U.S. STEEL HOUR: SEASON SIX (1958-1959) – “The Broadway of Television” was back with more high-quality dramas and comedies. Some standout episodes from this season:
MID-SUMMER – Future television icon JACKIE COOPER starred as Val Barton, a man who longs to continue performing in vaudeville with his stage partner (Larry Wilde). BARBARA BEL GEDDES – Dallas‘ Miss Ellie Ewing herself – played his wife Lily Barton, who wants him to settle down in a more stable and respectable job as a teacher.
SECRET IN THE FAMILY – Hazel Curtis (Faye Emerson), the wife of a small-town dentist (Edward Andrews) and mother of their two teenaged children, gets her novel published and becomes a celebrity. She goes off to New York City for cocktail parties and promotional appearances while her husband tries to keep their household running in her absence. A comedy-drama also with Marjorie Gateson.
THIS DAY IN FEAR – Barry Sullivan starred as Jerry Coogan in a role pioneered by Patrick McGoohan in the BBC version. Coogan is a former I.R.A. man from the Irish Rebellion now living in London with his wife Betty (Geraldine Brooks). Scotland Yard Inspector Dougherty (Philip Bourneuf) and his colleagues (Barry Morse and Donald Moffat) try to protect Jerry when former I.R.A. comrades come to town intent on killing him over his alleged betrayal of the cause.
THE ENEMIES – Adapted from a work by Stephen Vincent Benet. Putnam Bayne (Bramwell Fletcher) is so desperate to keep his son (Arthur Hill) from jail and public disgrace that he tries bribing a judge (Ed Begley). Also starred BETSY PALMER.
ONE RED ROSE FOR CHRISTMAS – HELEN HAYES starred as Mother Seraphim, who runs a Sister School for orphans. Her visiting sister dies of pneumonia from exposure caused by the burning down of the school by troubled orphan Kathy (PATTY DUKE). Ruth McDevitt of Kolchak fame was in the supporting cast.
DANGEROUS INTERLUDE – Viveca Lindfors portrayed Mary Lawrence, a woman desperate to keep a dark secret from her intended husband Dr. Charles Selby (Peter Donat). That secret – she was tried but acquitted for the murder of her first husband. Also with Patrick Macnee and Torin Thatcher.
FAMILY HAPPINESS – An adaptation of Tolstoy’s 1859 work but with some of the character names changed. A teenage girl (PATTY DUKE) marries a much older family friend (Jean-Pierre Aumont) that she is deeply in love with. She finds life on his vast estate boring, so he introduces her to high society in St. Petersburg. Her enthusiasm for the shallow Tsarist snobs forms a wedge between the newlyweds. With Gloria Vanderbilt and Doreen Lang.
TRAP FOR A STRANGER – A corrupt town Marshal (GEORGE C. SCOTT) is railroading a passing television star (DICK VAN DYKE) for a fatal hit-and-run. The Marshal’s wife (Teresa Wright) comes to realize he is grandstanding to help his reelection campaign and to become famous.
NIGHT OF BETRAYAL – During World War Two, Michel (RODDY MCDOWALL), the son of a wealthy French collaborator (Victor Jory), is secretly a member of the French Underground. Complications arise when he falls in love with a woman (Carol Lawrence) who is on the run from the Gestapo. Vincent Gardenia and Paul Stevens also starred.
LITTLE TIN GOD – In a Tuberculosis Sanitarium, a charismatic patient (RICHARD BOONE) manages to keep up the spirits of his fellow patients. All, that is, except for a bitter new arrival (GENE HACKMAN). The actress Jeff Donnell and actor Fritz Weaver also appeared.
THE WAYWARD WIDOW – In the middle 1800s, an English widow finds herself entangled with a noble preacher on one hand and a ring of brandy smugglers on the other. Starred Richard “Robin Hood” Greene, Ruth McDevitt, Barry Morse and Betsy Palmer.
THE PINK BURRO – A former vaudeville singer (June Havoc) ambitiously tries pushing her daughter (Jan Norris) into a singing career in order to live vicariously through her. The daughter does not want such a career and marries behind her mother’s back. GENE HACKMAN and Edward Andrews also starred.
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This sounds great, and so cool that Gene Hackman made an appearance in some of these episodes!
Exactly! Plus Helen Hayes, George C. Scott and Patty Duke showing up as well.