RTV 3007 Intro to Television TV ANTHOLOGY SERIES:

TV ANTHOLOGY SERIES Combined techniques from live theater and cinema Each episode a full story of minutes Actors chose to fit the story (not vice-versa) Produced live Perfected multi-camera, multi-set TV production Produced in studios the size of gymnasiums. Cameras rolled from set to set Closeups became important Stories showed intimate portraits of ordinary life.

Several Series were produced: Kraft TV Theater Philco TV Playhouse Goodyear TV Playhouse Launched the career of many famous actors and writers: Paddy Chayefsky Rod Serling Rod Steiger Gore Vidal Charlton Heston Studio One Playhouse 90 Robert Montgomery Presents TV ANTHOLOGY SERIES

Advertisers did not like the format Showed life’s problems as complex (advertisers had simple solutions) Showed life’s problems as complex (advertisers had simple solutions) Showed ordinary life as interesting (advertisers wanted to show aspirations to upward mobility) Showed ordinary life as interesting (advertisers wanted to show aspirations to upward mobility) Anthology series often portrayed serious social issues. Advertisers did not like political content Anthology series often portrayed serious social issues. Advertisers did not like political content.

STUDIO ONE PRODUCTIONS The Remarkable incident at Carson Corners – The Remarkable incident at Carson Corners – Twelve Angry Men Twelve Angry Men

THUNDER ON SYCAMORE STREET Studio One production based on a true story about a black family who was attacked when they moved to a white neighborhood. Studio One production based on a true story about a black family who was attacked when they moved to a white neighborhood. Advertisers told Studio One they could not portray social problems associated with race Advertisers told Studio One they could not portray social problems associated with race Writer Reginald Rose changed the outcast family’s “problem” to the presence of an ex-convict. Writer Reginald Rose changed the outcast family’s “problem” to the presence of an ex-convict. However, the story did not reveal the “problem” until the very end. However, the story did not reveal the “problem” until the very end. This caused audience members to speculate on the nature of the “problem” during the show – Was the family Jewish? This caused audience members to speculate on the nature of the “problem” during the show – Was the family Jewish?

THE TWILIGHT ZONE Twilight Zone's writers frequently used science fiction as a vehicle for social comment, as networks and sponsors who censored controversial material from live dramas were less concerned with seemingly innocuous fantasy and sci-fi stories. Themes on The Twilight Zone included nuclear war, McCarthyism, and mass hysteria, subjects that were strictly forbidden on more "serious" primetime television. Pilot The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

END OF THE ANTHOLOGY SERIES the Supreme Court says film has the same First Amendment protections as newspapers In 1955, Marty, a film based on an anthology TV character, won four Oscars Money became available for independent film production. This was helped by the US vs Paramount Pictures case in Writers, directors, actors started leaving anthology TV for greater freedoms in Hollywood By 1960, TV returned to serial formats: formulaic shows with recurring characters emphasizing upward mobility.