The Philco Television Playhouse

Season 4

During its 8-year run, the show began with Broadway adaptations hosted by Bert Lytell, then featured Book-of-the-Month Club novels, and later varied content. It briefly changed names and alternated with other programs.

Where to Watch The Philco Television Playhouse • Season 4

25 Episodes

Marcia Akers
E1
Marcia AkersA young woman has an unhealthy desire to get ahead, climbing the social ladder and stepping on people along the way. She's set to marry a wealthy man--just what's always wanted--when she finds herself in love with a "regular guy".
The Education of a Fullback
E2
The Education of a FullbackA comedy on the foibles of campus activities about a professor who can't understand why a football hero shouldn't be given an unsatisfactory grade especially when he slept thru the classes.
A Little Night Music
E3
A Little Night MusicElizabeth Chapin is the belle of the town who is now approaching 40 as a spinster music teacher.
Incident at Golden's Creek
E4
Incident at Golden's CreekAn Iron Curtain delegation is marooned in a small mid-western town.
Perspective
E5
PerspectiveThe play suggested by the career of Hans VanMergeren called the master art forger.
The Sisters
E6
The SistersThe lives of two sisters are disrupted by a psychopath who appears claiming to be their godson.
Without Fear or Favor
E7
Without Fear or FavorModern day corruption investigations (film of the Kefauver investigation is shown) has a parallel in 1870s New York, where the New York Times crusades against the crooks in City Hall headed by Boss Tweed and his thieving cronies, which included judges, police officials and even the Mayor.
Segment
E8
SegmentDuring a convention, a visiting family takes a hotel room. The father and Mother get ready while the daughter leaves. The wife nagging pushes the man over the edge and he is determined to kill her after he makes her listen to his list of reasons she's been cruel to him. Meanwhile police try to talk him out of it, and watch him with a television camera across the street.
Rich Boy
E9
Rich BoyThis well-received adaptation of the 1924 F. Scott Fitzgerald short story starred Gene Lyons as rich playboy Anson Hunter, who realizes too late that he has wasted his life by allowing the one woman he truly loved (Kelly) to slip out of his grasp.
Tender Age
E10
Tender AgeThe tragic aspects of the so-called "lost generation" of the 20's is told.
Dusty Portrait
E11
Dusty PortraitA tragic story of an innocent victim of justice based entirely on circumstantial evidence.
The Best Laid Schemes
E12
The Best Laid SchemesBoy can we relate to this PLOT TWIST from back in the 40's. Doctors are helpless in dealing with an epidemic that hits New York City. The answer is provided by an exterminator.
The Room Next Door
E13
The Room Next DoorA social-climbing couple scheme to find a mate for their unromantic inclined daughter. She however prefers an unstable piano player over an established member of the tea and crumpet set, things build up with a tragic ending.
The Basket Weaver
E14
The Basket WeaverThe story of the marine assault on Iwo Jima leads a former veteran into a crackup with a bullying personality increased by a personal crisis.
We Were Children
E15
We Were ChildrenA close knit family learns that a man who was the son of their family gardener is related to them thru an indiscretion.
A Cowboy for Chris
E16
A Cowboy for ChrisA little boy's infatuation for a cowboy who boards at his home and another boarder who attempts to disillusion the child.
A Man's Game
E17
A Man's GameA big league manager travels to Alabama to scout catcher Chub Evans but signs Evans' fireball pitching sister instead.
Flight into Darkness
E18
Flight into DarknessA psychological drama about two brothers obsessed with the idea that he is going insane and later that his brother, a doctor is going to murder him.
The Monument
E19
The MonumentA reporter has undertaken the biography of a Confederate general to get the authentic version of his heroism at Bull Run.
A Letter to Mr. Priest
E20
A Letter to Mr. PriestThe camera becomes you and you become the narrator as the camera becomes a person and unfolds the story. Nelson Olmsted is the voice.
Bratt Farrar
E21
Bratt FarrarNo Not Brett Favre- Brat Farrar has been carefully coached to assume the identity of Patrick Ashby, heir to the Ashby fortune who disappeared when he was 13.
The Five Fathers of Pepi
E22
The Five Fathers of PepiA young war orphan is taken in by five men living along the Italian Riviera. Their hope is to find a wealthy American couple who will adopt Pepi and give him a proper upbringing. When the time comes to give the tyke up.
Three Sundays
E23
Three SundaysA criminal brings scandal to the family of a dead intelligence officer but eventually confesses his shoddy motives for creating the affair and absolves the dead man.
The Last Hour
E24
The Last HourA woman is on trial for espionage and has but a few hours to prove her innocence.
Holiday Song
E25
Holiday SongThe night before Rosh Hashonah, a cantor suffers a spiritual crisis. That same night, he is sent by someone to see a rabbi out in Brooklyn, A mysterious train station attendant gives him directions after which he stops a woman from committing suicide because she is despondent over the death of her husband in the war. On his way home, the cantor meets up with the husband. He thought his wife had died. The cantor reunites them. After trying to find the station guard, the cantor learns that no one has ever worked there fitting the man's description. thus the cantor realizes that some sort of 'celestial conductor' must have had a hand in the matter. His faith restored, the cantor is able to resume his life's work.