The O. Henry Playhouse

The O. Henry Playhouse was an early American anthology television series which featured television adaptations of short stories written by 19th-century author O. Henry and primarily set in New York City. The series was both hosted and narrated by Thomas Mitchell,[2][3][4] who portrayed the title character,[5] and featured several television and film stars during its run such as Maureen Stapleton, Charles Bronson, DeForest Kelley, Lisa Montell, Otto Kruger, Max Showalter and Ernest Borgnine.[6] The series was syndicated and initially ran from January 23 to May 25, 1957, and its final episode aired on November 19 of that year.[7]

The O. Henry Playhouse
Written byIrving H. Cooper
Donald Hyde
George Waggner
Albert Isaac Bezzerides
Mary McCarthy
Al C. Ward
Dale Wasserman
Directed byGeorge Waggner
Bernard Girard
Frank Stephani
Felix Feist
Peter Godfrey
Narrated byThomas Mitchell
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
Executive producersJack J. Gross
Philip N. Krasne
ProducerDonald Hyde
CinematographyHal McAlpin
EditorsKenneth G. Crane
Asa Boyd Clark
Running time30 min.
Production companyGross-Krasne Productions[1]
Release
Original networkSyndication
Original releaseJanuary 23 
November 19, 1957 (1957-11-19)

Episodes

Series 1

    #TitleWriters Original airdate
    01"The Reformation of Calliope"George Waggner23 January 1957 (1957-01-23)#1.01N/A
    02"Man About Town"George Waggner30 January 1957 (1957-01-30)#1.02N/A
    03"Sam Plunkett's Promise"Donald Hyde6 February 1957 (1957-02-06)#1.03N/A
    Based on O. Henry's The Theory and the Hound
    04"Two Renegades"Irving Cooper13 February 1957 (1957-02-13)#1.04N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    05"The Marionettes"George Waggner20 February 1957 (1957-02-20)#1.05N/A
    06"Fog In Santone"George Waggner27 February 1957 (1957-02-27)#1.06N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    07"Hearts and Hands"Irving Cooper6 March 1957 (1957-03-06)#1.07N/A
    08"Blackjack Bargainer"Irving Cooper13 March 1957 (1957-03-13)#1.08N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    09"The World And The Door"George Waggner20 March 1957 (1957-03-20)#1.09N/A
    10"The Guilty Party"Irving Cooper27 March 1957 (1957-03-27)#1.10N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    11"A Ramble In Aphasia"Irving Cooper3 April 1957 (1957-04-03)#1.11N/A
    12"Fourth in Salvador"George Waggner10 April 1957 (1957-04-10)#1.12N/A
    Director George Waggner
    13"After Twenty Years"Donald Hyde17 April 1957 (1957-04-17)#1.13N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    14"A Trick of Nature"Donald Hyde24 April 1957 (1957-04-24)#1.14N/A
    Based on O. Henry's The Purple Dress
    15"Sisters of the Golden Circle"William Kozlenko (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)1 May 1957 (1957-05-01)#1.15N/A
    16"Hygeia at the Solito"Donald Hyde8 May 1957 (1957-05-08)#1.16N/A
    Director Felix Feist
    17"Only The Horse Would Know"Donald Hyde15 May 1957 (1957-05-15)#1.17N/A
    18"The Atvatism Of Jon Tom Little Bear"Irving Cooper22 May 1957 (1957-05-22)#1.18N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    19"Georgia's Ruling"Mary McCarthy29 May 1957 (1957-05-29)#1.19N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    20"The Fool Killer"George Waggner5 June 1957 (1957-06-05)#1.20N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    21"One Dollar's Worth"Irving Cooper12 June 1957 (1957-06-12)#1.21N/A
    22"Christmas by Injunction"Donald Hyde19 June 1957 (1957-06-19)#1.22N/A
    Director Felix Feist
    23"The Roads We Take"Irving Cooper26 June 1957 (1957-06-26)#1.23N/A
    Director Bernard Girard
    24"Vanity And Some Sables"George Waggner3 July 1957 (1957-07-03)#1.24N/A
    25"The Sphinx Apple"Irving Cooper10 July 1957 (1957-07-10)#1.25N/A
    26"Wit's End"Donald Hyde17 July 1957 (1957-07-17)#1.26N/A
    27"Girl"Albert Isaac Bezzerides24 July 1957 (1957-07-24)#1.27N/A
    AKA Henry's Girl Director Peter Godfrey
    28"Hypotheses Of Failure"Irving Cooper31 July 1957 (1957-07-31)#1.28N/A
    29"Hiding of Black Bill"Irving Cooper7 August 1957 (1957-08-07)#1.29N/A
    A stranger seeking work at a lonely ranch house is taken on trust until a black mask found in his luggage arouses suspicion.
    30"Between Rounds"George Waggner14 August 1957 (1957-08-14)#1.30N/A
    Director George Waggner
    31"Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen"Irving Cooper21 August 1957 (1957-08-21)#1.31N/A
    32"The Emancipation of Billy"Donald Hyde28 August 1957 (1957-08-28)#1.32N/A
    Director Frank Stephani
    33"A Madison Square Arabian Knight"Irving Cooper4 September 1957 (1957-09-04)#1.33N/A
    Director Frank Stephani
    34"The Lonely Man"Donald Hyde11 September 1957 (1957-09-11)#1.34N/A
    Based on O. Henry's The Last of the Troubadours Director Kenneth J. Crane
    35"The Buyer from Cactus City"Donald Hyde18 September 1957 (1957-09-18)#1.35N/A
    Director Les Goodwins
    36"A Service Of Love"Mary McCarthy25 September 1957 (1957-09-25)#1.36N/A
    37"The Tale Of The Tainted Tenner"Irving Cooper2 October 1957 (1957-10-02)#1.37N/A
    38"The Murderer"Donald Hyde & Irving Cooper9 October 1957 (1957-10-09)#1.38N/A
    Based on O. Henry's The Proof of the Pudding
    39"The Lotterman Affair"Donald Hyde & Al C. Ward16 October 1957 (1957-10-16)#1.39N/A
    N–A"Series One Episode Unproduced (Tobin's Palm)"George Waggner 1957 (1957-N/A)#N/ATBD
    N–A"Series One Episode Unproduced (The Count And The Wedding Guest)"George Waggner 1957 (1957-N/A)#N/ATBD
    N–A"Series One Episode Unproduced (The Gentle Grafter)"Dale Wasserman 1957 (1957-N/A)#N/ATBD

    References

    1. "The O. Henry Playhouse (dramatic anthology)". The Media Management Group. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
    2. Shulman, Arthur and Roger Youman. How Sweet It Was: Television, A Pictorial Commentary. New York: Bonanza Books, 1966. ISBN 0-517-08135-0
    3. McNeil, Alex. Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. (pg. 611) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
    4. Becker, Christine. It's The Pictures That Got Small: Hollywood Film Stars on 1950s Television. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 2008. (pg. 244) ISBN 0-8195-6894-5
    5. Steinbrunner, Chris and Otto Penzler, ed. Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976. (pg. 197) ISBN 0-07-061121-1
    6. "US TV - Occasional Wife to Ozzie's Girls". Memorable TV US Shows. MemorableTV.com. 2002.
    7. Hawes, William. Filmed Television Drama, 1952-1958. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2002. (pg. 225) ISBN 0-7864-1132-5

    Further reading

    • Castleman, Harry and Walter J. Podrazik. Harry and Wally's Favorite TV Shows. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1989. ISBN 0-13-933250-2
    • Borgnine, Ernest. Ernie: The Autobiography. New York: Citadel Press, 2008. ISBN 0-8065-2941-5
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