Here's the thread devoted to them. If they ran longer than two installments, I think they should go to the miniseries thread, but I'm not going to be a hall monitor.

I should do my homework and find out what stars like Victoria Principal, Cheryl Ladd, etc. thought about their TV movies. I imagine that the stars who had regular series work liked having something to break up their regular grind and/or having an extra paycheck. And it probably didn't hurt their Q ratings, either.

If I was a motivational speaker, this would be my entrance music.

 

If I had to choose an all-time favorite TV movie, I'd choose "One of My Wives is Missing," starring James Franciscus, Elizabeth Ashley and Jack Klugman.  Based on a French stage play about a man who insists a woman claiming to be his recently disappeared wife is not, it was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, written by Peter Stone ("Charade," "1776"), and it aired on ABC the 1975-76 season.

Another all-time favorite: "The Christmas Wife," produced in 1988 for HBO, and starring Jason Robards and Julie Harris.  A very tender story about a widower (Robards) who hires a female companion (Harris) for the Christmas season.  To this day, it remains a wonderful showcase for two legendary performers, and it's one I'd love to see adapted again someday.

Edited April 15Apr 15 by Khan

6 hours ago, Khan said:

If I had to choose an all-time favorite TV movie, I'd choose "One of My Wives is Missing,"

That was remade as Vanishing Act in 1986 with Eliot Gould,Mike Farrell, Margot Kidder and Fred Gwynne.

  

 

I enjoyed a lot of the 90 minute suspense movies from the early 70's. the shorter length usually ensured that there was no padding. One I recall was Night Terror with Val Harper. Sort of Duel with a suburban mom.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I enjoyed a lot of the 90 minute suspense movies from the early 70's. the shorter length usually ensured that there was no padding. One I recall was Night Terror with Val Harper. Sort of Duel with a suburban mom.

 

 

I saw that once on Encore Mystery... it was intense and she kicked butt.

 

Some of my favorite tv movies from the 1980s

Deadly Messages from 1985.  

 

Don't Go to Sleep from 1982.  

 

3 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I enjoyed a lot of the 90 minute suspense movies from the early 70's. the shorter length usually ensured that there was no padding. One I recall was Night Terror with Val Harper. Sort of Duel with a suburban mom.

 

 

That wouldn't have happened if she and Joe had stayed together.  I'm just saying.

On 4/15/2025 at 11:38 AM, Khan said:

If I had to choose an all-time favorite TV movie, I'd choose "One of My Wives is Missing," starring James Franciscus, Elizabeth Ashley and Jack Klugman.  Based on a French stage play about a man who insists a woman claiming to be his recently disappeared wife is not, it was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, written by Peter Stone ("Charade," "1776"), and it aired on ABC the 1975-76 season.

Another all-time favorite: "The Christmas Wife," produced in 1988 for HBO, and starring Jason Robards and Julie Harris.  A very tender story about a widower (Robards) who hires a female companion (Harris) for the Christmas season.  To this day, it remains a wonderful showcase for two legendary performers, and it's one I'd love to see adapted again someday.

Thank you for both of these recommendations. I never watched either of them, just added both to my watchlist. What would I do without this board? LOL

Of course we have to mention the iconic Trilogy of Terror

The '70's seemed to be a fantastic time for made-for-TV movies.  Just think about all the ones that aired on "ABC Movie of the Week": "Duel," "Brian's Song," "The Night Stalker," "That Certain Summer" (which I would LOVE to see), "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," "The Girl Most Likely to...," "The Morning After" starring Dick Van Dyke (in a very rare, dramatic performance), "Trilogy of Terror" and the list goes on.  Many of those movies, in fact, helped to launch TV series, such as "Kolchak," "The Rookies," "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "Get Christie Love!".

Edited April 17Apr 17 by Khan

ABC soon latched on to the idea that their TV movies could serve as pilots. It was much more cost effective.

One thing we often saw was actors 'stretching' themselves-usually (not always)comedic performers going for dram cred.

eg Carol Burnett (looking more like Vicki Lawrence in that artwork)

16 hours ago, Khan said:

That wouldn't have happened if she and Joe had stayed together.  I'm just saying.

The same could be said for that cult TV-movie she made where the daughter who was left in an about-to-explode car returns as a spirit to kill her entire family, starting with grandma Ruth Gordon. 

1 minute ago, Paul Raven said:

ABC soon latched on to the idea that their TV movies could serve as pilots. It was much more cost effective.

One thing we often saw was actors 'stretching' themselves-usually (not always)comedic performers going for dram cred.

eg Carol Burnett (looking more like Vicki Lawrence in that artwork)

Pauline Kael ranted about this at length, as she loved the Carol Burnett Show and in the late '60s said it was better than any film comedies of the time. 

(even in her last years she was panning Jim Carrey for trying to be a dramatic actor)

28 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

One thing we often saw was actors 'stretching' themselves-usually (not always)comedic performers going for dram cred.

See also, the movies based on true stories. Those seemed to allow for opportunities to play against type.

I forget if I've razzed on this one before ... I'm sure Shelley Long did well, but I love how the audience was INFORMED that she's got range, and you're going to see it. ("Stroke patient" in the middle is my favorite.)

 

I remember when I was a kid, I was disturbed by some TV movie that was repeated on Lifetime. It had Loretta Swit, among others. Sorority sisters with a secret. I remember near the end or over the closing credits they were singing a song like "beta cappa chi."

1 minute ago, DRW50 said:

I remember when I was a kid, I was disturbed by some TV movie that was repeated on Lifetime. It had Loretta Swit, among others. Sorority sisters with a secret. I remember near the end or over the closing credits they were singing a song like "beta cappa chi."

Friendships, Secrets and Lies, from 1979. I've never seen it myself, but it sounds like it would be up my alley.

 

And here's the song!

 

A lot of TV movies are on YouTube.

Dr Cooks Garden 1971

An interesting movie on a number of levels. Bing Crosby taking an acting role for the first time in years and playing against type as a murderer. Based on a play by the legendary Ira Levin (Rosemary's Baby, Stepford Wives)

 

4 minutes ago, Franko said:

Friendships, Secrets and Lies, from 1979. I've never seen it myself, but it sounds like it would be up my alley.

 

And here's the song!

 

Friendships, Secrets and Lies had an great all female cast, including Tricia Cast (Nina Y&R), female director Marlena Laird (GH) and writer Joanna Crawford and Babs H Deal who wrote the original book.

@Franko Thank you for the promo and the song. Weird how I did not remember Cathryn Damon, even though I adored her on Soap, but I remembered Loretta Swit. Maybe this was before I watched Soap...

As @Paul Raven said, what a killer cast. And how nice that it was all-women even in major roles behind the scenes. And they didn't have to fly up in a Jeff Bezos junker for ten minutes to show equality...

NBC really was letting it all hang out in the late '70s and early '80s to try to get interest. Many times, it failed, but what fascinating failures - some of the most fascinating in TV history.

Edited April 17Apr 17 by DRW50