- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press; 1st Edition edition (May 1 1989)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0809315009
- ISBN-13: 978-0809315000
- Product Dimensions: 20.1 x 16 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
Henry Slesar wrote more than 40 stories that were chosen for the classic television show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Irony, not suspense, is the key ingredient in the nineteen stories by Slesar offered in this collection. While irony often seems a by-product of cynicism, Anatole France called it "the last phase of disillusion." For Hitchcock and his writers, irony, not just suspense, was the basis of storytelling, along with its two constant companions: humor and pity.
Hitchcock first spotted Slesar’s work in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. The story, entitled "M Is for the Many," became an episode called "Heart of Gold." A lonely, orphaned young man just out of prison calls on the family of his cellmate. They "adopt" him and he is happy for the first time in his life—until he learns that their kindness is directed toward finding out where his cellmate hid the money he stole.
In his introduction Henry Slesar says, "Hitchcock always appreciated a good joke. He also appreciated a good story. I have never needed a more gratifying commendation than the fact that he liked the ones in this book."
About the Author
Francis M. Nevins, Jr., Professor at the St. Louis University School of Law, received the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Criticism.
Martin H. Greenberg, on the faculty of the College of Community Services at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, is the editor or author of more than 100 books.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Attention Alfred Hitchcock TV Fans, April 3 2000
By Sheldon Heckman - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Death on Television: The Best of Henry Slesar's Alfred Hitchcock Stories (Hardcover)
Attention Alfred Hitchcock Presents fans: Death on Television, edited by Francis M. Nevins, Jr. and Martin Harry Greenberg in 1989, is a great companion to the reruns of the late 50s and early 60s TV mystery anthology series. This is a collection of short stories by Henry Slesar that were produced on the Hitchcock show. Mr. Slesar is one of the most prolific TV writers ever. He was involved in more than 40 of the AHP shows, writing both stories and teleplays. In his introduction to this book, he states that Hitchcock is usually referred to as the Master of Suspense but Mr. Slesar renames him as the Master of Irony. The stories in this book all have the signature ironic twist endings for which Alfred Hitchcock TV is famous. His stories often show the frailties of the human condition and relationships. "The Test" and "A Woman's Help" show that blood is thicker than water and apparently morality. In "The Final Vow" a young nun is tested and in "The Second Verdict" a young lawyer has gotten a guilty man acquitted. In both of these stories, help comes from unlikely sources, hardened criminals. It is fun to read the stories in this book and follow along with the show. For aspiring writers, this book can be a primer showing how the written word is brought to the small screen. Stories also include "Cop For a Day" which starred Walter Matthau and "Starring the Defense" which starred Richard Basehart when produced. Another book that I recommend is Hitchcock in Prime Time, also edited by Martin Harry Greenberg, which is a similar book that collects more of original stories that were later produced on Hitchcock's TV shows. They are written by various authors and include comments by the authors about how they felt about the teleproduction of their stories.
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