Editing Steven Spielberg (section)

===1969–1974: On the horizon ===
Spielberg made his professional debut with "Eyes", a segment of ''[[Night Gallery (film)|Night Gallery]]'' (1969) scripted by [[Rod Serling]] and starring [[Joan Crawford]].{{Sfn|McBride|1997|p=170}} Initially, there was skepticism from Crawford and studio executives regarding Spielberg's inexperience. Despite Spielberg's efforts to implement advanced camerawork techniques, studio executives demanded a more straightforward approach. His initial contributions received mixed responses, leading Spielberg to briefly step back from studio work.{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=31}} Crawford, reflecting on her collaboration with Spielberg, recognized his potential, noting his unique intuitive inspiration. She expressed her appreciation for Spielberg's talent in a note to him and also communicated her approval to Serling. Crawford's endorsement highlighted Spielberg's early recognition in Hollywood despite initial hesitations regarding his experience.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chandler|first=Charlotte|title=Not the Girl Next Door: Joan Crawford, a Personal Biography|date=2008|publisher=Simon & Schuster|page=262|isbn=978-1-4165-4751-8|edition=1st Simon & Schuster hardcover|location=New York|oclc=166273792}}</ref>

In the early 1970s, Spielberg unsuccessfully tried to raise financing for his own low-budget films. He co-wrote and directed teleplays for ''[[Marcus Welby, M.D.]]'', ''[[The Name of the Game (TV series)|The Name of the Game]]'', ''[[Columbo]], [[Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law]]'' and ''[[The Psychiatrist (TV series)|The Psychiatrist]].{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=33}}'' Although unsatisfied with his work,{{Sfn|Baxter|1996|p=69}} Spielberg used the opportunity to experiment with his techniques and learn about filmmaking. He earned good reviews and impressed producers; he was earning a steady income and relocated to [[Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles|Laurel Canyon]], Los Angeles.''{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=33}}''

Impressed, [[Universal Studios, Inc.|Universal]] signed Spielberg to do four television films.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 14, 1975|title=Spielberg, Universal Sign Four-Picture Agreement|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> The first was ''[[Duel (1971 film)|Duel]]'' (1971), adapted from [[Richard Matheson]]'s short story of the same name, about a salesman ([[Dennis Weaver]]) being chased down a highway by a psychotic [[Tank truck|tanker truck]] driver.<ref>{{cite web| author=Scott Tobias| title=Duel at 50: Steven Spielberg's debut remains a ferocious thriller| date=September 19, 2021| work=[[The Guardian]]| url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/13/duel-at-50-steven-spielberg-debut-thriller}}</ref> Impressed, executives decided to promote the film on television. Reviews were positive, and Universal asked Spielberg to shoot more scenes so that ''Duel'' could be released theatrically to international markets.''{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=35}}'' "Deservedly so" writes [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]], "for it stands up as one of the medium's most compelling spirals of suspense. The ordinariness of the Dennis Weaver character and the monstrous malignance of the truck confront one another with a narrative assurance that never needs to remind us of the element of [[fable]]."<ref name="Thomson">{{cite book| last=Thomson| first=David| author-link=David Thomson (film critic)| title=[[The New Biographical Dictionary of Film]]| year=2010| pages=919–921}}</ref> More TV films followed: ''[[Something Evil]]'' (1972) and ''[[Savage (1973 TV film)|Savage]]'' (1973).

Spielberg made his theatrical debut with ''[[The Sugarland Express]]'' (1974), based on a true story about a married couple on the run, desperate to regain custody of their baby from foster parents.''{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=37}}'' The film starred [[Goldie Hawn]] and [[William Atherton]] and marked the first of many collaborations with the composer [[John Williams]].<ref name="King2023">{{cite news| last=King| first=Darryn| title=John Williams on 'Indiana Jones' and His Favorite Film Scores| date=June 24, 2023| work=[[The New York Times]]| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/movies/john-williams-indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny.html| access-date=November 29, 2023| archive-date=November 30, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130161730/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/movies/john-williams-indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny.html| url-status=live}}</ref> Although the film was awarded Best Screenplay at the [[1974 Cannes Film Festival]], it was not a commercial success,{{Sfn|Parish|2004|p=38}} which Spielberg blamed on Universal's inconsistent marketing.{{Sfn|Baxter|1996|p=115}} The film opened in four hundred theaters in the US to positive reviews; [[Pauline Kael]] wrote "Spielberg uses his gifts in a very free-and-easy, American way—for humor, and for a physical response to action. He could be that rarity among directors, a born entertainer—perhaps a new generation's [[Howard Hawks]]."<ref>Kael, Pauline (March 18, 1974). "The Current Cinema". ''[[The New Yorker]]''. 130.</ref> ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' wrote that "a major new director is on the horizon".{{Sfn|McBride|1997|p=223}}