Considered by many to be one of the best anthology series during the "Golden Age" of television, it featured original dramas by noted writers, although sometimes comeides were shown. Its guidelines specifically called for the avoidance of violence.
Originally a half hour production, in 1955 the show expanded to an hour, and began to emphasize dramatized versions of real-life contemporary events (including the sinking of the SS Andrea Doria and a documentary on the History of Soviet Union. Upon moving to CBS, the show emphasized several Cold War topics, including espionage, Radio Free Europe, and escapes from East Germany.
Theatre of the Absurd: The West and the East by Jan CulĂk, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Univ. of Glasgow.
Acting "at the nerve ends": Beckett, Blau, and the Necessary by Phillip Zarrilli, Univ. of Wisconsin.
Sam won six Village Voice Off-Broadway Theatre Awards ("Obies") but he probably never attended the award ceremonies in New York and he definately didn't appear at any of the pre-ceremony cocktail parties.