W
Writing
William Link
Born December 15, 1933 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Died December 27, 2020 · aged 87
William Theodore Link (December 15, 1933 – December 27, 2020) was an American film and television screenwriter and producer who often worked in collaboration with Richard Levinson. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Link, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Vanishing Act · 1986Vanishing Act
★ 7.11986
MovieMysteryThriller
A man honeymooning with his new wife in the Rockies reports her disappearance to the police. A few days later, a woman escorted by the local priest claims to be his missing wife, despite the man's failure to recognize her. Is a stranger impersonating her or is he delusional?
Istanbul Express · 1969Istanbul Express
★ 5.41969
MovieActionAdventure
An art dealer on a special mission is pulled into dangerous intrigue while railway detective Cheval tries to help and pursues criminals on the Istanbul Express.
Prototype · 1983Prototype
★ 6.31983
MovieScience FictionTV Movie
An intelligent android (Michael) constructed by a research team is taken outdoors and successfully passed off as human in a trial run. When the government hears of this, they order their own set of tests in Washington. When the project leader realizes the military want the android for a soldier, he can't accept it, and he and Michael go into hiding to avoid their clutches.
The Hindenburg · 1975The Hindenburg
★ 6.31975
MovieHistoryThriller
Colonel Franz Ritter, a former hero pilot now working for military intelligence, is assigned to the great Hindenburg airship as its chief of security. As he races against the clock to uncover a possible saboteur aboard the doomed zeppelin he finds that any of the passengers and crew could be the culprit.
My Sweet Charlie · 1970My Sweet Charlie
★ 6.81970
MovieDramaTV Movie
A pregnant white Southern girl and a black New York lawyer, both on the run in rural Texas, meet up in a boarded-up, abandoned house and realize they both need each other in order to survive.
Whispers in the Dark · 1992Whispers in the Dark
★ 4.91992
MovieMysteryThriller
Psychiatrist Ann Hecker is ending one relationship and possibly starting an important new one, while finding that some of the sexual exploits her patients relate are weighing on her. Turning to a married friend from her research days for guidance, she finds his help increasingly important when a female patient is murdered and it turns out that her new boyfriend was also seeing the dead woman.
Prescription: Murder · 1968Prescription: Murder
★ 7.81968
MovieCrimeMystery
In Columbo's first outing, a psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.
Rehearsal for Murder · 1982Rehearsal for Murder
★ 6.11982
MovieDramaMystery
A year after his fiancée's death, a playwright schedules a rehearsal for his new play, which proves to be a trap for her killer.
Movies
Vanishing Act · 1986Vanishing Act
★ 7.11986
MovieMysteryThriller
A man honeymooning with his new wife in the Rockies reports her disappearance to the police. A few days later, a woman escorted by the local priest claims to be his missing wife, despite the man's failure to recognize her. Is a stranger impersonating her or is he delusional?
Istanbul Express · 1969Istanbul Express
★ 5.41969
MovieActionAdventure
An art dealer on a special mission is pulled into dangerous intrigue while railway detective Cheval tries to help and pursues criminals on the Istanbul Express.
Prototype · 1983Prototype
★ 6.31983
MovieScience FictionTV Movie
An intelligent android (Michael) constructed by a research team is taken outdoors and successfully passed off as human in a trial run. When the government hears of this, they order their own set of tests in Washington. When the project leader realizes the military want the android for a soldier, he can't accept it, and he and Michael go into hiding to avoid their clutches.
The Hindenburg · 1975The Hindenburg
★ 6.31975
MovieHistoryThriller
Colonel Franz Ritter, a former hero pilot now working for military intelligence, is assigned to the great Hindenburg airship as its chief of security. As he races against the clock to uncover a possible saboteur aboard the doomed zeppelin he finds that any of the passengers and crew could be the culprit.
My Sweet Charlie · 1970My Sweet Charlie
★ 6.81970
MovieDramaTV Movie
A pregnant white Southern girl and a black New York lawyer, both on the run in rural Texas, meet up in a boarded-up, abandoned house and realize they both need each other in order to survive.
Whispers in the Dark · 1992Whispers in the Dark
★ 4.91992
MovieMysteryThriller
Psychiatrist Ann Hecker is ending one relationship and possibly starting an important new one, while finding that some of the sexual exploits her patients relate are weighing on her. Turning to a married friend from her research days for guidance, she finds his help increasingly important when a female patient is murdered and it turns out that her new boyfriend was also seeing the dead woman.
Prescription: Murder · 1968Prescription: Murder
★ 7.81968
MovieCrimeMystery
In Columbo's first outing, a psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.
Rehearsal for Murder · 1982Rehearsal for Murder
★ 6.11982
MovieDramaMystery
A year after his fiancée's death, a playwright schedules a rehearsal for his new play, which proves to be a trap for her killer.
Rollercoaster · 1977Rollercoaster
★ 6.01977
MovieActionThriller
A young terrorist kills and injures patrons of a Norfolk amusement park by placing homemade explosives on the track of one of its roller coasters. After staging a similar incident in Pittsburgh, he sends a tape to a meeting of major amusement park executives in Chicago, demanding $1 million to make him stop.
Ransom for a Dead Man · 1972Ransom for a Dead Man
★ 7.41972
MovieDramaMystery
A brilliant attorney gets rid of her boring husband by faking his kidnapping and keeping the ransom. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.
Savage! · 1973Savage!
★ 5.51973
MovieDramaMystery
A television reporter uncovers a compromising photograph of a Supreme Court nominee, only for the woman in the picture to die under mysterious circumstances. As he investigates, he’s drawn into a web of political intrigue and media manipulation. Originally conceived as a TV series pilot, the 1973 thriller aired as a standalone film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Martin Landau.
The Storyteller · 1977The Storyteller
★ 9.01977
MovieDramaTV Movie
A television writer is troubled by accusations that a young boy's death resulted from actions the boy copied from the writer's teleplay.
Partners in Crime · 1973Partners in Crime
★ 5.01973
MovieCrimeDrama
A retired judge who opens a private detective agency and her ex-con associate try to track down $750,000 in bank robbery loot.
The Gun · 1974The Gun
★ 8.71974
MovieDramaTV Movie
The odyssey of an American handgun and the dramatic way it reshapes the lives of its various owners.
The Boys · 1991The Boys
★ 7.01991
MovieComedyDrama
When Walter is diagnosed with lung cancer, despite his squeaky clean lifestyle, he has to tell his screenwriter partner, a chain-smoker. As Walter fights cancer he tries to put his affairs in order by teaching writing to prison inmates, talking to his son and ex-wife, and getting his partner to quit smoking.
The Guardian · 1984The Guardian
★ 5.51984
MovieDramaThriller
The residents of a New York apartment building are shocked when one of them is shot during a burgulary. They decide to hire a security expert to patrol the building, but he seem a little over-committed to his work.
Guilty Conscience · 1985Guilty Conscience
★ 6.01985
MovieDramaMystery
Amid acrimonious divorce proceedings, Louise (Blythe Danner) unwittingly puts her life in danger when she contests the prenuptial agreement she signed before marrying attorney Arthur Jamison (Anthony Hopkins). He plans to kill her to resolve the situation. Armed with information on how her cheating husband conducts his business and personal affairs, she demands more money from him -- but will Arthur have the final word?
Two on a Bench · 1971Two on a Bench
★ 6.31971
MovieComedyTV Movie
An outgoing young girl and a square stockbroker meet on a park bench in Boston and are mistaken for international spies and chased by both sides.
Peter Falk versus Columbo · 2019Peter Falk versus Columbo
★ 7.22019
MovieDocumentary
For millions of viewers, Peter Falk is Columbo. Despite playing the quintessential blue-collar TV detective of the '70s and '80s, his early career is rarely explored. Using archive footage, interviews and extracts from his films and the TV show, the documentary pays tribute to the immortal character of Columbo, while shedding light on the actor’s life, one full of twists and turns, ups and downs.
The Devil and the Ten Commandments · 1962The Devil and the Ten Commandments
★ 5.71962
MovieComedy
The film consists of seven roughly 15 minute episodes, each showing what will happen if one or more of the Ten Commandments will be broken: Jérome Chambard is warned that he will lose his job if he continues to swear; Françoise Beaufort enamored of a stripper calls on her only to find her married to a janitor who doesn't know what kind of dancing his wife performs; Denis, a Jesuit novice, leaves the order to avenge his sister's suicide, which was provoked by Garigny, who seduced her into prostitution and drug addiction; Philip buys a necklace for Micheline though he is bored with her; a young man find out that his real mother is not Madeleine, but actress Clarisse Ardant; Didier Marin, cashier of a bank, was fired by his boss; the Devil appears as a serpent for Jérome Chambard and the bishop are eating.
A Cry for Help · 1975A Cry for Help
★ 7.41975
MovieDramaTV Movie
A talk-radio host, who specializes in abusing and insulting his audience, gets a call from a disturbed teenage girl who says she is going to commit suicide. After first encouraging her, he has a change of heart and frantically tries to get his listeners to help find the girl before she makes good on her threat.
Take Your Best Shot · 1982Take Your Best Shot
★ 7.01982
MovieDramaComedy
An actor whose career has gone flat resolves to pursue a more stable occupation while also trying to save his troubled marriage.
The Execution of Private Slovik · 1974The Execution of Private Slovik
★ 7.41974
MovieWarDrama
The story of Eddie Slovik, who was executed by the Army in 1945, the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the Civil War.
That Certain Summer · 1972That Certain Summer
★ 6.61972
MovieTV MovieDrama
The first US teleplay to deal sympathetically with homosexuality. Divorced San Francisco contractor Doug Salter is looking forward to a summer visit from his fourteen-year-old son Nick, who lives in Los Angeles with his mother Janet. The boy does not know that his father is gay and committed to Gary McClain, his life partner of several years.
TV Shows
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour · 1962The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
★ 7.81962
SeriesCrimeMystery
A continuation of the anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, hosted by the master of suspense and featuring thrillers and mysteries.
Columbo · 1971Columbo
★ 8.11971
SeriesCrimeDrama
Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.
Murder, She Wrote · 1984Murder, She Wrote
★ 7.51984
SeriesMysteryCrime
An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.
The Fugitive · 1963The Fugitive
★ 7.31963
SeriesDrama
Richard Kimble is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death penalty. En route to death row, Kimble's train derails and crashes, allowing him to escape and begin a cross-country search for the real killer, a "one-armed man". At the same time, Dr. Kimble is hounded by the authorities, most notably dogged by Police Lieutenant Philip Gerard.
Mannix · 1967Mannix
★ 6.81967
SeriesCrime
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors. Mannix was the last series produced by Desilu Productions.
Burke's Law · 1963Burke's Law
★ 6.31963
SeriesDrama
Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s. The show starred Gene Barry as Amos Burke, millionaire captain of Los Angeles police homicide division, who was chauffeured around to solve crimes in his Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II.
Johnny Ringo · 1959Johnny Ringo
★ 5.91959
SeriesWestern
Johnny Ringo is an American Western television series starring Don Durant that aired on CBS from October 1, 1959, until June 30, 1960. It is loosely based on the life of the notorious gunfighter and outlaw Johnny Ringo, also known as John Peters Ringo or John B. Ringgold, who tangled with Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Buckskin Franklin Leslie.
The Name of the Game · 1968The Name of the Game
★ 7.01968
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a pioneering wheel series, setting the stage for The Bold Ones and the NBC Mystery Movie in the 1970s. The show had an extremely large budget for a television series.
McCloud · 1970McCloud
★ 7.21970
SeriesCrimeDrama
Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud of the small western town of Taos, New Mexico is assigned to the metropolitan New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a special investigator.
Honey West · 1965Honey West
★ 7.21965
SeriesDrama
After her father's death, Honey West takes over his high-tech private-detective firm, assisted by rugged Sam Bolt--and her pet ocelot Bruce.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents · 1955Alfred Hitchcock Presents
★ 7.81955
SeriesMysteryDrama
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
Adventures in Paradise · 1959Adventures in Paradise
★ 6.11959
SeriesDrama
Adventures in Paradise is an American television series created by James Michener which ran on ABC from 1959 until 1962, starring Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, the captain of the schooner Tiki III, which sailed the South Pacific looking for passengers and adventure. USA Network aired reruns of this series between 1984 and 1988. The plots deal with the romantic and detective stories of Korean War veteran Troy. The supporting cast, varying from season to season, features George Tobias, Guy Stockwell, and Linda Lawson.
Black Saddle · 1959Black Saddle
★ 6.21959
SeriesWesternDrama
Black Saddle is an American Western television series starring Peter Breck that aired 44 episodes on ABC from January 10, 1959 to May 6, 1960. The half-hour program was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original pilot was an episode of CBS's Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, with Chris Alcaide portraying the principal character, Clay Culhane.
For syndicated reruns, Black Saddle was combined with three other Western series from the same company, Law of the Plainsman starring Michael Ansara, Johnny Ringo starring Don Durant and Mark Goddard, and the critically acclaimed creation of Sam Peckinpah, The Westerner with Brian Keith, under the umbrella title, The Westerners, with new hosting sequences by Keenan Wynn.
Stoney Burke · 1962Stoney Burke
★ 6.81962
SeriesWestern
Stoney Burke is an American western television series broadcast on ABC from October 1, 1962 until May 20, 1963. Six years before the premiere of his CBS crime drama, Hawaii Five-0, Jack Lord starred in the title role.
Ellery Queen · 1975Ellery Queen
★ 7.51975
SeriesMysteryDrama
Ellery Queen is an American television detective mystery series based on the fictional character Ellery Queen. It aired on NBC during the 1975-76 television season and stars Jim Hutton as Ellery Queen, David Wayne as his father, Inspector Richard Queen, and Tom Reese as Sgt. Velie. Created by the writing/producing team of Richard Levinson and William Link, the title character "breaks" the fourth wall to ask the audience to consider their solution.
Mrs. Columbo · 1979Mrs. Columbo
★ 6.51979
SeriesCrimeMystery
Mrs. Kate Columbo, wife of the famous lieutenant, solves crimes as a reporter, while raising her little daughter.
Jericho · 1966Jericho
★ 7.31966
SeriesDrama
Jericho is an American espionage series set during World War II. The series stars John Leyton, Don Francks and Marino Masé as secret agents, and aired on CBS from September 1966, to January 1967.
The Rogues · 1964The Rogues
★ 8.01964
SeriesCrime
The Rogues is an American television series that appeared on NBC from September 13, 1964, to April 18, 1965, starring David Niven, Charles Boyer, and Gig Young as a related trio of former conmen who could, for the right price, be persuaded to trick a very wealthy and heinously unscrupulous mark. Although it won the 1964 Golden Globe award for Best Television Series, the show was cancelled after one season consisting of thirty episodes.
B.L. Stryker · 1989B.L. Stryker
★ 6.11989
SeriesDramaMystery
B.L. Stryker is an American detective drama that aired on ABC from February 13, 1989 to May 5, 1990 as part of the ABC Mystery Movie along with Gideon Oliver, Columbo and Kojak. The series was executive produced by Tom Selleck.
Cassie & Co. · 1982Cassie & Co.
★ 5.31982
SeriesCrimeDrama
Cassie & Co. is an American drama series broadcast on NBC as a mid-season replacement. 13 episodes were produced, but it was pulled after four episodes in February 1982, with the rest airing in the summer.
Angie Dickinson stars as Cassie Holland, a tough, divorced ex-cop who becomes a private detective, taking over a detective agency with her ex-con secretary Meryl (Dori Brenner) and gym instructor Benny (A. Martinez).
Probe · 1988Probe
★ 7.61988
SeriesDrama
Probe is a 1988 American television pilot and subsequent TV series, created by television mystery writer William Link and noted science fiction author Isaac Asimov. It aired on ABC. Michael B. Wagner, a veteran television writer, wrote the two-hour pilot, and became Executive Producer for the series. The pilot and series starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who solved high tech crimes, and Ashley Crow as James' new secretary Mickey Castle.
The show began as a mid-season replacement and was canceled after a two-month run of the pilot and six episodes. Entire episodes have made their way on the internet through video-sharing sites such as YouTube.
Some episodes of the show revolved around Serendip, a company founded by Austin that he has no interest in running. Mickey, his Serendip-appointed secretary, plays Watson to Austin's Holmes.
Darkroom · 1981Darkroom
★ 7.21981
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyMystery
'You're in a house. Maybe your own... maybe one you've never seen before. You feel it. Something evil. You run, but there's no escape... nowhere to turn. You feel something beckoning you... drawing you into the terror that awaits you in the Darkroom!'
Darkroom is an American horror/thriller anthology broadcast on ABC from November 27, 1981 to January 15, 1982. Similar in style to Rod Serling's Night Gallery, each hour-long episode featured two or more stories of varying length with a different story and a different cast, but James Coburn hosts all the wraparound segments.
The Cosby Mysteries · 1994The Cosby Mysteries
★ 6.01994
SeriesMysteryComedy