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{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| show_name = The O. Henry Playhouse
| image =
| image =
| caption =
| caption =
| show_name_2 =
| alt_name =
| genre =
| genre =
| creator =
| creator =
| developer =
| developer =
| writer = Irving H. Cooper<br />Donald Hyde<br />[[George Waggner]]<br />[[Albert Isaac Bezzerides]]<br />Mary McCarthy<br />Al C. Ward<br />[[Dale Wasserman]]
| writer = Irving H. Cooper<br />Donald Hyde<br />[[George Waggner]]<br />[[Albert Isaac Bezzerides]]<br />[[Mary Eunice McCarthy|Mary McCarthy]]<br />Al C. Ward<br />[[Dale Wasserman]]
| director = George Waggner<br />Bernard Girard<br />Frederick Stephani<br />Felix Feist<br />Peter Godfrey<br />Anton M. Leader<br />Les Goodwins<br /> Marshall Grant<br />Kenneth G. Crane
| director = George Waggner
| creative_director =
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| presenter =
Line 14: Line 13:
| judges =
| judges =
| voices =
| voices =
| narrated = Thomas Mitchell
| narrated = Thomas Mitchell
| theme_music_composer =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| composer =
| country = {{US}}
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_seasons = 1
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| executive_producer = [[Jack J. Gross]]<br />[[Philip N. Krasne]]
| executive_producer = [[Jack J. Gross]]<br />[[Philip N. Krasne]]
| producer = Donald Hyde
| producer = Donald Hyde
| editor = Asa Boyd Clark
| editor = Kenneth G. Crane<br />Asa Boyd Clark
| location =
| location =
| cinematography = Hal McAlpin
| cinematography = Hal McAlpin
| camera =
| camera =
| runtime = 30 min.
| runtime = 30 min.
| company = Gross-Krasne Productions <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/OHenryPlayhouse.html|title=The O. Henry Playhouse (dramatic anthology)|publisher=The Media Management Group|accessdate=20 November 2009}}</ref>
| company = Gross-Krasne Productions<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/OHenryPlayhouse.html|title=The O. Henry Playhouse (dramatic anthology)|publisher=The Media Management Group|accessdate=20 November 2009}}</ref>
| distributor =
| channel = [[broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
| channel = [[broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
| picture_format =
| first_aired = {{start date|late 1956}}
| audio_format =
| last_aired = {{end date|varied by market}}
| first_run =
| related =
| first_aired = January 23
| last_aired = November 19, 1957
| status =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| related =
| website =
| production_website =
}}
}}


'''''The O. Henry Playhouse''''' was an early American [[anthology television series]] which featured [[television adaptation]]s 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 (actor)|Thomas Mitchell]],<ref>Shulman, Arthur and Roger Youman. ''How Sweet It Was: Television, A Pictorial Commentary''. New York: Bonanza Books, 1966. {{ISBN|0-517-08135-0}}</ref><ref>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}}</ref><ref>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}}</ref> who portrayed the title character,<ref>Steinbrunner, Chris and Otto Penzler, ed. ''Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976. (pg. 197) {{ISBN|0-07-061121-1}}</ref> and featured several television and film stars during its run such as [[Maureen Stapleton]], [[DeForest Kelley]], [[Lisa Janti|Lisa Montell]], [[Otto Kruger]], [[Max Showalter]] and [[Ernest Borgnine]].<ref>{{cite web |first= |last= |author= |authorlink= |vauthors= |title=US TV - Occasional Wife to Ozzie's Girls |url=http://www.memorabletv.com/usao.htm |archiveurl= |work=Memorable TV US Shows |publisher=MemorableTV.com |location= |page= |pages= |language= |doi= |date= |month= |year=2002 |archivedate= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> 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.<ref>Hawes, William. ''Filmed Television Drama, 1952-1958''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2002. (pg. 225) {{ISBN|0-7864-1132-5}}</ref>
'''''The O. Henry Playhouse''''' was an early American [[anthology television series]] which featured [[television adaptation]]s 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 (actor)|Thomas Mitchell]],<ref name="SYtv">
{{cite book |last1=Shulman |first1=Arthur |last2=Youman |first2=Roger |title=How Sweet It Was — Television: A Pictorial Commentary |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History-of-Telecasting/How-Sweet-it-Was-Shulman-1966.pdf |year=1966 |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group#Imprints|Bonanza Books]], a division of Crown Publishers, Inc., by arrangement with Shorecrest, Inc. |location=New York |oclc=36258864 |chapter= |isbn=978-0517081358 |page=233}}
</ref><ref>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}}</ref><ref>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}}</ref> who portrayed the title character,<ref>Steinbrunner, Chris and Otto Penzler, ed. ''Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976. (pg. 197) {{ISBN|0-07-061121-1}}</ref> and featured several television and film stars during its run such as [[Maureen Stapleton]], [[Charles Bronson]], [[DeForest Kelley]], [[Lisa Janti|Lisa Montell]], [[Otto Kruger]], [[Max Showalter]] and [[Ernest Borgnine]].<ref>{{cite web |first= |last= |author= |authorlink= |vauthors= |title=US TV - Occasional Wife to Ozzie's Girls |url=http://www.memorabletv.com/usao.htm |archiveurl= |work=Memorable TV US Shows |publisher=MemorableTV.com |location= |page= |pages= |language= |doi= |year=2002 |archivedate= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref>

The series was syndicated and began running on a handful of stations late in 1956.<ref>{{cite web |title=O Henry Sold In 23 Markets |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SkUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=billboard+o.+henry+playhouse&pg=PA10|publisher=Billboard|date=October 6, 1956|access-date=February 24, 2022 }}</ref> With the sale to General Cigar Company of Baltimore in May 1957, the series was contracted to 188 markets.<ref>{{cite web |title=O Henry to Gen. Cigar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=px0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=billboard+general+cigar+o+henry&pg=PA13|publisher=Billboard|date=May 13, 1957|access-date=February 24, 2022 }}</ref> According to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard's]]'' "Pulse Film Ratings" ''The O. Henry Playhous''e generally received television ratings around 10.0 for its only season and ranked in the middle of the "Syndicated Film Drama Shows" category.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pulse Film Ratings For October |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vx0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=billboard+o.+henry+playhouse+ratings&pg=PA10-IA4|publisher=Billboard|date=December 30, 1957|access-date=February 24, 2022 }}</ref>

==DVD release==
Unseen for decades and largely forgotten, ''The O. Henry Playhouse'' has recently received a DVD release. Classic Flix, a rental and retail site with a home video label,<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.classicflix.com/about|publisher=Classic Flix|access-date=February 13, 2022 }}</ref> has restored thirty-nine episodes of the series and is releasing them in three installments during 2021-22.

The web site for the DVD release features plot summaries of each episode, along with links to online texts of the original stories so viewers can compare O. Henry's writings and the television adaptations. The site also includes cast and crew information for each episode and a video sample from the episode. The overall description of the series recounts its unusual story telling method:

<blockquote>Veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell stars in each episode as writer O. Henry himself as he relates his stories to his publisher, his barber, a bartender, or the cop on the beat. In some episodes, O. Henry meets his characters as he discovers firsthand the story he will later write. This rather unique story telling method is made possible by the fame of the author himself and the O Henry audience's desire to learn where each story came from.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celebrating The O. Henry Playhouse |url=https://www.ohenryplayhouse.com/ |access-date=February 13, 2022 }}</ref></blockquote>

Several years before the DVD release Ron Hall, an entrepreneur specializing in [[public domain]] video material,<ref>{{cite web |title=Festival Films: Public Domain Specialists for Over 30 Years |url=https://www.fesfilms.com/about-us.html |accessdate=February 13, 2022}}</ref> related how he received a large collection of original 16mm prints of the series. He posted a video sample of the "Two Renegades" episode, along with general discussion of the series' history, [[Copyright law of the United States|copyright]] status, number of episodes, and sometimes unexpected [[Casting (performing arts)|casting]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Ron |last=Hall |title=Strange Case of O. HENRY PLAYHOUSE |url=http://caferoxy.blogspot.com/2015/03/strange-case-of-o-henry-playhouse.html |date=March 29, 2015 |accessdate=February 13, 2022}}</ref>


==Episodes==
==Episodes==
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{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:98%;"
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:98%;"
|-
|-
! width="20" | # !! Title !! Writers !! width="80" |
! width="20" | # !! Title !! Writers !! width="80" |
Original airdate {{Episode list
Original airdate {{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode One ''(The Reformation of Calliope)''
|Title= ''The Reformation of Calliope''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|1|23|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|1|23|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.01
|ProdCode=#1.01
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=01
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=01
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}{{Episode list
}}{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Two ''(Man About Town)''
|Title= ''Man About Town''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|1|30|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|1|30|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.02
|ProdCode=#1.02
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=02
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=02
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner – Includes plot elements from "An Unfinished Story"
|ShortSummary=
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Three ''(Sam Plunkett's Promise)''
|Title= ''Sam Plunkett's Promise''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|06|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|06|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.03
|ProdCode=#1.03
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=03
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=03
|ShortSummary= Based on O. Henry's The Theory and the Hound
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard — Based on "The Theory and the Hound"
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Four ''(Two Renegades)''
|Title= ''Two Renegades''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|13|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|13|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.04
|ProdCode=#1.04
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=04
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=04
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Five ''(The Marionettes)''
|Title= ''The Marionettes''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|20|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|20|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.05
|ProdCode=#1.05
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=05
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=05
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Peter Godfrey
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Six ''(Fog In Santone)''
|Title= ''Fog In Santone''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|27|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|2|27|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.06
|ProdCode=#1.06
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=06
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=06
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Seven ''(Hearts and Hands)''
|Title= ''Hearts and Hands''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|6|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|6|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.07
|ProdCode=#1.07
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=07
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=07
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Eight ''(Blackjack Bargainer)''
|Title= ''Blackjack Bargainer''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|13|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|13|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.08
|ProdCode=#1.08
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=08
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=08
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Nine ''(The World And The Door)''
|Title= ''The World And The Door''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|20|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|20|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.09
|ProdCode=#1.09
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=09
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=09
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Peter Godfrey
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Ten ''(The Guilty Party)''
|Title= ''The Guilty Party''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|27|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|3|27|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.10
|ProdCode=#1.10
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=10
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=10
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Eleven ''(A Ramble In Aphasia)''
|Title= ''A Ramble In Aphasia''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|3|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|3|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.11
|ProdCode=#1.11
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=11
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=11
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twelve ''(Fourth in Salvador)''
|Title= ''Fourth in Salvador''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|10|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|10|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.12
|ProdCode=#1.12
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=12
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=12
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirteen ''(After Twenty Years)''
|Title= ''After Twenty Years''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|17|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|17|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.13
|ProdCode=#1.13
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=13
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=13
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary= Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Fourteen ''(A Trick of Nature)''
|Title=''A Trick of Nature''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|24|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|4|24|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.14
|ProdCode=#1.14
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=14
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=14
|ShortSummary= Based on O. Henry's The Purple Dress
|ShortSummary= Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Fifteen ''(Sisters of the Golden Circle)''
|Title= ''Sisters of the Golden Circle''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|1|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|1|df=y}}
|Aux1=William Kozlenko (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)
|Aux1=William Kozlenko (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)
|ProdCode=#1.15
|ProdCode=#1.15
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=15
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=15
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary= Director: Peter Godfrey
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Sixteen ''(Hygeia at the Solito)''
|Title= ''Hygeia at the Solito''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|8|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|8|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.16
|ProdCode=#1.16
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=16
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=16
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Felix Feist
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Seventeen ''(Only The Horse Would Know)''
|Title= ''Only The Horse Would Know''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|15|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|15|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Al C. Ward (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)
|ProdCode=#1.17
|ProdCode=#1.17
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=17
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=17
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Anton M. Leader
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Eighteen ''(The Atvatism Of Jon Tom Little Bear)''
|Title= ''The Atvatism Of Jon Tom Little Bear''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|22|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|22|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.18
|ProdCode=#1.18
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=18
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=18
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Nineteen ''(Georgia's Ruling)''
|Title= ''Georgia's Ruling''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|29|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|5|29|df=y}}
|Aux1=Mary McCarthy
|Aux1=Mary McCarthy
|ProdCode=#1.19
|ProdCode=#1.19
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=19
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=19
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty ''(Between Rounds)''
|Title= ''The Fool Killer''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|5|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|5|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.20
|ProdCode=#1.20
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=20
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=20
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty One ''(One Dollar's Worth)''
|Title= ''One Dollar's Worth''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|12|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|12|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.21
|ProdCode=#1.21
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=21
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=21
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty Two ''(Christmas by Injunction)''
|Title= ''Christmas by Injunction''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|19|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|19|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.22
|ProdCode=#1.22
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=22
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=22
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Felix Feist
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty Three ''(The Roads We Take)''
|Title= ''The Roads We Take''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|26|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|6|26|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.23
|ProdCode=#1.23
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=23
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=23
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty-Four ''(Vanity And Some Sables)''
|Title= ''Vanity And Some Sables''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|3|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|3|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.24
|ProdCode=#1.24
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=24
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=24
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Peter Godfrey
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty-Five ''(The Sphinx Apple)''
|Title= ''The Sphinx Apple''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|10|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|10|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.25
|ProdCode=#1.25
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=25
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=25
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Les Goodwins
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty-Six ''(Wit's End)''
|Title= ''Wit's End''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|17|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|17|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Seymour Roth (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)
|ProdCode=#1.26
|ProdCode=#1.26
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=26
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=26
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Anton M. Leader
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty-Seven ''(Girl)''
|Title= ''Girl''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|24|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|24|df=y}}
|Aux1=Albert Isaac Bezzerides
|Aux1=Albert Isaac Bezzerides
|ProdCode=#1.27
|ProdCode=#1.27
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=27
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=27
|ShortSummary=AKA Henry's Girl
|ShortSummary=Director: Peter Godfrey
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twentyy-Eight ''(Hypotheses Of Failure)''
|Title= ''Hypotheses Of Failure''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|31|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|7|31|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.28
|ProdCode=#1.28
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=28
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=28
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Twenty-Nine ''(Hiding of Black Bill)''
|Title= ''Hiding of Black Bill''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|7|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|7|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.29
|ProdCode=#1.29
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=29
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=29
|ShortSummary=Director:George Waggner
|ShortSummary=A stranger seeking work at a lonely ranch house is taken on trust until a black mask found in his luggage arouses suspicion.
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty ''(Between Rounds)''
|Title= ''Between Rounds''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|14|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|14|df=y}}
|Aux1=George Waggner
|Aux1=George Waggner
|ProdCode=#1.30
|ProdCode=#1.30
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=30
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=30
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: George Waggner
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-One ''(Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen)''
|Title= ''Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|21|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|21|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.31
|ProdCode=#1.31
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=31
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=31
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Frederick Stephani
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Two ''(The Emancipation of Billy)''
|Title= ''The Emancipation of Billy''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|28|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|8|28|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde (written for tv); George Waggner (teleplay)
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.32
|ProdCode=#1.32
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=32
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=32
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Frederick Stephani
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Three ''(A Madison Square Arabian Knight)''
|Title= ''A Madison Square Arabian Knight''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|4|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|4|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.33
|ProdCode=#1.33
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=33
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=33
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Frederick Stephani
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Four ''(The Lonely Man)''
|Title= ''The Lonely Man''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|11|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|11|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.34
|ProdCode=#1.34
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=34
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=34
|ShortSummary=Based on O. Henry's The Last of the Troubadours
|ShortSummary=Director: Kenneth G. Crane — Based on "The Last of the Troubadours"
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Five ''(The Buyer from Cactus City)''
|Title= ''The Buyer from Cactus City''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|18|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|18|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|Aux1=Donald Hyde
|ProdCode=#1.35
|ProdCode=#1.35
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=35
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=35
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Les Goodwins
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Six ''(A Service Of Love)''
|Title= ''A Service Of Love''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|25|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|9|25|df=y}}
|Aux1=Mary McCarthy
|Aux1=Mary McCarthy
|ProdCode=#1.36
|ProdCode=#1.36
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=36
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=36
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Bernard Girard
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Seven ''(The Tale Of The Tainted Tenner)''
|Title= ''The Tale Of The Tainted Tenner''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|2|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|2|df=y}}
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.37
|ProdCode=#1.37
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=37
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=37
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary=Director: Marshall Grant
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Eight ''(The Murderer)''
|Title= ''The Murderer''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|9|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|9|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde & Irving Cooper
|Aux1=Donald Hyde & Irving Cooper
|ProdCode=#1.38
|ProdCode=#1.38
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=38
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=38
|ShortSummary= Based on O. Henry's The Proof of the Pudding
|ShortSummary=Director: Frederick Stephani
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
|Title=Series One Episode Thirty-Nine ''(The Lotterman Affair)''
|Title= ''The Lotterman Affair''
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|16|df=y}}
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1957|10|16|df=y}}
|Aux1=Donald Hyde & Al C. Ward
|Aux1=Donald Hyde & Al C. Ward
|ProdCode=#1.39
|ProdCode=#1.39
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=39
|Viewers=|EpisodeNumber=39
|ShortSummary=
|ShortSummary= Director: Frederick Stephani
}}
}}
{{Episode list
{{Episode list
Line 402: Line 406:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{tv.com show|the-o-henry-playhouse|The O. Henry Playhouse}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0050045|title=The O. Henry Playhouse}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0050045|title=The O. Henry Playhouse}}
*{{TV Guide show|203506|The O. Henry Playhouse}}
*''The O. Henry Playhouse'' at https://www.ohenryplayhouse.com/
*[http://ctva.biz/US/Anthology/OHenryPlayhouse.htm ''The O. Henry Playhouse'' at CVTA with episode list]
*[http://ctva.biz/US/Anthology/OHenryPlayhouse.htm ''The O. Henry Playhouse'' at CVTA with episode list]


{{DEFAULTSORT:O. Henry Playhouse, The}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:O. Henry Playhouse, The}}
[[Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States]]
[[Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States]]
[[Category:American anthology television series]]
[[Category:Period television series]]
[[Category:Period television series]]
[[Category:1950s American television series]]
[[Category:1950s American anthology television series]]
[[Category:1957 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1957 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1957 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1957 American television series endings]]

Latest revision as of 13:10, 5 September 2023

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
Frederick Stephani
Felix Feist
Peter Godfrey
Anton M. Leader
Les Goodwins
Marshall Grant
Kenneth G. Crane
Narrated byThomas Mitchell
Country of originUnited 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]
Original release
NetworkSyndication
Releaselate 1956 (late 1956) –
varied by market (varied by market)

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 began running on a handful of stations late in 1956.[7] With the sale to General Cigar Company of Baltimore in May 1957, the series was contracted to 188 markets.[8] According to Billboard's "Pulse Film Ratings" The O. Henry Playhouse generally received television ratings around 10.0 for its only season and ranked in the middle of the "Syndicated Film Drama Shows" category.[9]

DVD release[edit]

Unseen for decades and largely forgotten, The O. Henry Playhouse has recently received a DVD release. Classic Flix, a rental and retail site with a home video label,[10] has restored thirty-nine episodes of the series and is releasing them in three installments during 2021-22.

The web site for the DVD release features plot summaries of each episode, along with links to online texts of the original stories so viewers can compare O. Henry's writings and the television adaptations. The site also includes cast and crew information for each episode and a video sample from the episode. The overall description of the series recounts its unusual story telling method:

Veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell stars in each episode as writer O. Henry himself as he relates his stories to his publisher, his barber, a bartender, or the cop on the beat. In some episodes, O. Henry meets his characters as he discovers firsthand the story he will later write. This rather unique story telling method is made possible by the fame of the author himself and the O Henry audience's desire to learn where each story came from.[11]

Several years before the DVD release Ron Hall, an entrepreneur specializing in public domain video material,[12] related how he received a large collection of original 16mm prints of the series. He posted a video sample of the "Two Renegades" episode, along with general discussion of the series' history, copyright status, number of episodes, and sometimes unexpected casting.[13]

Episodes[edit]

Series 1[edit]

# Title Writers Original airdate
01"The Reformation of Calliope"George Waggner23 January 1957 (1957-01-23)#1.01N/A
Director: George Waggner
02"Man About Town"George Waggner30 January 1957 (1957-01-30)#1.02N/A
Director: George Waggner – Includes plot elements from "An Unfinished Story"
03"Sam Plunkett's Promise"Donald Hyde6 February 1957 (1957-02-06)#1.03N/A
Director: Bernard Girard — Based on "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
Director: Peter Godfrey
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
Director: Bernard Girard
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
Director: Peter Godfrey
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
Director: Bernard Girard
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
Director: Bernard Girard
15"Sisters of the Golden Circle"William Kozlenko (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)1 May 1957 (1957-05-01)#1.15N/A
Director: Peter Godfrey
16"Hygeia at the Solito"Donald Hyde8 May 1957 (1957-05-08)#1.16N/A
Director: Felix Feist
17"Only The Horse Would Know"Al C. Ward (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)15 May 1957 (1957-05-15)#1.17N/A
Director: Anton M. Leader
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
Director: George Waggner
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: George Waggner
24"Vanity And Some Sables"George Waggner3 July 1957 (1957-07-03)#1.24N/A
Director: Peter Godfrey
25"The Sphinx Apple"Irving Cooper10 July 1957 (1957-07-10)#1.25N/A
Director: Les Goodwins
26"Wit's End"Seymour Roth (adaptation); Donald Hyde (written for tv)17 July 1957 (1957-07-17)#1.26N/A
Director: Anton M. Leader
27"Girl"Albert Isaac Bezzerides24 July 1957 (1957-07-24)#1.27N/A
Director: Peter Godfrey
28"Hypotheses Of Failure"Irving Cooper31 July 1957 (1957-07-31)#1.28N/A
Director: George Waggner
29"Hiding of Black Bill"Irving Cooper7 August 1957 (1957-08-07)#1.29N/A
Director:George Waggner
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
Director: Frederick Stephani
32"The Emancipation of Billy"Donald Hyde28 August 1957 (1957-08-28)#1.32N/A
Director: Frederick Stephani
33"A Madison Square Arabian Knight"Irving Cooper4 September 1957 (1957-09-04)#1.33N/A
Director: Frederick Stephani
34"The Lonely Man"Donald Hyde11 September 1957 (1957-09-11)#1.34N/A
Director: Kenneth G. Crane — Based on "The Last of the Troubadours"
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
Director: Bernard Girard
37"The Tale Of The Tainted Tenner"Irving Cooper2 October 1957 (1957-10-02)#1.37N/A
Director: Marshall Grant
38"The Murderer"Donald Hyde & Irving Cooper9 October 1957 (1957-10-09)#1.38N/A
Director: Frederick Stephani
39"The Lotterman Affair"Donald Hyde & Al C. Ward16 October 1957 (1957-10-16)#1.39N/A
Director: Frederick Stephani
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[edit]

  1. ^ "The O. Henry Playhouse (dramatic anthology)". The Media Management Group. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  2. ^ Shulman, Arthur; Youman, Roger (1966). How Sweet It Was — Television: A Pictorial Commentary (PDF). New York: Bonanza Books, a division of Crown Publishers, Inc., by arrangement with Shorecrest, Inc. p. 233. ISBN 978-0517081358. OCLC 36258864.
  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. ^ "O Henry Sold In 23 Markets". Billboard. October 6, 1956. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "O Henry to Gen. Cigar". Billboard. May 13, 1957. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "Pulse Film Ratings For October". Billboard. December 30, 1957. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  10. ^ "About Us". Classic Flix. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Celebrating The O. Henry Playhouse". Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  12. ^ "Festival Films: Public Domain Specialists for Over 30 Years". Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  13. ^ Hall, Ron (March 29, 2015). "Strange Case of O. HENRY PLAYHOUSE". Retrieved February 13, 2022.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_O._Henry_Playhouse&oldid=1173965630"