In 1960, CBS tried something new. A live, hour-long series that was a blend of Biography and Perry Mason, but, instead of a lawyer, The Witness would testify before a committee seeking to verify what had been recorded in the press.
The Witness came from David Susskind's Talent Associates, and aired on Thursdays for much of its run. It's said that despite initial reviews praising the show, people tuned it out, leading to its cancellation after 17 episodes. Telly Savalas, in one of his earliest TV appearances, played "Lucky" Luciano. In this installment, Warren Stevens portrays John Dillinger.
CBS, I believe, owns the rights to the show, but doesn't see a market for it on DVD. Maybe it'll turn up on, like, Decades, sometime down the road....
Rating: B-.
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