▁in ▁his ▁next ▁film , ▁ ▁The ▁Day ▁the ▁Earth ▁Sto od ▁Still ▁( also ▁ 1 9 5 1 ), ▁the ▁first ▁post war , ▁large - bud get , ▁" A " ▁science - f iction ▁film . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁serious , ▁high - mind ed ▁expl oration ▁of ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century ▁susp icion ▁and ▁par ano ia , ▁combined ▁with ▁a ▁philosoph ical ▁over view ▁of ▁human ity ' s ▁coming ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁larger ▁universe . ▁R enn ie ▁said ▁director ▁Robert ▁W ise ▁told ▁him ▁to ▁do ▁the ▁role ▁" with ▁dign ity ▁but ▁not ▁with ▁superior ity ". ▁( The ▁story ▁was ▁later ▁dram at ised ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁on ▁Lux ▁Radio ▁Theatre , ▁with ▁R enn ie ▁and ▁Billy ▁Gray ▁recre ating ▁their ▁original ▁film ▁roles . ▁Seven ▁years ▁later , ▁on ▁ 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁when ▁The ▁Day ▁the ▁Earth ▁Sto od ▁Still ▁made ▁its ▁television ▁premi ere ▁on ▁N BC ' s ▁N BC ▁Saturday ▁Night ▁at ▁the ▁Mov ies , ▁R enn ie ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁two - min ute ▁intro duct ory ▁pro log ue ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁film .) ▁ ▁R enn ie ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁support ▁Power ▁in ▁I ' ll ▁Never ▁For get ▁You ▁( 1 9 5 1 ) ▁then ▁had ▁good ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁ensemble ▁drama ▁Phone ▁Call ▁from ▁a ▁Str anger ▁( 1 9 5 2 ) ▁( where ▁he ▁played ▁an