"Kraft Suspense Theatre" (1963) TV series 1963-1965

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Earl Bellamy

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

10 October 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot Keywords:

Company Sponsor Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Francis De Sales	...	President of Court Martial / ... (4 episodes, 1963-1965)
Harry Townes	...	Richard / ... (4 episodes, 1963-1965)
Katherine Crawford	...	Daphne Middleton / ... (3 episodes, 1963-1965)
Jack Kelly	...	Charles Glennon / ... (3 episodes, 1963-1965)
Warren Stevens	...	Alden Ritter / ... (3 episodes, 1964-1965)
Frank Maxwell	...	Albert Perkins / ... (3 episodes, 1964-1965)
David Lewis	...	Alan Brossanquet / ... (3 episodes, 1965)
Val Avery	...	Sergeant / ... (3 episodes, 1965)
Walter Brooke	...	Col. Arthur Merriam / ... (3 episodes, 1963-1964)
Gilchrist Stuart	...	Sandy / ... (3 episodes, 1965)
Steve Forrest	...	David Buchanan / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
John Gavin	...	Charles Portay / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Telly Savalas	...	Beret / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Myrna Fahey	...	Honora Malone / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Charles McGraw	...	Harry Brockman / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Diane McBain	...	Diana Weston / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Jack Weston	...	Homer Fargis / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Peter Brown	...	Chris Forrester / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Philip Abbott	...	Major Charles Wheeler / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Frank Silvera	...	Captain Santos / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Berkeley Harris	...	Pete Francis / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Joan Staley	...	Beth / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Miguel Ángel Landa	...	Henri / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Myron Healey	...	George Whitney / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Dan Barton	...	Freddie Sackheim / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Louis Mercier	...	Mr. Salonnis / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Henry Hermann-Cattani	...	Karl Sturtz / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Don Collier	...	Det. Sgt. Newsom / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1965)
Dabney Coleman	...	Alvin / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
John Bleifer	...	Farmer / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Albert Carrier	...	Frenchy / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
John Crowther	...	The 2nd Man / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Luis Delgado	...	Sgt. Paine / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
John Willis	...	Cogan / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Argentina Brunetti	...	Mama Baroja / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Ralph Thomas	...	French / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Albert Szabo	...	The Waiter (2 episodes, 1965)
Gena Rowlands	...	Janet Cord / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1965)
James Whitmore	...	J. Marvin Bean / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Jack Klugman	...	Ozzie Keefer / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
John Forsythe	...	Jerry Wilson / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Scott Marlowe	...	Johnny Baroja / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Leslie Nielsen	...	Dr. David Cord / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1965)
Martha Hyer	...	Caroline Glennon / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Robert Loggia	...	Colonel Juano Chauvin / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Robert Webber	...	David Henderson / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Arch Johnson	...	Charlie Morris / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Julie Adams	...	Ellen Yarnell / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Andrew Duggan	...	Dr. Adam Winters / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Pat O'Brien	...	Inspector Dan Zarilla / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Tol Avery	...	3rd Judge / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Peter Helm	...	Cutler / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Nancy Malone	...	Linda Beaumont / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Leonard Nimoy	...	Cowell / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Albert Paulsen	...	Linde / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Ron Hayes	...	Luther Hobbs / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Russ Bender	...	Sergeant Aikes / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Ben Wright	...	German Commandant / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1965)
John A. Alonzo	...	Cpl. Jack Osante / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Thalmus Rasulala	...	Technician / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Richard X. Slattery	...	Lester / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Rusty Lane	...	Doc Stacey / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Doris D. Edwards	...	Nurse / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Robert Ellenstein	...	Dendier / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Than Wyenn	...	Prosecutor / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Ken Lynch	...	Larry Henderson / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Norman Leavitt	...	Gotch / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
Kenneth Lowry	...	Flight Attendant / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Don Kennedy	...	Policeman / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Jimmy Joyce	...	Piano Man / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Louis Cavalier	...	Buzzy / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
William Boyett	...	1st Detective / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Malachi Throne	...	L.J. West / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Charles Aidman	...	Major Kitchener (2 episodes, 1963)
Bradford Dillman	...	Capt. David Young (2 episodes, 1963)
Norman Fell	...	Sgt. Max Winkler (2 episodes, 1963)
Peter Graves	...	Major Frank Whitaker (2 episodes, 1963)
Murray Hamilton	...	Captain Appleton (2 episodes, 1963)
Don Marshall	...	Corporal Jenks (2 episodes, 1963)
Lee Marvin	...	Sgt. Paul Ryker (2 episodes, 1963)
Vera Miles	...	Ann Ryker (2 episodes, 1963)
Lloyd Nolan	...	General Amos Bailey (2 episodes, 1963)
Richard Angarola	...	Club Owner / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Indus Arthur	...	Elizabeth Pike / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Douglas Henderson	...	Harry Grayson / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
I. Stanford Jolley	...	Night Watchman (2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Horst Ebersberg	...	Reggie (2 episodes, 1964)
Jeff Cooper	...	Daniel (2 episodes, 1965)
Will Corry	...	Wally Pitt (2 episodes, 1965)
Susanne Cramer	...	Anna / ... (2 episodes, 1965)
Neil Hamilton	...	Mr. Harkin (2 episodes, 1965)
Steve London	...	Bassett (2 episodes, 1965)
Jan Merlin	...	Jon (2 episodes, 1965)
Mort Mills	...	Victor Prelling (2 episodes, 1965)
Eric Morris	...	Tippo (2 episodes, 1965)
Byron Morrow	...	Leith Houser (2 episodes, 1965)
Hugh O'Brian	...	Detective Matt Lacey (2 episodes, 1965)
Frederick O'Neal	...	Jacques Serac (2 episodes, 1965)
Barbara Rush	...	Karen Lownes (2 episodes, 1965)

Also Known As:

"Crisis" (USA) (syndication title)
"Suspense Theatre" (USA) (syndication title)

Runtime:

60 min (59 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Roncom Films

Great guest stars in intriguing mysteries from producer Roy Huggins

Roy Huggins ("Cheyenne","Maverick", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Rockford Files") was the uncredited executive producer of this entertaining hour-long anthology series from Universal.

The story editor was Anthony Boucher, who wrote the weekly Crime section of the Sunday New York Times Book Review.

The two-part opening episode was "The Case Against Paul Ryker". Lee Marvin played army Sgt. Paul Ryker, who was being court martialed for treason during the Korean War. Vera Miles played his beautiful wife. Bradford Dillman was his JAG defense lawyer who has an intense flirtation with Miles. Peter Graves was the prosecuting attorney. The rest of the cast included Lloyd Nolan, Norman Fell, Murray Hamilton and Charles Aidman. Lee Marvin was the stand-out in this terrific cast. A fine legal drama/mystery that was later turned into a series called "Court Martial" with Dillman and Graves.

Another good episode (from a story by Robert Altman) had Mickey Rooney as a sadistic sheriff tracking down innocent fugitive James Caan with a pack of vicious dogs.

Jack Kelly ("Maverick") was a Las Vegas gambler trying to make a killing at the poker table in "The Name of the Game".

Cornel Wilde played a middle-aged man with amnesia in "Doesn't Anyone Know Who I Am?".

Jack Kelly played a man who hires an assassin to kill him so that a woman he has wronged will get the insurance money-but then changes his mind in "Kill Me On July 20th". (The story was by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne.)

"Rapture at Two-Forty" was the well produced pilot for "Run For Your Life", where Ben Gazzara played a lawyer with only one or two years left to live. The romantic interest was played by lovely young Katherine Crawford, who was Roy Huggins' daughter.

Roy Huggins cast some of the stars of his Warner Brothers shows in "Kraft Suspense Theater": Clint Walker of "Cheyenne", Jack Kelly of "Maverick" and Roger Smith and Edd Byrnes of "77 Sunset Strip". Other former Warner Brothers contract players Huggins used in this series were Robert Conrad, Philip Carey, Peter Brown, Lee Patterson, Richard Long, Andrew Duggan, Diane McBain and Julie Adams.

Other guest stars included Donnelly Rhodes, Gary Lockwood, Brian Keith, Telly Savalas, Tippi Hedren, Jeffrey Hunter, Gig Young, Peter Lorre, Tina Louise, Richard Crenna, Tom Tryon, Jack Lord, Robert Ryan, Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes, Nancy Kovack, Anne Helm, and Ronald Reagan.

John Williams wrote the suspenseful theme music.