“Scene of the Crime”

While forever known as a peerless comedic performer with impeccable timing, a deep dive into Betty White's exhaustive film and television credits reveals the icon also took on occasional dramatic roles, including appearing as a senator in Otto Preminger's political potboiler Advise and Consent (1962) and co-starring in a U.S. Steel Hour episode, "Scene of the Crime" (1962). A forgotten footnote in the Television Academy Hall of Fame inductee's career, the live television production of “Scene of the Crime" represents a unique showcase for White's mostly untapped range as an actor outside of comedy. In the grim and claustrophobic crime drama with a noir twist, White brings her trademark intelligence and charisma to the role of a kindly school teacher at the center of a horrific decades-old murder mystery.

CBS. Production: A Theatre Guild Production. Executive Producer: George Kondolf. Director: Tom Donovan. Writer: Sidney Carroll. From the British television play by Brian Clemens. With: Betty White, Harry Townes, Patricia Collinge, Lester Rawlins.

Preservation funding provided by the John H. Mitchell Television Preservation Endowment. Preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive from an original 2 in. videotape. Video transfer at DC Video. Engineering services by David Crosthwait.

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