''11th Victim'' is a 1979 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

crime drama film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but al ...

directed by

Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and film director, director. His film ''The Accused (1988 film), The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Actress ...

and starring

Bess Armstrong Elizabeth Key "Bess" Armstrong (born December 11, 1953) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films '' The Four Seasons'' (1981), '' High Road to China'' (1983), ''Jaws 3-D'' (1983), and ''Nothing in Common'' (1986). Armstrong ...

and Max Gail. The film was based partially on the activities of the Los Angeles Hillside Strangler and was subsequently released on home video under the title ''The Lakeside Killer''. Harry Northup,

Harold Gould Harold Vernon Goldstein (December 10, 1923 – September 11, 2010), better known as Harold Gould, was an American character actor. He appeared as Martin Morgenstern on the sitcom ''Rhoda'' (1974–78) and Miles Webber on the sitcom ''The Golden ...

, and David Hayward round out the supporting cast of the movie. The film was broadcast as a November

Sweeps 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 rati ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

Tuesday Night Movie''. Director

went on to critical acclaim as a director of feature films including '' The Accused'' (1988), ''

Unlawful Entry ''Unlawful Entry'' is a 1992 American psychological thriller film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and starring Kurt Russell, Madeleine Stowe and Ray Liotta. The film involves a couple who befriend a lonely policeman, only for him to develop an un ...

'' (1992), '' Love Field'' (1992), and ''

Brokedown Palace ''Brokedown Palace'' is a 1999 American drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and starring Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, and Bill Pullman. It deals with two American friends imprisoned in Thailand for alleged drug smuggling. Its title is t ...

'' (1999).

Plot

Jill Kelso (

) is a

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

television news anchor, whose younger sister, an aspiring actress, has entered a life of prostitution in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. When the sister becomes the eleventh victim of a sex murderer, Kelso conducts her own undercover investigation into Hollywood's night world of commercial sex. Along the way, chemistry develops with a sympathetic cop ( Max Gail) who tries to save her from becoming a victim herself.

Cast

as Jill Kelso * Max Gail as Andrew Spencer * David Hayward as "Red" Brody *

as Benny Benito * Pamela Ludwig as Sally Taylor * Harry Northup as Officer Thorpe *

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist of the rhythm and blues, R&B and Rock music, rock band The Animals and the funk band War (band), War. He is regarded as one of the Br ...

as "Spider" * Annazette Chase as Cathy Cronenberger *

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot of the American Revolution. He was the longest-serving Presi ...

as Captain Long *

Dick Miller Richard Miller (December 25, 1928 – January 30, 2019) was an American character actor who appeared in more than 180 films, including many produced by Roger Corman. He later appeared in the films of directors who began their careers with Corm ...

as Ned, Investigator * Marilyn Jones as Cindy Lee * Michael Cavanaugh as Steve Rish * Alfred Dennis as Ed Little * Tara Strohmeier as Janie * Michelle Downey as Amy Black * Vicki Le Mere as Katy * William H. Burton as The Suspect * Ines Pedroza as Wilma Smith

Production

It was the first telemovie for Kaplan after a series of features, the last two of which flopped. "I was told not to do it," he said. "I was told I would never work again in features. But I had to make a living.... In television you are an employee, much more than you are executing your vision. You get there when the script is done and maybe even when several parts are cast, and you get maybe two weeks to cut - so you can’t expect to have the amepersonal influence over what’s going on"

References

External links

* {{Jonathan Kaplan CBS films 1979 television films 1979 films 1970s serial killer films American serial killer films American crime television films Films scored by Michel Colombier Films directed by Jonathan Kaplan 1970s American films