▁later ▁released ▁the ▁movie ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁as ▁an ▁import . ▁Although ▁the ▁box - office ▁returns ▁of ▁Sh adows ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁were ▁slight , ▁it ▁did ▁gain ▁attention ▁from ▁the ▁Hollywood ▁stud ios . ▁ ▁Television ▁and ▁acting ▁jobs ▁▁ ▁Cass av etes ▁played ▁bit - parts ▁in ▁B ▁pictures ▁and ▁in ▁television ▁serial s , ▁until ▁gain ing ▁not or iety ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁as ▁a ▁v icious ▁k iller ▁in ▁The ▁Night ▁H olds ▁T error , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁ju ven ile ▁del in quent ▁in ▁the ▁live ▁TV ▁drama ▁Crime ▁in ▁the ▁Stre ets . ▁Cass av etes ▁would ▁repeat ▁this ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁film ▁version . ▁His ▁first ▁st arring ▁role ▁in ▁a ▁feature ▁film ▁was ▁Edge ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁( 1 9 5 7 ), ▁which ▁co - star red ▁Sid ney ▁Po it ier . ▁He ▁was ▁briefly ▁under ▁contract ▁to ▁Metro - G old w yn - M ayer ▁and ▁co - star red ▁with ▁Robert ▁Taylor ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁S addle ▁the ▁Wind , ▁written ▁by ▁Rod ▁Ser ling . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Cass av etes ▁guest - star red ▁in ▁B ever ly ▁Gar land ' s ▁ground bre aking ▁crime ▁drama , ▁Dec oy , ▁about ▁a ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁woman ▁police ▁under cover ▁detect ive . ▁There after , ▁he ▁played ▁Johnny ▁St acc ato , ▁the ▁title ▁character ▁in ▁a ▁television