Television Is Where You Find It is a revelatory journey into the overlooked world of feature filmmakers who brought their cinematic vision to the small screen between 1955 and 1990—long before directing for television became trendy in the age of “Prestige TV.” With ten compelling case studies—from legends like Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, and Orson Welles to trailblazers like Ida Lupino, Melvin Van Peebles, and Martin Scorsese—author Craig S. Simpson uncovers how these directors reshaped the language of television with style and imagination.
Far from simply dabbling in a “lesser” medium, these filmmakers pushed the boundaries of what TV could do, crafting bold, innovative work that challenges the old notion that television belongs solely to writers and producers. In this fresh, critical study, Television Is Where You Find It makes a case for rediscovering and reevaluating a rich chapter of television history—one in which cinematic artistry quietly flourished, often hidden in plain sight.
“Thoroughly researched and written with flair, this study of legendary movie directors who worked in TV is a rare joy—informative, critically important, and pleasurable.”
“This lively and engaging book captures the vibrancy and eclecticism of early American TV, and offers a crucial counterperspective to those who think great television only began in the twenty-first century. Balancing passion for early TV with critical reflectiveness, Simpson makes a welcome and timely contribution to TV’s art history and television aesthetics.”
Note on Viewed Episodes vii Intro: This Is Not a Film 1 1 Alfred Hitchcock 13 Episode: “One More Mile to Go” Series: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Original Air Date: April 7, 1957 2 Leo McCarey 26 Episode: “Tom and Jerry” Series: Screen Directors Playhouse Original Air Date: November 30, 1955 3 Ida Lupino 38 Episode: “No. 5 Checked Out” Series: Screen Directors Playhouse Original Air Date: January 18, 1956 4 Orson Welles 53 Episode: “The Fountain of Youth” Series: Colgate Theatre Original Air Date: September 16, 1958 5 Budd Boetticher 68 Episode: “War of the Silver Kings” Series: Maverick Original Air Date: September 22, 1957 6 Michael Powell 81 Episode: “The Sworn Twelve” Series: The Defenders Original Air Date: March 25, 1965
7 Melvin Van Peebles 95 Episode: “Really Cool” Series: The Bill Cosby Show Original Air Date: April 26, 1970 8 George Cukor 109 Made-for- TV Movie: Love Among the Ruins Program: ABC Theater Original Air Date: March 6, 1975 9 Martin Scorsese 123 Episode: “Mirror, Mirror” Series: Amazing Stories Original Air Date: March 9, 1986 10 David Lynch 134 Episode: “Lonely Souls” Series: Twin Peaks Original Air Date: November 10, 1990 Outro: Television Is Where You Find It 149 Acknowledgments 155 Notes 157 Bibliography 181 Index 000
CRAIG S. SIMPSON is the director of special collections and archives at San José State University. He is the coauthor of Above the Shots: An Oral History of the Kent State Shootings, with Gregory S. Wilson, and Cinema Then and Now: James Naremore—Conversations with Craig S. Simpson.
Please complete your information below to login.
Sign In
Create New Account