Climax! 1954
What is Climax!?
Climax! is an American television anthology series that aired on the CBS network from 1954 to 1958.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1954
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 166
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 7, 1954
- Last aired
- Jun 26, 1958
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- CBS
- Genres
- Drama, Mystery
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 166 episodes and an average 60-minute runtime.
Trailer
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Climax! is an American television anthology series that aired on the CBS network from 1954 to 1958. Also known as Climax Mystery Theater, the program presented a different story and a unique set of characters in each episode. The series was hosted by William Lundigan, with Mary Costa later joining as a co-host. Other individuals associated with the production include Art Gilmore and Michael Rennie. As an anthology, the series drew inspiration from various literary works, including the hard-boiled detective novel The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. The program was notable for being one of the few CBS shows of that era to be broadcast in color, and many of its episodes were performed and aired live. Production credits for the series included various writers, producers, and directors, such as Morton Fine, David Friedkin, and Allen Reisner, who worked on episodes based on books by authors like Margaret Cousins. The show maintained a consistent run throughout its four-year tenure on the air.
Should you watch it?
“An early color anthology series featuring live performances and shifting stories.”
- Historic early use of color broadcasting
- Live television production showcase
- Variety of standalone stories per episode
- Limited availability today
- Dated production values by modern standards
You're interested in early television history and anthology formats.
Suitable for classic TV enthusiasts; episodes were live and may feel unpolished.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 38 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 The Long Goodbye Oct 7, 1954
- E2 The Thirteenth Chair Oct 14, 1954
- E3 Casino Royale Oct 21, 1954
- E4 Sorry, Wrong Number Nov 4, 1954
- E5 The Gioconda Smile Nov 11, 1954
- E6 The After House Nov 25, 1954
- E7 An Error in Chemistry Dec 2, 1954
- E8 Epitaph for a Spy Dec 9, 1954
- E9 The White Carnation Dec 16, 1954
- E10 Nightmare in Copenhagen Dec 30, 1954
- E11 The Bigger They Come Jan 6, 1955
- E12 Escape From Fear Jan 13, 1955
- E13 The Mojave Kid Jan 27, 1955
- E14 The Leaf Out of the Book Feb 3, 1955
- E15 The Valiant Men Feb 10, 1955
- E16 The Box of Chocolates Feb 24, 1955
- E17 South of the Sun Mar 3, 1955
- E18 The Great Impersonation Mar 10, 1955
- E19 The Darkest Hour Mar 24, 1955
- E20 The Champion Mar 31, 1955
- E21 Private Worlds Apr 7, 1955
- E22 Flight 951 Apr 21, 1955
- E23 The First and the Last Apr 28, 1955
- E24 The Deliverance of Sister Cecilia May 5, 1955
- E25 No Stone Unturned May 19, 1955
- E26 A Farewell to Arms May 26, 1955
- E27 The Unimportant Man Jun 2, 1955
- E28 The Dark Fleece Jun 16, 1955
- E29 To Wake at Midnight Jun 23, 1955
- E30 The Dance Jun 30, 1955
- E31 Wild Stallion Jul 7, 1955
- E32 The Escape of Mendes-France Jul 14, 1955
- E33 The Healer Jul 21, 1955
- E34 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Jul 28, 1955
- E35 One Night Stand Aug 4, 1955
- E36 Edge of Terror Aug 11, 1955
- E37 Fear Strikes Out Aug 18, 1955
- E38 Deal a Blow Aug 25, 1955
Season 2 · 45 episodes
- E1 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Sep 1, 1955
- E2 Public Pigeon #1 Sep 8, 1955
- E3 Silent Decision Sep 15, 1955
- E4 Night of Execution Sep 22, 1955
- E5 Sailor on Horseback Sep 29, 1955
- E6 Thin Air Oct 13, 1955
- E7 House of Shadows Oct 20, 1955
- E8 The Pink Cloud Oct 27, 1955
- E9 Scheme to Defraud Nov 10, 1955
- E10 A Promise to Murder Nov 17, 1955
- E11 Portrait in Celluloid Nov 24, 1955
- E12 A Man of Taste Dec 1, 1955
- E13 The Passport Dec 8, 1955
- E14 The Day They Gave the Babies Away Dec 22, 1955
- E15 Bailout at 43,000 Feet Dec 29, 1955
- E16 The Prowler Jan 5, 1956
- E17 The Hanging Judge Jan 12, 1956
- E18 The Secret of River Lane Jan 26, 1956
- E19 Gamble on a Thief Feb 2, 1956
- E20 The Fifth Wheel Feb 9, 1956
- E21 Nightmare by Day Feb 23, 1956
- E22 The Sound of Silence Mar 1, 1956
- E23 The Louella Parsons Story Mar 8, 1956
- E24 Pale Horse, Pale Rider Mar 22, 1956
- E25 An Episode of Sparrows Mar 29, 1956
- E26 Spin into Darkness Apr 5, 1956
- E27 The Lou Gehrig Story Apr 19, 1956
- E28 Sit Down with Death Apr 26, 1956
- E29 The Empty Room Blues May 3, 1956
- E30 Flame-Out on T-6 May 17, 1956
- E31 The Shadow of Evil May 24, 1956
- E32 Figures in Clay May 31, 1956
- E33 Faceless Adversary Jun 7, 1956
- E34 To Scream at Midnight Jun 14, 1956
- E35 The Circular Staircase Jun 21, 1956
- E36 A Trophy for Howard Davenport Jun 28, 1956
- E37 Phone Call for Matthew Quade Jul 5, 1956
- E38 Fear is the Hunter Jul 12, 1956
- E39 Fury at Dawn Jul 19, 1956
- E40 The Man Who Lost His Head Jul 26, 1956
- E41 Child of the Wind Aug 2, 1956
- E42 No Right to Kill Aug 9, 1956
- E43 The 78th Floor Aug 16, 1956
- E44 Throw Away the Cane Aug 23, 1956
- E45 Dark Wall Aug 30, 1956
Season 3 · 46 episodes
- E1 Bury Me Later Sep 6, 1956
- E2 Burst of Violence Sep 13, 1956
- E3 The Garsten Case Sep 20, 1956
- E4 The Fog Sep 27, 1956
- E5 Island in the City Oct 4, 1956
- E6 Journey Into Fear Oct 11, 1956
- E7 The Midas Touch Oct 18, 1956
- E8 Night of the Heat Wave Oct 25, 1956
- E9 Flight to Tomorrow Nov 8, 1956
- E10 Night Shriek Nov 15, 1956
- E11 The Chinese Game Nov 22, 1956
- E12 The Secret Thread Nov 29, 1956
- E13 Savage Portrait Dec 6, 1956
- E14 Strange Hostage Dec 20, 1956
- E15 Ten Minutes to Curfew Dec 27, 1956
- E16 Carnival at Midnight Jan 3, 1957
- E17 The Gold Dress Jan 17, 1957
- E18 Circle of Destruction Jan 24, 1957
- E19 The Trouble at Number 5 Jan 31, 1957
- E20 The Stalker Feb 7, 1957
- E21 Stain of Honor Feb 14, 1957
- E22 The Long Count Feb 21, 1957
- E23 And Don't Ever Come Back Feb 28, 1957
- E24 Night of a Rebel Mar 7, 1957
- E25 Let It Be Me Mar 21, 1957
- E26 Strange Sanctuary Mar 28, 1957
- E27 Don't Touch Me Apr 4, 1957
- E28 Mad Bomber Apr 18, 1957
- E29 Avalanche at Devil's Pass Apr 25, 1957
- E30 Strange Deaths at Burnleigh May 2, 1957
- E31 Bait for the Tiger May 16, 1957
- E32 The Hand of Evil May 23, 1957
- E33 The Disappearance of Amanda Hale May 30, 1957
- E34 Mr. Runyon of Broadway Jun 6, 1957
- E35 The Man Who Stole the Bible Jun 13, 1957
- E36 A Taste for Crime Jun 20, 1957
- E37 The Trial of Captain Wirtz Jun 27, 1957
- E38 False Witness Jul 4, 1957
- E39 Payment for Judas Jul 11, 1957
- E40 Walk a Tightrope Jul 18, 1957
- E41 The High Jungle Jul 25, 1957
- E42 The Giant Killer Aug 1, 1957
- E43 Trail of Terror Aug 8, 1957
- E44 Murder is a Witch Aug 15, 1957
- E45 The Stranger Within Aug 22, 1957
- E46 Deadly Climate Aug 29, 1957
Season 4 · 37 episodes
- E1 Trial by Fire Sep 5, 1957
- E2 The Secret of the Red Room Sep 12, 1957
- E3 Necessary Evil Sep 19, 1957
- E4 Along Came a Spider Sep 26, 1957
- E5 Jacob and the Angels Oct 3, 1957
- E6 Mask for the Devil Oct 10, 1957
- E7 The Largest City in Captivity Oct 17, 1957
- E8 Tunnel of Fear Oct 24, 1957
- E9 Keep Me in Mind Nov 7, 1957
- E10 Two Tests on Tuesday Nov 14, 1957
- E11 A Matter of Life and Death Nov 21, 1957
- E12 Murder Has a Deadline Nov 28, 1957
- E13 The Devil's Brood Dec 5, 1957
- E14 Hurricane Diane Dec 12, 1957
- E15 To Walk the Night Dec 19, 1957
- E16 Shadow of a Memory Dec 26, 1957
- E17 Scream in Silence Jan 2, 1958
- E18 Thieves of Tokyo Jan 16, 1958
- E19 Sound of the Moon Jan 23, 1958
- E20 Burst of Fire Jan 30, 1958
- E21 Four Hours in White Feb 6, 1958
- E22 The Secret Love of Johnny Spain Feb 20, 1958
- E23 Albert Anastasia, His Life and Death Feb 27, 1958
- E24 The Thief With the Big Blue Eyes Mar 6, 1958
- E25 So Deadly My Love Mar 13, 1958
- E26 The Great World and Timothy Colt Mar 27, 1958
- E27 On the Take Apr 3, 1958
- E28 The Volcano Seat Apr 10, 1958
- E29 Shooting for the Moon Apr 24, 1958
- E30 The Deadly Tattoo May 1, 1958
- E31 The Big Success May 8, 1958
- E32 The Disappearance of Daphne May 15, 1958
- E33 Time of the Hanging May 22, 1958
- E34 The Push-Button Giant May 29, 1958
- E35 Spider Web Jun 5, 1958
- E36 House of Doubt Jun 19, 1958
- E37 Cabin B-13 Jun 26, 1958
Frequently asked questions
Was Climax! broadcast live?
Yes, many episodes were performed and broadcast live.
Who hosted Climax!?
It was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa.
When did Climax! air?
The series aired from 1954 to 1958.
What type of stories were shown?
It presented different stories and characters each episode, often dramatic or mystery-focused.
Did Climax! influence later shows?
It was notable for its time as a color anthology series, though specific influences are not documented.