The Philco Television Playhouse 1948
★ 6.6/10 · 8 votes Drama 8 seasons · 267 eps Ended
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Quick answer
What is The Philco Television Playhouse?
The Philco Television Playhouse is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of television. The program was sponsored by the electronics manufacturer Philco, which was known for its history in radio and television production.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1948
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 267
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 3, 1948
- Last aired
- Feb 12, 1956
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- NBC
- Genres
- Drama
- Updated
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The Philco Television Playhouse is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of television. The program was sponsored by the electronics manufacturer Philco, which was known for its history in radio and television production. Produced by Fred Coe, the series debuted on October 3, 1948, and remained on the air until 1955. During its eight-year run, the show featured a variety of content, beginning with Broadway adaptations hosted by Bert Lytell before moving on to Book-of-the-Month Club novels and other material. The series is recognized as one of the most respected dramatic programs of its era. Its critical reception included a 1954 Peabody Award and eight Emmy nominations between 1951 and 1956. The show, which featured performers including Jay Jackson, Bob Stanton, and E.G. Marshall, also underwent brief name changes and alternated with other programs throughout its broadcast history. The program served as a notable example of the live anthology dramas that defined early American television broadcasting.
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Should you watch it?
“This influential anthology series defined the Golden Age of television with live dramatic performances on NBC.”
Reasons to watch
- prestigious historical reputation
- diverse range of literary adaptations
Keep in mind
- limited availability of original live broadcasts
Watch it if you are interested in the early history and development of American television drama.
The series features period-appropriate dramatic content suitable for general audiences.
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Cast
Comprehensive Directory
Episode guide
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Season 1 · 45 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Dinner at Eight Mytharc Oct 3, 1948
- E2 Rebecca Core Oct 10, 1948
- E3 Counsellor-at-Law Core Oct 17, 1948
- E4 Angel in the Wings Core Oct 24, 1948
- E5 Street Scene Core Oct 31, 1948
- E6 This Thing Called Love Core Nov 7, 1948
- E7 Camille Mytharc Nov 14, 1948
- E8 An Inspector Calls Core Nov 21, 1948
- E9 I Like It Here Core Nov 28, 1948
- E10 Suspect Core Dec 5, 1948
- E11 Parlor Story Core Dec 12, 1948
- E12 A Christmas Carol Core Dec 19, 1948
- E13 The Old Lady Shows Her Medals Core Dec 26, 1948
- E14 Ramshackle Inn Core Jan 2, 1949
- E15 Cyrano de Bergerac Core Jan 9, 1949
- E16 Papa Is All Core Jan 16, 1949
- E17 Pride and Prejudice Core Jan 23, 1949
- E18 Dark Hammock Core Jan 30, 1949
- E19 The Late Christopher Bean Core Feb 6, 1949
- E20 The Story of Mary Surratt Core Feb 13, 1949
- E21 Twelfth Night Core Feb 20, 1949
- E22 St. Helena Mytharc Feb 27, 1949
- E23 The Druid Circle Core Mar 6, 1949
- E24 Quality Street Core Mar 13, 1949
- E25 Dinner at Antoine's Core Mar 20, 1949
- E26 Becky Sharp Core Mar 27, 1949
- E27 And Never Been Kissed Core Apr 3, 1949
- E28 What Makes Sammy Run? Core Apr 10, 1949
- E29 Mr. Mergenthwirker's Lobblies Core Apr 17, 1949
- E30 Burlesque Core Apr 24, 1949
- E31 Macbeth Core May 1, 1949
- E32 Romeo and Juliet Core May 15, 1949
- E33 This Time, Next Year Core Jun 5, 1949
- E34 It Pays to Advertise Core Jun 12, 1949
- E35 Summer Formal Core Jun 19, 1949
- E36 Jenny Kissed Me Core Jun 26, 1949
- E37 Dark of the Moon Core Jul 3, 1949
- E38 For Love or Money Core Jul 10, 1949
- E39 The Five Lives of Richard Gordon Core Jul 17, 1949
- E40 You Touched Me! Core Jul 24, 1949
- E41 The Fourth Wall Core Jul 31, 1949
- E42 Enter Madame Core Aug 7, 1949
- E43 A Murder Has Been Arranged Core Aug 14, 1949
- E44 Pretty Little Parlor Mytharc Aug 21, 1949
- E45 Three Cornered Moon Mytharc Aug 28, 1949
Season 2 · 45 episodes
- E1 What Every Woman Knows Mytharc Sep 4, 1949
- E2 Pride's Castle Core Sep 11, 1949
- E3 The Little Sister Core Sep 18, 1949
- E4 The Lonely Core Sep 25, 1949
- E5 The Queen Bee Core Oct 2, 1949
- E6 Something's Got to Give Core Oct 9, 1949
- E7 The Last Tycoon Core Oct 16, 1949
- E8 Because of the Lockwoods Core Oct 23, 1949
- E9 Damion's Daughter Core Oct 30, 1949
- E10 The House of Seven Gables Core Nov 6, 1949
- E11 The Promise Core Nov 13, 1949
- E12 Medical Meeting Core Nov 20, 1949
- E13 The Wonderful Mrs. Ingram Core Nov 27, 1949
- E14 Mist on the Waters Core Dec 4, 1949
- E15 The Beautiful Bequest Core Dec 11, 1949
- E16 The Strange Christmas Dinner Core Dec 18, 1949
- E17 In Beauty Like the Night Core Dec 25, 1949
- E18 Little Boy Lost Core Jan 1, 1950
- E19 Bethel Merriday Core Jan 8, 1950
- E20 Murder at the Stork Club Mytharc Jan 15, 1950
- E21 The Marriages Core Jan 22, 1950
- E22 Uncle Dynamite Core Jan 29, 1950
- E23 The Sudden Guest Core Feb 5, 1950
- E24 Ann Rutledge Core Feb 12, 1950
- E25 A Letter to Mr. Priest Core Feb 19, 1950
- E26 Hometown Core Feb 26, 1950
- E27 The Life of Vincent Van Gogh Core Mar 5, 1950
- E28 The Uncertain Molly Collicutt Core Mar 12, 1950
- E29 The Trial of Steven Kent Core Mar 19, 1950
- E30 The Second Oldest Profession Core Mar 26, 1950
- E31 Nocturne Core Apr 2, 1950
- E32 Dirty Eddie Core Apr 9, 1950
- E33 The End is Known Core Apr 16, 1950
- E34 The Man in the Black Hat Core Apr 23, 1950
- E35 The American Core Apr 30, 1950
- E36 The Feast Core May 7, 1950
- E37 Brat Farrar Core May 14, 1950
- E38 The Charmed Circle Core May 21, 1950
- E39 Semmelweis Core May 28, 1950
- E40 Sense and Sensibility Core Jun 4, 1950
- E41 The Bump on Brannigan's Head Core Jun 11, 1950
- E42 Anything Can Happen Core Jun 18, 1950
- E43 Hear My Heart Speak Core Jun 25, 1950
- E44 The Reluctant Landlord Mytharc Jul 2, 1950
- E45 The Tentacles Mytharc Jul 9, 1950
Season 3 · 56 episodes
- E1 High Tor Mytharc Sep 10, 1950
- E2 The Long Run Core Sep 17, 1950
- E3 Dear Guest and Ghost Core Sep 24, 1950
- E4 The Touch of a Stranger Core Oct 1, 1950
- E5 The Vine That Grew on Fiftieth Street Core Oct 8, 1950
- E6 A Husband for Mama Core Oct 15, 1950
- E7 Portrait in Smoke Core Oct 22, 1950
- E8 The Gambler Mytharc Oct 29, 1950
- E9 The Power Devil Core Nov 5, 1950
- E10 The Man Who Got Away With It Core Nov 12, 1950
- E11 I'm Still Alive Core Nov 19, 1950
- E12 Torch for a Dark Journey Core Nov 26, 1950
- E13 Wacky, the Small Boy Core Dec 3, 1950
- E14 Bonanza Core Dec 10, 1950
- E15 Decoy Core Dec 17, 1950
- E16 The Pupil Core Dec 24, 1950
- E17 Leaf out of a Book Core Dec 31, 1950
- E18 The Symbol: Jefferson Davis Core Jan 7, 1951
- E19 The Lost Diplomat Core Jan 14, 1951
- E20 Confession Core Jan 21, 1951
- E21 The Great Escape Core Jan 28, 1951
- E22 A Matter of Life and Death Core Feb 4, 1951
- E23 Kitty Doone Core Feb 11, 1951
- E24 Let Them Be Sea Captains Core Feb 18, 1951
- E25 The Man Who Bought a Town Core Feb 25, 1951
- E26 No Medals on Pop Core Mar 11, 1951
- E27 The Dark Corridor Core Mar 18, 1951
- E28 Bulletin 120 Core Mar 25, 1951
- E29 Parnassus on Wheels Core Apr 1, 1951
- E30 Routine Assignment Core Apr 8, 1951
- E31 Hour of Destiny Core Apr 15, 1951
- E32 The Birth of the Movies Core Apr 22, 1951
- E33 Mr. Arcularis Core Apr 29, 1951
- E34 A Secret Island Core May 6, 1951
- E35 The Visitors Core May 13, 1951
- E36 Justice and Mr. Pleznik Core May 20, 1951
- E37 Rescue Core May 27, 1951
- E38 The Adventures of Hiram Holliday Core Jun 3, 1951
- E39 The Fast Dollar Core Jun 10, 1951
- E40 Operation: Airlift Core Jun 17, 1951
- E41 Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal Core Jun 24, 1951
- E42 The Plot Core Jul 1, 1951
- E43 Case History Core Jul 8, 1951
- E44 I Want to March Core Jul 15, 1951
- E45 Pretend I Am A Stranger Core Jul 22, 1951
- E46 Television Story Core Jul 29, 1951
- E47 The Return Core Aug 5, 1951
- E48 Ephraim Tutt's Clean Hands Core Aug 12, 1951
- E49 Come Alive Core Aug 19, 1951
- E50 Night at the Vulcan Mytharc Aug 26, 1951
- E51 This Time Next Year Core Sep 2, 1951
- E52 Women of Intrigue Core Sep 9, 1951
- E53 The Wayward Season Core Sep 16, 1951
- E54 The Spur Core Sep 23, 1951
- E55 By-Line for Murder Mytharc Sep 30, 1951
- E56 Requiem for a Model A Mytharc Oct 7, 1951
Season 4 · 25 episodes
- E1 Marcia Akers Mytharc Oct 21, 1951
- E2 The Education of a Fullback Core Nov 4, 1951
- E3 A Little Night Music Core Nov 18, 1951
- E4 Incident at Golden's Creek Core Dec 2, 1951
- E5 Perspective Core Dec 16, 1951
- E6 The Sisters Core Dec 30, 1951
- E7 Without Fear or Favor Core Jan 13, 1952
- E8 Segment Core Jan 27, 1952
- E9 Rich Boy Core Feb 10, 1952
- E10 Tender Age Core Feb 24, 1952
- E11 Dusty Portrait Core Mar 9, 1952
- E12 The Best Laid Schemes Core Mar 23, 1952
- E13 The Room Next Door Core Apr 5, 1952
- E14 The Basket Weaver Core Apr 19, 1952
- E15 We Were Children Core May 4, 1952
- E16 A Cowboy for Chris Core May 18, 1952
- E17 A Man's Game Core Jun 1, 1952
- E18 Flight into Darkness Core Jun 15, 1952
- E19 The Monument Core Jun 29, 1952
- E20 A Letter to Mr. Priest Core Jul 13, 1952
- E21 Bratt Farrar Core Jul 27, 1952
- E22 The Five Fathers of Pepi Core Aug 10, 1952
- E23 Three Sundays Core Aug 24, 1952
- E24 The Last Hour Mytharc Sep 7, 1952
- E25 Holiday Song Mytharc Sep 14, 1952
Season 5 · 33 episodes
- E1 The Thin Air Mytharc Sep 21, 1952
- E2 The Black Sheep Core Oct 5, 1952
- E3 Uncertain Heritage Core Oct 19, 1952
- E4 The Winter of the Dog Core Nov 2, 1952
- E5 Parole Chief Core Nov 16, 1952
- E6 The Gift Core Nov 30, 1952
- E7 Tempest of Tick Creek Core Dec 14, 1952
- E8 Magic Morning Core Dec 28, 1952
- E9 Double Jeopardy Core Jan 4, 1953
- E10 Pride's Way Core Jan 11, 1953
- E11 Two for One Core Jan 18, 1953
- E12 Elegy Core Jan 25, 1953
- E13 The Reluctant Citizen Core Feb 8, 1953
- E14 Mr. Pettengill Here Core Feb 15, 1953
- E15 Wings on My Feet Core Feb 22, 1953
- E16 The Trip to Bountiful Mytharc Mar 1, 1953
- E17 The Gesture Core Mar 15, 1953
- E18 The Velvet Mitten Core Mar 22, 1953
- E19 A Young Lady of Property Core Apr 5, 1953
- E20 The Recluse Core Apr 19, 1953
- E21 Printer's Measure Core Apr 26, 1953
- E22 A Little Something in Reserve Core May 10, 1953
- E23 Marty Core May 24, 1953
- E24 The Way of an Eagle Core Jun 7, 1953
- E25 Baby and Me Core Jun 14, 1953
- E26 Expectant Relations Core Jun 21, 1953
- E27 The House in Athens Core Jul 5, 1953
- E28 The Big Deal Core Jul 19, 1953
- E29 The Cipher Core Aug 2, 1953
- E30 Ernie Barger is 50 Core Aug 9, 1953
- E31 The Rainmaker Core Aug 16, 1953
- E32 Othello Mytharc Sep 6, 1953
- E33 Holiday Song Mytharc Sep 20, 1953
Verified insights
Frequently asked questions
When did the series air?
The program was broadcast live on NBC from October 3, 1948, until October 2, 1955.
Who produced the show?
The series was produced by Fred Coe.
What kind of stories were featured?
The show presented original television plays as well as adaptations of Broadway productions, novels, and short stories.
Did the show receive any awards?
The series was recognized with a 1954 Peabody Award and received eight Emmy nominations between 1951 and 1956.
Who hosted the program?
Bert Lytell served as a host during the series' run.
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