Pop culture Q&A

March 7, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Q. Years ago — possibly 35 or 40 — there was a Western comedy with Kirk Douglas as the “villain” and Ann-Margret, I believe, as the damsel in distress. The handsome stranger may have been Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie seemed a sort of parody of the Road Runner cartoons. I would love to find a copy.

A. The movie was 1979’s “The Villain,” and you correctly remembered its three stars. It has been released on DVD; if your local retailer cannot get it, try online vendors such as Amazon.com, Deepdiscount.com and Moviesunlimited.com.

Q. An episode of “Golden Girls” featured a next-door family, Renee and George, daughter Jenny visiting from college and brother-in-law Oliver, who has three personalities. Was this intended to be a spin-off? If so, why didn’t they ever make it?

A. It did get on TV, sort of. The second-season “Golden Girls” episode, which featured Rita Moreno, Paul Dooley, Jane Harnick and David Leisure, was called “Empty Nests,” and was a pilot for a series. But by the time it was turned into a series, as “Empty Nest,” the concept had changed and the cast overhauled, with only Leisure remaining.

Q. I am looking for a made-for-TV movie about 10 or 15 years ago about a man and wife on vacation. He tried to kill her by getting her to back up to this river so a crocodile would get her. She survived and a plastic surgeon found her, made her beautiful and they fell in love. I wonder if I could find it on DVD or VHS or if it will be on TV again.

A. You are looking for “Return to Eden,” a 1983 Australian-made miniseries, which also spawned a series of the same name. Unfortunately, the only authorized DVD release of “Return to Eden” that I know of is an import, in a format which may not be compatible with your DVD player. There was a VHS release of it more than 20 years ago, and old copies are floating around, but they may be expensive. I do not know of any replay plans, but with the title now, you can keep an eye on your listings.

Q. What happened, if you know, to “The Culpepper Cattle Co.”? It’s one of the best cattle-drive Western movies ever made and it just disappeared, no DVD, no VHS, no nothing. Can you find it?

A. Yes. The 1972 movie has been released on VHS and DVD. If your local retailer will not get it, try online vendors Amazon.com, Moviesunlimited.com or Deepdiscount.com, all of which list it for sale.

Q. Several years ago I saw a great Christmas movie starring John-Boy (I can’t remember his real name). I believe it had to do with children believing in Santa Claus. Did not catch the name of the movie; never saw it broadcast again. Can you help?

A. Richard Thomas has appeared in quite a few Christmas movies. They include a 2000 TV movie, “The Christmas Secret,” also known as “Flight of the Reindeer,” where Thomas plays a scientist determined to prove reindeer can fly; “The Christmas Box” and “Timepiece,” both adaptations of Richard Paul Evans books; “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” about the writing of the famous “yes, Virginia” letter, with Charles Bronson, and the Christmas-themed installments in the saga of “The Waltons.”

I don’t know of an authorized video release of “The Christmas Secret” (although there are old VHS copies around, and it has popped up on TV occasionally) or of “Yes, Virginia.” “Timepiece” and “The Christmas Box” were released on DVD; although the package is not being issued, you may be able to find old copies. There are various DVD packages of “The Waltons.”

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