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.
Title | Air Date | Duration | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Season 1 | Episode 1 | My Wife Geraldine | 1952-09-25 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 2 | Dante's Inferno | 1952-10-02 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 3 | The Lost Silk Hat | 1952-10-23 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 4 | Backstage | 1952-11-06 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 5 | Welcome Home | 1952-11-20 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 6 | The Island | 1952-12-04 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 7 | The Officer and the Lady | 1952-12-18 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 8 | Knockout | 1953-01-01 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 9 | Man on a Train | 1953-01-15 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 10 | Trail's End | 1953-01-29 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 11 | Sound Off, My Love | 1953-02-12 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 12 | The Man in the Box | 1953-02-26 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 13 | No Identity | 1953-03-12 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 14 | The Man Who Walked Out On Himself | 1953-03-26 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 15 | The Last Voyage | 1953-04-23 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 16 | Night Ride | 1953-05-07 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 17 | The Ladies On His Mind | 1953-05-21 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 18 | Mr. Bingham | 1953-06-04 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 19 | Shadowed | 1953-06-18 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 1 | Finale | 1953-09-24 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 2 | The Squeeze | 1953-10-01 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 3 | A Place Of His Own | 1953-10-08 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 4 | Love At Sea | 1953-10-15 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 5 | The Witness | 1953-10-22 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 6 | A Matter Of Advice | 1953-10-29 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 7 | Out of the Night | 1953-11-05 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 8 | Moorings | 1953-11-12 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 9 | The Hard Way | 1953-09-10 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 10 | For Art`s Sake | 1953-11-26 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 11 | The Girl On The Park Bench | 1953-12-03 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 12 | The Room | 1953-12-10 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 13 | A Man Of The World | 1953-12-17 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 14 | The Gift | 1953-12-24 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 15 | House For Sale | 1953-12-31 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 16 | The Test | 1954-01-07 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 17 | The Bad Streak | 1954-01-14 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 18 | A String of Beads | 1954-01-21 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 19 | Indian Taker | 1954-01-28 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 20 | Second Dawn | 1954-02-04 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 21 | The Gun | 1954-02-11 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 22 | The Bomb | 1954-02-18 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 23 | Meet McGraw: Long Count | 1954-02-25 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 24 | Detective`s Holiday | 1954-03-04 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 25 | Operation In Money | 1954-03-11 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 26 | Lady of the Orchids | 1954-03-18 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 27 | The Book | 1954-04-01 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 28 | A Study In Panic | 1954-04-08 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 29 | Masquerade | 1954-04-15 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 30 | Village In The City | 1954-04-22 | 30 min |
Season 2 | Episode 31 | The Doctor And The Countess | 1954-04-29 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 1 | Man in the Cellar | 1954-09-30 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 2 | Never Explain | 1954-10-07 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 3 | Interlude | 1954-10-14 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 4 | The Wallet | 1954-10-21 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 5 | The Adolescent | 1954-10-28 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 6 | The Contest | 1954-11-04 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 7 | Vote Of Confidence | 1954-11-11 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 8 | My Own Dear Dragon | 1954-11-18 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 9 | Marked Down | 1954-11-25 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 10 | Meet A Lonely Man | 1954-12-02 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 11 | Bourbon Street | 1954-12-09 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 12 | A Championship Affair | 1954-12-16 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 13 | The Answer | 1954-12-23 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 14 | Go Ahead And Jump | 1954-12-30 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 15 | A Bag Of Oranges | 1955-01-06 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 16 | Stuffed Shirt | 1955-01-11 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 17 | Breakfast in Bed | 1955-01-20 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 18 | The Good Sister | 1955-01-27 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 19 | A Kiss for Mr. Lincoln | 1955-02-03 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 20 | Fair Trial | 1955-02-10 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 21 | The Wild Bunch | 1955-02-17 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 22 | Tusitala | 1955-02-24 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 23 | The Returning | 1955-03-03 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 24 | Eddie`s Place | 1955-03-10 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 25 | Henry And The Psychopathic Horse | 1955-03-17 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 26 | Night At Lark Cottage | 1955-03-24 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 27 | The Girl On The Bridge | 1955-03-31 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 28 | The Collar | 1955-04-07 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 29 | Madeira, Madeira | 1955-04-14 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 30 | With All My Heart | 1955-04-21 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 31 | The House Always Wins | 1955-04-28 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 32 | Uncle Fred Flits By | 1955-05-05 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 33 | Alias Mr. Hepp | 1955-05-12 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 34 | Trudy | 1955-05-26 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 35 | Broken Journey | 1955-06-02 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 36 | The Executioner | 1955-06-09 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 37 | The Frightened Woman | 1955-06-23 | 30 min |
Season 3 | Episode 38 | Award | 1955-06-30 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 1 | The Firing Squad | 1955-10-06 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 2 | The Face of Danger | 1955-10-13 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 3 | Let the Chips Fall | 1955-10-20 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 4 | Full Circle | 1955-10-27 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 5 | A Spray of Bullets | 1955-11-03 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 6 | The Devil to Pay | 1955-11-10 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 7 | Here Comes the Suit | 1955-11-17 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 8 | Looking Glass House | 1955-11-24 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 9 | The Thin Red Line | 1955-12-01 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 10 | A Place Full of Strangers | 1955-12-08 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 11 | One Way Out | 1955-12-15 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 12 | Dark Meeting | 1956-01-05 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 13 | Magic Night | 1956-01-12 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 14 | Tunnel of Fear | 1956-01-19 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 15 | High Stakes | 1956-01-26 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 16 | The Listener | 1956-02-02 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 17 | Safe Keeping | 1956-02-09 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 18 | No Limit | 1956-02-16 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 19 | Command | 1956-02-26 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 20 | Once to Every Woman | 1956-03-01 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 21 | Red Wine | 1956-03-08 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 22 | To Die at Midnight | 1956-03-15 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 23 | Desert Encounter | 1956-03-22 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 24 | The Case of Emily Cameron | 1956-03-29 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 25 | The Rites of Spring | 1956-04-05 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 26 | Autumn Carousel | 1956-04-12 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 27 | Wall of Bamboo | 1956-04-19 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 28 | Touch and Go | 1956-04-26 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 29 | A Long Way From Texas | 1956-05-03 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 30 | That Woman | 1956-05-10 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 31 | The Other Room | 1956-05-17 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 32 | One Forty-Two | 1956-05-24 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 33 | Beneath the Surface | 1956-05-31 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 34 | Watch the Sunset | 1956-06-07 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 35 | Second Chance | 1956-06-14 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 36 | Woman Afraid | 1956-06-21 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 37 | The Stacked Deck | 1956-06-28 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 38 | Distinguished Service | 1956-07-05 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 39 | Yellowbelly | 1956-07-12 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 40 | The Stand-In | 1956-07-19 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 41 | Success Story | 1956-07-26 | 30 min |
Season 4 | Episode 42 | Something Very Special | 1956-08-02 | 30 min |