Goodyear Television Playhouse

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Goodyear Television Playhouse
Also known as	Goodyear Playhouse
Genre	Anthology
Directed by	Sidney Lumet Delbert Mann Vincent J. Donehue Robert Mulligan Arthur Penn Daniel Petrie Jack Smight
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	143
Production
Producers	Robert Alan Aurthur Fred Coe Gordon Duff David Susskind
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	48–50 minutes
Production company	Showcase Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	October 14, 1951 (1951-10-14) – September 29, 1957 (1957-09-29)
Related
Philco Television Playhouse The Alcoa Hour

Goodyear Television Playhouse is an American anthology series that was telecast live on NBC from 1951 to 1957 during the first Golden Age of Television.

Goodyear alternated sponsorship with Philco, and the Philco Television Playhouse was seen on alternate weeks. In October 1955, Alcoa took over alternating sponsorship from Philco, the title was shortened to The Goodyear Playhouse and it aired on alternate weeks with The Alcoa Hour.

Producer Fred Coe nurtured and encouraged a group of young, mostly unknown writers that included Robert Alan Aurthur, George Baxt, Paddy Chayefsky, Horton Foote, Howard Richardson, Tad Mosel and Gore Vidal. Notable productions included Vidal's Visit to a Small Planet (1955), Richardson's Ark of Safety and Chayefsky's The Catered Affair.

From 1957 to 1960, it became a taped, half-hour series titled Goodyear Theater, seen on Mondays at 9:30 p.m.

Goodyear Television Playhouse finished #16 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1951–1952 season, #15 for 1952–1953 and #22 for 1953–1954.^[1]

Episodes

Season 1 (1951–52)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date
1	1	"October Story"	October 14, 1951 (1951-10-14)
A chance human interest interview reveals a girl has created a television that would only cost a few dollars. NBC executives become interested and hire a young man to help the girl complete her plans at her home.
2	2	"The Copper"	October 28, 1951 (1951-10-28)
A wimpy, accident prone little man aspires to marry a tough police sergeant's daughter, and becomes a rookie cop. He's given an undercover assignment, posing as a convict in a prison to learn more about his inmates.
3	3	"Flight to Freedom"	November 11, 1951 (1951-11-11)
4	4	"The Eleventh Ward"	November 25, 1951 (1951-11-25)
5	5	"Money to Burn"	December 9, 1951 (1951-12-09)
6	6	"I Was Stalin's Prisoner"	December 23, 1951 (1951-12-23)
7	7	"A Softness in the Wind"	January 6, 1952 (1952-01-06)
8	8	"Raymond Schindler, Case One"	January 20, 1952 (1952-01-20)
9	9	"Tour of Duty"	February 3, 1952 (1952-02-03)
10	10	"Crown of Shadows"	February 17, 1952 (1952-02-17)
11	11	"Treasure Chest"	March 2, 1952 (1952-03-02)
12	12	"Three Letters"	March 16, 1952 (1952-03-16)
13	13	"Tigers Don't Sing"	March 30, 1952 (1952-03-30)
14	14	"The Madea Cup"	April 13, 1952 (1952-04-13)
15	15	"The Travellers"	April 27, 1952 (1952-04-27)
16	16	"The Twenty-Third Mission"	May 11, 1952 (1952-05-11)
17	17	"The Lantern Copy"	May 25, 1952 (1952-05-25)
18	18	"Four Meetings"	June 8, 1952 (1952-06-08)
19	19	"It's a Small World"	June 22, 1952 (1952-06-22)
20	20	"Leaf Out of a Book"	July 6, 1952 (1952-07-06)
21	21	"The Trial of Steve Kent"	July 20, 1952 (1952-07-20)
22	22	"The Duty Drawer"	August 3, 1952 (1952-08-03)
23	23	"The Witness"	August 17, 1952 (1952-08-17)
24	24	"Roman Fever"	August 31, 1952 (1952-08-31)

Season 2 (1952–53)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date
25	1	"Holiday Song"	September 14, 1952 (1952-09-14)
26	2	"The Room"	September 28, 1952 (1952-09-28)
27	3	"O Romany"	October 12, 1952 (1952-10-12)
28	4	"Better Than Walking"	October 26, 1952 (1952-10-26)
29	5	"The Darkness Below"	November 9, 1952 (1952-11-09)
30	6	"The Old Beginning"	November 23, 1952 (1952-11-23)
31	7	"The Search"	December 7, 1952 (1952-12-07)
31	8	"Mr. Quimby's Christmas Hats"	December 21, 1952 (1952-12-21)
32	9	"A Medal in the Family"	February 1, 1953 (1953-02-01)
33	10	"Wings On My Feet"	February 22, 1953 (1953-02-22)
34	11	"The Rumor"	March 8, 1953 (1953-03-08)
35	12	"The Gesture"	March 15, 1953 (1953-03-15)
36	13	"Wish on the Moon"	March 29, 1953 (1953-03-29)
37	14	"The Long Way Home"	April 19, 1953 (1953-04-19)
38	15	"Printer's Measure"	April 26, 1953 (1953-04-26)
39	16	"The Accident"	May 3, 1953 (1953-05-03)
40	17	"The Oil Well"	May 17, 1953 (1953-05-17)
41	18	"Before I Wake"	May 31, 1953 (1953-05-31)
42	19	"Her Prince Charming"	June 14, 1953 (1953-06-14)
43	20	"Catching A Falling Star"	June 28, 1953 (1953-06-28)
44	21	"Nothing to Sneeze At"	July 12, 1953 (1953-07-12)
45	22	"The Young and the Fair"	July 26, 1953 (1953-07-26)
46	23	"Ernie Barger Is Fifty"	August 9, 1953 (1953-08-09)
47	24	"Hollywood Tandem"	August 23, 1953 (1953-08-23)

Season 3 (1953–54)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date
48	1	"Other People's Houses"	August 30, 1953 (1953-08-30)
49	2	"The Happy Rest"	October 4, 1953 (1953-10-04)
50	3	"The Heaven"	November 1, 1953 (1953-11-01)
51	4	"John Turner"	November 15, 1953 (1953-11-15)
52	5	"Madame Aphrodite"	December 6, 1953 (1953-12-06)
53	6	"Wings Over Barriers"	December 20, 1953 (1953-12-20)
54	7	"Moment of Panic"	January 3, 1954 (1954-01-03)
55	8	"Here's Father"	January 17, 1954 (1954-01-17)
56	9	"Brownstone"	January 31, 1954 (1954-01-31)
57	10	"The Game of Hide and Seek"	February 7, 1954 (1954-02-07)
58	11	"The Huntress"	February 14, 1954 (1954-02-14)
59	12	"Buy Me Blue Ribbons"	February 28, 1954 (1954-02-28)
60	13	"The Inward Eye"	March 14, 1954 (1954-03-14)
61	14	"Native Dancer"	March 28, 1954 (1954-03-28)
62	15	"Spring Reunion"	April 11, 1954 (1954-04-11)
63	16	"Old Tasselfoot"	April 25, 1954 (1954-04-25)
64	17	"And Crown Thy Good"	May 16, 1954 (1954-05-16)
65	18	"The Lawn Party"	May 23, 1954 (1954-05-23)
66	19	"Write Me Out Forever"	June 20, 1954 (1954-06-20)
67	20	"Suitable for Farming"	July 4, 1954 (1954-07-04)
68	21	"Dear Harriet Heart-Throb"	July 18, 1954 (1954-07-18)
69	22	"The Arena"	August 1, 1954 (1954-08-01)
70	23	"Recoil"	August 15, 1954 (1954-08-15)
71	24	"Star in the Summer Night"	August 22, 1954 (1954-08-22)
72	25	"The Power of Suggestion"	August 29, 1954 (1954-08-29)
73	26	"The Big Man on Campus"	September 12, 1954 (1954-09-12)

Season 4 (1954–55)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date
74	1	"Guilty is the Stranger"	September 26, 1954 (1954-09-26)
75	2	"The Personal Touch"	October 10, 1954 (1954-10-10)
76	3	"Flight Report"	November 7, 1954 (1954-11-07)
77	4	"Thunder of Silence"	November 21, 1954 (1954-11-21)
78	5	"Last Boat from Messina"	December 5, 1954 (1954-12-05)
79	6	"Class of '58"	December 19, 1954 (1954-12-19)
80	7	"A Case of Pure Fiction"	January 2, 1955 (1955-01-02)
81	8	"Doing Her Bit"	January 16, 1955 (1955-01-16)
82	9	"The Way Things Happen"	January 30, 1955 (1955-01-30)
83	10	"The Rabbit Trap"	February 13, 1955 (1955-02-13)
84	11	"Backfire"	February 27, 1955 (1955-02-27)
85	12	"My Lost Saints"	March 13, 1955 (1955-03-13)
86	13	"The Chivington Raid"	March 27, 1955 (1955-03-27)
87	14	"Beloved Stranger"	April 10, 1955 (1955-04-10)
88	15	"Do it Yourself"	April 24, 1955 (1955-04-24)
89	16	"Visit to a Small Planet"	May 8, 1955 (1955-05-08)
90	17	"The Catered Affair"	May 22, 1955 (1955-05-22)
91	18	"Mr. Dorothy Allen"	June 5, 1955 (1955-06-05)
92	19	"End of the Mission"	June 19, 1955 (1955-06-19)
93	20	"Tangled Web"	July 3, 1955 (1955-07-03)
94	21	"Man on Spikes"	July 17, 1955 (1955-07-17)
95	22	"The Prize Winner"	July 31, 1955 (1955-07-31)
96	23	"The Takers"	August 14, 1955 (1955-08-14)

Season 5 (1955–56)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date
97	1	"Suit Yourself"	September 11, 1955 (1955-09-11)
98	2	"The Merry-Go-Round"	September 25, 1955 (1955-09-25)
99	3	"The Expendable House"	October 9, 1955 (1955-10-09)
100	4	"A Patch of Faith"	TBD
101	5	"The Mechanical Heart"	November 6, 1955 (1955-11-06)
102	6	"One Mummy to Many"	November 20, 1955 (1955-11-20)
103	7	"The Trees"	December 4, 1955 (1955-12-04)
104	8	"TBD"	TBD
105	9	"Rise Up and Walk"	January 1, 1956 (1956-01-01)
106	10	"This Land is Mine"	January 15, 1956 (1956-01-15)
107	11	"Starlet"	January 29, 1956 (1956-01-29)
108	12	"Kyria Katina"	February 12, 1956 (1956-02-12)
109	13	"The Terrorists"	February 26, 1956 (1956-02-26)
110	14	"Conspiracy of Hearts"	March 11, 1956 (1956-03-11)
111	15	"Joey"	March 25, 1956 (1956-03-25)
112	16	"Footlight Frenzy"	April 8, 1956 (1956-04-08)
113	17	"Career Girl"	April 22, 1956 (1956-04-22)
114	18	"The Sentry"	May 6, 1956 (1956-05-06)
115	19	"In the Days of Our Youth"	May 20, 1956 (1956-05-20)
116	20	"The Primary Colors"	June 3, 1956 (1956-06-03)
117	21	"The Pipes of Pan"	June 17, 1956 (1956-06-17)
118	22	"The Film Maker"	July 1, 1956 (1956-07-01)
119	23	"Country Fair Time"	July 15, 1956 (1956-07-15)
120	24	"Pencil Sketch"	July 29, 1956 (1956-07-29)
121	25	"Proud Passage"	August 12, 1956 (1956-08-12)
122	26	"Grow Up"	August 26, 1956 (1956-08-26)
123	27	"Ark of Safety"	September 9, 1956 (1956-09-09)

Notable guest stars

Production

Goodyear Television Playhouse was a production of Showcase Productions, Incorporated".^[4] Herbert Brodkin was the producer. During his 12-week vacation in 1956, associate producer Philip Barry Jr. produced the series.^[5] Other producers included Gordon Duff. Directors included Arthur Penn..^[3]

Critical response

A review in The New York Times praised Heckart's performance in "My Lost Saints" (1955), saying, "Miss Heckart's brilliant work overshadowed the deficiencies in script construction."^[3] The review said that the episode might not have exceeded soap-opera status had it not been for Heckart's acting, but she created "a moving and entirely believable characterization" of a housekeeper who faced a crisis.^[3] It concluded, "She raised what was basically an ordinary drama to a level of distinction."^[3]

References

^ "TV Ratings". Classic TV Hits. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Adams, Val (August 18, 1955). "Mutual Extends Pact to Winchell: Contract for Commentator to Appear Only on Radio Awaits His Signature". The New York Times. p. 47. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Shanley, J. P. (March 16, 1955). "TV: Eileen Heckart: Appears in 'My Lost Saints' on N. B. C.". The New York Times. p. 48. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
^ Adams, Val (May 31, 1956). "Showcase to Sign Segal to TV Pact: Agreement for His Exclusive Services Would Provide for at Least Five Programs". The New York Times. p. 49. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
^ "Barry to serve as TV prdducer". The New York Times. May 30, 1956. p. 39. Retrieved April 30, 2023.

External links

v t e Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Divisions	Dunlop Tyres Goodyear Aerospace Kelly-Springfield Tire Company Goodyear Dunlop Sava Tires
Sponsorships	1988 Goodyear NASCAR 500 Akron Goodyear Wingfoots Goodyear Television Playhouse Goodyear Theatre Goodyear Polymer Center Goodyear Silents Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue PeopleMover Wingfoot Express Spirit of America Cotton Bowl Classic
People	Charles Goodyear Fred Gampper Stanley Gault Lilly Ledbetter Frank Seiberling Ward Van Orman
Other	Black Sunday Charles Goodyear Medal Goodyear, Arizona Goodyear Blimp Goodyear chimney Goodyear Dunlop v. Brown Goodyear MPP Goodyear Polyglas tire Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 STARAN Tire war Wingfoot Lake Airship Hangar

Works directed by Delbert Mann

Films

Marty (1955)
The Bachelor Party (1957)
Desire Under the Elms (1958)
Separate Tables (1958)
Middle of the Night (1959)
The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)
Lover Come Back (1961)
The Outsider (1961)
That Touch of Mink (1962)
A Gathering of Eagles (1963)
Quick, Before It Melts (1964)
Dear Heart (1964)
Mister Buddwing (1966)
Fitzwilly (1967)
The Pink Jungle (1968)
Kidnapped (1971)
Birch Interval (1976)
Night Crossing (1982)

Television

Pengallen's Bell (1949)
Dusty Portrait (1952)
Hollywood Tandem (1953)
Wish on the Moon (1953)
Elegy (1953)
You and Me and the Gatepost (1956)
Heidi (1968)
David Copperfield (1969)
Jane Eyre (1970)
She Waits (1972)
No Place to Run (1972)
The Man Without a Country (1973)
A Girl Named Sooner (1975)
Breaking Up (1978)
Home to Stay (1978)
Torn Between Two Lovers (1979)
All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)
The Member of the Wedding (1982)
The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story (1983)
The Last Days of Patton (1986)
Ironclads (1991)
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore (1992)
Incident in a Small Town (1994)

v t e Gore Vidal
Plays	Visit to a Small Planet (1957) The Best Man (1960) Romulus On the March to the Sea Weekend (1968) An Evening with Richard Nixon (1972)
Novels	Williwaw (1946) In a Yellow Wood The City and the Pillar (1948) The Season of Comfort A Search for the King Dark Green, Bright Red (1950) The Judgment of Paris Messiah (1954) Julian (1964) Washington, D.C. (1967) Myra Breckinridge (1968) Two Sisters (1970) Burr (1973) Myron (1974) 1876 (1976) Kalki (1978) Creation (1981) Duluth (1983) Lincoln (1984) Empire (1987) Hollywood (1990) Live from Golgotha: The Gospel According to Gore Vidal (1992) The Smithsonian Institution (1998) The Golden Age (2000)
Screenplays	The Catered Affair (1956) I Accuse! (1958) The Left Handed Gun (1958) The Scapegoat (1959) Ben Hur (1959) (uncredited) Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) The Best Man (1964) Is Paris Burning? (1966) Last of the Mobile Hot Shots (1970) Caligula (1979) Dress Gray (1986) The Sicilian (1987) (uncredited) Billy the Kid (1989) The Palermo Connection (1989)
Teleplays	The Telltale Clue Danger Climax! Suspense The Best of Broadway Goodyear Television Playhouse Studio One NBC Matinee Theater General Electric Theater NBC Sunday Showcase Ford Startime
People	Eugene Luther Vidal (father) Nina Auchincloss Straight (half-sister) Burr Steers (nephew) Hugh Auchincloss Steers (nephew)

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