''The California Kid'' is a 1974 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...

directed by

Richard T. Heffron Richard T. Heffron (October 6, 1930 – August 27, 2007) was an American film director. He worked on many television series such as ''The Rockford Files'' and films including '' I Will Fight No More Forever'' (1975), ''Futureworld'' (1976), ...

and starring

Martin Sheen Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...

Plot

The story takes place in 1958, and involves a town, Clarksberg, with a famous speed trap. Disturbed Sheriff Roy Childress (

Vic Morrow Victor Morrow (born Victor Morozoff; February 14, 1929 – July 23, 1982) was an American actor. He came to prominence as one of the leads of the ABC drama series ''Combat!'' (1962–1967), which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstandin ...

), whose wife and daughter were killed by a speeder, punishes those who speed in Clarksberg by deliberately pushing their cars off the mountain highway curves with his 1957

Plymouth Belvedere Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970. The Belvedere name was first used for a new hardtop body style in the Plymouth Cranbrook line for the 1951 model year. In 1954 the Belvedere re ...

. Two Navy sailors on leave (one portrayed by Sheen's younger brother,

Joe Estevez Joseph Estévez (born February 13, 1946) is an American actor and director. He is the younger brother of actor Martin Sheen and the uncle of Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Renée Estevez, and Ramon Estevez. Life and career Early life Estevez ...

), speeding to get back to base on time in a 1951

Ford Custom The Ford Custom is an automobile which was produced by Ford in the United States, Canada and Australia in certain years from 1949 to 1981. Custom and Custom Deluxe (1949-1951) For the 1949 model year, the Custom nameplate was used for the top tri ...

, are pushed to their deaths by the sheriff. Soon after, a stranger arrives, driving a hot rodded black 1934 Ford three-window coupe, known as "

The California Kid ''The California Kid'' is a 1974 American made-for-television action thriller film directed by Richard T. Heffron and starring Martin Sheen. Plot The story takes place in 1958, and involves a town, Clarksberg, with a famous speed trap. Di ...

". He provokes Sheriff Childress into giving him a speeding ticket on purpose, establishes his credentials with the sheriff as a hot rodder and potential speed maniac, boasting it can do 75 mph in 10 seconds. He pays the ticket in front of Judge J.A. Hooker (Frederic Downs), and it is revealed he is Michael McCord (

), older brother of one of the sailors. Believing his brother's death was no accident, he does his own investigating, with the help of Maggie (

Michelle Phillips Michelle may refer to: People *Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael * Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle" * Michelle (German singer) * Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish wi ...

). He finds the wreck of his brother's car at the impound yard, with the rear bumper dented as if by pushbars. He checks out the lay of the land. Knowing how his brother was killed, he goes out to the Curve, testing its limits and tuning his car to better handle the terrain. Lyle Stafford ( Gary Morgan), the younger brother of the town's auto mechanic Buzz Stafford (

Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tides''. He received ...

) is killed and his girlfriend Sissy (Janit Baldwin) badly injured by the sheriff after the duo go for a drive in a 1955 Mercury. Buzz wants to kill the sheriff for revenge, but McCord says there's another way. Then the sheriff tries to run McCord out of town, and the stage is set for the climactic duel. McCord then runs the speed trap, challenging the sheriff, who tries to run him off the road. McCord is ready, knowing his car's limits for the curve, and the sheriff is a victim of his own obsession, going too fast to make the deadly turn. He drives off the cliff as Buzz and a deputy look on, while McCord slides to a stop on the sandy shoulder.

Cast

as Michael McCord *

as Sheriff Roy Childress * Michelle Philips as Maggie *

Stuart Margolin Stuart Margolin (January 31, 1940 – December 12, 2022) was an American film, theater, and television actor and director who won two Emmy Awards for playing Evelyn "Angel" Martin on the 1970s television series ''The Rockford Files''. In 1973, h ...

as Deputy *

as Buzz Stafford * Janit Baldwin as Sissy * Gary Morgan as Lyle Stafford * Frederic Downs as Judge J.A. Hooker * Don Mantooth as Jack (as Donald Mantooth) *

as Don McCord (as Joseph Estevez) *

Britt Leach Britt Leach (born July 18, 1938 in Gadsden, Alabama) is an American character actor. Biography and acting career Leach was born on July 18, 1938 in Gadsden, Alabama. He graduated from McCallie School, a boys college-preparatory school in Cha ...

as Johnny *

Norman Bartold Norman Hillman Bartold (August 6, 1928 – May 28, 1994) was an American film and television actor. He played Mr. Brody in eight episodes of the American television sitcom ''Teachers Only''. He also played the District Attorney Donahue in the s ...

as Howard * Barbara Collentine as Edith * Michael Richardson as Charley *

Gavan O'Herlihy Gavan John O'Herlihy (29 July 1951 – 15 September 2021) was an American actor. He was known for playing Chuck Cunningham in the first episodes of ''Happy Days'', as well as his appearances in films such as ''Never Say Never Again'', ''Death W ...

as Tom *

Jack McCulloch John K. "Jack" McCulloch (August 15, 1872 – January 26, 1918) was a Canadian speed skater and ice hockey player. He won several Canadian amateur speed skating championships and one world championship. Sports career An amateur skater from 1890 ...

as Pete * Ken Johnson as Harlie * Sandy Brown Wyeth as Leona * Tren Dolan as Stranger * Monika Henreid as Gerry

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:California Kid, The 1970s teen drama films 1974 television films 1974 films American auto racing films American teen drama films ABC Movie of the Week Films about automobiles Films directed by Richard T. Heffron Films set in 1958 Films set in California 1974 drama films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films

Plot

Cast

See also

External links