Premiering in 1948, Studio One set the benchmark for live drama for a decade during TV's vaunted Golden Age. As Jack Klugman observes in a DVD bonus retrospective featurette, Studio One was a training/proving ground for writers, directors, and actors. Many established movie stars considered television work beneath them, opening the door for a hungry new generation who honed their skills live in front of millions of home viewers. Packaged with a 52-page guide that offers a history and appreciation of Studio One and production information about each play, this six-disc boxed set compiles 17 gems. The charming June Moon, adapted from Ring Lardner Jr. and George S. Kaufman's Broadway play, features Jack Lemmon and Eva Marie Saint, while 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 George Axelrod's Confessions of a Nervous, Man starring Art Carney; Gore Vidal's Summer Pavilion, featuring a young Elizabeth Montgomery; and Rod Serling's all-too-timely political drama, The Arena. Other DVD extras include a 1987 Studio One seminar featuring series veterans, as well as lively interview excerpts with actors and crew members. From the innovative direction in a day of unwieldy equipment to the literate writing and superb performances, Studio One's artistic legacy is monumental (these rare kinescopes may look primitive, but content-wise they put today's primetime offerings to shame), making this must-see TV for anyone interested in television history, theatre, and acting. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (D. Liebenson)
Studio One Anthology
Koch, 6 discs, 982 min., not rated, DVD: $99.98 Volume 24, Issue 1
Studio One Anthology
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