"Four Star Playhouse" (1952) TV series 1952-1956

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Jerome Gruskin (writer)
Frank L. Moss (adaptation) (story "Listener, The")

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

25 September 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

This show featured four rotating stars, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Ida Lupino and Dick Powell in individual episodes consisting of everything from comedy to drama.

Plot Keywords:

Anthology | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 14 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

David Niven	...	Various Characters / ... (33 episodes, 1952-1956)
Dick Powell	...	Willie Dante / ... (32 episodes, 1952-1956)
Charles Boyer	...	Paul / ... (29 episodes, 1952-1956)
Ida Lupino	...	Ann / ... (19 episodes, 1952-1956)
Herb Vigran	...	Monte - Bartender / ... (15 episodes, 1952-1956)

Also Known As:

Best in Mystery (USA) (syndication title)
Four Star Theatre (UK) (new title)
Singer Playhouse (USA) (syndication title)
Star Performance (USA) (rerun title)
Aitiopaikka (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

USA:30 min (129 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Four Star Productions

Trivia:

During the third and fourth seasons (September 1954 to June 1955 and October 1955 to June 1956), this program was broadcast on the CBS-TV network on Thursday evenings between 9:30 and 10:00 PM.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: Angela Lansbury: A Balancing Act" (1998)

Four Star Playhouse

I remember several episodes of Four Star Playhouse from 1953-54. Ida Lupino was in one of them called "The green Dress" or something like that. It scared the blazes out of me. In it, Ida Lupino starred as a housewife murdered by her husband. She was pushed down a flight of stairs and broke her neck. Later, she returned to haunt him as an apparition at the top of the stairs, wearing the same green dress that she died in. I was five or six years old at the time of viewing this. Guess you could say it stuck in my mind! The other episode was the story of a woman who was being exploited by relatives for money. They were attempting to drive her mad or cause her suicide. The story unfolds as this young woman is looking for a new place to live. Her calculating uncle and aunt show her a renovated apartment that they know of. She is shown in, and while she is distracted, the sinister couple slips out and locks the door. Eventually this young woman becomes quite desperate as all the doors and windows are locked,the phone is disconnected, and nobody can hear her banging on the door. One scene shows her opening a closet door only to be greeted by the site of a hanging rope noose. She gets revenge by tricking her adversaries inside and locking the door on them.

I was too young at the time to be a movie critic. In retrospect however, I think these were classics that shouldn't be missed by those who love unique,unsettling dramas.