Product Details

• Actors: Dick Powell, Ida Lupino, David Niven, Eddie Albert, Mary Astor
• Format: Box set, Black & White, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: VCI Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: June 9, 2009
• Run Time: 870 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0025Y3SZS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,984 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

ZANE GREY THEATRE COMPLETE SEASON ONE - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great old western series, April 19, 2009

By 

calvinnme - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One (DVD)

I remember seeing this show in syndication years ago as a child and teenager, and I had no idea Mr. Powell had had such a diverse career. Starting out as a crooner in Busby Berkeley musicals in the 1930's, evolving into a star in film noir, and then transitioning to television in a number of shows including this one from the golden age of TV westerns in the 1950's. He was in good company with other stars such as Robert Montgomery, who hosted his own first-rate TV show in the 1950's.

This show is not really a series. Instead it was in the mold of the weekly playhouse kind of show that was so popular in the 1950's. Each episode stood alone and featured different stars each week, some being quite popular figures from the silver screen. The show first used material from Zane Grey, but as time passed material had to come from elsewhere as well. The following is a listing of the episodes of that first season as well as the stars that were featured.

1.01 - You Only Run Once - Robert Ryan, Cloris Leachman
1.02 - Fearful Courage - James Whitmore, Ida Lupino
1.03 - The Long Road Home - Mr. Powell, Ray Collins
1.04 - The Unrelenting Sky - Lew Ayres, Phyllis Avery
1.05 - The Lariat - Jack Palance, Constance Ford
1.06 - Death Watch - Lee J. Cobb, Bobby Driscoll
1.07 - Stage for Tucson - Eddie Albert, Mona Freeman
1.08 - Quiet Sunday in San Ardo - Wendell Corey, Gerald Mohr
1.09 - Vengeance Canyon - Walter Brennan, Ben Cooper
1.10 - Return to Nowhere - John Ireland, Steven McNally
1.11 - Courage is a Gun - Mr. Powell, Beverly Garland
1.12 - Muletown Gold Strike - Rory Calhoun, Barbara Eiler
1.13 - Stars over Texas - Ralph Bellamy, Gloria Talbott, James Garner
1.14 - Three Graves - Jack Lemmon, Nan Leslie
1.15 - No Man Living - Frank Lovejoy, Margaret Hayes
1.16 - Time of Decision - Lloyd Bridges, Diane Brewster
1.17 - Until the Man Dies - Stuart Whitman, John Payne
1.18 - Backtrail - Mr. Powell, Catherine McLeod
1.19 - Dangerous Orders - Jack Elam, Mark Stevens
1.20 - The Necessary Breed - Sterling Hayden, Jean Willes
1.21 - The Hanging Tree - Robert Ryan, Cloris Leachman
1.22 - Village of Fear - David Niven, George D. Wallace
1.23 - Black Creek Encounter- Ernest Borgnine, Jan Merlin
1.24 - There Were Four - John Derek, Dean Jagger
1.25 - Fugitive - Eddie Albert, Celeste Holm
1.26 - A Time To Live - Ralph Meeker, Julie London
1.27 - Black is for Grief - Mary Astor, Beulah Bondi, Chester Morris
1.28 - Badge of Honor - Gary Merrill, Tom Tully, Robert Culp
1.29 - Decision at Wilson's Creek - John Forsythe, John Dehner
1.30 - Man on the Run - Scott Brady, Nancy Hale

Each episode is 30 minutes in length and features such diverse talent as James Garner at the beginning of his career and Chester Morris near the end of his career. Mr. Powell stars in three of the thirty episodes. VCI, though not widely known, has taken part in some quality restorations before, so I am hoping these great western dramas will be carefully restored.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Classic Western TV!, June 22, 2009

By 

G. Martin "soixantaine" (Glendale, Ca.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One (DVD)

Just completed watching this new release of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre! And happy to say that all the shows where very enjoyable! The other two reviewers pretty much cover this set so I can't add much to what they've already stated! Expect to say, that I liked the fact that every episode has a new star or stars so "every week" the show was completly new. And I like the introduction by Dick Powell at the beginning of every episode; it added a nice touch and gives some back ground info on western history beofre the show starts!

Lastly, the DVD's transfers and restoration process is very good for film from the fifties! Bring on season two!!

PS> Its the whole season one! Not season 1, vol. #1 followed by vol 2 and 3 as some businessmen have packaged other products trying to squeeze every buck out of the buying public!

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Zane Grey Theatre (1956-1957) ... Dick Powell ... VCI Ent. (2009)", June 6, 2009

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One (DVD)

In the early days of television way back when in the 1950's
and 1960's the most successful shows, were not cop or sci-fi shows,
it was the almighty western. Of course by today's viewers standards
they are all but gone, no where to be found.

So is it any wonder that our friendly VCI Entertainment has looked into
their crystal ball and come up with another gem releasing "Dick Powell's
Zane Grey Theater: Season One". Master storyteller and author Zane Grey
was one of the famous writers of western novels for the longest time.
That being the case, the books of Zane Grey were an obvious choice for a
great satire of wonderful stories from the early days in America.

Powell served as a sort of western Rod Serling hosting the show
which featured a new western adventure each week. At times would also
star in the episodes. The show at first only did Zane Grey stories but
eventually did other stories as well.

Zane Grey Theater was created by Luke Short and Charles A. Wallace. The
series was originally based on the short stories and novels of Western
author Zane Grey, but as the episodes continued, new material was
included. Aaron Spelling, who later became a legend in Hollywood, wrote
twenty Zane Grey episodes. The program opened with a prelude of the
episode followed by the introduction, the firing of a gun, with the
proclamation: "From out of the West, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater".

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Episode Selection
2. Video Interview with Norman Powell (Dick Powell's son) by Joel Blumberg
3. Audio Interview on the history of Four Star Productions with author Christine Becker by Joel Blumberg
4. Classic TV Commercials

Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections --- please stand up and take a bow for film and TV Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 870 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video 8525 ~ (06/09/2009)