Course examines the extraordinary explosion of talent and creativity in live television's early days. It covers writers such as Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling, personalities like Edward R. Morrow, entertainers Sic Caesar, Milton Berle and Lucille Ball, live political broadcasts such as the Army-McCarthy hearings, and most significantly, the great anthology series like Philco Television Playhouse, Studio One, U.S. Steel Hour, Playhouse 90 which presented great and original American teleplays "Marty," "Requiem for a Heavyweight," "Patterns," "The Comedian," "The Defenders" and many more. Also covered are the great directors John Frankenheimer, Alfred Hitchcock, Delbert Mann and stars like Paul Newman, Ed Begley, James Dean all of whom began their careers in this television era.