The Elgin Hour

This was a series of 19 hour-long dramas, sponsored by Elgin watches, that involved some of Hollywood's top actors (Boris Karloff, Dorothy Gish, Teresa Wright, Ralph Bellamy)--plus many up-and-coming actors (John Cassavetes, Richard Kiley, Joanne Woodward, Brian Keith) and directors (Sidney Lumet, Daniel Petrie). Perhaps the high point of the showcase was "Crime in the Streets," aired March 8, 1955, which was directed by Lumet, written by Reginald Rose, and starred Cassavetes, Mark Rydell, Robert Preston and Glenda Farrell. The play was made into a major feature film the next year--one of the first TV-to-movies projects.