Night That Panicked America, The (1975) TV Movie

"The Night That Panicked America" is centered around Orson Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" broadcast of October 30, 1938. Welles (Paul Shenar) arrives at CBS studios just in time to assume his directing post for the radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic, which has been updated and rewritten in the form of news bulletins. Unfortunately, millions of listeners tune in late and assume that the Earth is actually being invaded by Martians. This TV movie periodically cuts away from the broadcast in progress to concentrate on the panicky reactions of several listeners - including a terrified mother (Eileen Brennan) who nearly kills her own children rather than allow them to fall into the tentacles of the Men From Mars. Advised of the panic, Welles is convinced that his career is over, but the ensuing publicity makes him nationally famous. As he absorbs the events of the evening, the hoodwinked radio fans crawl back sheepishly to the safety of their homes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Night That Panicked America  (1975) TV Movie

Cast: Cliff De Young, Eileen Brennan, Granville Van Dusen, John Ritter, Meredith Baxter, Michael Constantine, Shelley Morrison, Tom Bosley, Vic Morrow, Will Geer

Hotline (1982) TV Movie

'Hotline,' Thriller on CBS, Stars Lynda Carter

Tomorrow at 9 on CBS-TV, ''Hotline'' features Lynda Carter, formerly Wonder Woman, in a moderately suspenseful thriller written by David E. Peckinpah. Miss Carter plays Brianne O'Neil, who pays for her art-school lessons by tending bar at a place called the Shadow Box. The owner is Kyle (Monte Markham), who used to be the stunt double for his famous actor friend Tom (Steve Forrest). One evening, Justin (Granville Van Dusen), a psychiatrist, comes into the bar for a cup of coffee and offers Brianne an additional job answering phones at his crisis ''hotline'' center.

But when Brianne starts picking up the phones, a heavy breather materializes on the other end, giving her ''clues'' that turn out to be connected with grisly murders. The calls become more frequent. All men in Brianne's immediate vicinity become suspect. As usual in these television movies, the prime suspect has to be the actor who is getting top billing but does not seem to have much to do until the final scene. Something had to attract him to the role.

Other than that, Brianne and Justin seem to drink great quantities of coffee. Whenever matters become really tense, there is usually a line like, ''Here, drink this while it's hot.'' They could use a crisis center themselves.

Hotline (1982) TV Movie

Cast: Frank Stallone, Granville Van Dusen, James Booth, Lynda Carter, Monte Markham, Nick Angotti, Steve Forrest