Post by spiderwort on Apr 26, 2024 12:43:32 GMT
So many of the classic films we love today were presented on television first, many in the 1950s in what we call the golden age of television, and many of them were presented live.
A lot of great writers participated in these efforts, including Horton Foote, Paddy Chayefsky, Abby Mann, Rod Serling, Ray Bradbury, Tad Mosel, Reginald Rose, Frank D. Gilroy, et al. And directors, too, who later went on to make some great films and win a lot of awards: Sidney Lumet, John Frankenheimer, Arthur Penn, Delbert Mann, Robert Mulligan, George Roy Hill, Arthur Hiller, Ralph Nelson, even Yul Brynner before he became an actor, among many others.
A few examples: Horton Foote's A Trip to Bountiful was first done live on The Philco Television Playhouse in 1953. It starred Lillian Gish and Eva Marie Saint.
Other examples: The Days of Wine and Roses premiered live on "Playhouse 90" on October 2, 1958. Written by J.P. Miller, it was directed by a 28-year-old John Frankenheimer, who would go on to become a very prominent director of films like The Manchurian Candidate. It starred Cliff Robertson, Piper Laurie, and Charles Bickford. I’ve seen this one, and I have to say that although I love the film version, I believe that the live tv version is vastly superior. The performances by Robertson and Laurie are so brilliant they utterly take your breath away. And Frankenheimer's direction is beyond amazing. It's truly an unbelievable viewing experience, to see that alcoholic madness live on tv for an hour and a half. And when I say live, I don't mean static; these productions are photographed live but look like films - quite a remarkable accomplishment back in the day when directors had to use gigantic cameras and move them from room to room without a cut.
Requiem for a Heavyweight premiered live on "Playhouse 90" on October 11, 1956. Written by Rod Serling, it was directed by Ralph Nelson, who went on to direct features like Lilies of the Field and the film version of Heavyweight. Jack Palance starred in the live production in the Anthony Quinn role, along with Keenan Wynn in the Jackie Gleason role, Kim Hunter in the Julie Harris role, and Ed Wynn in the Mickey Rooney role.
Marty starring Rod Steiger premiered live May 24, 1953 on "The Philco Television Playhouse." It was directed by Delbert Mann, who later directed the feature film starring Ernest Borgnine, for which they both won Oscars.
I'll stop with those, but there are so many more examples, some later on in the television era. Feel free to add any titles you wish.
A lot of great writers participated in these efforts, including Horton Foote, Paddy Chayefsky, Abby Mann, Rod Serling, Ray Bradbury, Tad Mosel, Reginald Rose, Frank D. Gilroy, et al. And directors, too, who later went on to make some great films and win a lot of awards: Sidney Lumet, John Frankenheimer, Arthur Penn, Delbert Mann, Robert Mulligan, George Roy Hill, Arthur Hiller, Ralph Nelson, even Yul Brynner before he became an actor, among many others.
A few examples: Horton Foote's A Trip to Bountiful was first done live on The Philco Television Playhouse in 1953. It starred Lillian Gish and Eva Marie Saint.
Other examples: The Days of Wine and Roses premiered live on "Playhouse 90" on October 2, 1958. Written by J.P. Miller, it was directed by a 28-year-old John Frankenheimer, who would go on to become a very prominent director of films like The Manchurian Candidate. It starred Cliff Robertson, Piper Laurie, and Charles Bickford. I’ve seen this one, and I have to say that although I love the film version, I believe that the live tv version is vastly superior. The performances by Robertson and Laurie are so brilliant they utterly take your breath away. And Frankenheimer's direction is beyond amazing. It's truly an unbelievable viewing experience, to see that alcoholic madness live on tv for an hour and a half. And when I say live, I don't mean static; these productions are photographed live but look like films - quite a remarkable accomplishment back in the day when directors had to use gigantic cameras and move them from room to room without a cut.
Requiem for a Heavyweight premiered live on "Playhouse 90" on October 11, 1956. Written by Rod Serling, it was directed by Ralph Nelson, who went on to direct features like Lilies of the Field and the film version of Heavyweight. Jack Palance starred in the live production in the Anthony Quinn role, along with Keenan Wynn in the Jackie Gleason role, Kim Hunter in the Julie Harris role, and Ed Wynn in the Mickey Rooney role.
Marty starring Rod Steiger premiered live May 24, 1953 on "The Philco Television Playhouse." It was directed by Delbert Mann, who later directed the feature film starring Ernest Borgnine, for which they both won Oscars.
I'll stop with those, but there are so many more examples, some later on in the television era. Feel free to add any titles you wish.
