''Winter Kill'' 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 fo ...

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

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

Jud Taylor Judson Taylor (February 25, 1932August 6, 2008) was an American actor, television director, and television producer. Early years Born in New York City, Taylor graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Career Taylor is perhaps best ...

and written by

John Michael Hayes John Michael Hayes (11 May 1919 – 19 November 2008) was an American screenwriter, who scripted four of Alfred Hitchcock's films in the 1950s. Early life Hayes was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to John Michael Hayes Sr. and Ellen Mabel Hayes ...

and

David Karp David Karp (born July 6, 1986) is an American webmaster, entrepreneur, and blogger, best known as the founder and former CEO of the short-form blogging platform Tumblr. Karp began his career, without having received a high school diploma, as ...

. It stars

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his character ...

as Sam McNeill, the

police chief The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

in a small resort town in the mountains of northern

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. The film is mystery-suspense drama about McNeill's attempts to solve a string of local serial killings linked by messages left at the scenes of the crimes.

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 ...

played the role of Dave Michaels. The movie (which aired on April 15, 1974 as an ''

ABC Movie of the Week ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

'') was the second attempt by writer/propducer Lane Slate to adapt the 1972 movie ''

They Only Kill Their Masters ''They Only Kill Their Masters'' is a 1972 American mystery film directed by James Goldstone, written by Lane Slate, and starring James Garner and Katharine Ross, with a supporting cast featuring Hal Holbrook, June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawfo ...

'' into a TV series. The movie starred James Garner as Abel Marsh, a Police Chief in a small, beachside community. The first adaptation attempt was 1973's ''

Isn't It Shocking? ''Isn't It Shocking?'' is a made-for-television comedy-mystery film that aired on the ABC network in 1973 as an ''ABC Movie of the Week''. Written by Lane Slate, it stars Alan Alda, Louise Lasser and Edmond O'Brien, and was directed by John Badha ...

'', starring

Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor, screenwriter, and director. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the war come ...

as police chief Dan Barnes and the setting relocated to Oregon. Next, Griffith stepped in as the now-renamed Sam McNeill (

) in '' Winter Kill'' and then again in 1975 with two episodes of ''

Adams of Eagle Lake ''Adams of Eagle Lake'' is an American hour-long police series that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in 1975. Andy Griffith starred as Chief of Police Sam Adams and the episodes presented his attempts to maintain the law in a small re ...

'' (this time, the character was renamed Sam Adams). Two more reworkings followed in 1976 and 1977 starring Griffith, with the character's name restored to Abel Marsh: '' The Girl in the Empty Grave'' and '' Deadly Game''.

References

External links

* 1974 television films 1974 films ABC Movie of the Week Films directed by Jud Taylor Films scored by Jerry Goldsmith Films with screenplays by John Michael Hayes American thriller television films 1970s American films {{US-tv-thriller-film-stub