Overview
Television Is Where You Find It is a revelatory journey into the overlooked world of feature filmmakers who brought their cinematic vision to the small screen between 1955 and 1990—long before directing for television became trendy in the age of ""Prestige TV."" With ten compelling case studies—from legends like Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, and Orson Welles to trailblazers like Ida Lupino, Melvin Van Peebles, and Martin Scorsese—author Craig S. Simpson uncovers how these directors reshaped the language of television with style and imagination. Far from simply dabbling in a ""lesser"" medium, these filmmakers pushed the boundaries of what TV could do, crafting bold, innovative work that challenges the old notion that television belongs solely to writers and producers. In this fresh, critical study, Television Is Where You Find It makes a case for rediscovering and reevaluating a rich chapter of television history—one in which cinematic artistry quietly flourished, often hidden in plain sight.
Full Product Details
Author: Craig S. Simpson
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Imprint: Rutgers University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.60cm
, Height: 1.30cm
, Length: 23.50cm
Weight: 0.368kg
ISBN: 9781978844841
ISBN 10: 1978844840
Pages: 214
Publication Date: 09 June 2026
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
General/trade
,
Tertiary & Higher Education
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print 
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Table of Contents
Intro: This is Not a Film 1. Alfred Hitchcock Episode: ""One More Mile to Go"" Series: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Original Air Date: April 7, 1957 2. Leo McCarey Episode: ""Tom and Jerry"" Series: Screen Directors Playhouse Original Air Date: November 30, 1955 3. Ida Lupino Episode: ""No. 5 Checked Out"" Series: Screen Directors Playhouse Original Air Date: January 18, 1956 4. Orson Welles Episode: ""The Fountain of Youth"" Series: Colgate Theatre Original Air Date: September 16, 1958 5. Budd Boetticher Episode: ""War of the Silver Kings"" Series: Maverick Original Air Date: September 22, 1957 6. Michael Powell Episode: ""The Sworn Twelve"" Series: The Defenders Original Air Date: March 25, 1965 7. Melvin Van Peebles Episode: ""Really Cool"" Series: The Bill Cosby Show Original Air Date: April 26, 1970 8. George Cukor Made-for-TV Movie: Love Among the Ruins Program: ABC Theater Original Air Date: March 6, 1975 9. Martin Scorsese Episode: ""Mirror, Mirror"" Series: Amazing Stories Original Air Date: March 9, 1986 10. David Lynch Episode: ""Lonely Souls"" Series: Twin Peaks Original Air Date: November 10, 1990 Outro: Television Is Where You Find It Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
Reviews
""Thoroughly researched and written with flair, this study of legendary movie directors who worked in TV is a rare joy--informative, critically important, and pleasurable."" --James Naremore ""James Naremore, author of More than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts""
""Thoroughly researched and written with flair, this study of legendary movie directors who worked in TV is a rare joy—informative, critically important, and pleasurable."" - James Naremore, author of More than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts
""Thoroughly researched and written with flair, this study of legendary movie directors who worked in TV is a rare joy--informative, critically important, and pleasurable."" --James Naremore ""author of More than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts""
Author Information
Craig S. Simpson is the director of special collections and archives at San José State University. He is the coauthor of Above the Shots: An Oral History of the Kent State Shootings, with Gregory S. Wilson, and Cinema Then and Now: James Naremore - Conversations with Craig S. Simpson.
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