Four Star Playhouse 

This show featured four rotating stars, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Dick Powell in individual episodes consisting of everything from comedy to drama.

Stars:

David Niven, Dick Powell, Charles Boyer

Nominated for 14 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
David Niven	...	Adams / ... 32 episodes, 1952-1956
Dick Powell	...	Willie Dante / ... 32 episodes, 1952-1956
Charles Boyer	...	Paul / ... 30 episodes, 1952-1956
Ida Lupino	...	Ellen / ... 19 episodes, 1953-1956
Herb Vigran	...	Monte / ... 14 episodes, 1952-1956

Storyline

This show featured four rotating stars, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Dick Powell in individual episodes consisting of everything from comedy to drama.

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Plot Keywords:

anthology series | early television | anthology | number in title | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The original four stars who were to appear in this show were Charles Boyer, Joel McCrea, Dick Powell, and Rosalind Russell. McCrea and Russell pulled out soon after the company was formed, and were replaced by Ida Lupino and David Niven.

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Crazy Credits

In episode 1.2, "Dante's Inferno," the character played by Regis Toomey is listed as "Lt. Wald," even though he is referred to in dialog several times as "Lt. Waldo." The role of Herb Vigran is identified there as "Monty Leeds," but in all subsequent episodes set in the titular nightclub the name is given as "Monte [no surname]."

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Alternate Versions

The syndicated rerun version of the episode "The House Always Wins" (4/28/1955), also used for at least one video release, is missing Jack Benny's cameo appearance.

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Connections

Spin-off The Adventures of McGraw (1957)

User Reviews

A great source of drama

According to the Tony Thomas book on The Films Of Dick Powell although the company was named Four Star Productions only three stars ever invested on the producing end, David Niven, Charles Boyer, and Dick Powell. They never came up with a fourth though Ida Lupino kept them dangling for a while.

Niven and Boyer were glad to let Powell run the business end of Four Star Productions. Powell himself eagerly embraced the new small screen medium of television, it was his firm belief that like Madonna you had to reinvent yourself periodically or become a has been in the entertainment business. So he went from crooning tenor in musicals to tough guy leading man to big time TV producer. Four Star Playhouse was one of many anthology series in those early television days of the Fifties and a source of good drama.

Not to mention it was the first of many television series that Four Star Productions created. You'll find a lot of familiar names in the credits of Four Star Playhouse in front of and behind the camera. Powell had a good eye for spotting talent and gave a boost to a lot of careers.

When Dick Powell died in early 1963 he was quite the tycoon, creating many shows under the Four Star banner. He even acted in several stories in Four Star and the Zane Grey Theater.

Several Four Star shows have been put on YouTube and I urge you strongly to see them.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Star Performance

Filming Locations:

Republic Studios - 4024 Radford Avenue, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Star Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (129 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1