U.S. STEEL HOUR: SEASON FIVE (1957-1958) – “The Broadway of Television” was back with more. Some standout episodes from this season:
HUCK FINN – A musical adaptation of part of the Mark Twain novel Huckleberry Finn. Earle Hyman, who played Cliff Huxtable’s father on Cosby, starred as Jim, Jimmy Boyd was Huck, BASIL RATHBONE played the Duke, Jack Carson the King, and FLORENCE HENDERSON was Mary Jane Wilk. Songs included Loafin’ on the Water, My Friend Huckleberry Finn, Funny but Likable and Too Wonderful for Me.
WHO’S EARNEST? – An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Edward Mulhare, Louise Troy and Rex O’Malley starred in the production.
LITTLE CHARLIE DON’T WANT A SADDLE – JUNE LOCKHART portrayed Martha Ann, a mute young mail-order bride for Mr. Hare (John Beal). Hare and his younger son Charlie (Dennis Kohler) find the dynamic young lady very charming but older son Elmo (ANDREW PRINE) believes his father is dissing his late mother by taking a new wife.
THE BROMLEY TOUCH – CAMERON MITCHELL starred as Don Bromley, a slick but ruthless man who has fought dirty for everything he has in life. His old college friend John Madeira (Biff McGuire) was in love with Abby (Leora Dana), who went on to marry Bromley. Madeira is given an opportunity to at last thwart one of the evil man’s ambitions.
NEVER KNOW THE END – In the town of Emsen’s Ford, a lawyer (NEHEMIAH PERSOFF) accidentally causes the death of the fiancee of Harry Emsen (ANDY GRIFFITH), a scion of the town’s most prominent family. This triggers a clash between the two men. Also with Sue Ellen Blake.
WALK WITH A STRANGER – An accident caused Fred Corry (WILLIAM SHATNER) to lose the use of his legs. His bitterness darkens the lives of his entire family. A mysterious stranger (Ed Begley) arrives in town and Fred plots to use a secret from the man’s past to blackmail him. Also with Leona Powers.
TOP SECRET MISSION – Not long after World War Two, female physicist Katherine Grant (Beatrice Straight) and her fiance are enroute to Venice, Italy to get married. An American intelligence officer recruits them to help find a fugitive German nuclear scientist before the Soviets can snap him up. To me the science angle and the lead character being a female scientist entrusted to lead the mission make this tale stand out.
BEAVER PATROL – No comment. An old widower who has only daughters feels he missed something by never getting to raise any sons. To compensate, he becomes a Boy Scout leader but takes comically disastrous actions with his troop. DICK YORK and WALTER SLEZAK starred.
THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR – Adaptation of Fritz Hochwälder’s play universalizing France’s Reign of Terror, making it applicable to virtually all periods of politicized witch hunts and prosecutions. Starred DOLORES DEL RIO and WALTER SLEZAK.
A MAN IN HIDING – WILLIAM SHATNER stars as a British Catholic priest (?) who faces resentment when he is assigned to a parish in Ireland. Also with Michael Higgins.
HOUR OF THE RAT – A World War Two veteran (Dan Duryea), tormented by what he and his comrades suffered in a Japanese prison camp, plans revenge when he catches sight of the camp’s commander Sakamura (KHIG DIEGH, Wo Fat himself). Duryea is especially angry over Sakamura’s execution of a chaplain. Also starred Joan Wetmore as Duryea’s wife.
A FAMILY ALLIANCE – FLORENCE HENDERSON starred as Gladys Pratt, a farm girl who falls for a sophisticated big city man. To impress him she tells evermore elaborate lies about the wealth and prominence of her poor family.
FLINT AND FIRE – A man (ROBERT CULP) wants to marry his true love (GLORIA VANDERBILT) but cannot afford to because he is taking care of his disabled mother (Una Merkel). Also with Edward Andrews.
OLD MARSHALS NEVER DIE – WILLIAM SHATNER and JOANNE LINVILLE, who later starred in a memorable Star Trek episode, portray an old west lawman and his wife. Former Marshal and folk hero Bat Bethune (Cameron Prud’Homme) comes to town raising hell and recklessly shooting at perceived enemies. The mayor wants Shatner to drive him out of town.
FOR MORE FORGOTTEN TELEVISION CLICK HERE.
