Tony Curtis: Rare 'GE Theater' episode

Tony Curtis, like so many major film actors, did plenty of TV in the 1950s, and below, a rare and unusual jewel.

"GE Theater," hosted so long ago by Ronald Reagan, was a classic series on CBS and an early and important part of Reagan's resume. Many of the episodes were presumed lost, and I can't recall ever even seeing one. But here - for the first time in my life, anyway - is "GE Theater."  This episode is "The Stone," based on the Liam O'Flaherty play, stars Curtis and Charles Aidman - an actor whose work I am unfamiliar with. 

GE donated this to the Reagan Memorial Library as part of the February centennial; details below the episode ...

Believe me, this is unique ...

 In 1959, Tony Curtis starred in an episode of General Electric Theater, a weekly TV series hosted by Ronald Reagan. Tony Curtis starred with Charles Aidman in writer Liam O'Flaherty's episode, "The Stone,” which was recently found and restored by General Electric. As part of GE’s sponsorship of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration — a two-year commemoration of President Reagan’s 100th birthday on February 6, 2011 — GE donated “The Stone” and 207 other newly restored episodes to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.  Many of the episodes that were thought to be lost — and some that were damaged — were recently uncovered in GE/NBC-Universal’s archives and restored for the renovated “GE Theater” exhibit at the Reagan Museum. “GE Theater” ran on CBS ran for nine years in the 1950s and ‘60s, and was the launching pad for many actors writers and directors now considered cultural icons.

A live celebration of “GE Theater,” hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, is scheduled for October 12 at The Paley Center for Media in New York City.