Movie-TV Credits
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(1987 made-for-tv movie; originally aired 9/22/87)
Bruce Greenwood guest starred in a special two-hour episode of this very popular television series that kicked off the show's second season. Filmed in London during the summer hiatus between his two St. Elsewhere seasons, Greenwood's character was typical for this time in his career: a wastral rich kid with an arrogant attitude who may not be as bad as he seems. This time he's Mitchell Gordon, the younger son of an American billionaire (played by the quickly dispatched Don Murray) whose murder induces Matlock to London to exonerate the elder son (Greg Evigan) who's been arrested and convicted of the crime. Michele Greene (later to play Greenwood's wife in Heart of a Child) plays his sister, although his closest relationship is a questionable liaison with his stepmother (played by Jane Howe.)
Matlock may be formulaic tv, but it's comfortably entertaining and durably popular with a series run of 9 years followed by a remarkable success in syndication that's continued uninterrupted since the show's cancellation in 1995. Although guests are somewhat overshadowed by Matlock's own stable of actors, Greenwood has two very good scenes and looks quite wonderful. This was a very nice gig for him at this time in his career.
The show is not available on video but is repeated often on television as a two-hour television movie or as two episodes of the syndicated series.
Oddly enough, Greenwood may have filmed a cameo for a second episode of Matlock. In one show, various NBC performers play their characters from famous TV shows and are "interviewed" about the murder of their network boss. It was an episode played for laughs and Greenwood's name appeared as "Dr. Seth Griffin" in some sources, though his part was apparently cut out of the aired version.
The Fred Silverman Company; Strathmore Productions in association with Viacom
 |  |  Matlock grills Mitchell | 59 secs |
| | Mitchell's confession | 52 secs |