Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dan O'Herlihy and Peggy Creel in "Log the Man Innocent", 1955
Also known asSchlitz Playhouse
GenreAnthology
Directed byRobert Aldrich
John Brahm
David Butler
Robert Florey
Paul Henreid
Arthur Hiller
Delbert Mann
Lewis Milestone
Ray Milland
James Neilson
Christian Nyby
Ted Post
Robert Stevenson
Jacques Tourneur
Don Weis
Richard Whorf
ComposersMelvyn Lenard
Paul Dunlap
Stanley Wilson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons8
No. of episodes347
Production
Executive producerNat Holt
ProducersWilliam Self
Frank P. Rosenberg
Jules Bricken
Production locationRevue Studios
CinematographyGeorge T. Clemens
Russell Harlan
EditorsJoseph Gluck
Richard Belding
Sam Gold
George Amy
Robert B. Warwick, Jr.
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time50 mins.
Production companiesMeridian Productions
Revue Studios
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseOctober 5, 1951 (1951-10-05) 
March 27, 1959 (1959-03-27)

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The title was shortened to Schlitz Playhouse beginning with the fall 1957 season.

Live to film

Initially, the show was broadcast live, but starting in the summer of 1953, some episodes were filmed in advance. Beginning with the 1956-1957 season, all of the shows were filmed.

Between October 1951 and March 1952, the hour-long show was aired at 9 p.m. In April 1952, the running time was reduced from an hour to 30 minutes. The series moved to 9:30 p.m. in the 1955 fall season.

Pilots

Three episodes served as pilots for later NBC Western series: The Restless Gun with John Payne (March 29, 1957 pilot) and Tales of Wells Fargo with Dale Robertson (as Jim Hardie; season 6, episode 12 - A Tale of Wells Fargo - aired on December 14, 1956), and the first-run syndication series Shotgun Slade [1] with Scott Brady (season eight, episode 14 aired on March 27, 1959). The Restless Gun pilot was based on the radio series The Six Shooter, and Payne's character had the same name, Britt Ponset, as the radio character; that name was changed to Vint Bonner when the actual series began, possibly to prevent confusion with Bret Maverick in Maverick, which debuted in 1957. The same year, Jacques Tourneur directed one episode, "Outlaw's Boots" (25 min), broadcast in December 1957. For the 1958-1959 season, the series alternated weeks with the Lux Playhouse.

An episode of the series also was the pilot for China Smith.[2]

Guest stars

James Dean in
"The Unlighted Road" (1955)

Guest stars included the child actress Beverly Washburn, later on The New Loretta Young Show, who appeared in "The Closed Door" (1953) and "One Left Over" (1957).

Child actor Michael Winkelman, later of The Real McCoys, also appeared twice, as Joey Harlow in the 1955 episode "Fast Break" and as Jimmy Quinlin in the 1956 segment "Weapon of Courage."

Phyllis Avery appeared six times, including the episodes "The Girl Who Scared Men Off" and "Bluebeard's Seventh Wife".

Walter Coy appeared four times, including the role of Paul Hunter in "Fool Proof" in 1956.

Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., played Colonel Louis Coca in the episode "Little War at San Dede" (1954).

Dayton Lummis appeared as editor Cartwright in "The Last Pilot Schooner" and as Arthur Healy in "Ambitious Cop" (both 1955). Tyler MacDuff made his television debut in the 1954 episode "At the Natchez Inn".

Nora Marlowe played Katherine in "The Girl in the Grass" (1957), with fellow guest stars Ray Milland and Carolyn Jones.

James Dean made a rare television appearance in "The Unlighted Road" in 1955.

Gene Kelly made his television dramatic debut in "The Life You Save" in 1957.[3]

Others included Irene Dunne and Helen Hayes in "Not a Chance" (1951, the first episode); John Payne in "The Name is Bellingham" (1951); Rosalind Russell in "Never Wave at a WAC" (1951); Charlton Heston and June Lockhart in "One is a Lonely Number" (1951); Robert Preston and Margaret Sullavan in "The Nymph and the Lamp" (1951); John Payne and Coleen Gray in "Exit" (1951); Anthony Quinn in "Dark Fleece" (1951); Dan Duryea in "P.G." (1952); Vincent Price in "The Human Touch" (1952); Lillian Gish in "The Autobiography of Grandma Moses" (1952); Barbara Britton in "Say Hello to Pamela" (1952); Dolores del Río in "An Old Spanish Custom" (1957), etc. Most had multiple appearances throughout the series.

Awards

In 1958, Paul Monash won an Emmy Award for Best Teleplay Writing - One Hour or Less for the episode "The Lonely Wizard".[4] In 1954, Billboard ranked it sixth-best filmed network dramatic series; it received 264 votes, compared to 826 votes for list-topping Ford Theater, but well ahead of the series at 10th place, Revlon Mirror Theater, which only got 35 votes.[5]

Summer reruns

Episodes of the series were rerun during the summer under several titles. In 1958, repeats aired for two months as Adorn Playhouse. In 1960 and 1961, the summer reruns aired as Adventure Theater.[4]

Episodes

Season 1 (1951-52)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
TBA1"Not a Chance"Frank TelfordTeleplay by: Thomas W. PhippsOctober 5, 1951 (1951-10-05)
TBA2"The Name Is Bellingham"UnknownUnknownOctober 12, 1951 (1951-10-12)
TBA3"Never Wave at a WAC"William H. Brown Jr.Story by: William Dozier
Teleplay by: Don Mankiewicz
October 19, 1951 (1951-10-19)
TBA4"Still Life"Frank TelfordStory by: Noël Coward
Teleplay by: Robert Anderson
October 26, 1951 (1951-10-26)
TBA5"The Lucky Touch"UnknownUnknownNovember 2, 1951 (1951-11-02)
TBA6"Decision and Daniel Webster"UnknownUnknownNovember 9, 1951 (1951-11-09)
TBA7"The Memories of Aimee Durant"UnknownUnknownNovember 16, 1951 (1951-11-16)
TBA8"One Is a Lonesome Number"UnknownUnknownNovember 23, 1951 (1951-11-23)
TBA9"Two Living and One Dead"UnknownUnknownNovember 30, 1951 (1951-11-30)
TBA10"The Nymph and the Lamp"UnknownUnknownDecember 7, 1951 (1951-12-07)
TBA11"Exit"UnknownUnknownDecember 14, 1951 (1951-12-14)
TBA12"Dark Fleece"UnknownUnknownDecember 21, 1951 (1951-12-21)
TBA13"Girl in a Million"UnknownUnknownDecember 28, 1951 (1951-12-28)
TBA14"Clean Sweep for Lavinia"UnknownUnknownJanuary 4, 1952 (1952-01-04)
TBA15"Billy Budd"UnknownStory by: Herman Melville
Teleplay by: Louis O. Coxe and Robert H. Chapman
January 11, 1952 (1952-01-11)
TBA16"The Man That I Marry"UnknownUnknownJanuary 18, 1952 (1952-01-18)
TBA17"P.G."UnknownUnknownJanuary 25, 1952 (1952-01-25)
TBA18"Lady with a Will"UnknownUnknownFebruary 1, 1952 (1952-02-01)
TBA19"The Daughter"UnknownUnknownFebruary 8, 1952 (1952-02-08)
TBA20"Fifty Grand"UnknownUnknownFebruary 15, 1952 (1952-02-15)
TBA21"World So Wide"UnknownUnknownFebruary 22, 1952 (1952-02-22)
TBA22"Apple of His Eye"UnknownUnknownFebruary 29, 1952 (1952-02-29)
TBA23"The Haunted Heart"UnknownUnknownMarch 7, 1952 (1952-03-07)
TBA24"Make Way For Teddy"UnknownUnknownMarch 14, 1952 (1952-03-14)
TBA25"The Human Touch"UnknownUnknownMarch 21, 1952 (1952-03-21)
TBA26"The Autobiography of Grandma Moses"UnknownUnknownMarch 28, 1952 (1952-03-28)
TBA27"Experiment"UnknownUnknownApril 4, 1952 (1952-04-04)
TBA28"Four's a Family"UnknownUnknownApril 11, 1952 (1952-04-11)
TBA29"Now's the Time"UnknownUnknownApril 18, 1952 (1952-04-18)
TBA30"Fear"UnknownUnknownApril 25, 1952 (1952-04-25)
TBA31"Doctors Should Never Marry"UnknownUnknownMay 2, 1952 (1952-05-02)
TBA32"Appointment with the Past"UnknownUnknownMay 9, 1952 (1952-05-09)
TBA33"Autumn in New York"UnknownUnknownMay 16, 1952 (1952-05-16)
TBA34"Love Came Late"UnknownUnknownMay 23, 1952 (1952-05-23)
TBA35"A Quarter for Your Troubles"UnknownUnknownMay 30, 1952 (1952-05-30)
TBA36"Souvenir from Singapore"UnknownUnknownJune 6, 1952 (1952-06-06)
TBA37"Dress in the Window"UnknownUnknownJune 13, 1952 (1952-06-13)
TBA38"Say Hello to Pamela"UnknownUnknownJune 20, 1952 (1952-06-20)
TBA39"The Von Linden File"UnknownUnknownJune 27, 1952 (1952-06-27)
TBA40"The House of Death"UnknownUnknownJuly 4, 1952 (1952-07-04)
TBA41"A Southern Lady"UnknownUnknownJuly 11, 1952 (1952-07-11)
TBA42"Early Space Conquerors"UnknownUnknownJuly 18, 1952 (1952-07-18)
TBA43"A Man's World"UnknownUnknownJuly 25, 1952 (1952-07-25)
TBA44"Crossroads"UnknownUnknownAugust 1, 1952 (1952-08-01)
TBA45"So Help Me"UnknownUnknownAugust 8, 1952 (1952-08-08)
TBA46"Double Exposure"UnknownUnknownAugust 15, 1952 (1952-08-15)
TBA47"Mr. And Mrs. Trubble or The Tubbles"UnknownUnknownAugust 22, 1952 (1952-08-22)
TBA48"Port of Call"UnknownUnknownAugust 29, 1952 (1952-08-29)

Season 2 (1952-53)

Data not available

Season 3 (1953-54)

Data not available

Season 4 (1954-55)

Data not available

Season 5 (1955-56)

Data not available

Season 6 (1956-57)

Data not available

Season 7 (1957-58)

Data not available

Season 8 (1958-59)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
TBA1"Portrait of a Legend"Don WeisStory by: Milo Wood
Teleplay by: Donald S. Sanford
September 12, 1958 (1958-09-12)
TBA2"Kinsman"Jules BrickenTeleplay by: Tom SellerSeptember 19, 1958 (1958-09-19)
TBA3"A Thing To Fight For"John BrahmStory by: Wyatt Blassingame
Teleplay by: Paul Monash
September 26, 1958 (1958-09-26)
TBA4"The Hasty Hanging"John BrahmTeleplay by: Charles LarsonOctober 10, 1958 (1958-10-10)
TBA5"The Trouble With Ruth"John BrahmStory by: Henry Slesar
Teleplay by: Jameson Brewer
October 24, 1958 (1958-10-24)
TBA6"False Impression"Don MedfordTeleplay by: Jameson BrewerNovember 7, 1958 (1958-11-07)
TBA7"The Last Edition"John BrahmTeleplay by: Helen Cooper & Irving H. CooperNovember 21, 1958 (1958-11-21)
TBA8"Third Son"UnknownStory by: Ernest Haycox
Teleplay by: Tom Seller
December 5, 1958 (1958-12-05)
TBA9"No Answer"Arthur HillerStory by: Theodore Sturgeon
Teleplay by: Tom Seller
December 19, 1958 (1958-12-19)
TBA10"A Fistful Of Love"Allen H. MinerTeleplay by: Allen H. MinerJanuary 2, 1959 (1959-01-02)
TBA11"You Can’t Win'em All"David ButlerStory by: Mac Shoub
Teleplay by: Charles Larson
January 16, 1959 (1959-01-16)
TBA12"And Practically Strangers"Jules BrickenStory by: Robert Bristow
Teleplay by: Halsey Melone
January 30, 1959 (1959-01-30)
TBA13"The Man Who Had No Friends"Anton M. LeaderStory by: Hugh Pentecost
Teleplay by: Tom Seller
February 13, 1959 (1959-02-13)
TBA14"On The Brink"Sidney LanfieldStory by: James Yaffe
Teleplay by: Kathleen Hite
February 27, 1959 (1959-02-27)
TBA15"Ivy League"Richard WhorfStory by: Jameson Brewer
Teleplay by: Everett Freeman
March 13, 1959 (1959-03-13)
TBA16"The Salted Mine"James NielsonTeleplay by: Frank GruberMarch 27, 1959 (1959-03-27)
TBA17"The Rumor"Richard HaydnStory by: Erskine Caldwell
Teleplay by: Everett Greenbaum and Fritzell Greenbaum
June 5, 1959 (1959-06-05)
TBA18"Hostage"John BrahmTeleplay by: Tom SellerJune 19, 1959 (1959-06-19)
TBA19"Cowboy Five Seven"James StewartTeleplay by: Beirne Lay Jr.July 17, 1959 (1959-07-17)
TBA20"A Ballad to Die By"Robert M. LeedsStory by: Roy Chanslor
Teleplay by: Otis Carney
July 31, 1959 (1959-07-31)

Production

In April 1957 Schlitz extended its contract with Revue Productions, agreeing to pay approximately $2 million for 40 episodes. The increased budget enabled Revue to seek top-name stars for the series. Jules Bricken and Frank P. Rosenberg were the producers.[6]

Sale

CBS-TV bought the negative rights to 104 episodes of Schlitz Playhouse of Stars for about $1.2 million in 1957 with RKO Teleradio serving as an intermediary between the network and Meridian Productions. CBS tried to buy the property outright, but Meridian wanted payments spread over 10 years, and the network did not want a long-term commitment. RKO Teleradio solved the problem by accepting the short-term payment from CBS and, in turn, paying 10 percent to Meridian each year for a decade.[7]

References

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWfvMQCih-Y Schlitz Playhouse Of Stars S08 E14 The Salted Mine - Pilot for Shotgun Slade
  2. "film report" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 28, 1952. p. 79. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  3. "Here Comes Kelly! Back to Our City, Natch". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. February 24, 1957. p. 37. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  5. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (31 July 1954). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. "$2,000,000 Schlitz Anthology Renewal". Variety. May 1, 1957. p. 2*. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  7. "Inside Stulf-TV Films". Variety. March 13, 1957. p. 34. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
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