In this entertaining and informative book, Victor L. Cahn revisits memorable episodes from eleven classic television shows, including The Twilight Zone, Maverick, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Fugitive, The Avengers, and All in the Family. He provides background for each program, details about the creative individuals involved, close readings of the scripts, and reflections on why these series were influential when originally broadcast and why they continue to be enjoyed decades later by ‘baby boomers, ‘ their children, and their grandchildren. With a scholar’s insight and a fan’s enthusiasm, he offers a unique perspective on an integral part of mid-twentieth-century American culture.
About the author
Victor L. Cahn is Professor of English at Skidmore College. Among his other books are Shakespeare the Playwright: A Companion to the Complete Tragedies, Histories, Comedies, and Romances (named an Outstanding Academic Book by Choice) and The Plays of Shakespeare: A Thematic Guide, as well as a critical volume on Tom Stoppard; Conquering College: A Guide for Undergraduates; a memoir, Classroom Virtuoso; and the novel Romantic Trapezoid. He has written numerous plays, several of which have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally, including the one-man show Sherlock Solo, which he has performed. Three of his scripts, Fit to Kill, Roses in December, and Embraceable Me, have been published by Samuel French. His articles and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, Modern Drama, The Literary Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Variety.