Playhouse 90 1956
What is Playhouse 90?
Playhouse 90 was an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960. The live program was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California, and delivered a total of 133 ninety‑minute episodes, a format that set it apart from the hour‑long anthology shows that dominated mid‑1950s network schedules.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1956
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 134
- Runtime
- 90 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 4, 1956
- Last aired
- May 16, 1960
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- CBS
- Genres
- Drama
- Updated
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 134 episodes and an average 90-minute runtime.
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Overview
Playhouse 90 was an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960. The live program was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California, and delivered a total of 133 ninety‑minute episodes, a format that set it apart from the hour‑long anthology shows that dominated mid‑1950s network schedules. The series’ title reflected the network’s intention to present extended, feature‑length dramas each week. Playhouse 90 originated from a pitch by Frank Stanton, the forward‑thinking executive who served as the right‑hand man to CBS chairman William S. Paley, during a brainstorming session for new program ideas.
Should you watch it?
“This ambitious anthology series brought feature-length live drama to American television screens every week.”
- innovative long-form format
- historical significance to television
- limited to mid-century production techniques
Watch it if you are interested in the evolution of television drama during the 1950s.
The series features live dramatic performances consistent with mid-1950s broadcast standards.
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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 39 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Forbidden Area Mytharc Oct 4, 1956
- E2 Requiem for a Heavyweight Core Oct 11, 1956
- E3 Sizeman and Son Core Oct 18, 1956
- E4 Rendezvous in Black Core Oct 25, 1956
- E5 The Country Husband Core Nov 1, 1956
- E6 The Big Slide Core Nov 8, 1956
- E7 Heritage of Anger Core Nov 15, 1956
- E8 Eloise Core Nov 22, 1956
- E9 Confession Mytharc Nov 29, 1956
- E10 Made in Heaven Core Dec 6, 1956
- E11 Sincerely, Willis Wade Core Dec 13, 1956
- E12 The Family Nobody Wanted Core Dec 20, 1956
- E13 Massacre at Sand Creek Core Dec 27, 1956
- E14 Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses Core Jan 3, 1957
- E15 The Ninth Day Core Jan 10, 1957
- E16 So Soon to Die Core Jan 17, 1957
- E17 The Star Wagon Core Jan 24, 1957
- E18 The Greer Case Mytharc Jan 31, 1957
- E19 The Miracle Worker Core Feb 7, 1957
- E20 The Comedian Core Feb 14, 1957
- E21 One Coat of White Core Feb 21, 1957
- E22 The Blackwell Story Core Feb 28, 1957
- E23 Invitation to a Gunfighter Core Mar 7, 1957
- E24 The Last Tycoon Core Mar 14, 1957
- E25 The Hostess with the Mostes' Core Mar 21, 1957
- E26 Where's Charley? Core Mar 28, 1957
- E27 Clipper Ship Core Apr 4, 1957
- E28 If You Knew Elizabeth Core Apr 11, 1957
- E29 Three Men on a Horse Core Apr 18, 1957
- E30 Four Women in Black Core Apr 25, 1957
- E31 Child of Trouble Core May 2, 1957
- E32 Homeward Borne Core May 9, 1957
- E33 The Helen Morgan Story Core May 16, 1957
- E34 Winter Dreams Core May 23, 1957
- E35 Circle of the Day Core May 30, 1957
- E36 Without Incident Core Jun 6, 1957
- E37 Clash by Night Core Jun 13, 1957
- E38 Ain't No Time for Glory Mytharc Jun 20, 1957
- E39 The Fabulous Irishman Mytharc Jun 27, 1957
Season 2 · 40 episodes
- E1 The Death of Manolete Mytharc Sep 12, 1957
- E2 The Dark Side of the Earth Core Sep 19, 1957
- E3 Topaze Core Sep 26, 1957
- E4 A Sound of Different Drummers Core Oct 3, 1957
- E5 The Playroom Core Oct 10, 1957
- E6 Around the World in 90 Minutes Core Oct 17, 1957
- E7 The Mystery of Thirteen Core Oct 24, 1957
- E8 The Edge of Innocence Core Oct 31, 1957
- E9 The Clouded Image Core Nov 7, 1957
- E10 The Jet-Propelled Couch Mytharc Nov 14, 1957
- E11 The Troublemakers Core Nov 21, 1957
- E12 Panic Button Core Nov 28, 1957
- E13 Galvanized Yankee Core Dec 5, 1957
- E14 The Thundering Wave Core Dec 12, 1957
- E15 For I Have Loved Strangers Core Dec 19, 1957
- E16 The Lone Woman Core Dec 26, 1957
- E17 Reunion Core Jan 2, 1958
- E18 The Last Man Core Jan 9, 1958
- E19 The 80 Yard Run Core Jan 16, 1958
- E20 Before I Die Core Jan 23, 1958
- E21 The Gentleman from Seventh Avenue Core Jan 30, 1958
- E22 The Violent Heart Core Feb 6, 1958
- E23 No Time at All Core Feb 13, 1958
- E24 Point of No Return Core Feb 20, 1958
- E25 Portrait of a Murderer Core Feb 27, 1958
- E26 The Last Clear Chance Core Mar 6, 1958
- E27 The Male Animal Core Mar 13, 1958
- E28 The Right Hand Man Core Mar 20, 1958
- E29 Turn Left at Mount Everest Core Apr 3, 1958
- E30 The Dungeon Core Apr 17, 1958
- E31 Verdict of Three Core Apr 24, 1958
- E32 Rumors of Evening Core May 1, 1958
- E33 Not the Glory Core May 8, 1958
- E34 Nightmare at Ground Zero Core May 15, 1958
- E35 Bomber's Moon Core May 22, 1958
- E36 Natchez Core May 29, 1958
- E37 The Innocent Sleep Core Jun 5, 1958
- E38 A Town Has Turned to Dust Core Jun 19, 1958
- E39 The Great Gatsby Mytharc Jun 26, 1958
- E40 Bitter Heritage Mytharc Aug 7, 1958
Season 3 · 38 episodes
- E1 The Plot to Kill Stalin Mytharc Sep 25, 1958
- E2 Days of Wine and Roses Core Oct 2, 1958
- E3 The Time of Your Life Core Oct 9, 1958
- E4 The Long March Core Oct 16, 1958
- E5 Shadows Tremble Core Oct 23, 1958
- E6 Word from a Sealed-Off Box Core Oct 30, 1958
- E7 Heart of Darkness Core Nov 6, 1958
- E8 Old Man Core Nov 20, 1958
- E9 The Return of Ansel Gibbs Core Nov 27, 1958
- E10 Free Weekend Core Dec 4, 1958
- E11 Seven Against the Wall Core Dec 11, 1958
- E12 The Nutcracker Core Dec 25, 1958
- E13 Face of a Hero Core Jan 1, 1959
- E14 The Wings of the Dove Core Jan 8, 1959
- E15 The Blue Men Core Jan 15, 1959
- E16 The Velvet Alley Core Jan 22, 1959
- E17 A Quiet Game of Cards Core Jan 29, 1959
- E18 Child of Our Time Core Feb 5, 1959
- E19 The Second Man Core Feb 12, 1959
- E20 The Raider Core Feb 19, 1959
- E21 The Ding-A-Ling Girl Core Feb 26, 1959
- E22 Made in Japan Core Mar 5, 1959
- E23 For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 1 Mytharc Mar 12, 1959
- E24 For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 2 Mytharc Mar 19, 1959
- E25 A Trip to Paradise Core Mar 26, 1959
- E26 In Lonely Expectation Core Apr 2, 1959
- E27 The Day Before Atlanta Core Apr 9, 1959
- E28 Judgment at Nuremberg Mytharc Apr 16, 1959
- E29 A Corner of the Garden Core Apr 23, 1959
- E30 Dark December Core Apr 30, 1959
- E31 Diary of a Nurse Core May 7, 1959
- E32 A Marriage of Strangers Core May 14, 1959
- E33 Out of Dust Core May 21, 1959
- E34 The Rank and File Core May 28, 1959
- E35 The Killers of Mussolini Core Jun 4, 1959
- E36 Project Immortality Core Jun 11, 1959
- E37 Dark as the Night Mytharc Jun 18, 1959
- E38 The Second Happiest Day Mytharc Jun 25, 1959
Season 4 · 17 episodes
- E1 Target for Three Mytharc Oct 1, 1959
- E2 The Sounds of Eden Core Oct 15, 1959
- E3 Misalliance Core Oct 29, 1959
- E4 The Hidden Image Core Nov 12, 1959
- E5 The Grey Nurse Said Nothing Core Nov 26, 1959
- E6 The Tunnel Core Dec 10, 1959
- E7 The Silver Whistle Core Dec 24, 1959
- E8 John Brown's Raid Core Jan 14, 1960
- E9 A Dream of Treason Core Jan 21, 1960
- E10 To the Sound of Trumpets Core Feb 10, 1960
- E11 The Cruel Day Core Feb 24, 1960
- E12 Tomorrow Core Mar 7, 1960
- E13 The Hiding Place Core Mar 22, 1960
- E14 Alas, Babylon Core Apr 3, 1960
- E15 Journey to the Day Core Apr 22, 1960
- E16 The Shape of the River Mytharc May 2, 1960
- E17 In the Presence of Mine Enemies Mytharc May 16, 1960
Frequently asked questions
When did the show air?
The series was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960.
How many episodes were produced?
There were a total of 133 episodes.
Where was the show filmed?
The series originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California.
What made the show unique?
It presented hour-and-a-half dramas rather than the standard hour-long plays of the era.
Who originated the idea for the show?
The series began as a pitch by Frank Stanton.
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