Space Age TV Rarity: William Shatner Starring in “The Night of the Auk”
This program is presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Part of the UCLA Film & Television Archive screening series Archive Television Treasures.
Several years before William Shatner first took the conn of the U.S.S. Enterprise on Star Trek, the beloved icon starred as a space crew leader in Arch Obler's television adaptation of his Broadway play “The Night of the Auk.” Obler's apocalyptic tale concerns the fateful actions of an extremely wealthy, egotistical industrialist (played by William Shatner) who finances a pioneering space flight for the U.S. government. As a member of the historic space crew, the industrialist’s malignant narcissism emerges under the allure of the media spotlight, triggering an escalating cascade of horrific events. The claustrophobic videotaped production, set entirely on the bridge of a spacecraft, provides a master showcase for Shatner, foreshadowing the trademark acting style he would soon perfect in the role of his lifetime as Captain James T. Kirk.
Based on his drama “Rocket From Manhattan,” produced for the radio program Lights Out in 1945, Obler’s artful teleplay for “Night of the Auk” poetically examines the existential dangers of the space age amidst the backdrop of nuclear proliferation that defined the Cold War. Viewed 65 years after its original broadcast, this rare Play of the Week production proves eerily prescient, serving as a grim cautionary tale warning of the undue privilege, power and attention bestowed upon the ultra-wealthy, regardless of deficits of character.
“Night of the Auk” (5/2/1960)
DCP, b&w, 120 min. Syndicated. Production: National Television Associates. Executive Producer: Worthington Miner. Producer: Lewis Freedman. Directors: Nikos Psacharopoulos, Mel London. Writer: Arch Oboler. With: William Shatner, Shepperd Strudwick, James MacArthur. Preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Video transfer at DC Video. Engineering services by David Crosthwait.
The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a division of UCLA Library, and presents its public programs in the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer, among other venues. For more information about the Archive, visit cinema.ucla.edu.
ATTENDING THIS PROGRAM?
Ticketing: Admission to Archive screenings at the Hammer is free. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Box office opens one hour before the event. Questions should be directed to the Archive at programming@cinema.ucla.edu or 310-206-8013.
Member Benefit: Subject to availability, Hammer Members can choose their preferred seats. Members receive priority ticketing until 15 minutes before the program. Learn more about membership.
Parking: Valet parking is available on Lindbrook Drive for $15 cash only. Self-parking is available under the museum. Rates are $8 for the first three hours with museum validation, and $3 for each additional 20 minutes, with a $22 daily maximum. There is an $8 flat rate after 5 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends.
Read our food, bag check, and photo policies.
Read our COVID-19 safety guidelines.