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.
Trailer
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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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 39 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Forbidden Area Oct 4, 1956
- E2 Requiem for a Heavyweight Oct 11, 1956
- E3 Sizeman and Son Oct 18, 1956
- E4 Rendezvous in Black Oct 25, 1956
- E5 The Country Husband Nov 1, 1956
- E6 The Big Slide Nov 8, 1956
- E7 Heritage of Anger Nov 15, 1956
- E8 Eloise Nov 22, 1956
- E9 Confession Nov 29, 1956
- E10 Made in Heaven Dec 6, 1956
- E11 Sincerely, Willis Wade Dec 13, 1956
- E12 The Family Nobody Wanted Dec 20, 1956
- E13 Massacre at Sand Creek Dec 27, 1956
- E14 Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses Jan 3, 1957
- E15 The Ninth Day Jan 10, 1957
- E16 So Soon to Die Jan 17, 1957
- E17 The Star Wagon Jan 24, 1957
- E18 The Greer Case Jan 31, 1957
- E19 The Miracle Worker Feb 7, 1957
- E20 The Comedian Feb 14, 1957
- E21 One Coat of White Feb 21, 1957
- E22 The Blackwell Story Feb 28, 1957
- E23 Invitation to a Gunfighter Mar 7, 1957
- E24 The Last Tycoon Mar 14, 1957
- E25 The Hostess with the Mostes' Mar 21, 1957
- E26 Where's Charley? Mar 28, 1957
- E27 Clipper Ship Apr 4, 1957
- E28 If You Knew Elizabeth Apr 11, 1957
- E29 Three Men on a Horse Apr 18, 1957
- E30 Four Women in Black Apr 25, 1957
- E31 Child of Trouble May 2, 1957
- E32 Homeward Borne May 9, 1957
- E33 The Helen Morgan Story May 16, 1957
- E34 Winter Dreams May 23, 1957
- E35 Circle of the Day May 30, 1957
- E36 Without Incident Jun 6, 1957
- E37 Clash by Night Jun 13, 1957
- E38 Ain't No Time for Glory Jun 20, 1957
- E39 The Fabulous Irishman Jun 27, 1957
Season 2 · 40 episodes
- E1 The Death of Manolete Sep 12, 1957
- E2 The Dark Side of the Earth Sep 19, 1957
- E3 Topaze Sep 26, 1957
- E4 A Sound of Different Drummers Oct 3, 1957
- E5 The Playroom Oct 10, 1957
- E6 Around the World in 90 Minutes Oct 17, 1957
- E7 The Mystery of Thirteen Oct 24, 1957
- E8 The Edge of Innocence Oct 31, 1957
- E9 The Clouded Image Nov 7, 1957
- E10 The Jet-Propelled Couch Nov 14, 1957
- E11 The Troublemakers Nov 21, 1957
- E12 Panic Button Nov 28, 1957
- E13 Galvanized Yankee Dec 5, 1957
- E14 The Thundering Wave Dec 12, 1957
- E15 For I Have Loved Strangers Dec 19, 1957
- E16 The Lone Woman Dec 26, 1957
- E17 Reunion Jan 2, 1958
- E18 The Last Man Jan 9, 1958
- E19 The 80 Yard Run Jan 16, 1958
- E20 Before I Die Jan 23, 1958
- E21 The Gentleman from Seventh Avenue Jan 30, 1958
- E22 The Violent Heart Feb 6, 1958
- E23 No Time at All Feb 13, 1958
- E24 Point of No Return Feb 20, 1958
- E25 Portrait of a Murderer Feb 27, 1958
- E26 The Last Clear Chance Mar 6, 1958
- E27 The Male Animal Mar 13, 1958
- E28 The Right Hand Man Mar 20, 1958
- E29 Turn Left at Mount Everest Apr 3, 1958
- E30 The Dungeon Apr 17, 1958
- E31 Verdict of Three Apr 24, 1958
- E32 Rumors of Evening May 1, 1958
- E33 Not the Glory May 8, 1958
- E34 Nightmare at Ground Zero May 15, 1958
- E35 Bomber's Moon May 22, 1958
- E36 Natchez May 29, 1958
- E37 The Innocent Sleep Jun 5, 1958
- E38 A Town Has Turned to Dust Jun 19, 1958
- E39 The Great Gatsby Jun 26, 1958
- E40 Bitter Heritage Aug 7, 1958
Season 3 · 38 episodes
- E1 The Plot to Kill Stalin Sep 25, 1958
- E2 Days of Wine and Roses Oct 2, 1958
- E3 The Time of Your Life Oct 9, 1958
- E4 The Long March Oct 16, 1958
- E5 Shadows Tremble Oct 23, 1958
- E6 Word from a Sealed-Off Box Oct 30, 1958
- E7 Heart of Darkness Nov 6, 1958
- E8 Old Man Nov 20, 1958
- E9 The Return of Ansel Gibbs Nov 27, 1958
- E10 Free Weekend Dec 4, 1958
- E11 Seven Against the Wall Dec 11, 1958
- E12 The Nutcracker Dec 25, 1958
- E13 Face of a Hero Jan 1, 1959
- E14 The Wings of the Dove Jan 8, 1959
- E15 The Blue Men Jan 15, 1959
- E16 The Velvet Alley Jan 22, 1959
- E17 A Quiet Game of Cards Jan 29, 1959
- E18 Child of Our Time Feb 5, 1959
- E19 The Second Man Feb 12, 1959
- E20 The Raider Feb 19, 1959
- E21 The Ding-A-Ling Girl Feb 26, 1959
- E22 Made in Japan Mar 5, 1959
- E23 For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 1 Mar 12, 1959
- E24 For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 2 Mar 19, 1959
- E25 A Trip to Paradise Mar 26, 1959
- E26 In Lonely Expectation Apr 2, 1959
- E27 The Day Before Atlanta Apr 9, 1959
- E28 Judgment at Nuremberg Apr 16, 1959
- E29 A Corner of the Garden Apr 23, 1959
- E30 Dark December Apr 30, 1959
- E31 Diary of a Nurse May 7, 1959
- E32 A Marriage of Strangers May 14, 1959
- E33 Out of Dust May 21, 1959
- E34 The Rank and File May 28, 1959
- E35 The Killers of Mussolini Jun 4, 1959
- E36 Project Immortality Jun 11, 1959
- E37 Dark as the Night Jun 18, 1959
- E38 The Second Happiest Day Jun 25, 1959
Season 4 · 17 episodes
- E1 Target for Three Oct 1, 1959
- E2 The Sounds of Eden Oct 15, 1959
- E3 Misalliance Oct 29, 1959
- E4 The Hidden Image Nov 12, 1959
- E5 The Grey Nurse Said Nothing Nov 26, 1959
- E6 The Tunnel Dec 10, 1959
- E7 The Silver Whistle Dec 24, 1959
- E8 John Brown's Raid Jan 14, 1960
- E9 A Dream of Treason Jan 21, 1960
- E10 To the Sound of Trumpets Feb 10, 1960
- E11 The Cruel Day Feb 24, 1960
- E12 Tomorrow Mar 7, 1960
- E13 The Hiding Place Mar 22, 1960
- E14 Alas, Babylon Apr 3, 1960
- E15 Journey to the Day Apr 22, 1960
- E16 The Shape of the River May 2, 1960
- E17 In the Presence of Mine Enemies 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.