"Studio One" (1948) TV series 1948-1958

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Directors:

Tony Barr
Norman Felton

Writers:

David Aldrich (writer)
Patrick Alexander (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | unknown

Release Date:

7 November 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Company Sponsor Name In Title | Anthology | Number In Title

Awards:

Won 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Mary Sinclair	...	Catherine Earnshaw Linton / ... (15 episodes, 1949-1951)
Maria Riva	...	Cecil / ... (15 episodes, 1951-1955)
James Daly	...	A cartoonist / ... (14 episodes, 1952-1957)
Richard Purdy	...	Jonathan March / ... (12 episodes, 1949-1952)
Charlton Heston	...	Edward Rochester / ... (12 episodes, 1949-1952)
Leslie Nielsen	...	Dr. Waring / ... (12 episodes, 1950-1954)
Felicia Montealegre	...	Helen / ... (11 episodes, 1949-1956)
John Forsythe	...	Pete Maynard (11 episodes, 1948-1955)
Richard Kiley	...	Calvin / ... (11 episodes, 1951-1957)
Everett Sloane	...	Aaron Burr / ... (11 episodes, 1952-1958)
John Baragrey	...	Chad Hammond / ... (10 episodes, 1949-1958)
Harry Townes	...	Dave / ... (10 episodes, 1951-1958)
Betty Furness	...	Herself / ... (10 episodes, 1950-1957)
Priscilla Gillette	...	Caroline Seward / ... (10 episodes, 1950-1957)
Judson Laire	...	Lambert Strether / ... (10 episodes, 1950-1957)
Peg Hillias	...	Freda Benson / ... (9 episodes, 1950-1957)
Murray Matheson	...	Craig / ... (9 episodes, 1951-1957)
Stanley Ridges	...	J.C. Grant (8 episodes, 1949-1951)
Berry Kroeger	...	Caiaphas / ... (8 episodes, 1949-1952)
June Dayton	...	Beth March / ... (8 episodes, 1950-1955)
Nina Foch	...	Barbara / ... (8 episodes, 1952-1958)
Bramwell Fletcher	...	Dr. Alderton / ... (8 episodes, 1949-1956)
Edward Andrews	...	Fistar Marrock / ... (8 episodes, 1949-1958)
E.G. Marshall	...	Dr. Shratt / ... (8 episodes, 1949-1958)
Vaughn Taylor	...	Billy / ... (8 episodes, 1949-1956)
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Cassius / ... (8 episodes, 1952-1956)
Vivian Nathan	...	Mrs. Gordon / ... (8 episodes, 1956-1958)
Charles Korvin	...	El Cameron / ... (7 episodes, 1950-1957)
Betsy Palmer	...	Ann Meade / ... (7 episodes, 1953-1957)
Skip Homeier	...	Captain Gene Lipton / ... (7 episodes, 1952-1958)
Hildy Parks	...	Avery Dow / ... (7 episodes, 1949-1955)
Katharine Bard	...	Grace Stone / ... (7 episodes, 1948-1955)
Margaret Phillips	...	Addie / ... (7 episodes, 1949-1955)
Sally Chamberlin	...	Bianca / ... (7 episodes, 1950-1951)
Frederick Worlock	...	Andrew Hamilton / ... (7 episodes, 1951-1955)
Patricia Wheel	...	Anna Cerdick (7 episodes, 1952-1954)
James Gregory	...	Corey / ... (7 episodes, 1954-1958)

Also Known As:

Studio One Summer Theatre (USA) (summer title)
Studio One in Hollywood (USA) (new title)
Summer Theatre (USA) (summer title)
Westinghouse Studio One (USA) (alternative title)
Westinghouse Summer Theatre (USA) (summer title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

For many years, only the first half of the kinescope of the live 1954 TV version of "12 Angry Men" (shown as an episode of this series, and upon which the movie version (12 Angry Men (1957)) is based) was thought to survive, and had been in the possession of the Museum of Television & Radio since 1976. In 2003 a complete 16mm kinescope was discovered in the collection of Samuel Liebowitz (former defense attorney and judge) and was also acquired by the museum.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Influences: From Yesterday to Today (1999) (TV)

Jackie Gleason's dramatic roles

"Studio One" was one of the many excellent anthology series from the golden age of television. It usually featured original hour-long dramas, occasionally adapting famous works or biographical material. Many big-name actors of the period guested on this prestigious series.

This posting relates specifically to Jackie Gleason's appearances on "Studio One". Gleason guest-starred in four episodes, three of which I have seen. "The Show-Off" (1954) is an abridged version of the comedy play by George Kelly (Grace Kelly's uncle). Gleason stars as Aubrey Piper, a blowhard who marries his way into the respectable Fisher family, brings the family to the brink of ruin, and then makes good at the end. Gleason's performance here is a bit too similar to Ralph Kramden, but less sympathetic. It's unfortunate that the ingenue role in "The Show-Off" is named Amy Fisher, as this name now provokes laughs for the wrong reason. (Remember the Long Island Lolita case?)

"Short Cut" (1954) is a stolid drama, starring Gleason in a dead-serious role as a crusading attorney-general who grimly learns that there's no short cut to justice. Gleason's dramatic performance is excellent, but the material is weak. He's abetted by a dull actor named Lin McCarthy and by Priscilla Gillette, a repertory actress who appeared in many episodes of "Studio One".

"The Laugh Maker" (1953) is an intriguing drama about a comedian, starring Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. Gleason plays Jerry Giles (note the same initials), a popular TV comedian who is apparently based on Gleason himself. We never see Giles doing his act, but at one point he appears in costume ... and he's wearing the same outfit Gleason wore on his Admiral TV series as Fenwick Babbitt, one of his early recurring characters who got phased out in favour of the more popular Ralph Kramden. Carney plays a reporter who is assigned to get "the real story" on the beloved comedian Giles. No big surprise: Carney interviews the people who know Giles, and he discovers that the funny man isn't so jolly in private life.

The best performance in "The Laugh Maker" is given by Marian Seldes as Giles's (Gleason's) sister. This is strange casting, as Seldes was broomstick-thin in those days and Gleason was already quite hefty. Seldes and Gleason have no scenes together, which makes the casting a bit more plausible.

Viewers who have seen "The Hustler" or "Gigot" already know that Jackie Gleason was a gifted dramatic actor, but these episodes are a revelation. Gleason's performance in "The Laugh Maker" is superb, but he's let down by a trite script.