Premier CBS dramatic anthology; launched scripts and stars that defined the medium.
Why it matters
Episode guide
466 episodes across 10 seasons — season-by-season catalog (titles and dates, not a recap dump).
At a glance
Westinghouse Studio One turned CBS Sundays into a prestige factory: live hour dramas, literary adaptations, and original teleplays that could mint legends. From November 7, 1948, to September 29, 1958, the series delivered 467 episodes across ten seasons — including the 1954 television 12 Angry Men that preceded the famous film. Stars passed through; directors and writers treated the studio like a pressure cooker with better lighting. It was anthology as industrial art. When filmed series ate the schedule, Studio One's live high-wire act became the nostalgia of a braver prime time.
Network & studio
- CBS — broadcast network
Why watch now
The deep catalog of Golden Age drama — including that original 12 Angry Men telecast. For anyone who wants receipts on how serious TV drama started.
Cultural impact
Studio One helped make live anthology drama a network prestige product and launched material that jumped to film glory. Its 467-episode run is a monument to early TV's theatrical ambition. Later courtroom and issue dramas still live in its jury box.
Creators
Worthington Miner · Felix Jackson
Flash facts
- CBS anthology that premiered November 7, 1948, and ended September 29, 1958.
- 467 episodes over 10 seasons.
- Often sponsored/branded with Westinghouse as Westinghouse Studio One.
- Presented the 1954 live television version of 12 Angry Men before the 1957 film.
- A flagship of Golden Age live dramatic anthology programming.
FAQ
How long did Studio One run?
From 1948 to 1958 on CBS — 10 seasons and 467 episodes.
What is its connection to 12 Angry Men?
The teleplay aired live on Studio One in 1954 before becoming the classic 1957 film.
Was it filmed or live?
It was primarily a live dramatic anthology in the Golden Age tradition.
Why Westinghouse?
Westinghouse sponsored the series, leading to the familiar Westinghouse Studio One branding.
Official & further reading
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
Back to the decade
Also on the dial
Related & side shows
The Ernie Kovacs Show
Visual gags, blackouts, and Nairobi Trio — the medium inventing itself for laughs.
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Richard Greene's Robin — British export that American kids treated like native folklore.
The United States Steel Hour
Industrial giant, theatrical punch — live drama with a steel-hard production sheen.
Omnibus
Aloft culture for the masses — Leonard Bernstein, Orson Welles, and Sunday seriousness.
Amos 'n' Andy
Hugely popular, deeply fraught — the sitcom that forces the conversation about race and early TV.
Mama
Norwegian immigrant family warmth — live family drama before sitcoms ate the hour.