Robert Florey
Director
Four Star Playhouse (1952)
Season 1
Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953. The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series. Edwards created the recurring character of illegal gambling house operator Willie Dante for Dick Powell to play on this series. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff, then-husband of Lupino. The pilot for Meet McGraw, starring Frank Lovejoy, aired here, as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from the radio drama Nightbeat.
Released Sept. 25, 1952
Episode 30 min
2+
Keywords: tmdb.anthology, tmdb.playhouse, imdb.anthology-series, imdb.early-television, imdb.anthology, awards.emmy-award-nominated
Watch Providers: Pure Flix, Plex, Plex Channel, Best tv ever Amazon Channel
Network: CBS
Country: United States
Languages:
English
S1E1 - My Wife Geraldine
Man invents a wife, then accused of murdering her.
Sept. 25, 1952, midnight
S1E2 - Dante's Inferno
Willie Dante owns a bar and gambling house called Dante's Inferno. One night, the wife of an acquaintance tells Willie that her husband has threatened her. Willie comforts her and sends her home, but she turns up dead the next day.
Oct. 2, 1952, midnight
S1E3 - The Lost Silk Hat
Englishman must retrieve his hat after visiting his love.
Oct. 23, 1952, midnight
S1E4 - Backstage
An actor named Paul is out on an evening stroll when he sees a young woman attempting to jump off a bridge. After a struggle, he discovers her name is Amy and she is homeless. Paul believes $5 could mean the difference between decency & despair so he pays for Amy to stay in a hotel for the night, agreeing to meet her the next day. Amy is nowhere to be found when Paul returns. He worries and begins the search for this mysterious woman.
Nov. 6, 1952, midnight
S1E5 - Welcome Home
A notorious criminal returns to his home town after 15 years away, and a young man wants to join him in notoriety and, probably, death at the hands of police.
Nov. 20, 1952, midnight
S1E6 - The Island
Rebellious physician on an island in the South Pacific.
Dec. 4, 1952, midnight
S1E7 - The Officer and the Lady
A reformed pickpocket in Paris obtains the purse of an attractive woman. He reads a letter telling about her dying son, and he decides to grant the boy's wish to meet his father.
Dec. 18, 1952, midnight
S1E8 - Knockout
Middleweight boxer finds his big bout has been fixed.
Jan. 1, 1953, midnight
S1E9 - Man on a Train
William encounters an old acquaintance, John Dwerrihouse, on a train with 75,000 pounds. Only later did William learn that Dwerrihouse had disappeared four months earlier after embezzling 75,000 pounds from the train company.
Jan. 15, 1953, midnight
S1E10 - Trail's End
A famous marshal of Dodge City sets out in search of the murderous Sonoma Kid and runs into a tragedy of the desert.
Jan. 29, 1953, midnight
S1E11 - Sound Off, My Love
Woman buys hearing aid and hears husband plot her murder.
Feb. 12, 1953, midnight
S1E12 - The Man in the Box
Boyer plays four roles in story of a director and his woes.
Feb. 26, 1953, midnight
S1E13 - No Identity
Young boy fights to win his foster mother's love.
March 12, 1953, midnight
S1E14 - The Man Who Walked Out On Himself
After separating from his wife, a wealthy clubman is about to marry a much young woman -- whereupon his mirror image walks out on him in disgust.
March 26, 1953, midnight
S1E15 - The Last Voyage
Sea captain discovers a time bomb is planted on his ship.
April 23, 1953, midnight
S1E16 - Night Ride
Five people, one a murderer, are trapped on subway.
May 7, 1953, midnight
S1E17 - The Ladies On His Mind
A psychiatrist listens to his female patients go on about their troubles. As they talk, he imagines himself within each of their stories.
May 21, 1953, midnight
S1E18 - To Whom It May Concern
A bank employee mails a letter to his boss confessing to stealing $7000 and includes the stocks he bought with the money. As he puts a gun to his head, he sees in the paper that the stocks' worth have gone through the roof. Now he wants to live and goes on a frantic chase to get the letter back from the post office before it gets delivered.
June 4, 1953, midnight
S1E19 - Shadowed
Past haunts politician running for Senator.
June 18, 1953, midnight
Network: CBS
Episode Runtime: 30 min.
Season Runtime: 25 min.
Released: Sept. 25, 1952
Last Air Date: July 26, 1956, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: TV-G / 2+
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