Thomas) and the network's own ABC Circle Films.
The MotW provided ABC with a ratings hit and, along with Monday Night Football, helped establish the network as a legitimate competitor to rivals CBS and NBC. The films themselves varied in quality and were often escapist or sensationalistic in nature (suspense, horror and melodrama were staples), but some were critically well received. For example, Duel (1971), based on a Richard Matheson short story from Playboy, was director Steven Spielberg's first feature film, catapulting his career and enabling him to move from television to theatrical films.
ABC earned four Emmys, a Peabody Award and citations from the NAACP and American Cancer Society for an airing of Brian's Song in 1972. The 1971-72 season of the series finished as the fifth highest rated series of the year.
The series was documented by Michael Karol in his 2005 book, The ABC Movie of the Week Companion: A Loving Tribute to the Classic Series, which was updated in 2008 (ISBN 1-60528-023-2), and by Michael McKenna in The ABC Movie of the Week: Big Movies for the Small Screen.
Time slots
The MotW originally aired on Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm Eastern/7:30 pm Central. Established series The Mod Squad acted as a lead-in from 7:30 to 8:30, bringing the younger demographic. The shorter running time of the film freed the 10 p.m. time slot for a full 60-minute program, initially Marcus Welby, M.D. during the first season. Starting earlier at 8:30 could also prevent viewers from switching to competing movies at 9:00. Beginning with the 1971 season, ABC added a second MotW on Saturday night and adjusted the titles of the shows to the Movie of the Week and Movie of the Weekend. The following season, the Saturday installment was moved to Wednesday night, and the titles were adjusted to Tuesday Movie of the Week and Wednesday Movie of the Week.
During the 1973-74 season, ABC added another movie on Saturday nights to their schedule, this time titled the ABC Suspense Movie, and usually consisting of thriller, mystery and horror type films (some of which were reruns of movies which had originally aired as Movies of the Week).
Title sequence
The title sequence was designed by Harry Marks[2] and animated by Douglas Trumbull using the slit-scan process that he had created for 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The accompanying theme music was an orchestral version of "Nikki", a song composed by Burt Bacharach and named for his daughter. The theme was arranged and performed by Harry Betts.[2]
Over the music was narration voiced by Dick Tufeld . "The Movie of the Week. Presenting the world premiere of an original motion picture produced especially for ABC (or 'for the Movie of the Week' in some seasons)." That would be followed by a promotional teaser for the movie.
The opening for the Saturday Movie of the Weekend featured footage of a silhouetted "rotating cameraman" operating a 35 mm movie camera (). This footage would later be incorporated into the opening of ABC's New York City television station WABC-TV's various movie umbrellas beginning around 1972-73, including and especially their weekday afternoon movie showcase The 4:30 Movie.
TV series pilots
The series was often used as a platform to show pilots for possible series for the network. It allowed the network to air pilots that it had already commissioned and paid for but had not ordered as regular series. As well, pilots that had already been sold as ongoing series or were being tested such as Kung Fu, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch, Longstreet, Toma, Alias Smith and Jones and Get Christie Love! premiered here and returned on the regular schedule after minor to major alterations to the premise and/or cast. Other programs are sometimes mistakenly believed to have aired under the Movie of the Week banner. Marcus Welby, M.D. is believed to be a MotW but actually premiered after Seven in Darkness and was the lead-out for the Tuesday installment. Still others like Earth II and (Robert Conrad's version of) Nick Carter did air during that era, but were actually on other nights under different banners - the ABC Sunday Night Movie in the case of Nick Carter and Earth II.
Actors
Most of the actors in non-recurring roles appeared only once or twice in the series. Notable exceptions who appeared in three or more films as different characters include Doug McClure, Darren McGavin, Dennis Weaver, Earl Holliman, Leonard Nimoy, Barbara Eden, Elizabeth Montgomery, Donna Mills, Ed Nelson, Ken Berry, Connie Stevens, Myrna Loy and William Windom.
Many of the telefilms had actors credited as guest stars, special guest stars and "special appearance by," even if the movie was not a pilot for a series. Death Race and The Weekend Nun billed their lead actors as special guest stars. In the unusual case of Assault on the Wayne, all of the first-billed cast members were credited as guest stars.
End
The series proper ended in 1975 as ABC's ratings collapsed that season. Analysts laid part of the blame on ABC's reliance on the MotW, which had suffered from ratings fatigue as well as a perceived drop in quality in its final season. After that, ABC's made-for-TV movies were aired either as stand-alone specials or shown in time slots that included both original and theatrical movie presentations, notably the ABC Friday Night Movie and the ABC Sunday Night Movie. The Tuesday Movie of the Week would later be incorporated as part of ABC Late Night, a replacement of ABC's Wide World of Entertainment that ran from 1976 to 1982; the late-night version would mainly feature repeats of movies, both made for television and traditional theatrical releases, that were previously seen on ABC and other networks. ABC continued to premiere new TV films on Sunday nights in prime time until 2005.
Filmography
Nielsen Ratings
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | Rank | Nielsen rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | September 23, 1969 | March 17, 1970 | #22 | 20.9 [3] | |
| 2 | 25 | September 22, 1970 | April 6, 1971 | #6 | 25.1 [4] | |
| 3 | 44 | September 14, 1971 | March 7, 1972 | #5 | 25.5 [5] | |
| 4 | 47 | September 12, 1972 | March 21, 1973 | #17 | 21.4 [5] | |
| 5 | 70 | September 11, 1973 | May 7, 1974 | #21 | 21.0 [6] | |
| 6 | 43 | September 10, 1974 | May 14, 1975 | #47 | 17.6 [7] | |
Cast Notes
| * | Credited as guest star |
| ** | Credited as special guest star |
| *** | Credited as "special appearance by" |
Season 1: 1969–70
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.01 | Seven in Darkness | Drama | September 23, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
Seven survivors of a plane crash, all blind, must make their way out of the wilderness without any aid. Starring: Milton Berle, Dina Merrill, Barry Nelson, Arthur O'Connell, Alejandro Rey, Lesley Ann Warren | ||||||
| 2 | 1.02 | The Immortal | Science fiction | September 30, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
A man flees from a dying billionaire after his blood is found to provide almost miraculous healing and life extension properties. Pilot for the 1970 TV series; nominated for one Emmy Award. | ||||||
| 3 | 1.03 | The Over-the-Hill Gang | Western-comedy | October 7, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
Four elderly Texas Rangers come out of retirement to oust the corrupt crime boss mayor of a frontier town. Unsold pilot; followed by The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (2.08) | ||||||
| 4 | 1.04 | Wake Me When the War Is Over | Comedy | October 14, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
A German baroness hides an Air Force clerk during World War II, then stages an ongoing "war" to keep him from learning that the war has ended. Starring: Ken Berry, Eva Gabor, Werner Klemperer, Jim Backus** | ||||||
| 5 | 1.05 | The Monk | TBA | October 21, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 6 | 1.06 | The Young Lawyers | Drama | October 28, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| 7 | 1.07 | The Pigeon | Crime thriller | November 4, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
A private investigator tries to protect a woman and her mother who are secretly hiding from the mob. Starring: Sammy Davis, Jr., Dorothy Malone, Victoria Vetri, Ricardo Montalban**, Pat Boone***, Roy Glenn, Patsy Kelly, Norman Alden | ||||||
| 8 | 1.08 | The Spy Killer | Espionage thriller | November 11, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot; followed by Foreign Exchange (1.17). | ||||||
| 9 | 1.09 | The Ballad of Andy Crocker | Drama | November 18, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| 10 | 1.10 | In Name Only | Comedy | November 25, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 11 | 1.11 | Three's a Crowd | Comedy | December 2, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
A pilot disappears and is presumed dead by his wife; seven years later, he re-appears in another city and is married to someone else. Starring: Larry Hagman, E.J. Peaker, Jessica Walter, Harvey Korman, Farrah Fawcett, Norman Fell | ||||||
| 12 | 1.12 | Daughter of the Mind | Thriller | December 9, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| 13 | 1.13 | The Silent Gun | Western | December 16, 1969 | Tuesday | |
| 14 | 1.14 | Honeymoon with a Stranger | Thriller | December 23, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
An American woman honeymooning with her wealthy new husband at his Spanish villa awakens the next morning, only to be confronted with a stranger who insists that he is her husband. Starring: Janet Leigh, Rossano Brazzi, Cesare Danova, Eric Braeden, Barbara Steele | ||||||
| 15 | 1.15 | Gidget Grows Up | Comedy | December 30, 1969 | Tuesday | |
|
After breaking up with Moondoggie, Gidget becomes a United Nations tour guide and begins a love affair with an older Australian agriculture consultant. Unsold pilot; followed by Gidget Gets Married (3.27). | ||||||
| 16 | 1.16 | Black Water Gold | Adventure/drama | January 6, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 17 | 1.17 | Foreign Exchange | Espionage thriller | January 13, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot; the sequel to The Spy Killer (1.08). | ||||||
| 18 | 1.18 | Carter's Army | Drama | January 27, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A racist commando must lead an all-African-American squad of misfits on a secret mission in Germany. Also known as Black Brigade. | ||||||
| 19 | 1.19 | Along Came a Spider | Mystery | February 3, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 20 | 1.20 | The Challenge | Drama | February 10, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A disgraced U.S. soldier and big game hunter is recruited to fight a one-on-one war of "surrogates" against his Asian counterpart, the nations vying to win salvage rights to a sunken nuclear-armed satellite. Starring: Darren McGavin, Mako, Broderick Crawford, James Whitmore**, Skip Homeier, Sam Elliott | ||||||
| 21 | 1.21 | The Journey of Robert F. Kennedy | Documentary | February 17, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| The only non-fiction Movie of the Week. | ||||||
| 22 | 1.22 | Quarantined | Drama | February 24, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 23 | 1.23 | Mister Jericho | Caper | March 3, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 24 | 1.24 | The Love War | Science fiction | March 10, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 25 | 1.25 | The Young Country | Western | March 17, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
Double-crosses abound as various people try to get $38,000 that was embezzled from a Santa Fe bank. Character names were reused with a new premise to create Alias Smith and Jones (2.13). | ||||||
Season 2: 1970–71
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 2.01 | How Awful About Allan | Thriller | September 22, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A tormented, blind young man comes home to live with his sister, but believes that a mysterious boarder may be trying to kill him. Based on a novel by Henry Farrell. | ||||||
| 27 | 2.02 | Night Slaves | Science fiction | September 29, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A man with a steel plate in his skull sees everyone in a town he is visiting leave in a trance-like state every night. Based on a novel by Jerry Sohl. | ||||||
| 28 | 2.03 | But I Don't Want to Get Married! | Romantic comedy | October 6, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A recent widower with two sons finds himself juggling several women at once. Starring: Herschel Bernardi, Brandon Cruz, Harry Morgan, Nanette Fabray, Jerry Paris, Shirley Jones** | ||||||
| 29 | 2.04 | The Old Man Who Cried Wolf | Suspense | October 13, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 30 | 2.05 | Wild Women | Action | October 20, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 31 | 2.06 | The House That Would Not Die | Horror | October 27, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A woman who has inherited an old Georgetown manor learns that her family property is a breeding ground for the supernatural. Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Egan, Michael Anderson Jr., Kitty Winn | ||||||
| 32 | 2.07 | Tribes | Drama | November 10, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A Marine Drill instructor comes to respect a pacifistic hippie draftee. Directed by Emmy Award winner Joseph Sargent. | ||||||
| 33 | 2.08 | The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again | Western/comedy | November 17, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
Three of the gang reunite to help a geriatric comrade, especially after he becomes marshal of Waco and has to face down bank robbers. Unsold pilot; the sequel to The Over-the-Hill Gang (1.03). | ||||||
| 34 | 2.09 | Crowhaven Farm | Thriller | November 24, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
After inheriting a farm near Salem, a woman learns that she is being targeted for revenge by a coven of witches for the actions of her previous incarnation. Starring: Hope Lange, Paul Burke, Lloyd Bochner, John Carradine, Cyril Delevanti, Milton Selzer, Patricia Barry | ||||||
| 35 | 2.10 | Run, Simon, Run | Thriller | December 1, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 36 | 2.11 | Weekend of Terror | Thriller | December 8, 1970 | Tuesday | |
| 37 | 2.12 | The Man Who Wanted to Live Forever | Thriller | December 15, 1970 | Tuesday | |
|
A heart surgeon hired to do research by an ailing magnate finds his benefactor wants to steal hearts to keep on living...including his own. Starring: Stuart Whitman, Sandy Dennis, Burl Ives** | ||||||
| 38 | 2.13 | Alias Smith and Jones | Western | January 5, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Two notorious outlaws work to earn amnesty, but their former gang has other plans for the bank where they are employed. Reuses character names from The Young Country (1.25). Pilot for the TV series of the same name that premiered two weeks later. | ||||||
| 39 | 2.14 | Assault on the Wayne | Thriller | January 12, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Cold War intrigue with traitors trying to steal top secret anti-ballistic missile controls being tested on a U.S. nuclear submarine. Reuses submarine footage from Ice Station Zebra. | ||||||
| 40 | 2.15 | Dr. Cook's Garden | Thriller | January 19, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A medical intern visiting his home town comes to believe his mentor, the town's doctor, is murdering troublesome residents with poison. Directed by Ted Post | ||||||
| 41 | 2.16 | The Feminist and the Fuzz | Romantic comedy | January 26, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A feminist pediatrician and a chivalrous cop butt heads as roommates in San Francisco. Starring: Barbara Eden, David Hartman, Julie Newmar**, Jo Anne Worley, Farrah Fawcett**, Harry Morgan**, John McGiver**, Herb Edelman** | ||||||
| 42 | 2.17 | The Point! | Children | February 2, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| Animated; narrated by Dustin Hoffman for the initial broadcast only. | ||||||
| 43 | 2.18 | Love Hate Love | Thriller | February 9, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| 44 | 2.19 | Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring | Drama | February 16, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A young woman returns to her parents' suburban home after a year of living with hippies and discovers her younger sister is also following in her footsteps, wanting the idealistic hippie life. Starring: Sally Field, Eleanor Parker, Jackie Cooper, Lane Bradbury, David Carradine | ||||||
| 45 | 2.20 | Longstreet | Mystery | February 23, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Insurance investigator Mike Longstreet searches for the party who bombed his home, killing his wife and leaving him blind. Pilot for the TV series of the same name on CBS the following season. Stirling Silliphant was the writer and executive producer. Produced and directed by Joseph Sargent. | ||||||
| 46 | 2.21 | Yuma | Western | March 2, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Yuma's new marshal finds himself facing a vengeful rancher, as well as a scheme to steal supplies meant for Indian reservations. Starring: Clint Walker, Barry Sullivan, Edgar Buchanan, Kathryn Hays, Morgan Woodward, Robert Phillips, Miguel Alejandro | ||||||
| 47 | 2.22 | River of Gold | Action adventure | March 9, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 48 | 2.23 | In Search of America | TBA | March 23, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. Starring: Carl Betz, Vera Miles, Jeff Bridges | ||||||
| 49 | 2.24 | The Sheriff | Crime drama | March 30, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
An African-American sheriff tries to prove that a racist raped a young black girl. Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 50 | 2.25 | Escape | Action/science fiction | April 6, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A famed escape artist has to find a kidnapped scientist who has developed a biological agent that can turn humanity into mindless slaves. Unsold pilot. Produced by Bruce Lansbury, who would create the very similar series The Magician in 1973. | ||||||
Season 3: 1971–72
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 3.01 | The Forgotten Man | Drama | September 14, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A Vietnam War P.O.W., returning home after five years, finds that his wife is remarried, his whole world has changed and he is beginning to suffer PTSD flashbacks. Starring: Dennis Weaver, Anne Francis**, Lois Nettleton, Pamelyn Ferdin, Percy Rodriguez, Andrew Duggan, James Hong | ||||||
| 52 | 3.02 | The Birdmen | Action adventure | September 18, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
A World War II P.O.W. inspired by the planned glider escape from Colditz Castle. Released as a feature film overseas as Escape of the Birdmen. Starring: Doug McClure. Rene Auberjonois, Richard Basehart, Max Baer Jr. and Chuck Connors. | ||||||
| 53 | 3.03 | Congratulations, It's a Boy! | Comedy | September 21, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
A swinging bachelor has to grow up after a young adult illegitimate son that he did not know about shows up and wants to spend time with him. Starring: Bill Bixby, Diane Baker, Jack Albertson*, Ann Sothern*, Karen Jensen, Darrell Larson, Jeff Donnell, Tom Bosley, Robert H. Harris, Judy Strangis | ||||||
| 54 | 3.04 | Five Desperate Women | Thriller | September 28, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| 55 | 3.05 | Sweet, Sweet Rachel | Thriller | October 2, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
An ESP researcher investigates mysterious happenings surrounding a widow to find out if she is being gaslighted by someone with psychic powers. Concept heavily reworked and recast to create the TV series The Sixth Sense. | ||||||
| 56 | 3.06 | The Last Child | Drama | October 5, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
In an overpopulated future US with a one-child policy, an expectant couple who had lost a newborn try to flee to Canada with a former Senator's help. Starring: Michael Cole, Harry Guardino, Janet Margolin, Edward Asner, Van Heflin**, Barbara Babcock | ||||||
| 57 | 3.07 | Thief | Heist | October 9, 1971 | Saturday | |
| 58 | 3.08 | A Taste of Evil | Thriller | October 12, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
After years in a mental asylum, an heiress returns to her family mansion and realizes that someone is deliberately trying to drive her insane. Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Barbara Parkins, Roddy McDowall, William Windom, Arthur O'Connell | ||||||
| 59 | 3.09 | In Broad Daylight | Thriller | October 16, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
A blinded movie star disguises himself as a sighted man in order to murder his cheating wife and frame her lover from the crime. Starring: Richard Boone, Suzanne Pleshette, John Marley, Stella Stevens**, Fred Beir, Whit Bissell | ||||||
| 60 | 3.10 | Suddenly Single | Comedy | October 19, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| 61 | 3.11 | Death Takes a Holiday | Drama | October 23, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
Death takes human form and falls in love with a woman who was supposed to die, so people stop dying. First remake of the 1934 film; followed by Meet Joe Black in 1998. | ||||||
| 62 | 3.12 | The Death of Me Yet | Drama | October 27, 1971 | Wednesday | |
|
A KGB sleeper agent who adopted a new identity finds himself and his wife in jeopardy when his former superior discovers that he is still alive. Starring: Doug McClure, Richard Basehart*, Darren McGavin**, Rosemary Forsyth, Meg Foster, Dana Elcar | ||||||
| 63 | 3.13 | A Little Game | Suspense | October 30, 1971 | Saturday | |
| 64 | 3.14 | Two on a Bench | Comedy | November 2, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| 65 | 3.15 | Revenge! | Thriller | November 6, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
A deranged and vengeful mother imprisons in her basement the man that she believes is responsible for seducing her daughter. Starring: Shelley Winters, Bradford Dillman, Stuart Whitman, Roger Perry, Gary Clarke | ||||||
| 66 | 3.16 | Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate | Thriller | November 9, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Four elderly women create a fake profile at a computer dating service as a prank, but "she" attracts a murderous stalker. Starring: Helen Hayes, Myrna Loy, Mildred Natwick, Sylvia Sidney, Vince Edwards, John Beradino | ||||||
| 67 | 3.17 | Duel | Thriller | November 13, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
A driver finds himself inexplicably targeted and harassed by a truck and its mysterious unseen driver. Steven Spielberg's feature-length film directorial debut. | ||||||
| 68 | 3.18 | Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones | Drama | November 16, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| 69 | 3.19 | The Reluctant Heroes | War drama | November 23, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
An Army historian uses his knowledge of historical tactics and languages to lead a unit under attack at a mountain observation post. Starring: Ken Berry, Jim Hutton, Trini Lopez, Don Marshall, Ralph Meeker, Cameron Mitchell, Warren Oates, Soon-Tek Oh | ||||||
| 70 | 3.20 | The Failing of Raymond | Suspense | November 27, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
An escaped mental patient stalks the English literature teacher whom he blames for failing him in high school. Starring: Jane Wyman, Dean Stockwell, Dana Andrews**, Paul Henreid, Tim O'Connor, Priscilla Pointer | ||||||
| 71 | 3.21 | Brian's Song | Drama | November 30, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
Dramatization of professional football player Brian Piccolo's friendship with teammate Gale Sayers and Piccolo's battle with cancer. Eight Emmy nominations, four wins | ||||||
| 72 | 3.22 | The Devil and Miss Sarah | Western | December 4, 1971 | Saturday | |
| 73 | 3.23 | If Tomorrow Comes | Drama | December 7, 1971 | Tuesday | |
| Originally promoted as The Glass Hammer. | ||||||
| 74 | 3.24 | See the Man Run | Heist | December 11, 1971 | Saturday | |
|
After a kidnapper dials the wrong number and calls his phone, a B-movie actor secretly impersonates the victim's father in order to steal a cut of the ransom. Music by David Shire | ||||||
| 75 | 3.25 | The Trackers | Western | December 14, 1971 | Tuesday | |
|
An African American U.S. Marshal helps a homesteader track his daughter's abductors, but faces racism at every turn. Sammy Davis Jr. was an executive producer on this film. | ||||||
| 76 | 3.26 | What's a Nice Girl Like You...? | Comedy | December 18, 1971 | Saturday | |
| 77 | 3.27 | Gidget Gets Married | Comedy | January 4, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Moondoggie gets a job at a defense contractor, but Gidget, bored as a new wife, starts a rebellion against the rigid social structure in the corporate-owned community.
Unsold pilot; the sequel to Gidget Grows Up (1.15); produced and directed by E.W. Swackhamer. | ||||||
| 78 | 3.28 | The Astronaut | Drama | January 8, 1972 | Saturday | |
|
When the first astronaut on Mars mysteriously dies, the space agency tries to save the program by hiring an impersonator in order to fool the President, the public — and his wife. Produced by Harve Bennett, who would later hire Richard Anderson to co-star on The Six Million Dollar Man, and Monte Markham to guest star as the Seven Million Dollar Man. | ||||||
| 79 | 3.29 | The Night Stalker | Horror | January 11, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak tries to convince the authorities in Las Vegas that a series of murders was committed by a vampire. Not officially a pilot; followed by The Night Strangler (4.29). | ||||||
| 80 | 3.30 | Madame Sin | Spy thriller | January 15, 1972 | Saturday | |
|
A villainess who commands a Thought Factory in the Scottish Highlands is intent on achieving world domination by kidnapping an ex-CIA agent to help her hijack a secret nuclear weapon. Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 81 | 3.31 | Getting Away from It All | Comedy | January 18, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Two New York City couples pursue imagined bliss by buying and moving to a small, rustic island near Maine. Starring: Larry Hagman, Barbara Feldon, Gary Collins, E. J. Peaker, Vivian Vance*, Jim Backus*, Burgess Meredith* | ||||||
| 82 | 3.32 | The People | Science fiction | January 22, 1972 | Saturday | |
|
A teacher hired by an insular, Amish-like farming community finds the residents have unusual powers of the mind. Starring: Kim Darby, William Shatner, Diane Varsi, Dan O'Herlihy | ||||||
| 83 | 3.33 | Women in Chains | Drama | January 25, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| 84 | 3.34 | The Screaming Woman | Thriller | January 29, 1972 | Saturday | |
|
A former mental patient is haunted by the cries of a woman that she believes is buried alive on her property. Based on a short story by Ray Bradbury. Starring: Olivia de Havilland, Ed Nelson, Joseph Cotten, Walter Pidgeon | ||||||
| 85 | 3.35 | Hardcase | Western | February 1, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A soldier of fortune learns that his wife sold their ranch and ran off with a Mexican revolutionary. First live-action film feature production by Hanna-Barbera. | ||||||
| 86 | 3.36 | When Michael Calls | Thriller | February 5, 1972 | Saturday | |
|
A woman begins receiving phone calls from her supposedly dead nephew Michael, and begins to wonder if Michael is really dead or if she is losing touch with reality. Starring: Ben Gazzara, Elizabeth Ashley, Michael Douglas, Marian Waldman, Al Waxman | ||||||
| 87 | 3.37 | Second Chance | Drama | February 8, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A world-weary stockbroker buys a ghost town and invites people who want a second chance in life to populate it. Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 88 | 3.38 | The Hound of the Baskervilles | Mystery | February 9, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
Starring: Stewart Granger as Sherlock Holmes, Bernard Fox, William Shatner and Jane Merrow. First pilot for the unsold anthology series Great Detectives. | ||||||
| 89 | 3.39 | Call Her Mom | Comedy | February 15, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Facing expulsion for lacking a house mother, the rowdy APE fraternity hires a feisty young waitress for the job. Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 90 | 3.40 | Kung Fu | Western | February 22, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A fugitive Shaolin priest in the Old West tries to help oppressed coolies forced to lay railroad tracks under inhumane conditions. Pilot for the TV series of the same name premiering in the fall season. | ||||||
| 91 | 3.41 | Two for the Money | Mystery | February 26, 1972 | Saturday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 92 | 3.42 | The Eyes of Charles Sand | Thriller | February 29, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 93 | 3.43 | A Very Missing Person | Mystery | March 4, 1972 | Saturday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 94 | 3.44 | The Rookies | Crime drama | March 7, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| Pilot for the TV series of the same name premiering in the fall season. | ||||||
Season 4: 1972–73
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 4.01 | The Longest Night | Crime drama | September 12, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A wealthy father and the FBI urgently try to save his kidnapped daughter, buried in a box with only seven days of air. Based on the true story of the kidnapping of Barbara Mackle in 1968. | ||||||
| 96 | 4.02 | The Daughters of Joshua Cabe | Western | September 13, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
A farmer convinces a prostitute, a con artist and a pickpocket to pose as his daughters in order to fend off a rival who is trying to steal his land using homesteading law. First pilot for an unsold series, followed by The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return (6.29). | ||||||
| 97 | 4.03 | No Place to Run | Drama | September 19, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| 98 | 4.04 | Haunts of the Very Rich | Horror | September 20, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 99 | 4.05 | Moon of the Wolf | Horror | September 26, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| 100 | 4.06 | Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole | Drama | September 27, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
A widowed doctor joins a colleague's Chicago slum clinic and befriends a dying girl. Starring: Susan Hayward, Darren McGavin, Michael Constantine, Dane Clark, Beverly Garland | ||||||
| 101 | 4.07 | Playmates | Comedy | October 3, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Two divorced men meet and become friends but, unbeknownst to each other, they start dating each other's ex-wives. Starring: Alan Alda, Connie Stevens, Barbara Feldon, Doug McClure | ||||||
| 102 | 4.08 | Rolling Man | Drama | October 4, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 103 | 4.09 | Night of Terror | Thriller | October 10, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A woman is paralyzed and pursued by enforcers for a crime syndicate who are looking for something that was left in her possession. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc. Produced by Thomas Miller and Edward Milkis, who would go on to produce successful sitcoms for ABC. | ||||||
| 104 | 4.10 | Lieutenant Schuster's Wife | TBA | October 11, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 105 | 4.11 | Goodnight, My Love | TBA | October 17, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| 106 | 4.12 | A Great American Tragedy | TBA | October 18, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 107 | 4.13 | Short Walk to Daylight | Disaster | October 24, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
After an earthquake in New York City collapses a subway tunnel, survivors from a subway train try to find a way out. Starring: James Brolin, Don Mitchell, James McEachin, Abbey Lincoln, Brooke Bundy, Laurette Spang | ||||||
| 108 | 4.14 | Family Flight | Drama/disaster | October 25, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
A small plane with a family onboard is downed in Baja during a storm. They struggle to fix the plane, clear a runway and fly back to civilization. Produced by Harve Bennett, who would incorporate parts of the plot and footage into the 1974 "Pilot Error" episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, a series for which he was executive producer. | ||||||
| 109 | 4.15 | The Bounty Man | Western | October 31, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A bounty hunter and his longtime rival both chase after a killer. Starring: Clint Walker, Richard Basehart, John Ericson, Margot Kidder, Gene Evans | ||||||
| 110 | 4.16 | That Certain Summer | Drama | November 1, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
Seminal film dealing with homosexuality; seven Emmy nominations, one win. Starring: Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen, Joe Don Baker, Scott Jacoby, Hope Lange | ||||||
| 111 | 4.17 | The Crooked Hearts | Comedy/mystery | November 8, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
An old widow and bachelor meet through a lonelyhearts club, taking each other for rich. Starring: Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Rosalind Russell, Ross Martin, Michael Murphy, Maureen O'Sullivan | ||||||
| 112 | 4.18 | The Victim | Thriller | November 14, 1972 | Tuesday | |
| 113 | 4.19 | All My Darling Daughters | Comedy/drama | November 22, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| Unsold pilot; followed by My Darling Daughters' Anniversary (5.23). | ||||||
| 114 | 4.20 | Home for the Holidays | Thriller | November 28, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
An aging father is convinced that his second wife is trying to poison him, and he summons his four daughters home for protection. Starring: Sally Field, Eleanor Parker, Julie Harris, Jessica Walter, Jill Haworth, Walter Brennan | ||||||
| 115 | 4.21 | The Heist | Crime drama | November 29, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 116 | 4.22 | The Couple Takes a Wife | Romantic comedy | December 5, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
Marital woes ensue when a busy working couple hires a sexy, young, multi-talented woman as a "wife" to manage their household and children. Directed by Jerry Paris. Starring: Bill Bixby, Paula Prentiss, Myrna Loy, Valerie Perrine**, Robert Goulet**, Nanette Fabray**, Larry Storch** | ||||||
| 117 | 4.23 | Pursuit | Thriller | December 12, 1972 | Tuesday | |
|
A federal agent thwarts an extremist's plot to nerve-gas the city of San Diego during a political convention. Michael Crichton's debut as a film director. | ||||||
| 118 | 4.24 | Every Man Needs One | Romantic comedy | December 13, 1972 | Wednesday | |
| 119 | 4.25 | The Weekend Nun | Drama | December 20, 1972 | Wednesday | |
|
A cloistered nun has her eyes opened when she enters the outside world to work as a juvenile probation officer during the week. Unsold pilot. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc. Produced by Thomas Miller and Edward Milkis, who would go on to produce successful sitcoms for ABC. Inspired by the motivational teachings of former nun Joyce Duco. Kay Lenz's professional debut. | ||||||
| 120 | 4.26 | Firehouse | Drama | January 2, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| Pilot for the TV series airing in 1974. | ||||||
| 121 | 4.27 | The Devil's Daughter | Horror | January 9, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A young woman attends the funeral of her mother; one of her mother's old friends (Shelley Winters) then introduces her to a Satanic cult (her mother was part of this cult before leaving it while the young woman was a baby). The cult members believe her to be their "Princess of Darkness", which she rejects, horrified. She meets a charming young man (Robert Foxworth), and as she falls in love with him, feels she can defy the cult and live her own life, but on her wedding night, she learns that there are sinister conditions for the marriage, making her destiny unavoidable. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc. Produced by Thomas Miller and Edward Milkis, who would go on to produce successful sitcoms for ABC. | ||||||
| 122 | 4.28 | Trouble Comes to Town | Drama | January 10, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 123 | 4.29 | The Night Strangler | Horror | January 16, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
Carl Kolchak investigates killings in Seattle that seem to be tied to an immortal who needs blood for an elixir to rejuvenate himself every 21 years. Not officially a pilot; the sequel to The Night Stalker (3.29), followed by the TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. | ||||||
| 124 | 4.30 | Female Artillery | Western | January 17, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A thief fleeing his former gang helps a wagon train of women and children fight them off. Starring: Dennis Weaver, Ida Lupino, Sally Ann Howes, Linda Evans, Albert Salmi, Nina Foch | ||||||
| 125 | 4.31 | Go Ask Alice | Drama | January 24, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 126 | 4.32 | A Cold Night's Death | Thriller | January 30, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 127 | 4.33 | Snatched | Thriller | January 31, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| The wives of three rich men are kidnapped and held for $3,000,000 ransom-$1,000,000 for each of them. The crime is complicated further when one of the husbands refuses to pay his share of the ransom (because he believes that his wife is having an affair with another man) and one of the wives, a diabetic, needs her insulin shot in order to survive. | ||||||
| 128 | 4.34 | Divorce His | Drama | February 6, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
Rashomon-style story with dueling accounts of events leading to a divorce. The first half is from the husband's perspective. Star vehicle for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. | ||||||
| 129 | 4.35 | Divorce Hers | Drama | February 7, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| Continuing from Divorce His the night before. The second half is from the wife's perspective. | ||||||
| 130 | 4.36 | The Great American Beauty Contest | Drama | February 13, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
Behind the scenes melodrama unfolds for both contestants and officials at the Miss American beauty pageant. Starring: Eleanor Parker, Bob Cummings, Jo Anna Cameron, Farrah Fawcett, Christopher Norris, Larry Wilcox | ||||||
| 131 | 4.37 | The Girls of Huntington House | Drama | February 14, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A teacher at a school for unwed mothers takes a personal interest in her students. Starring: Shirley Jones, Mercedes McCambridge, Pamela Sue Martin, William Windom, Sissy Spacek | ||||||
| 132 | 4.38 | A Brand New Life | Drama | February 20, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
After 18 years of marriage, a middle-aged couple are surprised to find that they are expecting their first child. Starring: Cloris Leachman, Martin Balsam, Marge Redmond, Gene Nelson, Mildred Dunnock | ||||||
| 133 | 4.39 | And No One Could Save Her | Mystery | February 21, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 134 | 4.40 | The Connection | Crime drama | February 27, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 135 | 4.41 | You'll Never See Me Again | Thriller | February 28, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 136 | 4.42 | The Letters | Drama | March 6, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| First unsold pilot for a series; followed by Letters from Three Lovers (5.09). | ||||||
| 137 | 4.43 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Science fiction | March 7, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
Former astronaut Steve Austin is critically injured in the crash of an experimental aircraft and is given bionic body parts as replacements. First of three TV movies which would lead to the Six Million Dollar Man TV series. | ||||||
| 138 | 4.44 | The Bait | Crime drama | March 13, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A female police detective volunteers to act as a lure to trap a serial rapist-murderer. Unsold pilot; based on Dorothy Uhnak's first novel; her third novel, The Ledger, was adapted to become Get Christie Love!, a 1974 Movie of the Week and pilot. | ||||||
| 139 | 4.45 | Class of '63 | Thriller | March 14, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 140 | 4.46 | Beg, Borrow or Steal | Caper | March 20, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
Three embittered disabled men - a paraplegic, a double amputee and a blind man - plot to steal priceless jewels off a gold statue in a museum. | ||||||
| 141 | 4.47 | Toma | Crime drama | March 21, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| Pilot for the TV series premiering on October 4. | ||||||
Season 5: 1973–74
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142 | 5.01 | Deliver Us from Evil | Drama | September 11, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
Six male hikers in the mountains kill a parachuting skyjacker and fight between themselves over his stolen $600,000. Starring: George Kennedy, Jan-Michael Vincent, Bradford Dillman, Charles Aidman, Jim Davis | ||||||
| 143 | 5.02 | She Lives! | Drama | September 12, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| The movie featured the song 'Time in a Bottle' by Jim Croce; his death in a plane crash eight days after the film premiered launched the song to #1 on the U.S. music charts.[8] | ||||||
| 144 | 5.03 | Dying Room Only | Horror | September 18, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A woman is placed in serious jeopardy after her husband mysteriously disappears from the washroom of a rundown diner. Starring: Cloris Leachman, Ross Martin, Ned Beatty, Louise Latham, Dabney Coleman | ||||||
| 145 | 5.04 | Satan's School for Girls | Horror | September 19, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A young woman investigating her sister's suicide at a private girls' school finds herself battling a Satanic cult. Starring: Pamela Franklin, Kate Jackson, Lloyd Bochner, Roy Thinnes, Cheryl Ladd | ||||||
| 146 | 5.05 | Smile When You Say 'I Do' | TBA | September 25, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 147 | 5.06 | Hijack! | Thriller | September 26, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
Two long-haul truckers with a secret load must contend with a mysterious and murderous group who wants to steal their cargo. Starring: David Janssen, Keenan Wynn, Lee Purcell, William Schallert | ||||||
| 148 | 5.07 | Runaway! | Disaster | September 29, 1973 | Saturday | |
|
A train with nonfunctional brakes coming down a mountain from a ski resort careens toward the end of the line. Starring: Ben Johnson, Ben Murphy, Darleen Carr, Ed Nelson, Martin Milner**, Vera Miles*** | ||||||
| 149 | 5.08 | Isn't It Shocking? | Comedy/mystery | October 2, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A small-town sheriff is confronted with an ingenious killer when elderly citizens begin to die mysteriously. Starring: Alan Alda, Louise Lasser, Edmond O'Brien, Ruth Gordon, Will Geer | ||||||
| 150 | 5.09 | Letters from Three Lovers | Drama | October 3, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| Second unsold pilot for a series; the sequel to The Letters (4.42). | ||||||
| 151 | 5.10 | The Alpha Caper | Heist | October 6, 1973 | Saturday | |
|
A parole officer facing mandatory retirement recruits three of his parolees to steal gold bullion from an armored truck. Unsold pilot; rare TV appearance by Henry Fonda. | ||||||
| 152 | 5.11 | Shirts/Skins | TBA | October 9, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 153 | 5.12 | Don't Be Afraid of the Dark | Horror | October 10, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 154 | 5.13 | Double Indemnity | Crime Drama | October 13, 1973 | Saturday | |
| A scheming wife lures an insurance investigator into helping murder her husband and then declare it an accident. The investigator's boss, not knowing his man is involved in it, suspects murder and sets out to prove it. | ||||||
| 155 | 5.14 | The Third Girl from the Left | Drama | October 16, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 156 | 5.15 | The Man Who Could Talk to Kids | Drama | October 17, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 157 | 5.16 | Wine, Women and War | Science fiction | October 20, 1973 | Saturday | |
| Sequel to The Six Million Dollar Man | ||||||
| 158 | 5.17 | The President's Plane Is Missing | Political drama | October 23, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A news agency reporter suspects a conspiracy when Air Force One crashes during an international crisis, but the President's body is not found. Starring: Peter Graves, Buddy Ebsen, Arthur Kennedy, Rip Torn, Louise Sorel, Joseph Campanella | ||||||
| 159 | 5.18 | Go Ask Alice | Drama | October 24, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 160 | 5.19 | Money to Burn | TBA | October 27, 1973 | Saturday | |
| 161 | 5.21 | Ordeal | TBA | October 30, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 162 | 5.21 | Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed? | Comedy | October 31, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A woman's life is upended when her childish ex-husband moves back in, with his second wife and baby in tow. Starring: Barbara Eden, Dean Jones, Kenneth Mars, Susanne Benton, Reta Shaw, Todd Lookinland, Diana Herbert | ||||||
| 163 | 5.22 | Linda | Thriller | November 3, 1973 | Saturday | |
| 164 | 5.23 | The Girl Most Likely To... | Black comedy | November 6, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
A homely but brilliant college girl who becomes beautiful after a car crash and reconstructive surgery creatively murders the people who had wronged her. Story by Joan Rivers, who also co-wrote the teleplay. | ||||||
| 165 | 5.24 | My Darling Daughters' Anniversary | Comedy | November 7, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| Unsold pilot; the sequel to All My Darling Daughters (4.19). | ||||||
| 166 | 5.25 | Death Race | War drama | November 10, 1973 | Saturday | |
|
Two American pilots in a P-40 with a damaged wing are pursued across the desert by an obsessed Nazi general in a commandeered Panzer tank. Also known as State of Division. | ||||||
| 167 | 5.26 | Trapped | Suspense | November 14, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A man trapped overnight in a department store must fight to survive vicious guard dogs patrolling the store. Starring: James Brolin, Susan Clark, Earl Holliman, Robert Hooks** | ||||||
| 168 | 5.27 | The Solid Gold Kidnapping | Science fiction | November 17, 1973 | Saturday | |
| The third movie about cyborg Steve Austin, following The Six Million Dollar Man and Wine, Women and War | ||||||
| 169 | 5.28 | The Affair | Romance drama | November 20, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 170 | 5.29 | Scream, Pretty Peggy | Horror | November 24, 1973 | Saturday | |
|
A sculptor hires a young college girl to take care of his mother and his supposedly insane sister. Starring: Bette Davis, Ted Bessell, Sian Barbara Allen, Christiane Schmidtmer | ||||||
| 171 | 5.31 | Cry Rape! | TBA | November 27, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 172 | 5.31 | Outrage | Drama | November 28, 1973 | Wednesday | |
|
A doctor in an idyllic suburb takes extreme action when nobody wants to stand up to uncontrollable young residents terrorizing the community. Based on a true story. | ||||||
| 173 | 5.32 | A Summer without Boys | TBA | December 4, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 174 | 5.33 | Blood Sport | TBA | December 5, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 175 | 5.34 | Maneater | TBA | December 8, 1973 | Saturday | |
| 176 | 5.35 | The Cat Creature | Horror | December 11, 1973 | Tuesday | |
|
An Egyptology professor helps investigate feline-tinged deaths that stalk everyone who comes in contact with a cursed amulet. Teleplay credit and story co-credit to Robert Bloch. | ||||||
| 177 | 5.36 | Message to My Daughter | TBA | December 12, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 178 | 5.37 | What Are Best Friends For? | TBA | December 18, 1973 | Tuesday | |
| 179 | 5.38 | Pioneer Woman | TBA | December 19, 1973 | Wednesday | |
| 180 | 5.39 | Indict and Convict | TBA | January 6, 1974 | Sunday | |
| 181 | 5.40 | The Death Squad | Crime drama | January 8, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A disgraced cop is reinstated and recruited to infiltrate a "death squad" within the department that is killing criminals who have escaped justice. Starring: Robert Forster, Michelle Phillips, Claude Akins, Mark Goddard, Melvyn Douglas** | ||||||
| 182 | 5.41 | Shootout in a One-Dog Town | Western | January 9, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A small-town bank robber is forced to single-handedly defend a fortune in cash from a pack of vicious outlaws. Live-action production by Hanna-Barbera. | ||||||
| 183 | 5.42 | Mrs. Sundance | Western | January 15, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A Pinkerton detective leaks a rumor that the Sundance Kid was not killed in Bolivia in order to lure Etta Place out of hiding so that she can lead him to the Wild Bunch. Starring: Elizabeth Montgomery, Robert Foxworth, L. Q. Jones | ||||||
| 184 | 5.43 | Scream of the Wolf | Thriller | January 16, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 185 | 5.44 | Skyway to Death | Disaster | January 19, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
A disgruntled former employee's sabotage strands a group of passengers in an aerial tram high above a mountain as high winds approach. Exteriors filmed at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. | ||||||
| 186 | 5.45 | Get Christie Love! | Crime drama | January 22, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
An undercover female police detective tries to stop a huge drug empire. Pilot for the TV series premiering September 11. | ||||||
| 187 | 5.46 | Pray for the Wildcats | Thriller | January 23, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 188 | 5.47 | Heatwave! | Drama | January 26, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
Complications upon problems as a young, expectant couple try to escape a brutal heat wave by fleeing to a cabin in the countryside. Starring: Ben Murphy, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, David Huddleston*, John Anderson*, Robert Hogan, Dana Elcar | ||||||
| 189 | 5.48 | The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped | Romantic comedy | January 29, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A men's magazine publisher experiencing a midlife crisis falls in love with a naive Wisconsin girl sent to him as a gag "gift" for his birthday. Richard Long's penultimate role, before Death Cruise (6.14). | ||||||
| 190 | 5.49 | Killdozer! | Science fiction/horror | February 2, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
An extraterrestrial force from a meteorite possesses a bulldozer and starts killing a construction crew working on a remote island. Starring: Clint Walker, Carl Betz, Neville Brand, James Wainwright**, Robert Urich | ||||||
| 191 | 5.50 | Can Ellen Be Saved? | Drama | February 5, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 192 | 5.51 | Cry Panic! | Mystery | February 6, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A man in a car accident finds himself ensnared in a small town's conspiracy to hide the victim's death. Starring: John Forsyth, Earl Holliman, Ralph Meeker, Norman Alden, Claudia McNeil, Anne Francis** | ||||||
| 193 | 5.52 | The Elevator | Disaster | February 9, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
Tensions rise as a group of people, including a claustrophobic armed robber, are trapped in an overloaded elevator in a skyscraper after hours. Starring: James Farentino, Roddy McDowell, Craig Stevens, Don Stroud, Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy**, Carol Lynley**, Arlene Golonka**, Barry Livingston | ||||||
| 194 | 5.53 | I Love You, Goodbye | Drama | February 12, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 195 | 5.54 | The Morning After | Drama | February 13, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A successful public relations writer develops a serious drinking problem that threatens his marriage and life. Starring: Dick Van Dyke, Lynn Carlin, Don Porter, Linda Lavin, Joshua Bryant | ||||||
| 196 | 5.54 | Live Again, Die Again | Thriller | February 16, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
A young woman is the first person to be revived from cryogenic suspension, but someone wants to ensure that her resurrection is brief. Starring: Cliff Potts, Walter Pidgeon, Donna Mills, Mike Farrell, Geraldine Page**, Vera Miles** | ||||||
| 197 | 5.56 | Hitchhike! | TBA | February 23, 1974 | Saturday | |
| 198 | 5.57 | Killer Bees | Horror | February 26, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A strong-willed woman and matriarch of her family has psychic control over a swarm of "killer bees" that reside in her vineyard. Starring: Gloria Swanson, Kate Jackson, Edward Albert, Craig Stevens, John Getz | ||||||
| 199 | 5.58 | Unwed Father | TBA | February 27, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 200 | 5.59 | Houston, We've Got a Problem | Drama | March 2, 1974 | Saturday | |
|
Fictional tales about family and health problems besetting flight controllers at Mission Control as they labor to bring Apollo 13 home safely. Starring: Robert Culp, Clu Gulager, Gary Collins*, Sandra Dee**, Ed Nelson***, Steve Franken | ||||||
| 201 | 5.60 | The Stranger Who Looks Like Me | Drama | March 6, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 202 | 5.61 | Mousey | TBA | March 9, 1974 | Saturday | |
| 203 | 5.62 | Wonder Woman | Action | March 12, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
Wonder Woman races to recover a secret list of American agents from a criminal mastermind. Unsold pilot; not related to the 1975-79 TV series. | ||||||
| 204 | 5.63 | The Hanged Man | Western | March 13, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A gunfighter who miraculously survived his execution helps a young widow keep her land from a ruthless silver baron. Starring: Steve Forrest, Dean Jagger**, Will Geer **, Sharon Acker*, Brendon Boone*, Rafael Campos*, Barbara Luna*, Cameron Mitchell* | ||||||
| 205 | 5.64 | Men of the Dragon | Action | March 20, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
An American kung fu master and his Chinese blood brother search for his sister, kidnapped by human traffickers in Hong Kong. American-produced chopsocky movie filmed on location in Hong Kong. | ||||||
| 206 | 5.65 | The Gun and the Pulpit | Western | April 3, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A headstrong gunslinger assumes the identity of a murdered preacher and convinces a town to stand up against a crime boss. Paul Junger Witt was the executive producer. | ||||||
| 207 | 5.66 | Murder or Mercy? | TBA | April 10, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 208 | 5.67 | The Last Angry Man | TBA | April 16, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 209 | 5.68 | The Chadwick Family | Drama | April 17, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| Unsold pilot. | ||||||
| 210 | 5.69 | Planet Earth | Science fiction | April 23, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
20th-century man Dylan Hunt, awakened from suspended animation in a post-apocalyptic world, visits a female-dominated society to find a missing surgeon. Second unsold pilot for a Gene Roddenberry concept; follows Genesis II. | ||||||
| 211 | 5.70 | The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd | TBA | May 7, 1974 | Tuesday | |
Season 6: 1974–75
| Nº | Mov | Title | Genre | Air date | Weekday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 211 | 6.01 | Hurricane | Disaster | September 10, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 212 | 6.02 | Savages | Suspense | September 11, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A sadistic hunter recklessly kills a prospector, then torments and tries to frame his young hunting guide. Based on the novel Death Watch by Robb White. | ||||||
| 213 | 6.03 | The Sex Symbol | Drama | September 17, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| Fictional biography of a Marilyn Monroe-like movie star. | ||||||
| 214 | 6.04 | The Day the Earth Moved | Disaster | September 18, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
Aerial photographers race to save the residents of a tiny town when their photos indicate an earthquake is imminent. Bobby Sherman was one of the producers. | ||||||
| 215 | 6.05 | The Great Niagara | Drama | September 24, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
In Depression-era Canada, a man who once survived the plunge over Niagara Falls wants his sons to follow in his footsteps. Filmed on location in Niagara Falls, Ontario. | ||||||
| 216 | 6.06 | The California Kid | Drama | September 25, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
When a sailor's car is pushed over a cliff by a sheriff at a speed trap, his hot rodder brother comes to town to investigate and to get revenge. Produced by Howie Horwitz (77 Sunset Strip, Batman). | ||||||
| 217 | 6.07 | The Stranger Within | Science fiction | October 1, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
An expectant mother begins to suspect that her actions and emotions are being controlled by her unborn baby. Starring: Barbara Eden, George Grizzard, Joyce Van Patten, David Doyle, Nehemiah Persoff | ||||||
| 218 | 6.08 | Death Sentence | Thriller | October 2, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| Starring: Cloris Leachman, Laurence Luckinbill, Nick Nolte, Alan Oppenheimer, William Schallert | ||||||
| 219 | 6.09 | Hit Lady | Suspense | October 8, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A seductive assassin wants to leave her lethal profession behind and goes on the run. Written by Yvette Mimieux. | ||||||
| 220 | 6.10 | Locusts | TBA | October 9, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 221 | 6.11 | Trapped Beneath the Sea | Disaster | October 22, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 222 | 6.12 | Bad Ronald | Horror | October 23, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 223 | 6.13 | The Mark of Zorro | Adventure | October 29, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
Starring: Frank Langella as Zorro, Ricardo Montalbán, Gilbert Roland and Yvonne De Carlo. Unsold pilot, remake of The Mark of Zorro reusing Alfred Newman's theme music. | ||||||
| 224 | 6.14 | Death Cruise | Drama/mystery | October 30, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
Three couples given free tickets to a Caribbean cruise experience marital problems before they are murdered one by one. Produced by Aaron Spelling, with the non-mystery aspects very similar to his later Love Boat series; Richard Long's final role before his sudden death. | ||||||
| 225 | 6.15 | The Great Ice Rip-Off | Caper | November 6, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 226 | 6.16 | All the Kind Strangers | Thriller | November 12, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A photojournalist finds himself a captive of an orphaned family in a remote farmhouse, who want new parents. Starring: Stacy Keach, Samantha Eggar, John Savage, Robby Benson | ||||||
| 227 | 6.17 | The Gun | Drama | November 13, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
Anthology of stories about a single firearm. A pistol passes from frightened homeowner to potential workplace shooter, barrio family, theater robbery, police disposal and finally a child's accident. Starring: Stephen Elliot, David Huffman, John Sylvester White | ||||||
| 228 | 6.18 | It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy | Comedy | November 19, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A middle-aged family man hitchhiking home is abducted and molested by a beautiful young woman, then finds himself disbelieved and ridiculed. Starring: Paul Sorvino, Michael Learned, Adam Arkin, Bob Dishy, Jo Anna Cameron, Graham Jarvis | ||||||
| 229 | 6.19 | Panic on the 5:22 | TBA | November 20, 1974 | Wednesday | |
| 230 | 6.20 | The Godchild | TBA | November 26, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 231 | 6.21 | Betrayal | TBA | December 3, 1974 | Tuesday | |
| 232 | 6.22 | The Tribe | TBA | December 11, 1974 | Wednesday | |
|
A Cro-Magnon clan struggles against misfortune, sparse prey and hostile Neanderthals. Starring: Victor French, Warren Vanders, Henry Wilconxon, Adriana Shaw, Stewart Moss | ||||||
| 233 | 6.23 | Roll, Freddy, Roll! | Comedy | December 17, 1974 | Tuesday | |
|
A mild-mannered father tries to regain the admiration of his young son by setting the Guinness world endurance record on roller skates. Written and produced by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff (That Girl). | ||||||
| 234 | 6.24 | Let's Switch! | Comedy | January 7, 1975 | Tuesday | |
|
A harried housewife and a frazzled women's magazine editor-in-chief swap careers and families for a week to experience how the other half lives. Starring: Barbara Eden, Barbara Feldon, Barra Grant, Penny Marshall, Joyce Van Patten, Richard Schaal, Pat Harrington, Ron Glass | ||||||
| 235 | 6.25 | The Missing Are Deadly | Thriller | January 8, 1975 | Wednesday | |
|
A teenage boy steals a lab mouse from his father's virology institute to get attention, not knowing it is infected with contagious, deadly bacteria. Starring: Ed Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Gary Morgan, Kathleen Quinlan, Marjorie Lord, José Ferrer** | ||||||
| 236 | 6.26 | Satan's Triangle | Horror | January 14, 1975 | Tuesday | |
|
A Coast Guard team answering a distress call in the Bermuda Triangle finds a sole survivor on a boat and possibly demonic forces at work. Starring: Kim Novak, Doug McClure, Alejandro Rey, Ed Lauter, Jim Davis, Michael Conrad | ||||||
| 237 | 6.27 | The Hatfields and the McCoys | Western/drama | January 15, 1975 | Wednesday | |
|
A romance rekindles a long-standing feud between two American mountain families: the Hatfields and the McCoys. Starring: Jack Palance, Steve Forest, Richard Hatch, James Keach, Robert Carradine | ||||||
| 238 | 6.28 | The Abduction of Saint Anne | TBA | January 21, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| 239 | 6.29 | The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return | Western | January 28, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| Second unsold pilot for a series; the sequel to The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (4.02), followed by The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (which, unlike the other two films, was not an ABC Movie of the Week). | ||||||
| 240 | 6.30 | All Together Now | Drama | February 5, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| 241 | 6.31 | The Trial of Chaplain Jensen | Drama | February 11, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| Based on a true story. | ||||||
| 242 | 6.32 | A Cry for Help | Drama | February 12, 1975 | Wednesday | |
|
A cynical radio talk-show host who insults his audience changes his behaviour when he receives a call from a suicidal teenage girl. Starring: Robert Culp, Elayne Heilveil, Ken Swofford, Julius Harris, Michael Lerner | ||||||
| 243 | 6.33 | The Family Nobody Wanted | TBA | February 19, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| 244 | 6.34 | Someone I Touched | TBA | February 26, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| 245 | 6.35 | Trilogy of Terror | Horror | March 4, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| Self-contained anthology with Karen Black in three unrelated roles. | ||||||
| 246 | 6.36 | The Desperate Miles | TBA | March 5, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| 247 | 6.37 | Dead Man on the Run | TBA | April 2, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| 248 | 6.38 | Swiss Family Robinson | TBA | April 15, 1975 | Tuesday | |
|
Starring Martin Milner and Cameron Mitchell. Pilot for Irwin Allen's The Swiss Family Robinson. | ||||||
| 249 | 6.39 | Returning Home | TBA | April 29, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| 250 | 6.40 | Starsky & Hutch | Police drama | April 30, 1975 | Wednesday | |
|
Detectives Starsky and Hutch set out to find a pair of hit men responsible for the murders of two teenage lovers. Pilot for the series premiering in September. | ||||||
| 251 | 6.41 | Matt Helm | Mystery | May 7, 1975 | Wednesday | |
|
Matt Helm, a former secret agent, now a private investigator, is hired to protect a beautiful film star and gets involved with gun runners. Pilot for the series premiering in September. | ||||||
| 252 | 6.42 | The First 36 Hours of Dr. Durant | TBA | May 13, 1975 | Tuesday | |
| 253 | 6.43 | Promise Him Anything | TBA | May 14, 1975 | Wednesday | |
| Series finale. | ||||||
See also
- List of television films produced for American Broadcasting Company
- The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies - CBS's weekly television movie program
References
- p.xxii McKenna, Michael The ABC Movie of the Week: Big Movies for the Small Screen Scarecrow Press, 2013
- "The ABC Movie of the Week Opening by Harry Marks". TVparty. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- "The TV Ratings Guide.com". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- "The TV Ratings Guide.com". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- "The TV Ratings Guide.com". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- "The TV Ratings Guide.com". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- "The TV Ratings Guide.com". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- She Lives! trivia at IMDb