''Murder in Texas'' is a 1981

television film 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 ...

starring

Katharine Ross Katharine Juliet Ross (born January 29, 1940) is an American film, stage, and television actress. Her accolades include one Academy Award nomination, one BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. A native of Los Angeles, Ross spent most of her ...

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

Farrah Fawcett Farrah Leni Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played ...

, and Andy Griffith. The film was directed by William Hale, and was based on a true story; that was written for the TV screen by John McGreevey. It first aired on television in two parts on Sunday and Monday May 3–4, 1981.Blau, Eleano
Television Week
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

Plot

Based on the true story of the death of

Joan Robinson Hill Joan Olive Robinson Hill (February 6, 1931 – March 19, 1969) was a socialite and equestrian from Houston, Texas. Her unexplained death at age 38 led to her husband, John Hill, becoming the first person to be indicted by the state of Texas on th ...

, this film tells of a plastic surgeon who was suspected of causing the death of his first wife, the daughter of a wealthy member of Houston society. The circumstances of her death - which was never solved - are clouded by a suspiciously hasty embalming and a hurried burial. The doctor then marries his mistress. In spite of two autopsies showing that his daughter died of natural causes, Ash Robinson, convinced that his daughter was murdered, sets out single-handedly to find out the true cause of her death, determined to see that the doctor is punished.

Cast

''as'' Ann Kurth Hill *

''as'' Dr. John Hill *

''as'' Joan Robinson Hill * Andy Griffith ''as'' Ash Robinson *

G. W. Bailey George William Bailey (born August 27, 1944) is an American actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in ''M*A*S*H'' (TV series 1979–19 ...

''as'' Richard "Racehorse" Haynes *

Barry Corbin Leonard Barrie Corbin (born October 16, 1940) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Maurice Minnifield on the television series '' Northern Exposure'' (1990–1995), which earned him two consecutive Primetime Emmy Awar ...

''as'' Dist. Atty. McMasters *

Pamela Myers Pamela Myers (born July 15, 1947, Hamilton, Ohio) is an American actress who made her Broadway debut as Marta in Stephen Sondheim's musical ''Company'', in which she introduced the song "Another Hundred People". She was nominated for a 1971 Tony ...

''as'' Mary * Craig T. Nelson ''as'' Jack Ramsey *

Royce Wallace Royce K. Wallace (May 9, 1925 – November 24, 1992) was an American actress, singer and dancer who had a long, distinguished career beginning in the 1940s through the late–1980s. Biography Born in Buffalo, Nebraska or Pleasanton, Nebraska o ...

''as'' Wilma * Dimitra Arliss ''as'' Gina Meier *

Jude Farese Jude may refer to: People Biblical * Jude, brother of Jesus, who is sometimes identified as being the same person as Jude the Apostle * Jude the Apostle, an apostle also called Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus, the patron saint of lost causes in the C ...

''as'' Casselli *

Philip Sterling Philip Sterling (October 9, 1922 – November 30, 1998) was an American film and television actor. He played Dr. Winston Croft on 28 episodes of the American daytime soap opera '' The Doctors''. He also played Judge Truman Ventnor on 21 episode ...

''as'' Dr. Helpern *

Vernon Weddle Vernon Weddle Jr. (born August 23, 1935) is an American film, stage and television actor. He is perhaps best known for playing "General Washburne" in the 1986 film ''Short Circuit''. Life and career Weddle was born in Hattiesburg, Mississipp ...

''as'' Dr. Joe *

Lesley Woods Lesley Woods (August 22, 1910 – August 2, 2003) was an American radio, stage and television actress. She was a graduate of the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. Personal life Woods was married to actor Richard McMurray. Sam McMurray is her s ...

''as'' Reah Robinson *

Parley Baer Parley Edward Baer (August 5, 1914 – November 22, 2002) was an American actor in radio and later in television and film. Despite dozens of appearances in television series and theatrical films, he remains best known as the original "Cheste ...

''as'' Ann's attorney

Reception

''Murder in Texas'' was nominated for a 1982 Golden Globe Award for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV.Murder in Texas (1981)(TV) - Awards
. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2011-08-13. In addition, Andy Griffith received his only Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Ash Robinson. The movie was highly ranked in the

Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...

. Part I was the fifth-most popular show for the week ending May 3, and Part II was the most popular show of the following week.(7 May 1981)
Dallas helps CBS Win
''Gettysburg Times'' (Associated Press)(13 May 1981)
Last week's Nielsen horse race wasn't the usual event....
UPI

References

External links

* 1981 films 1981 television films 1981 drama films American television films Films scored by Leonard Rosenman Films set in Houston Films shot in Houston Films shot in Texas Crime films based on actual events Poisoning in film Films directed by William Hale (director) 1980s English-language films {{crime-drama-film-stub