''Sudden Death'' is a 1977

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

directed by

Eddie Romero Edgar Sinco Romero, (July 7, 1924 – May 28, 2013), commonly known as Eddie Romero, was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter. Early life Romero was born on July 7, 1924. His father was José E. Romero, the first Philipp ...

, starring

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series ''The Wild Wild West'', playin ...

, and costarring

Thayer David Thayer David (born David Thayer Hersey; March 4, 1927 – July 17, 1978) was an American film, stage, and television actor. He was best known for his work on the ABC serial ''Dark Shadows'' (1966–1971), and as the fight promoter Miles ...

Larry Manetti Lawrence Francis Manetti (born July 23, 1947) is an American actor best known for his role as Orville Wilbur Richard "Rick" Wright on the CBS television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' which starred Tom Selleck as the title character. He also starred in ...

and Nancy Conrad, Robert Conrad's real life daughter.

Plot

When Ed Neilson's (Ken Metcalf) entire family is viciously murdered, he pleads with retired CIA operative Duke Smith (Robert Conrad) to investigate. Smith refuses, but relents after Neilson too meets an explosive death. With the aid of a former associate Wyatt Spain (Felton Perry), Smith attempts to find out who was responsible for the death of Neilson and his family. Meanwhile, a government agent, named John Shaw (John Ashley), has one of his men (Larry Manetti) follow Smith as Shaw was working with members of Neilson's company to get him out due to his sympathy for some people who are fighting for rights who call themselves "The Brown Hats". Shaw enlists the services of hit-man Dominic Aldo (Don Stroud) from Corsica to take care of Smith. Smith has an associate, named "Buffalo" Tinker (Angelo Ventura), take his daughter Melissa (Nancy Conrad) and his wife Maya (Aline Samson) into hiding until things blow over. Aldo kills Tinker, and Smith and Spain kill the men responsible for the deaths of Neilson and his family. Smith shoots Shaw and fights Aldo, killing him. At the end, Smith and Spain go to an island only to find that Aldo had earlier killed Smith's daughter and Maya.

Cast

as Duke Smith *

Don Stroud Donald Lee Stroud (born September 1, 1943) is an American actor, musician, and surfer. Stroud has appeared in over 100 films and 200 television shows. Early years Stroud was the son of vaudeville actor Clarence Stroud (of "The Stroud Twins" team ...

as Dominic Aldo *

Felton Perry Felton Perry (born September 11, 1945) is an American actor. He is most notable for his roles as Deputy Obrah Eaker in the 1973 movie '' Walking Tall'', and as Inspector Early Smith in the 1973 movie ''Magnum Force'', the second film in the ''Di ...

as Wyatt Spain * John Ashley as John Shaw *

as Hauser *

as Dan * Chuck Courtney *

Eddie Garcia Eduardo Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 20, 2019), known colloquially as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, film director and producer. With almost 600 film and television roles and a career spanning seven decades, he ...

as Raoul Hidalgo

Production

The film was written for Conrad and

Jim Kelly James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United State ...

but Kelly dropped out. Conrad suggested Don Stroud and Ashley recommended Eddie Romero to direct it, "because he's not only knowledgeable, but oriented toward our end of the business over here in the U.S." said Ashley. Ashley produced the film for Caruth Byrd, who he called "a very wealthy guy from Dallas. It's actually a pretty decent little movie, but Caruth was not real knowledgable about the business. He found some fly-by- night company ryanstonhat gave him some kind of deal, what was in his mind, a really good one. I kept saying that it's only a good deal if the picture makes money. I didn't know the company, and it didn't feel right to me."

Reception

Ashley said "The picture finally came out in a very limited release, no publicity, nothing. It died and immediately went to tape. Tape then was not the big thing it is today... Bob Conrad was very upset about how Caruth threw the movie away."Lamont p 7

References

Note

External links

*
Trailer
at

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

{{Eddie Romero 1977 films Films directed by Eddie Romero 1977 action films Philippine action films Films shot in the Philippines 1970s English-language films American action films 1970s American films English-language Philippine films English-language action films