The Star and the Story
The Star and the Story is an American television anthology series which aired 1955–1956 in first-run syndication. A filmed half-hour series, episodes were approximately 25 minutes long, excluding commercials.
Produced by Four Star Productions, it was similar in some respects to Four Star Playhouse. Thirty-nine episodes were filmed, 13 of which were based on stories by W. Somerset Maugham.
Henry Fonda was the host, which primarily meant that he was spokesman for the beer that sponsored the show. In that role, "Fonda became the first actor of stature to deliver the commercials for somebody else's program". Accepting the commercial role caused controversy, but Fonda said the he considered doing commercials as a form of acting. "I feel if they keep the commercials dignified, it's all right," he said. He also noted that he was paid more for his work on the show than he would have been paid for making a film. Rheingold sponsored the programs in markets where it was sold.
With a new cast each week, the series featured a wide range of actors, often well-known character actors such as Edmond O'Brien and occasionally emerging stars such as Joanne Woodward. Notable directors included Blake Edwards and Robert Stevenson.
O'Brien starred in the premiere episode, "Dark Stranger".
It appears the series has entered the public domain; a number of episodes appear on budget public domain DVD releases.