 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 1992 television movie SAVED BY THE BELL: HAWAIIAN STYLE was based on the popular television series. Jones played “Harry Bannister,” the grandfather of “Kelly Kapowski” (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen). In the film, Harry, invites the gang for a vacation at his hotel, the Hawaiian Hideaway, in Honolulu, but they soon discover that a rival threatens to put Harry out of business. So they scheme to help save the Hideaway. The film was later cut into half-hour installments that ran with syndicated repeats of "Saved by the Bell."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dean Jones played a judge in the 1994 political thriller CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. Phillip Noyce directed. James Horner’s score was most recently released by Intrada in 2013.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In 1995, Disney remade its first “Dexter Riley” movie from 1970, THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES. This new version starred Kirk Cameron in the part of “Dexter,” a below average college student who is on the verge of being kicked out of Medfield College. That role had been played by Kurt Russell in the original. In this film, Dean Jones plays “Dean Webster Carlson” of rival Hale College, who tries to get Dexter to transfer to Hale. Peyton Reed directed the new film, and Philip Griffin scored. The film first aired on ABC on 18 February 1995.
Jones played “Dr. Scott Berlin” in the television movie SPECIAL REPORT: JOURNEY TO MARS. In the film, when the world's first spaceship is close to Mars, the TV-network GNN begins its live coverage of the last two hours of the mission, and then the problems start. The landing computer malfunctions, the captain gets very sick, and back on Earth it is discovered that big financial corporations have an interest in the failure of the mission. Robert Mandel (F/X, 1986) directed this sci-fi thriller, and Mark Snow provided the score. The film first aired on CBS on 25 March 1996.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With roles getting harder to come by, Jones accepted an offer to appear in an Italian fantasy-comedy called A SPASSO NEL TEMPO (A Crack In Time). In the film, while visiting Universal Studios in Hollywood along with their families, two Italian tourists (Christian De Sica and Massimo Boldi) get on a real time machine and get lost in time. Professor Mortimer (Jones) attempts to rescue them, but this results in trips through various ages of ancient Italy. Christian De Sica is the son of actor/director Vittorio De Sica, father of actor Brando De Sica, and brother of composer Manuel De Sica, who composed the score for this film. Carlo Vanzina directed. The 1996 film did not get a U.S. release.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming full circle in his career with Walt Disney, in 1997 Dean Jones had a small role in a remake of his 1965 Disney debut film, THAT DARN CAT. No longer the young FBI agent (that part was played by Doug E. Doug), Jones and Dyan Cannon play millionaires (“Mr. and Mrs. Flint”) whose maid gets abducted. Bob Spiers directed. Richard Gibbs’ score was released on Walt Disney Records. The film was not a big success, grossing only a little over $18 million in the U.S.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCROOGE AND MARLEY was a religious take on “A Christmas Carol,” as viewed by D. James Kennedy, the American pastor, evangelist, and Christian broadcaster. Dean Jones played Scrooge in this film, which was produced by Gospel Communications International. Fred Holmes was the writer and director. It was filmed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where Kennedy had founded the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. It was first broadcast on 29 December 2001.
Jones was away from film acting for 8 years, until he returned in 2009’s MANDIE AND THE SECRET TUNNEL, which was based on a children's book series, and was the first of three “Mandie” films. The films had some regional theatrical screenings before going to video. This one was shot in North Carolina on a $750,000 budget by writer-directors Joy Chapman and Owen Smith. In the film, when unexpected events drive “Mandie Shaw” (Lexi Johnson) from her log cabin home in 1899, she convinces Cherokee friends to guide the way through North Carolina’s treacherous Blue Ridge Mountains. They reach Uncle John’s (Terrell Anthony) extravagant mansion, only to discover that his ship has been lost at sea. However, caretaker Jason Bond (Dean Jones) allows Mandie to remain. Owen Smith also did the film’s synthesizer score.
Dean Jones’ final appearance as an actor was playing Abraham in a short 22-minute film of the biblical story of ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. The 2009 film is part of the “God Provides” series of six films distributed, along with study guides, by Crown Financial Ministries.
Thanks, Dean, for all the great memories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One missing item is the 1994 "Visual Bible" production of the Book of Acts, where Jones played the physician Luke.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dean Jones' efforts as a singer included this vocal version of Elmer Bernstein's theme for THE TIN STAR (1958), released on a 45-rpm single on the M-G-M label. The lyrics were by Jack Brooks; David Rose conducted the ensemble...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX0SIMgxgwY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
