Hulu Spotlight: 'Studio One'

The 1950s and early 1960s are often referred to as the "Golden Age of Television." The truth is that every period of television has had its share of world-class achievements and horrible creative failures. But when you're talking 1950s television, perhaps the best example of quality TV came courtesy of "Westinghouse Studio One."

The anthology began on radio in 1947 and moved the next year to television. The series was sponsored by Westinghouse Electric Corporation and from the very beginning it began airing exceptional examples of what could be done within the constraints of an hour of live television. The series received Emmy nominations every year from 1950 to 1958 and a handful of the 466 episodes were later turned into feature films. Because of the creative freedom and the growing prestige of "Studio One," it was able to attract a long list of Hollywood names not normally interested in appearing on television.

Hulu has added a selection of the black-and-white episodes to its lineup and even though there are only 17 episodes available, they represent a staggering display of Hollywood talent. Charlton Heston plays Heathcliff in a version of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights"; Lorne Greene, Robert Culp and Eddie Albert star in a version of "1984"; Art Carney plays Broadway playwright George Axelrod in "Confessions of a Nervous Man" and Theodore Bickel stars in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."

But what truly makes "Studio One" so magical are the episodes specifically written and/or adapted for the show. Playwright Reginald Rose turned his experiences on a jury in the Emmy-winning "Twelve Angry Men." When the script was adapted into the 1957 movie, Henry Fonda was nominated for an Academy Award. Rod Serling contributed several stunning efforts, including the political parable "The Arena" and "The Strike," the story of a doomed patrol sent out on a hopeless mission in 1951 Korea. Gore Vidal wrote the screenplay for "Dark Possession," centering on a governor confined to his wheelchair and his three daughters.

There isn't a bad episode among these seventeen and after watching them I only wish I could see more. It also made me wish that Hulu would add more classic anthology shows from the 1950s and early 1960s. While many of the episodes aren't available or have been lost to time, there are so many great performances that deserve a wider distribution.

Several missing classics include the 1957 episode "The Night America Trembled," a TV recreation of the Orson Welles 1938 radio broadcast "War Of The Worlds." The cast included Ed Asner, James Coburn and both John Astin and Warren Beatty had uncredited bit parts. Also missing is the
November 1964 episode "I'm a Fool," starring James Dean and Natalie Wood.

But regardless of the missing episodes, what is available is absolutely stellar and well worth watching. Not just because of the show's history, but because these episodes remain fine examples of TV at its best.

NOTE: Netlix currently has a lone "Studio One" entry available, a two-part 1957 episode called "The Defender."