# Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The title was shortened to Schlitz Playhouse beginning with the fall 1957 season.

## Live to film

Initially, the show was broadcast live, but starting in the summer of 1953, some episodes were filmed in advance. Beginning with the 1956-1957 season, all of the shows were filmed.
Between October 1951 and March 1952, the hour-long show was aired at 9 p.m. In April 1952, the running time was reduced from an hour to 30 minutes. The series moved to 9:30 p.m. in the 1955 fall season.

## Pilots

Three episodes served as pilots for later NBC Western series: The Restless Gun with John Payne (March 29, 1957 pilot) and Tales of Wells Fargo with Dale Robertson (as Jim Hardie; season 6, episode 12 - A Tale of Wells Fargo - aired on December 14, 1956), and the first-run syndication series Shotgun Slade with Scott Brady (season eight, episode 14 aired on March 27, 1959). The Restless Gun pilot was based on the radio series The Six Shooter, and Payne's character had the same name, Britt Ponset, as the radio character; that name was changed to Vint Bonner when the actual series began, possibly to prevent confusion with Bret Maverick in Maverick, which debuted in 1957. The same year, Jacques Tourneur directed one episode, "Outlaw's Boots" (25 min), broadcast in December 1957. For the 1958-1959 season, the series alternated weeks with the Lux Playhouse.
An episode of the series also was the pilot for China Smith.

## Guest stars

Guest stars included the child actress Beverly Washburn, later on The New Loretta Young Show, who appeared in "The Closed Door" (1953) and "One Left Over" (1957).
Child actor Michael Winkelman, later of The Real McCoys, also appeared twice, as Joey Harlow in the 1955 episode "Fast Break" and as Jimmy Quinlin in the 1956 segment "Weapon of Courage."
Phyllis Avery appeared six times, including the episodes "The Girl Who Scared Men Off" and "Bluebeard's Seventh Wife".
Walter Coy appeared four times, including the role of Paul Hunter in "Fool Proof" in 1956.
Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., played Colonel Louis Coca in the episode "Little War at San Dede" (1954).
Dayton Lummis appeared as editor Cartwright in "The Last Pilot Schooner" and as Arthur Healy in "Ambitious Cop" (both 1955). Tyler MacDuff made his television debut in the 1954 episode "At the Natchez Inn".
Nora Marlowe played Katherine in "The Girl in the Grass" (1957), with fellow guest stars Ray Milland and Carolyn Jones.
James Dean made a rare television appearance in "The Unlighted Road" in 1955.
Gene Kelly made his television dramatic debut in "The Life You Save" in 1957.
Others included Irene Dunne and Helen Hayes in "Not a Chance" (1951, the first episode); John Payne in "The Name is Bellingham" (1951); Rosalind Russell in "Never Wave at a WAC" (1951); Charlton Heston and June Lockhart in "One is a Lonely Number" (1951); Robert Preston and Margaret Sullavan in "The Nymph and the Lamp" (1951); John Payne and Coleen Gray in "Exit" (1951); Anthony Quinn in "Dark Fleece" (1951); Dan Duryea in "P.G." (1952); Vincent Price in "The Human Touch" (1952); Lillian Gish in "The Autobiography of Grandma Moses" (1952); Barbara Britton in "Say Hello to Pamela" (1952); Dolores del Río in "An Old Spanish Custom" (1957), etc. Most had multiple appearances throughout the series.

## Awards

In 1958, Paul Monash won an Emmy Award for Best Teleplay Writing - One Hour or Less for the episode "The Lonely Wizard". In 1954, Billboard ranked it sixth-best filmed network dramatic series; it received 264 votes, compared to 826 votes for list-topping Ford Theater, but well ahead of the series at 10th place, Revlon Mirror Theater, which only got 35 votes.

## Summer reruns

Episodes of the series were rerun during the summer under several titles. In 1958, repeats aired for two months as Adorn Playhouse. In 1960 and 1961, the summer reruns aired as Adventure Theater.

## Episodes
### Season 1 (1951-52)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
| TBA | 1 | "Not a Chance" | Frank Telford | Story by : Teleplay by : Thomas W. Phipps | October 5, 1951 (1951-10-05) |
| TBA | 2 | "The Name Is Bellingham" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | October 12, 1951 (1951-10-12) |
| TBA | 3 | "Never Wave at a WAC" | William H. Brown Jr. | Story by : William Dozier Teleplay by : Don Mankiewicz | October 19, 1951 (1951-10-19) |
| TBA | 4 | "Still Life" | Frank Telford | Story by : Noël Coward Teleplay by : Robert Anderson | October 26, 1951 (1951-10-26) |
| TBA | 5 | "The Lucky Touch" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | November 2, 1951 (1951-11-02) |
| TBA | 6 | "Decision and Daniel Webster" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | November 9, 1951 (1951-11-09) |
| TBA | 7 | "The Memories of Aimee Durant" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | November 16, 1951 (1951-11-16) |
| TBA | 8 | "One Is a Lonesome Number" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | November 23, 1951 (1951-11-23) |
| TBA | 9 | "Two Living and One Dead" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | November 30, 1951 (1951-11-30) |
| TBA | 10 | "The Nymph and the Lamp" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | December 7, 1951 (1951-12-07) |
| TBA | 11 | "Exit" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | December 14, 1951 (1951-12-14) |
| TBA | 12 | "Dark Fleece" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | December 21, 1951 (1951-12-21) |
| TBA | 13 | "Girl in a Million" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | December 28, 1951 (1951-12-28) |
| TBA | 14 | "Clean Sweep for Lavinia" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | January 4, 1952 (1952-01-04) |
| TBA | 15 | "Billy Budd" | Unknown | Story by : Herman Melville Teleplay by : Louis O. Coxe and Robert H. Chapman | January 11, 1952 (1952-01-11) |
| TBA | 16 | "The Man That I Marry" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | January 18, 1952 (1952-01-18) |
| TBA | 17 | "P.G." | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | January 25, 1952 (1952-01-25) |
| TBA | 18 | "Lady with a Will" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | February 1, 1952 (1952-02-01) |
| TBA | 19 | "The Daughter" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | February 8, 1952 (1952-02-08) |
| TBA | 20 | "Fifty Grand" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | February 15, 1952 (1952-02-15) |
| TBA | 21 | "World So Wide" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | February 22, 1952 (1952-02-22) |
| TBA | 22 | "Apple of His Eye" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | February 29, 1952 (1952-02-29) |
| TBA | 23 | "The Haunted Heart" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | March 7, 1952 (1952-03-07) |
| TBA | 24 | "Make Way For Teddy" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | March 14, 1952 (1952-03-14) |
| TBA | 25 | "The Human Touch" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | March 21, 1952 (1952-03-21) |
| TBA | 26 | "The Autobiography of Grandma Moses" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | March 28, 1952 (1952-03-28) |
| TBA | 27 | "Experiment" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | April 4, 1952 (1952-04-04) |
| TBA | 28 | "Four's a Family" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | April 11, 1952 (1952-04-11) |
| TBA | 29 | "Now's the Time" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | April 18, 1952 (1952-04-18) |
| TBA | 30 | "Fear" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | April 25, 1952 (1952-04-25) |
| TBA | 31 | "Doctors Should Never Marry" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | May 2, 1952 (1952-05-02) |
| TBA | 32 | "Appointment with the Past" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | May 9, 1952 (1952-05-09) |
| TBA | 33 | "Autumn in New York" | William H. Brown Jr. | Story by : Teleplay by : Arnold Schulman | May 16, 1952 (1952-05-16) |
| Jazz-tinged musical comedy sketch feat. Polly Bergen, with songs by Vernon Duke (title tune plus April in Paris, I Can't Get Started and Now); musical director Glen Osser ||||||
| TBA | 34 | "Love Came Late" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | May 23, 1952 (1952-05-23) |
| TBA | 35 | "A Quarter for Your Troubles" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | May 30, 1952 (1952-05-30) |
| TBA | 36 | "Souvenir from Singapore" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | June 6, 1952 (1952-06-06) |
| TBA | 37 | "Dress in the Window" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | June 13, 1952 (1952-06-13) |
| TBA | 38 | "Say Hello to Pamela" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | June 20, 1952 (1952-06-20) |
| TBA | 39 | "The Von Linden File" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | June 27, 1952 (1952-06-27) |
| TBA | 40 | "The House of Death" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | July 4, 1952 (1952-07-04) |
| TBA | 41 | "A Southern Lady" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | July 11, 1952 (1952-07-11) |
| TBA | 42 | "Early Space Conquerors" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | July 18, 1952 (1952-07-18) |
| TBA | 43 | "A Man's World" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | July 25, 1952 (1952-07-25) |
| TBA | 44 | "Crossroads" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | August 1, 1952 (1952-08-01) |
| TBA | 45 | "So Help Me" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | August 8, 1952 (1952-08-08) |
| TBA | 46 | "Double Exposure" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | August 15, 1952 (1952-08-15) |
| TBA | 47 | "Mr. And Mrs. Trubble or The Tubbles" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | August 22, 1952 (1952-08-22) |
| TBA | 48 | "Port of Call" | Unknown | Story by : Teleplay by : | August 29, 1952 (1952-08-29) |

### Season 2 (1952-53)

Data not available

### Season 3 (1953-54)

Data not available

### Season 4 (1954-55)

Data not available

### Season 5 (1955-56)

* January 20, 1956 - "The Big Payday" - James Whitmore, Richard Crane, Janet DeGore
* January 27, 1956 - "The Day I Died" - David Brian
Other data not available

### Season 6 (1956-57)

Data not available

### Season 7 (1957-58)

Data not available

### Season 8 (1958-59)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
| TBA | 1 | "Portrait of a Legend" | Don Weis | Story by : Milo Wood Teleplay by : Donald S. Sanford | September 12, 1958 (1958-09-12) |
| TBA | 2 | "Kinsman" | Jules Bricken | Story by : Teleplay by : Tom Seller | September 19, 1958 (1958-09-19) |
| TBA | 3 | "A Thing To Fight For" | John Brahm | Story by : Wyatt Blassingame Teleplay by : Paul Monash | September 26, 1958 (1958-09-26) |
| TBA | 4 | "The Hasty Hanging" | John Brahm | Story by : Teleplay by : Charles Larson | October 10, 1958 (1958-10-10) |
| TBA | 5 | "The Trouble With Ruth" | John Brahm | Story by : Henry Slesar Teleplay by : Jameson Brewer | October 24, 1958 (1958-10-24) |
| TBA | 6 | "False Impression" | Don Medford | Story by : Teleplay by : Jameson Brewer | November 7, 1958 (1958-11-07) |
| TBA | 7 | "The Last Edition" | John Brahm | Story by : Teleplay by : Helen Cooper & Irving H. Cooper | November 21, 1958 (1958-11-21) |
| TBA | 8 | "Third Son" | Unknown | Story by : Ernest Haycox Teleplay by : Tom Seller | December 5, 1958 (1958-12-05) |
| TBA | 9 | "No Answer" | Arthur Hiller | Story by : Theodore Sturgeon Teleplay by : Tom Seller | December 19, 1958 (1958-12-19) |
| TBA | 10 | "A Fistful Of Love" | Allen H. Miner | Story by : Teleplay by : Allen H. Miner | January 2, 1959 (1959-01-02) |
| TBA | 11 | "You Can’t Win'em All" | David Butler | Story by : Mac Shoub Teleplay by : Charles Larson | January 16, 1959 (1959-01-16) |
| TBA | 12 | "And Practically Strangers" | Jules Bricken | Story by : Robert Bristow Teleplay by : Halsey Melone | January 30, 1959 (1959-01-30) |
| TBA | 13 | "The Man Who Had No Friends" | Anton M. Leader | Story by : Hugh Pentecost Teleplay by : Tom Seller | February 13, 1959 (1959-02-13) |
| TBA | 14 | "On The Brink" | Sidney Lanfield | Story by : James Yaffe Teleplay by : Kathleen Hite | February 27, 1959 (1959-02-27) |
| TBA | 15 | "Ivy League" | Richard Whorf | Story by : Jameson Brewer Teleplay by : Everett Freeman | March 13, 1959 (1959-03-13) |
| TBA | 16 | "The Salted Mine" | James Nielson | Story by : Teleplay by : Frank Gruber | March 27, 1959 (1959-03-27) |
| TBA | 17 | "The Rumor" | Richard Haydn | Story by : Erskine Caldwell Teleplay by : Everett Greenbaum and Fritzell Greenbaum | June 5, 1959 (1959-06-05) |
| TBA | 18 | "Hostage" | John Brahm | Story by : Teleplay by : Tom Seller | June 19, 1959 (1959-06-19) |
| TBA | 19 | "Cowboy Five Seven" | James Stewart | Story by : Teleplay by : Beirne Lay Jr. | July 17, 1959 (1959-07-17) |
| TBA | 20 | "A Ballad to Die By" | Robert M. Leeds | Story by : Roy Chanslor Teleplay by : Otis Carney | July 31, 1959 (1959-07-31) |

## Production

In April 1957 Schlitz extended its contract with Revue Productions, agreeing to pay approximately $2 million for 40 episodes. The increased budget enabled Revue to seek top-name stars for the series. Jules Bricken and Frank P. Rosenberg were the producers.

## Sale

CBS-TV bought the negative rights to 104 episodes of Schlitz Playhouse of Stars for about $1.2 million in 1957 with RKO Teleradio serving as an intermediary between the network and Meridian Productions. CBS tried to buy the property outright, but Meridian wanted payments spread over 10 years, and the network did not want a long-term commitment. RKO Teleradio solved the problem by accepting the short-term payment from CBS and, in turn, paying 10 percent to Meridian each year for a decade.