The Golden Age of TV Drama
This remarkable and entertaining 5-DVD collection of 16 rare television dramas, broadcast both live and filmed from 1951 to 1960, features up-and-coming performers just as they're starting their careers, as well as seasoned pros from the big screen, and represents such classic TV anthologies as PLAYHOUSE 90, THE U.S. STEEL HOUR, TELEPHONE TIME, FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE, and DUPONT THEATER. Working behind the scenes were such legendary writers and directors as ROD SERLING, JOHN FRANKENHEIMER, DANIEL PETRIE, and DAVID SUSSKIND.Included in this extraordinary set are:BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1956) - Paul Newman THE COMEDIAN (1957) - Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme PLAYMATES (1952) - Natalie Wood THE BELLS OF COCKAIGNE (1953) - James Dean THE WILD BUNCH (1955) - Natalie Wood, Charles Boyer FIGHT FOR THE TITLE (1957) - Michael Landon FULL CIRCLE (1955) - Joanne Woodward, David Niven DEATH OF MANOLETE (1957) - Jack Palance, Suzy Parker WOMAN'S WORK (1956) - Walter Brennan, James Best MAN AGAINST CRIME (1952) - Ralph Bellamy HILL NUMBER ONE (1951) - James Dean, Roddy McDowall I BEHELD HIS GLORY (1953) - George Macready LETTER TO LORETTA (1953) - Loretta Young TREASURE ISLAND (1960) - Boris Karloff, Hugh Griffith SUMMER OF DECISION (1959) - Suzanne Pleshette FEDERAL MEN (1955) - Gloria TalbottA rare treat for fans of classic television - and classic Hollywood!TOTAL RUNNING TIME: Approx. 714 mins.Disc OneBANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (U.S. Steel Hour) - 9/26/56 - Paul Newman, George Peppard, Albert Salmi - Heart-rending tale of baseball pitcher Henry Wiggins (20-year-old Paul Newman), who befriends the team's slow-witted catcher, Bruce Pearson (Albert Salmi from The Twilight Zone), after Pearson is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Twenty-five years later, Daniel Petrie once again directed Paul Newman, in Fort Apache: The Bronx. 52 mins.THE COMEDIAN (Playhouse 90) - 2/14/57 - Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme, Kim Hunter, Edmond O'Brien - Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone) scripted this powerful tale of ruthless and megalomaniacal TV comic, Sammy Hogarth (Mickey Rooney) who abuses everyone he works with - especially his own brother, Lester (Mel Torme). Directed by John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz). 72 mins.PLAYMATES (Pepsi-Cola Playhouse) - 8/29/54 - Natalie Wood, Alan Napier - A lonely young girl (16-year-old Natalie Wood in her television debut) plays with imaginary friends in her uncle's mansion, but why does her uncle (Alan Napier of Batman) start to hear them, too? Directed by Richard Irving (Six Million Dollar Man). 30 mins.Disc TwoTHE BELLS OF COCKAIGNE (Armstrong Circle Theatre) - 11/17/53 - James Dean, Gene Lockhart, Tige Andrews - When a young father (James Dean) confides that he desperately needs money for his critically ill son, a kindly co-worker (Gene Lockhart of A Christmas Carol) comes to their aid. Directed by James Sheldon (The Twilight Zone). 30 mins.THE WILD BUNCH (Four Star Playhouse) - 2/17/55 - Natalie Wood, Charles Boyer - Recently married Charles Boyer has difficulty adjusting to three new step-children, the oldest being Natalie Wood, who is dating a slimy loser. Directed by William Seiter (Sons of the Desert). 30 mins.FIGHT FOR THE TITLE (Telephone Time) - 3/17/57 - Michael Landon, George Brenlin - Real-life boxer Benny Leonard (played by George Brenlin of Adam-12) tries to dissuade an ambitious but slow-witted young fighter (20-year-old Michael Landon) from risking his life in the ring. Directed by Erle C. Kenton (Ghost of Frankenstein). 30 mins.FULL CIRCLE (Four Star Playhouse) - 10/27/55 - David Niven, Joanne Woodward - A sadistic theatre critic (David Niven) savages the latest effort of a very dedicated actress (Joanne Woodward), leading to armed confrontation. Directed by Harry Horner (father of composer James Horner). 30 mins.Disc ThreeDEATH OF MANOLETE (Playhouse 90) - 9/12/57 - Jack Palance, Suzy Parker, Ray Danton - The tragic-but-true story of famed Spanish matador Manolete (Jack Palance), and his rise to fame (and ill-fated end) in the bull ring. Introduced by Van Heflin. Directed by John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate). 90 mins.WOMAN'S WORK (DuPont Theater) - 11/20/56 - Walter Brennan, James Best, Jane Darwell, Mary Murphy - A cantankerous old man (Walter Brennan) reluctantly allows his newlywed son (James Best from The Twilight Zone) to move in with his bride (Mary Murphy from The Wild One) - but only if she'll work as his unofficial slave! Directed by William Seiter (Room Service). 30 mins.JOY RIDE (Man Against Crime) - 10/22/52 - Ralph Bellamy, Joseph Downing - After his own car is stolen, Mike Barnett (Ralph Bellamy) goes after a gang of young car thieves run by a crime boss (Joseph Downing from Invisible Stripes). Directed by Edward J. Montagne (McHale's Navy). 30 mins.Disc FourHILL NUMBER ONE (Family Theatre) - 3/25/51 - James Dean, Roddy McDowall, Ruth Hussey, Joan Leslie  - In this retelling of the story of the Crucifixion - book-ended by sequences that take place at Easter during the Korean War - 20-year-old James Dean gets his first onscreen credit as John the Baptist. Directed by Arthur Pierson (Rocky Jones: Space Ranger). 57 mins.I BEHELD HIS GLORY (Family Theatre) - 4/25/53 - George Macready, Morris Ankrum, Robert Wilson - A different take on the story of Easter, with George Macready (Paths of Glory) as Cornelius, the Roman centurion in charge of Christ's crucifixion, who becomes a believer. St. Peter is portrayed by Morris Ankrum (Invaders From Mars). Directed by John T. Coyle (Undersea Kingdom). 53 mins.THE FAITH OF CHATA (Letter to Loretta) - 12/13/53 - Loretta Young - Loretta plays a Mexican dancer who gives a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary to her young daughter, Chata (Nancy Gilbert). Directed by Robert Florey (The Cocoanuts). 23 mins.Disc FiveTREASURE ISLAND (DuPont Show of the Month) - 3/5/60 - Boris Karloff, Hugh Griffith, Michael Gough - Robert Louis Stevenson's immortal tale of pirates and pieces of eight is brought to life with Hugh Griffith (Tom Jones) as Long John Silver, Michael Gough (Konga) as Dr. Livesey, and Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) as rival pirate, Billy Bones. Directed by Daniel Petrie (A Raisin in the Sun). 87 mins.SUMMER OF DECISION - 11/13/59 - Suzanne Pleshette, Kevin McCarthy, Nicholas Pryor - A young man (Nicholas Pryor from All My Children) considers becoming a social worker. Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) is a job recruiter and Suzanne Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show) is a young social worker. Directed by William Graham (Change of Habit). 30 mins.THE CASE OF THE STEADY HAND (Federal Men) - 4/21/55 - John Stephenson, Gloria Talbott - Voice actor John Stephenson (The Flintstones) is on the trail of a crook who's been stealing the savings bonds of dead people. Gloria Talbott (Daughter of Dr. Jekyll) guest stars as the crook's squeeze. Directed by Robert Sloane (Mr. and Mrs. North). 30 mins.