Product Description
Wonderful tales of the Old West laden with history and adventure are presented in Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theatre, a half-hour western anthology TV series that debuted on CBS, October 5, 1956 and ran for 5 whole seasons. Dick Powell served as the host for the entire series and also starred as various characters in 15 episodes. The series was originally based on the short stories and novels of western author Zane Grey, but as the series continued, new material was in… More >>
Ensemble Theatre Group
Molasses Tank Productions is an ensemble theatre group that attempts to make its performances contribute in a visible way to the quality of life in both the city and the region.
Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One
Wed, Apr 7, 2010
Most Read Posts :
- Play review: Spiritual drama played in North Berkeley by Actors Ensemble–rewarding production, by Peter Menkin
- Seven things a West End theatre musician needs to know
- Home Theatre System produces ultimate sound and visual effects
- Acting Workshops NYC NY New York Acting Workshop- Theater Group
- Acting Workshops NYC NY Theater Group
April 7th, 2010 at 6:55 am
I just finished the first season. The major assets are the great actors that Powell was able to get. The shows were generally quite well produced, too. Some of the stories were great, like Badge of honor and Courage is a gun (with Powell himself). The last two were quiet poor, however. The last one was done totally from the point of South and concerned about a Southern spy during the civil war. Here in Europe the Southerners are the bad guys supporting slaverty, so this dedication to this cause was difficult to take. Also, the indians were treated badly in the series. Even Powell made some bad jokes about indians in his introduction. I always hope that the white men will lose in the fights, but not in this show.
But perhaps I am too harsh. It is impossiple to have high level stories every week. It was really nice to see Jack Lemmon, David Niven, Ida Lupino, Rory Calhoun, Lloyd Bridges and many others. I am sure I will buy the next season, too.
Rating: 4 / 5
April 7th, 2010 at 8:48 am
THE STORIES ARE VERY GOOD. WITH GUEST STARS THAT DO NOT PLAY IN WESTERN FILMS. CANT WAIT FOR THE 2ND SEASON
Rating: 5 / 5
April 7th, 2010 at 11:20 am
The remaining seasons of Zane Grey Theatre should be made available. Zane Grey Theatre (Season One) is an excellent collection of Western TV Shows representative of the TV Westerns that dominated the 1950’s TV. Also, the stories are acceptable for family viewing.
Rating: 5 / 5
April 7th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Best tv western anthology series ever. Great stories, great stars, great fun. I recommend this series very highly and am eagerly awaiting the release of Season Two.
Rating: 5 / 5
April 7th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Dick Powell made quite a career for himself in television after a long and remarkable career in motion pictures. His business mind and friendly personality made him an excellent producer-director, and he worked with some of the best talents of the era. This is the first complete season of his Zane Grey theatre, a series he felt strongly about. It incorporates his love for anthologies and his appreciation for author Zane Grey.
There are many stories presented, too many to get into, but the series does an excellent job of capturing the old west and the values of an era gone by. Guests included Powell himself, Cloris Leachman, Ida Lupino, Jack Lemmon, Wendell Corey, Carolyn Jones, David Niven, Ernest Borgnine, Beulah Bondi, and many others.
Thankfully, VCI has gone through pains not only to restore the image quality of the series, but also to find the most complete openers to each episode. Powell introduced each episode with short stories or lessons about the old west, and many were cut during re-runs to omit mention of previous sponsors. In some cases, the originals were unable to be found, but in many, the complete introduction is presented. On top of that, we get to feast on vintage commercials and an excellent interview with Dick’s son Norman Powell. The interviewer cuts Norman off a few times and occasionally abruptly changes the subject, but Norman seems a willing and knowledgable interviewee.
If you are a fan of Zane Grey, classic television, or Dick Powell, you will love this set.
Rating: 5 / 5