"Fearful Decision" is a 1954 episode of the TV series ''
The United States Steel Hour
''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S ...
'' starring
Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Rexford Bellamy (June 17, 1904 – November 29, 1991) was an American actor whose career spanned 65 years on stage, film, and television. During his career, he played leading roles as well as supporting roles, garnering acclaim and ...
as David Durfee, the father,
Sam Levene
Sam Levene (born Scholem Lewin; August 28, 1905 – December 28, 1980) was a Russian Empire-born American Broadway, film, radio, and television actor and director. In a career spanning over five decades, he appeared in over 50 comedy and dr ...
as McArdle, a crime reporter,
Meg Mundy
Margaret Anne Mary Mundy (January 4, 1915 – January 12, 2016) was an English-born American actress and model. She was born in London, and in 1921, at the age of six, emigrated to the United States with her family.
Personal life
Mundy was born ...
as Edith, Joey Fallon as son Davie and George Mitchell as the police chief. It was later adapted into the feature films ''
Ransom!
''Ransom!'' is a 1956 American crime drama film examining the reactions of parents, police, and the public to a kidnapping. Written by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume, the film is based on a popular episode of ''The United States Steel Hour'' tit ...
'' (1956) and ''
Ransom'' (1996). Fearful Decision was co-authored by
Richard Maibaum
Richard Maibaum (May 26, 1909 – January 4, 1991) was an American film producer, playwright and screenwriter best known for his screenplay adaptations of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels.
Among his works are the first anti-lynching play on Bro ...
, an American film producer, playwright and screenwriter in the United States best known for his screenplay adaptations of
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
novels.
Reception
The ''New York Times'' praised Ralph Bellamy's "magnificent performance" but thought the story lacked "fundamental credibility."
Produced by The Theatre Guild, the script and Ralph Bellamy's performance were both nominated for Emmys.
In May 1955 it was announced
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
had bought the film rights.
References
External links
*
1954 television episodes
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