Studio One Presents Suspense (Two Sharp Knives / There Was a Crooked Man) – DVD

Studio One began as a CBS radio drama in the 1940s and was reborn as a television series in 1948. It became the longest running one hour dramatic anthology in television history, lasting a full decade. Known for innovative production techniques, Studio One pushed the limits of live programming and become one of the most popular shows of its day.

There Was a Crooked Man: A crippled man is stabbed to death at Ms. Girard's boarding house. Every tenant is a suspect - especially the dark and mysterious Paul Collins (Charles Korvin). When Jeff Troy (Robert Sterling) returns to the boarding house, he finds his wife Haila snooping dangerously into the personal lives of their neighbors. Jeff must now discover which suspect is the killer before his young spouse becomes the next victim!

Born William Sterling Hart, Robert Sterling was the son of Chicago Cubs Catcher Walter S. Hart and had a film and television career that spanned five decades. In the early 1950s Sterling and his wife, actress Anne Jeffrey, teamed up for a musical club act which led to their being cast as the ghostly George and Marion Kirby in the 1953 classic TV comedy, "Topper."

Hungarian-born Charles Korvin was blacklisted from Hollywood in the early 1950s for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Despite being blacklisted for nearly a decade, Charles was still able to find acting work in television, most notably as Jose Varga in the 1957 series, "Zorro."

Starring Robert Sterling,Charles Korvin; Directed by Paul Nickell.

Two Sharp Knives: A small-town police chief captures a big-city murder suspect. The next morning the accused man is found hung in his locked jail cell. To make matters worse, it looks as though the hanging was not the suicide of a guilty man, but an execution - and that the murder he was accused of never really happened. Now the Chief must search everywhere, including his own department, for an innocent man's killer.

English-born Stanley Ridges had an impressive career that began on the British musical stage as a protege of Beatrice Lillie. After arriving in America, Ridges became a romantic leading man on Broadway. His film career, however, did not pick up momentum until 1934 when he appeared in Crime Without Passion with Claude Rains. A finely honed acting ability allowed Ridges to out-shine many of his co-stars, including Karloff in the 1940 horror film, Black Friday. Ridges went on to appear in several memorable films, including Sergeant York, Tarzan Triumphs, and The Story of Dr. Wassell, until his death in 1951.

Director Frank Schaffner graduated from television work to become the creative force behind such cinematic classics as The Planet Of The Apes, Patton, and Papillon.

Starring Stanley Ridges; Directed by Frank Schaffner.

• television