''Poker Alice'' is a 1987 American romantic

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

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 ...

directed by

Arthur Allan Seidelman Arthur Allan Seidelman is an American television, film, and theatre director and an occasional writer, producer, and actor. Career Born in New York City, he received his B.A. from Whittier College and an M.A. in Theatre from UCLA. He subsequently ...

, written by

James Lee Barrett James Lee Barrett (November 19, 1929 – October 15, 1989) was an American author, producer and screenwriter. Biography Barrett was born in 1929 in Charlotte, North Carolina and graduated in 1950 from Anderson University (South Carolina). ...

, and starring Elizabeth Taylor,

Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962. He is known for his film roles in ''M*A*S*H'', ''Alien'', '' The Dead Zone'', '' Top Gun'', '' A ...

and George Hamilton. The film was shot on location in Old Tucson, Arizona.

Plot

Alice Moffit, a professional gambler, comes to 1880s Arizona to attempt to beat anyone she can find at her favorite game, poker: that is why she is called 'Poker Alice'. Along the way, she wins a hand and also wins a brothel wherein the allure of sex and money are tempting. Interested in staying a gambler, she must find a way to leave being a madam and decide whether she will choose as her fiancé her cousin John or the local sheriff.

Cast

* Elizabeth Taylor as Alice Moffit *

as Jeremy Collins * George Hamilton as Cousin John Moffit *

Richard Mulligan Richard Mulligan (November 13, 1932 – September 26, 2000) was an American character actor known for his roles in the sitcoms ''Soap'' (1977–1981) and ''Empty Nest'' (1988–1995),. Mulligan was the winner of two Emmy Awards (1980 ...

as Sears *

David Wayne David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life and career Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen M ...

as Amos * Susan Tyrrell as Mad Mary *

Pat Corley Pat Corley (June 1, 1930 – September 11, 2006) was an American actor. He was known for his role as bar owner Phil on the CBS sitcom '' Murphy Brown'' from 1988 to 1996. He also had a recurring role as Chief Coroner Wally Nydorf on the tel ...

as McCarthy * Paul Drake as Baker * Annabella Price as Miss Tuttwiler * Mews Small as Baby Doe * Gary Bisig as Gilmore *

Liz Torres Elizabeth Larrieu Torres (born September 27, 1947) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series ''The John Larroquette Show'' (1993–1996), for which she received two ...

as Big Erma *

Gary Grubbs Gary Grubbs (born November 14, 1949) is an American character actor who has appeared in 178 credited shows and films since the 1970s and is still working steadily. He is best known as Captain Steven Wiecek in '' For Love and Honor'' (1983-1984) ...

as Marshal *

John Bennett Perry John Bennett Perry (born January 4, 1941) is an American actor, singer and former model. He is the father of actor Matthew Perry. Life and career Perry was born on January 4, 1941, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the son of businessman, bank dir ...

as Frank Hartwell

Production

The film is loosely based on the life of Poker Alice Ivers but is fictionalized to the point that even the character's last name was changed for the movie.

External links

* {{Arthur Allan Seidelman 1987 television films 1987 films 1987 Western (genre) films 1980s American films 1980s English-language films 1980s historical romance films American historical romance films American Western (genre) television films CBS network films Films about poker Films about prostitution in the United States Films directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman Films scored by Billy Goldenberg Films set in Pima County, Arizona Films set in the 1880s Films shot in Tucson, Arizona Historical television films Romance television films