''The North Avenue Irregulars'' is a 1979 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

produced by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...

, distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company, and starring

Edward Herrmann Edward Kirk Herrmann (July 21, 1943 – December 31, 2014) was an American actor, director, and writer. He was perhaps best known for his portrayals of Franklin D. Roosevelt in both the miniseries ''Eleanor and Franklin'' (1976) and 1982 film ...

, Barbara Harris, Karen Valentine and Susan Clark. Don Tait wrote the screenplay, which was loosely based on the Rev. Albert Fay Hill's memoir of fighting the mob in New Rochelle, New York in the 1960s. The film was released as ''Hill's Angels'' in the United Kingdom.

Plot

Reverend Michael Hill (

) and his two children arrive in the fictional

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 ...

town, New Campton. He is there to serve as the new minister at the North Avenue Presbyterian Church. The secretary/music director for the church, Anne ( Susan Clark), is wary of the changes Hill intends to implement. Hill wants to get people involved, and asks Mrs. Rose Rafferty ( Patsy Kelly, in her final movie role) to handle the church's sinking fund, which consisted of $1,206 ($4,967 in 2022 dollars). It turns out being an awful mistake, because she has a husband who is a reckless gambler. On his first Sunday, Hill learns from Mrs. Rafferty that her husband Delaney (

Douglas Fowley Douglas Fowley (born Daniel Vincent Fowley, May 30, 1911 – May 21, 1998) was an American movie and television actor in more than 240 films and dozens of television programs, He is probably best remembered for his role as the frustrated m ...

) bet all the sinking fund money on a horse race. Hill delivers a sermon less than 15 seconds long, then rapidly escorts Mrs. Rafferty out the church as astonished worshipers watch. She leads him to the bookie, hidden behind a dry-cleaning shop owned by Sam the Tailor (

Carl Ballantine Carl Ballantine (September 28, 1917 – November 4, 2009) was an American magician, comedian and actor. Billing himself as "The Great Ballantine", "The Amazing Ballantine" or "Ballantine: The World's Greatest Magician", his vaudeville-style come ...

), and meets Harry the Hat (

Alan Hale, Jr. Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; (March 8, 1921 - January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role ...

), who recommends that Hill let the bet ride. Hill's horse, Sundae Treat, loses and he is thrown out of the betting parlor. Hill summons the police, but the booking joint has been skillfully removed. That evening, Hill delivers a tirade against the

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

in the city during a local television broadcast. He is chastised by his presbytery superiors for the tirade, and is urged to go out and build church membership in the area. His only success is with a rock band called Strawberry Shortcake, who he recruits to "jazz up" the music at church; Anne resigns as music director. Then, two treasury agents for the US government arrive: Marvin Fogleman ( Michael Constantine) and Tom Voohries (

Steve Franken Stephen Robert Franken (May 27, 1932 – August 24, 2012) was an American actor who worked in film and television for over fifty years. Career Franken, the son of a Hollywood press agent, was born in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from Corne ...

). They want Hill to help them close down the gambling racket by recruiting some men from the church to place bets that the agents will watch. Hill cannot find any men to help, but hits upon the idea of using women. Five women from his congregation attempt to place bets in the company of the Treasury agents, but ending up in some kind of disastrously clumsy result. The team changes tactics to try to go after the "bank" that the gangsters use, tailing the mob's deliverymen through town while Hill coordinates using a map at the church office. Two gangsters subsequently appear at the church during services and identify one of the women, Claire Porter (

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...

). They report that to Max Roca ( Frank Campanella), their crime boss, who advises them to threaten intimidation. Anne discovers the operation, even as Hill defends the Irregulars as keeping the gangsters off balance. Anne resigns from the secretary position, and soon after, the gangsters firebomb the church. Hill is shocked at the gangsters' act, and seems ready to give in, but to his surprise, Anne wants to join the fight. They do so, and continue to hammer the gangsters' movements around town. Meanwhile, Hill receives word that the pulpit has been declared vacant and North Avenue will be discontinued as a church entity. Dr. Victor Fulton ( Herb Voland), a representative from presbytery, arrives to discuss the closure with Hill. Anne picks up two more presbytery representatives at the airport, Dr. Rheems (

Ruth Buzzi Ruth Ann Buzzi ( ; born July 24, 1936) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She has appeared on stage, in films, and on television. She is best known for her performances on the comedy-variety show '' Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 196 ...

) and Reverend Wainwright ( Ivor Francis), but while bringing them to the church, she recognizes one of the mob's deliverymen and realizes she may be able to find the bank. She tracks the deliveryman to an isolated compound. Within minutes, all the Irregulars besiege the place as the gangsters attempt a frantic escape with their bank. A demolition derby ensues, the crooks are stopped, and the evidence is seized. The following Sunday, Hill's congregation gathers outside the ravaged church while he delivers news of the indictments against the mob and of the closing of the church. However, Dr. Fulton steps in to proclaim that North Avenue has a new lease on life—it will be rebuilt. The youthful band starts the music again as everyone rejoices.

Cast

as Rev. Michael 'Mike' Hill * Barbara Harris as Mrs. Vickie Sims / Kiddie Car * Karen Valentine as Jane / June Bride * Susan Clark as Anne Woods, the Church Secretary / Rookie *

as Claire Porter / Phantom Fox *

as Mr. Delaney Rafferty / Blarney Stone * Patsy Kelly as Mrs. Rose Rafferty / Blarney Stone * Virginia Capers as Cleo Jackson / Clunker * Herb Voland as Dr. Fulton, the Head of the Presbyterian Executive Committee * Ivor Francis as Rev. Wainwright *

Louisa Moritz Louisa Moritz (born Luisa Cira Castro Netto; September 25, 1936 – January 4, 2019) was a Cuban-American actress and lawyer. After arriving in New York from Cuba, she became a film and television actress, then earned a law degree. She is best k ...

as Mrs. Gossin * Marjorie Bennett as Mother Thurber *

as Dr. Rheems * Ceil Cabot as Bench Woman * Michael Constantine as Marv Fogleman, an Investigator of the Treasury Department *

Melora Hardin Melora Hardin (born June 29, 1967) is an American actress, known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's ''The Office'' and Trudy Monk on USA Network's ''Monk'', and Tammy Cashman on Amazon Prime Video's '' Transparent'', for which she received ...

as Carmel Hill * Bobby Rolofson as Dean Hill * Dena Dietrich as Mrs. Carlisle * Dick Fuchs as Howard Carlisle *

as Tom Voories, an Investigator of the Treasury Department *

Cliff Osmond Cliff Osmond (born Clifford Osman Ebrahim; February 26, 1937 – December 22, 2012) was an American character actor and television screenwriter. A parallel career as an acting teacher coincided with his other activities. Early life Osmond wa ...

as Big Chin * Damon Bradley Daskin as Danny * Linda Lee Lyons as Bette *

as Sam the Tailor *

as Harry the Hat * Frank Campanella as Max Roca, the Head of the Gambling Racket * John Kerry as Roca's Lieutenant * Dave Morrick as Policeman * Darrow Igus as Mechanic * Dennis Robertson as Truck Driver #1 * Ed McCready as Truck Driver #2 * David Ketchum as Capt. Bramford * John Wheeler as Clothier * David Rode as Toby * Pitt Herbert as Mr. Thurber *

Chuck Henry Charles Robert Henry (born January 1, 1946) is a retired American journalist, who worked in the Greater Los Angeles media market for 48 years. He worked for nearly 29 years at KNBC, where he was a co-anchor of the 5, 6, and 11 p.m. newscasts, and ...

as TV Announcer * Mickey Morton as Bootsie * Rickie Layne as Bettor * Jack Perkins as Bouncer *

Tom Pedi Tom Pedi (September 14, 1913 – December 29, 1996) was an American actor whose work included roles on stage, television and film in a career spanning 50 years. He was particularly well-known for his portrayal of Rocky, the night barman, in '' Th ...

as Bartender * Bill McLean as Mr. Younger * Roger Creed as Mailman * Walt La Rue as Grandpa * Jack Griffin as Cop * Len Ross as Passby * Douglas Hume as Driver * Gary Morgan, Jack Cameron White, Michael Lloyd and Kim Bullard as members of Strawberry Shortcake * Don Stanley as TV Announcer (Uncredited)

Production

Walt Disney Productions purchased the rights to the 1968 novel, ''The North Avenue Irregulars: A Suburb Battles the Mafia'', by Reverend Albert Fay Hill, the year after its publication, in 1969, and screenwriter Don Tait adapted the story in 1977. The film was shot at Disney Studios in Burbank, CA, and at forty-two locations in the Los Angeles, CA area, including neighborhoods within Burbank, Long Beach, Pasadena, and Newhall. Fourteen new automobiles, costing $155,000, were destroyed for the climatic demolition sequence.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:North Avenue Irregulars, The 1979 films American mystery films American crime comedy films 1970s crime comedy films Gambling films Films directed by Bruce Bilson Films produced by Ron W. Miller Walt Disney Pictures films Films set in California 1979 comedy films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films