 Based on a teleplay by Rod Serling (qv) that ran on "Kraft  Television Theatre" (1947) in January 1955. It featured several of  the same actors that would appear in the movie, including  Everett Sloane (I) (qv) and Ed Begley (I) (qv). However the part  of Fred Staples, the lead, was originated by Richard Kiley (qv).  Begleys character, Bill Briggs, was called Andy Sloane in the  original version. Serlings teleplay won him the first of his six  Emmy Awards.