Detour to Terror (1980) (TV)

Director:

Michael O'Herlihy

Writers (WGA):

Sydney A. Glass (teleplay) and
Mark Rodgers (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

22 February 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

A homicidal dune-buggy trio terrorizes a busload of Las Vegas bound tourists with the intent to kidnap one of them. |

Cast

O.J. Simpson	...	Lee Hayes
Randall Carver	...	Neil
Anne Francis	...	Sheila
Rick Hill	...	Kurt (as Richard Hill)
Kathryn Holcomb	...	Alicia
Arte Johnson	...	Harry Edwards
Lorenzo Lamas	...	Jamie
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Martin Brain
Gloria Lynn Deyer	...	Irene Martin
Pat Keating	...	Joyce Landry
Chris Noel	...	Peggy Cameron (as Chris Noel Hanks)
Phil Mead	...	Finch
Pat Ripley	...	Lenore
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Larry (as Thomas Rosales)
Paula Victor	...	Sarah

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Television

Trivia:

One of the passengers buys a shirt that says "Sock it to me!" a line from Laugh-in that also starred Arte Johnson.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious (white) stunt driver when the bus first rides into the desert.

Quotes:

Lee: You got involved with a man with a hole in his middle

Movie Connections:

References "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1967)

In the desert with O.J

(Some Spoilers) O.J Simpson as the sweet kindly and lovable bus driver Lee Hayes saves the day and his passengers from a trio of ruthless hijacker/kidnappers lead by a clean-cut and innocent looking Neil, Randall Carver. O.J or Lee Hayes does it with his take charge bravado, when the chips are down, and his cut and slice bus driving exploits that eventually puts the three hoodlums out of business permanently.

Just expecting a average and boring ride to Las Vegas from Albuqerque Lee's bus ride ended up being anything but. Tailed in the open desert by two dune buggies the bus is driven off the road and almost overturns. With Lee skillful driving he gets back on track only to later have two of the the dune buggies drivers enter the bus at the next stop and then hijack it.

These three desperado's, one was waiting for the bus at a prearrange site in the desert, were trying to kidnap Mrs. Brain a rich New Mexico socialite, for a $50,000.00 ransom, only to find out much later that Mrs Brain is really Mr. Brain's, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, mistress Joyce Landry, Pat Keating,instead.

While on the bus Neil shot one of the passengers Finch, Phil Mead, who pulled a gun on his hijack partner Jamie, Leranzo Lammas. As Finch later lies dying from his wound he reveals to bus' tour director Harry Edwards, Art Johnson,that he has a stamp worth $90,000.00 sewn into his jacket, for safekeeping, thus having theses three jerks screw themselves out of making a quick and easy buck twice not once within a few hours.

Taking over and getting everyone to pitch in Lee gets the disabled bus, the hijackers shot the tires out and cut the electrical cables, up and going in no time at all but as soon as he's heading for the nearest highway, some twenty miles away, the hoods are back on their dune buggies trying to get the $90,000.00 stamp that still on th bus and thus salvage whatever they can of their bungled and deadly bus heist.

A very likable O.J Simpson together with his wife Nicole who has a very visible, she's the blond with the low-cut white top and gray dress, but non-speaking part as one of the bus passengers make up the cast of the film "Detour to Terror". There's also Rich Hill as Kurt a well known collage football player who's brutally abused and beaten by the vicious Jamie in front of all the bus passengers.

Hurt and humiliated Kurt is made to stop feeling sorry for himself by Lee, who gave him a heart to heart as well as pep talk, and later saves the bus from being hijacked, again, with his new found courage and heroics thanks to Lee.

Average made for TV movie that has become somewhat of a curiosity piece, since Mrs. Simpson's brutal murder in 1994, with O.J and Nicole Simpson together in a major motion picture for their first and only time.