The Fountain of Youth (film)
Encyclopedia
The Fountain of Youth is a 1956 TV pilot for a proposed Desilu TV series (with a tentative title, The Orson Welles Show) which was never produced, and was subsequently televised once, on September 16, 1958 for NBC
's Colgate Theatre
. The short film was directed by Orson Welles
, based on the short story "Youth from Vienna" by John Collier
, and stars Joi Lansing
and Rick Jason
as a couple faced with an unavoidable temptation concocted by a scientist (Dan Tobin
). Welles himself is also much in evidence as onscreen narrator. The show won the prestigious Peabody Award
in 1958 after its single broadcast.
Welles used an extremely innovative process of stills and live action not seen on film before or since. Leading man
Rick Jason devoted a chapter called "Orson Welles and Feet of Clay" in his online autobiography, Scrapbooks of My Mind, to the making of the film, carefully detailing the unique approaches Welles employed to arrive at the film's striking result.
The show remains available for viewing at the Paley Center for Media in New York City
and Los Angeles
.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Colgate Theatre
Colgate Theatre
Colgate Theatre is a 30-minute dramatic television anthology series telecast on NBC in 1949 and 1958 for a total of 50 episodes. The first edition, a live anthology, was telecast on Sunday nights at 8:30pm through the summer of 1950...
. The short film was directed by Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
, based on the short story "Youth from Vienna" by John Collier
John Collier (writer)
John Henry Noyes Collier was a British-born author and screenplay writer best known for his short stories, many of which appeared in The New Yorker from the 1930s to the 1950s. They were collected in a 1951 volume, Fancies and Goodnights, which won the International Fantasy Award and remains in...
, and stars Joi Lansing
Joi Lansing
Joi Lansing was an American model, film and television actress, as well as a nightclub singer. She was most noted for her pin-up photos, and for her minor roles in B-movies...
and Rick Jason
Rick Jason
Rick Jason , born Richard Jacobson, was an American actor, born in New York City, and most remembered for his role as 2nd Lt. Gil Hanley in the ABC television drama Combat! .-Biography:...
as a couple faced with an unavoidable temptation concocted by a scientist (Dan Tobin
Dan Tobin
Dan Tobin was an American supporting actor who generally played gentle, urbane characters, sometimes with a concealed edge of malice....
). Welles himself is also much in evidence as onscreen narrator. The show won the prestigious Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
in 1958 after its single broadcast.
Welles used an extremely innovative process of stills and live action not seen on film before or since. Leading man
Leading man
Leading man or leading gentleman is an informal term for the actor who plays a love interest to the leading actress in a film or play. A leading man is usually an all rounder; capable of singing, dancing, and acting at a professional level, but never outshining his female co-star...
Rick Jason devoted a chapter called "Orson Welles and Feet of Clay" in his online autobiography, Scrapbooks of My Mind, to the making of the film, carefully detailing the unique approaches Welles employed to arrive at the film's striking result.
The show remains available for viewing at the Paley Center for Media in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Cast
In order of onscreen credits:- Dan TobinDan TobinDan Tobin was an American supporting actor who generally played gentle, urbane characters, sometimes with a concealed edge of malice....
- Humphrey Baxter - Joi LansingJoi LansingJoi Lansing was an American model, film and television actress, as well as a nightclub singer. She was most noted for her pin-up photos, and for her minor roles in B-movies...
- Carolyn Coates - Rick JasonRick JasonRick Jason , born Richard Jacobson, was an American actor, born in New York City, and most remembered for his role as 2nd Lt. Gil Hanley in the ABC television drama Combat! .-Biography:...
- Alan Brody - Nancy KulpNancy KulpNancy Jane Kulp was an American character actress best known as Miss Jane Hathaway on the popular television series The Beverly Hillbillies.-Early life:...
- Stella Morgan - Billy HouseBilly HouseBilly House was an US vaudevillian, Broadway performer and feature film actor. After devoting most of his career to live performance, he moved to Hollywood where he became a supporting actor during the 1940s and 1950s...
- Albert Morgan - Marjorie BennettMarjorie BennettMarjorie Bennett was an Australian television and film actress who began her career during the silent film era.-Career:Bennett was born in York, Western Australia; her sister Enid was also an actress...
- Journalist (uncredited) - Orson WellesOrson WellesGeorge Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
- Host / narrator
See also
- List of American films of 1958
- Orson Welles filmographyOrson Welles filmographyThis is the filmography of Orson Welles- As director :- As actor :- As director :- As actor :...
- Peabody AwardPeabody AwardThe George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
- Colgate TheatreColgate TheatreColgate Theatre is a 30-minute dramatic television anthology series telecast on NBC in 1949 and 1958 for a total of 50 episodes. The first edition, a live anthology, was telecast on Sunday nights at 8:30pm through the summer of 1950...