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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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 38 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Long Goodbye Mytharc Oct 7, 1954
- E2 The Thirteenth Chair Mytharc Oct 14, 1954
- E3 Casino Royale Core Oct 21, 1954
- E4 Sorry, Wrong Number Core Nov 4, 1954
- E5 The Gioconda Smile Core Nov 11, 1954
- E6 The After House Core Nov 25, 1954
- E7 An Error in Chemistry Core Dec 2, 1954
- E8 Epitaph for a Spy Core Dec 9, 1954
- E9 The White Carnation Core Dec 16, 1954
- E10 Nightmare in Copenhagen Core Dec 30, 1954
- E11 The Bigger They Come Core Jan 6, 1955
- E12 Escape From Fear Core Jan 13, 1955
- E13 The Mojave Kid Core Jan 27, 1955
- E14 The Leaf Out of the Book Core Feb 3, 1955
- E15 The Valiant Men Core Feb 10, 1955
- E16 The Box of Chocolates Core Feb 24, 1955
- E17 South of the Sun Core Mar 3, 1955
- E18 The Great Impersonation Core Mar 10, 1955
- E19 The Darkest Hour Core Mar 24, 1955
- E20 The Champion Core Mar 31, 1955
- E21 Private Worlds Core Apr 7, 1955
- E22 Flight 951 Core Apr 21, 1955
- E23 The First and the Last Core Apr 28, 1955
- E24 The Deliverance of Sister Cecilia Core May 5, 1955
- E25 No Stone Unturned Core May 19, 1955
- E26 A Farewell to Arms Core May 26, 1955
- E27 The Unimportant Man Core Jun 2, 1955
- E28 The Dark Fleece Core Jun 16, 1955
- E29 To Wake at Midnight Core Jun 23, 1955
- E30 The Dance Core Jun 30, 1955
- E31 Wild Stallion Core Jul 7, 1955
- E32 The Escape of Mendes-France Core Jul 14, 1955
- E33 The Healer Core Jul 21, 1955
- E34 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Core Jul 28, 1955
- E35 One Night Stand Core Aug 4, 1955
- E36 Edge of Terror Core Aug 11, 1955
- E37 Fear Strikes Out Mytharc Aug 18, 1955
- E38 Deal a Blow Mytharc Aug 25, 1955
Season 2 · 45 episodes
Open the complete Season 2 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mytharc Sep 1, 1955
- E2 Public Pigeon #1 Core Sep 8, 1955
- E3 Silent Decision Core Sep 15, 1955
- E4 Night of Execution Core Sep 22, 1955
- E5 Sailor on Horseback Core Sep 29, 1955
- E6 Thin Air Core Oct 13, 1955
- E7 House of Shadows Core Oct 20, 1955
- E8 The Pink Cloud Core Oct 27, 1955
- E9 Scheme to Defraud Core Nov 10, 1955
- E10 A Promise to Murder Core Nov 17, 1955
- E11 Portrait in Celluloid Core Nov 24, 1955
- E12 A Man of Taste Core Dec 1, 1955
- E13 The Passport Core Dec 8, 1955
- E14 The Day They Gave the Babies Away Core Dec 22, 1955
- E15 Bailout at 43,000 Feet Core Dec 29, 1955
- E16 The Prowler Core Jan 5, 1956
- E17 The Hanging Judge Core Jan 12, 1956
- E18 The Secret of River Lane Core Jan 26, 1956
- E19 Gamble on a Thief Core Feb 2, 1956
- E20 The Fifth Wheel Core Feb 9, 1956
- E21 Nightmare by Day Mytharc Feb 23, 1956
- E22 The Sound of Silence Core Mar 1, 1956
- E23 The Louella Parsons Story Core Mar 8, 1956
- E24 Pale Horse, Pale Rider Core Mar 22, 1956
- E25 An Episode of Sparrows Core Mar 29, 1956
- E26 Spin into Darkness Core Apr 5, 1956
- E27 The Lou Gehrig Story Core Apr 19, 1956
- E28 Sit Down with Death Core Apr 26, 1956
- E29 The Empty Room Blues Core May 3, 1956
- E30 Flame-Out on T-6 Core May 17, 1956
- E31 The Shadow of Evil Core May 24, 1956
- E32 Figures in Clay Core May 31, 1956
- E33 Faceless Adversary Core Jun 7, 1956
- E34 To Scream at Midnight Core Jun 14, 1956
- E35 The Circular Staircase Core Jun 21, 1956
- E36 A Trophy for Howard Davenport Core Jun 28, 1956
- E37 Phone Call for Matthew Quade Core Jul 5, 1956
- E38 Fear is the Hunter Core Jul 12, 1956
- E39 Fury at Dawn Core Jul 19, 1956
- E40 The Man Who Lost His Head Core Jul 26, 1956
- E41 Child of the Wind Core Aug 2, 1956
- E42 No Right to Kill Core Aug 9, 1956
- E43 The 78th Floor Core Aug 16, 1956
- E44 Throw Away the Cane Mytharc Aug 23, 1956
- E45 Dark Wall Mytharc Aug 30, 1956
Season 3 · 46 episodes
Open the complete Season 3 guide & lore primer →- E1 Bury Me Later Mytharc Sep 6, 1956
- E2 Burst of Violence Core Sep 13, 1956
- E3 The Garsten Case Core Sep 20, 1956
- E4 The Fog Core Sep 27, 1956
- E5 Island in the City Core Oct 4, 1956
- E6 Journey Into Fear Core Oct 11, 1956
- E7 The Midas Touch Core Oct 18, 1956
- E8 Night of the Heat Wave Core Oct 25, 1956
- E9 Flight to Tomorrow Core Nov 8, 1956
- E10 Night Shriek Core Nov 15, 1956
- E11 The Chinese Game Core Nov 22, 1956
- E12 The Secret Thread Core Nov 29, 1956
- E13 Savage Portrait Core Dec 6, 1956
- E14 Strange Hostage Core Dec 20, 1956
- E15 Ten Minutes to Curfew Core Dec 27, 1956
- E16 Carnival at Midnight Core Jan 3, 1957
- E17 The Gold Dress Core Jan 17, 1957
- E18 Circle of Destruction Core Jan 24, 1957
- E19 The Trouble at Number 5 Core Jan 31, 1957
- E20 The Stalker Core Feb 7, 1957
- E21 Stain of Honor Mytharc Feb 14, 1957
- E22 The Long Count Core Feb 21, 1957
- E23 And Don't Ever Come Back Core Feb 28, 1957
- E24 Night of a Rebel Core Mar 7, 1957
- E25 Let It Be Me Core Mar 21, 1957
- E26 Strange Sanctuary Core Mar 28, 1957
- E27 Don't Touch Me Core Apr 4, 1957
- E28 Mad Bomber Core Apr 18, 1957
- E29 Avalanche at Devil's Pass Core Apr 25, 1957
- E30 Strange Deaths at Burnleigh Core May 2, 1957
- E31 Bait for the Tiger Core May 16, 1957
- E32 The Hand of Evil Core May 23, 1957
- E33 The Disappearance of Amanda Hale Core May 30, 1957
- E34 Mr. Runyon of Broadway Core Jun 6, 1957
- E35 The Man Who Stole the Bible Core Jun 13, 1957
- E36 A Taste for Crime Core Jun 20, 1957
- E37 The Trial of Captain Wirtz Mytharc Jun 27, 1957
- E38 False Witness Mytharc Jul 4, 1957
- E39 Payment for Judas Mytharc Jul 11, 1957
- E40 Walk a Tightrope Core Jul 18, 1957
- E41 The High Jungle Core Jul 25, 1957
- E42 The Giant Killer Core Aug 1, 1957
- E43 Trail of Terror Mytharc Aug 8, 1957
- E44 Murder is a Witch Core Aug 15, 1957
- E45 The Stranger Within Mytharc Aug 22, 1957
- E46 Deadly Climate Mytharc Aug 29, 1957
Season 4 · 37 episodes
Open the complete Season 4 guide & lore primer →- E1 Trial by Fire Mytharc Sep 5, 1957
- E2 The Secret of the Red Room Core Sep 12, 1957
- E3 Necessary Evil Core Sep 19, 1957
- E4 Along Came a Spider Core Sep 26, 1957
- E5 Jacob and the Angels Core Oct 3, 1957
- E6 Mask for the Devil Core Oct 10, 1957
- E7 The Largest City in Captivity Core Oct 17, 1957
- E8 Tunnel of Fear Core Oct 24, 1957
- E9 Keep Me in Mind Core Nov 7, 1957
- E10 Two Tests on Tuesday Core Nov 14, 1957
- E11 A Matter of Life and Death Core Nov 21, 1957
- E12 Murder Has a Deadline Core Nov 28, 1957
- E13 The Devil's Brood Core Dec 5, 1957
- E14 Hurricane Diane Core Dec 12, 1957
- E15 To Walk the Night Mytharc Dec 19, 1957
- E16 Shadow of a Memory Core Dec 26, 1957
- E17 Scream in Silence Core Jan 2, 1958
- E18 Thieves of Tokyo Core Jan 16, 1958
- E19 Sound of the Moon Core Jan 23, 1958
- E20 Burst of Fire Core Jan 30, 1958
- E21 Four Hours in White Core Feb 6, 1958
- E22 The Secret Love of Johnny Spain Core Feb 20, 1958
- E23 Albert Anastasia, His Life and Death Core Feb 27, 1958
- E24 The Thief With the Big Blue Eyes Core Mar 6, 1958
- E25 So Deadly My Love Core Mar 13, 1958
- E26 The Great World and Timothy Colt Core Mar 27, 1958
- E27 On the Take Core Apr 3, 1958
- E28 The Volcano Seat Core Apr 10, 1958
- E29 Shooting for the Moon Core Apr 24, 1958
- E30 The Deadly Tattoo Core May 1, 1958
- E31 The Big Success Core May 8, 1958
- E32 The Disappearance of Daphne Core May 15, 1958
- E33 Time of the Hanging Core May 22, 1958
- E34 The Push-Button Giant Core May 29, 1958
- E35 Spider Web Core Jun 5, 1958
- E36 House of Doubt Mytharc Jun 19, 1958
- E37 Cabin B-13 Mytharc 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.
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