The North Avenue Irregulars 1979

Reverend Michael Hill, [Edward Herrmann], and his two children arrive in New Campton, a fictional town in California, to take up duties as the new minister at the North Avenue Presbyterian Church. The church’s secretary and music director, Anne, [Susan Clark], is wary of the changes he plans to implement and wants to keep the congregation actively involved. He asks Mrs. Rose Rafferty, [Patsy Kelly], to manage the church’s sinking fund, which consisted of $1,206 ($4,967 in 2022 dollars). It turns out to be a precarious assignment, because Rose has a husband who is a reckless gambler, Delaney, [Douglas Fowley].

On his first Sunday, Hill delivers a sermon less than 15 seconds long, then escorts Rose out of the sanctuary as astonished worshipers stare. She leads him to a bookie hidden behind a dry-cleaning shop owned by Sam the Tailor, [Carl Ballantine], and Harry the Hat, [Alan Hale Jr.], who recommends that Hill let the bet ride. Hill’s horse, Sundae Treat, loses, and he is expelled from the betting parlor. He calls in the police, but the betting joint has somehow vanished.

That evening, Hill stages a televised tirade against organized crime, which draws the ire of his presbytery. They urge him to go out and grow church membership, but his only real success comes from a rock band called Strawberry Shortcake, whom he recruits to “jazz up” the music at church. Anne resigns as music director, and soon after, two treasury agents arrive: Marvin Fogleman, [Michael Constantine], and Tom Voohries, [Steve Franken]. Their mission is to co-opt Hill into helping shut down the gambling racket by recruiting men from the church to place bets under surveillance. Hill cannot find willing male volunteers, so he pivots and proposes recruiting women instead. Five women from his congregation try to place bets under the agents’ watch, which ends in a comical, clumsy disaster.

The operation shifts gears as Hill coordinates a plan to go after the gang’s “bank.” They tail the mob’s deliverymen through town using a map in the church office. During services, two gangsters enter and identify one of the women, Claire Porter, [Cloris Leachman]. They report this to their crime boss, Max Roca, [Frank Campanella], who advises intimidation.

Anne discovers the scheme, and Hill defends the Irregulars as keeping the gang off balance. Anne resigns from her post, and the gang retaliates by firebombing the church. Hill is shocked, but to his surprise, Anne wants to join the fight. The two of them press on, while Hill learns that his pulpit has been declared vacant and the church will be discontinued. Dr. Fulton, [Herb Voland], a presbytery representative, arrives to discuss the closure. Anne arranges for two more presbytery members to come along—Dr. Rheems, [Ruth Buzzi], and Reverend Wainwright, [Ivor Francis]—and, while transporting them, she recognizes one of the mob’s deliverymen and realizes she might locate the bank. She tracks the man to an isolated compound, and within minutes, the Irregulars surround the place as the crooks attempt a frantic escape with their bank.

A demolition derby ensues, the mobsters are halted, and the evidence is seized. The following Sunday, the congregation gathers outside the ravaged church as Hill delivers news of indictments against the mob and the closing of the church. Dr. Fulton steps in to announce that North Avenue Presbyterian Church will be rebuilt, and the young band resumes its music as the community rejoices.