The programs represented in this essential collection are more than 50 years old. These rare kinescopes may look primitive, but they put much of what is offered today in prime time to shame. Studio One premiered in 1948, and for a decade it was the benchmark of live drama in television's vaunted Golden Age. Not all the productions were great, but as Jack Klugman, who got his start on Studio One, observes in a bonus series retrospective, the series was a training and proving ground for writers, directors and actors. The now recognized talent that went into these productions is dazzling. Many established actors considered television beneath them, opening the door for a new and hungry generation who got their big breaks and honed their skills under the fire of live performance while millions watched at home. The charming "June Moon," adapted from Ring Lardner, Jr. and George S. Kaufman's Broadway play, features Jack Lemmon (in what is thought to be his television debut), and Eva Marie Saint. Charlton Heston portrays Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights," Eddie Albert is the disillusioned Winston in "1984," and Theodore Bikel is "Julius Caesar." Studio One also premiered original works, none more exemplary than Reginald Rose's Emmy-winning Twelve Angry Men, the long-lost treasure of this set, with Robert Cummings as Juror #8, the lone holdout in a murder case. Other notable original works include The Seven Year Itch playwright George Axelrod's "Confessions of a Nervous Man," a will-success-spoil-George Axelrod "comedy documentary" starring Art Carney as Axelrod, Gore Vidal's "Summer Pavillion," featuring Elizabeth Montgomery, and Rod Serling's all-too-timely political drama, "The Arena." This set is packaged with a 52-page "Reference Guide" that offers a history and appreciation of Studio One and production information about each play. DVD extras include a 1987 Studio One seminar featuring series veterans, as well as lively interview excerpts with actors and crew members that etch a thrilling portrait of this now bygone era. From the innovative direction in a day of unwieldy equipment to the literate writing and superb performances, Studio One's legacy of artistic ambition is undimmed, and is a must for anyone interested in television history, theatre, and acting. One can only hope there is an encore set with more unearthed broadcasts. --Donald LiebensonMore...
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