Tag Archives: Frank Converse

FORGOTTEN TELEVISION: CORONET BLUE (1967)

CORONET BLUE (1967) – Another intriguing but short-lived television series created by future Psychotronic legend Larry Cohen, the man behind The Invaders. Coronet Blue was an hour-long espionage program about Michael Alden (Frank Converse), an apparent intelligence agent suffering from near-total amnesia after being drugged and tossed in the ocean by unknown parties who accused him of betraying them. 

The words “Coronet Blue” are among the few things he remembers about his past. Alden tries to learn their meaning while mysterious forces pursue him and try to kill him. Brian Bedford and Joe Silver also starred. This avant garde series was filmed in 1965 but was judged to be too difficult for viewers to follow. It was not aired until 1967.

THE EPISODES:

A TIME TO BE BORN, A TIME TO DIE – After our amnesiac hero pulls himself out of New York Harbor he adopts the name Michael Alden based on the name of the physician treating him and the hospital in which he is laid up. His fingerprints come back with no match and Michael goes on the run from his enigmatic pursuers and struggles to learn what “Coronet Blue” means.   

Alden finds that he speaks fluent French and Spanish, has brutal self-defense skills and can play the piano. Some of the men and women trying to kill him are called “Greybeards” for unknown reasons. (Between this and The Man Called Noon it’s clear where Robert Ludlum drew some inspiration for The Bourne Identity.) The guest cast includes SUSAN HAMPSHIRE, Louise Troy, JON CYPHER, Baby Jane Holzer and JAMES NOBLE.  Continue reading

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DOCTOR COOK’S GARDEN (1971): BING CROSBY AS A MASS-MURDERING PHYSICIAN

Bing Crosby as the sinister Dr Cook

Bing Crosby as the sinister Dr Cook

DOCTOR COOK’S GARDEN – (1971) – Category: Enjoyably campy bad movie elevated by kitsch value in the casting.    

Bing Crosby IS Colonel Sanders in Finger Lickin’ Good: A One- Man Show! No, actually Bing plays the title doctor in this made-for- tv movie based on a play by Ira “Rosemary’s Baby” Levin. Trouble is, with the snow-white hair and beard he wears in this telepic Bing looks like he’s supposed to be Colonel Harlan Sanders, inducing laughter in the audience in what is supposed to be a horror/thriller.

Doctor Cook is the seemingly amiable physician in a small Vermont town but in reality he’s a killer with a God Complex, giving fatal treatment to everyone he considers an Continue reading

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A MASS MURDERING DOCTOR IN A SMALL VERMONT TOWN: I JUST UPDATED MY BAD MOVIE PAGE

I just updated it with my review of the comically lame telefilm Doctor Cook’s Garden from 1971 starring BING CROSBY himself as our homicidal physician. If you want additional bad movie reviews here is the link: https://glitternight.com/bad-movies/

 DOCTOR COOK’S GARDEN – (1971) – Category: Enjoyably campy bad movie elevated by kitsch-value in the casting.     Bing Crosby IS Colonel Sanders in Finger Lickin’ Good: A One- Man Show! No, actually Bing plays the title doctor in this made-for- tv movie based on a play by Ira “Rosemary’s Baby” Levin. Trouble is, with the snow-white hair and beard he wears in this telepic Bing looks like he’s supposed to be Colonel Harlan Sanders, inducing laughter in the audience in what is supposed to be a horror/thriller. Doctor Cook is the seemingly amiable physician in a small Vermont town but in reality he’s a killer with a God Complex, giving Continue reading

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