''Screen Directors Playhouse'' (sometimes written as ''Screen Directors' Playhouse'') is an American radio and television

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a di ...

which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcast adaptations of films, with original directors of the films sometimes involved in the productions, although their participation was usually limited to introducing the radio adaptations and taking a brief "curtain call" with the cast and host at the end of the program. During the 1955–56 season, the series was seen on television, focusing on original teleplays and several adaptations of famous short stories (such as

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as '' Treasure Island'', '' Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...

's " Markheim").

Radio

The radio version ran for 122 episodes and aired on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...

from January 9, 1949, to September 28, 1951, under several different titles: ''NBC Theater'', ''Screen Directors Guild Assignment'', ''Screen Directors Assignment'' and, as of July 1, 1949, ''Screen Directors Playhouse''. Actors on the radio series included

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several prominent films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lif ...

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictur ...

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pic ...

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Dou ...

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other genr ...

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr., (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, producer and decorated naval officer of World War II. He is best known for starring in such films as ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937), ''Gunga Din'' (1939) a ...

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and r ...

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the '' Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Charles characters crea ...

Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...

, Norma Shearer,

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

, James Stewart, John Wayne, and

Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the fil ...

Television

The television version, produced and filmed at

Hal Roach Studios Hal Roach Studios was an American motion picture and television production studio. Known as ''The Laugh Factory to the World'', it was founded by producer Hal Roach and business partners Dan Linthicum and I.H. Nance as the Rolin Film Company on Ju ...

, was broadcast for one season of 35 half-hour episodes on NBC, under the sponsorship of

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

, airing from October 5, 1955, to June 1956. The final episodes aired on ABC ending on September 26, 1956. Hal Roach Studios produced the program, and members of the Screen Directors Guild directed the 30-minute filmed episodes. The guild used its income to support its educational and benevolent foundation. John Wayne appeared in the episode "Rookie of the Year", in "his only real dramatic role on TV", and Errol Flynn's first dramatic role on TV came in "The Sword of Villon". Billed in the opening credits of their respective television episodes are: Lee Aaker (episode 8), Lola Albright (episode 4), John Alderson (episode 35), Leon Ames (episode 5),

Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...

(episode 20), Lynn Bari (episode 4), Ralph Bellamy (episode 19),

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...

(episode 35), John Bentley (episode 30),

Charles Bickford Charles Ambrose Bickford (January 1, 1891 – November 9, 1967) was an American actor known for supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), '' The F ...

(episode 11), Janet Blair (episode 28),

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are B ...

(episode 10),

Neville Brand Lawrence Neville Brand (August 13, 1920 – April 16, 1992) was an American soldier and actor. He was known for playing villainous or antagonistic character roles in Westerns, crime dramas, and ''films noir'', and was nominated for a BAFTA A ...

(episode 4), Walter Brennan (episode 8), Hillary Brooke (episode 22), Joe E. Brown (episode 12), Edgar Buchanan (episode 8), Rory Calhoun (episodes 2 and 14),

Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast member ...

(episodes 18 and 32),

Jack Carson John Elmer Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born American film actor. Carson often played the role of comedic friend in films of the 1940s and 1950s, including ''The Strawberry Blonde'' (1941) with James Cagney and ...

(episode 4), Joan Caulfield (episode 32), Gower Champion (episode 27), Marge Champion (episode 27),

Fred Clark Frederick Leonard Clark (March 19, 1914 – December 5, 1968) was an American film and television character actor. Early years Born in Lincoln, California, Clark was the son of Fred Clark Sr. He attended Stanford University with plans to beco ...

(episode 5), Constance Cummings (episode 33), Linda Darnell (episode 30), Laraine Day (episodes 7 and 17), Yvonne deCarlo (episode 14), Brandon deWilde (episode 29), Bobby Driscoll (episode 2), James Dunn (episode 18), Leo Durocher (episode 17), Robert Easton (episode 15), Buddy Ebsen (episode 28),

Marilyn Erskine Marilyn Erskine (born April 24, 1926) is an American actress who started performing at the age of three on radio, and has since appeared in radio, theater, film and television roles from the 1920s through the 1970s. Personal life Erskine was bor ...

(episode 21), Frank Fay (episode 9),

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

(episode 22), Scott Forbes (episode 30),

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-face ...

(episode 20),

Sally Forrest Sally Forrest (born Katherine Feeney; May 28, 1928 – March 15, 2015), was an American film, stage and TV actress of the 1940s and 1950s. She studied dance from a young age and shortly out of high school was signed to a contract by Metro-Gol ...

(episode 5), Rita Gam (episode 19),

Nancy Gates Nancy Gates (February 1, 1926Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume''. Perigee Books. .P. 471. – March 24, 2019) was an American film and television actress. Early ...

(episode 9), Leo Genn (episode 13), Greta Granstedt (episode 19), Barbara Hale (episode 1),

Don Hanmer Donald L. Hanmer (October 17, 1919 – May 24, 2003) was an American film actor. The Chicago-born actor began his career on Broadway, where he was considered once a big hit. He appeared in 90 films between 1945 until 1991. In 1966, he played a ...

(episode 3), Dick Haymes (episode 18),

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...

(episode 35),

Kim Hunter Kim Hunter (born Janet Cole; November 11, 1922 – September 11, 2002) was an American theatre, film, and television actress. She achieved prominence for portraying Stella Kowalski in the original production of Tennessee Williams' ''A Streetcar N ...

(episode 3), Buster Keaton (episode 12),

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...

(episode 24), Peter Lawford (episode 9),

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won List of awards and nominations received by Cloris Leachman, many accolades, including eight Primetime ...

(episode 6), Sheldon Leonard (episode 15),

Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...

(episode 16), James Lydon (episode 5),

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier ('' The Love Parade'', '' Love Me Tonight'', '' The Merry Widow'' and '' ...

(episode 17),

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, J ...

(episode 21),

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

(episode 21), Lotfi Mansouri (episode 34), Vera Miles (episode 10),

(episode 23),

Sal Mineo Salvatore Mineo Jr. (January 10, 1939 – February 12, 1976) was an American actor, singer, and director. He is best known for his role as John "Plato" Crawford in the drama film ''Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955), which earned him a nomination f ...

(episode 26), Thomas Mitchell (episode 7),

George Montgomery George Montgomery may refer to: * George Montgomery (actor) (1916–2000), American actor *George Leslie Montgomery (c. 1727–1787), Irish Member of Parliament *George Montgomery (set decorator) (1899–1951), American set decorator * George Thoma ...

(episode 24),

Patricia Morison Eileen Patricia Augusta Fraser Morison (March 19, 1915 – May 20, 2018) was an American stage, television and film actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood and mezzo-soprano singer. She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on ...

(episode 26), Barry Nelson (episode 28),

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

(episode 25),

Dan O'Herlihy Daniel Peter O'Herlihy (May 1, 1919 – February 17, 2005) was an Irish actor of film, television, and radio. With a distinguished appearance and rich, resonant speaking voice, O'Herlihy's best known-roles included his Oscar-nominated portraya ...

(episode 7),

Dennis O'Keefe Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vanes Flanagan, Jr., March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor and writer. Early years Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, O'Keefe was the son of Edward Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan, Irish vaudevill ...

(episode 15), ZaSu Pitts (episode 12),

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

(episode 19), Philip Reed (episode 13),

Robert Ryan Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

(episode 11),

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...

(episodes 26 and 33),

Herb Shriner Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner (May 29, 1918 – April 23, 1970) was an American humorist, radio personality, actor, and television host. Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home state of Indiana. He was frequently ...

(episode 1), Mary Sinclair (episode 28),

Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...

(episode 23), William Talman (episode 16), Casey Tibbs (episode 29), June Vincent (episodes 14 ot billed in opening creditsand 18), John Wayne (episode 10),

Pat Wayne Patrick John Morrison (born July 15, 1939), better known by his stage name Patrick Wayne, is an American actor. He is the second son of movie star John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz. He made over 40 films, including eleven w ...

(episode 10), Michael Wilding (episode 31),

Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international r ...

(episode 15), Teresa Wright (episode 16),

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in mos ...

(episode 3), May Wynn (episode 13) and Alan Young (episode 6). But there was one difference between the two versions of the program: while the radio program had presented only condensed versions of well-known plays and films, the television version presented mostly original dramas. The directors of television episodes are: Lewis Allen,

Claude Binyon Claude Binyon (October 17, 1905 Chicago, Illinois – February 14, 1978 Glendale, California) was a screenwriter and director. His genres were comedy, musicals, and romances. As a Chicago-based journalist for the '' Examiner'' newspaper, he b ...

, Frank Borzage (3 episodes),

John Brahm John Brahm (August 17, 1893 – October 12, 1982) was a German film and television director. His films include ''The Undying Monster'' (1942), ''The Lodger (1944 film), The Lodger'' (1944), ''Hangover Square (film), Hangover Square'' (1945), ''Th ...

(2 episodes), David Butler, Gower Champion,

William Dieterle William Dieterle (July 15, 1893 – December 9, 1972) was a German-born actor and film director who emigrated to the United States in 1930 to leave a worsening political situation. He worked in Hollywood primarily as a director for much of his ...

Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, was ...

(2 episodes),

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

Tay Garnett William Taylor "Tay" Garnett (June 13, 1894 – October 3, 1977) was an American film director and writer. Biography Early life Born in Los Angeles, Garnett attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as a naval aviator in Wo ...

(3 episodes),

Hugo Haas Hugo Haas (19 February 1901 – 1 December 1968) was a Czech film actor, director and writer. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1926 and 1962, as well as directing 20 films between 1933 and 1962. Life and career Haas was born in ...

, Byron Haskin, Stuart Heisler,

Ida Lupino Ida Lupino (4 February 1918Recorded in ''Births Mar 1918'' Camberwell Vol. 1d, p. 1019 (Free BMD). Transcribed as "Lupine" in the official births index – 3 August 1995) was an English-American actress, singer, director, writer, and producer. T ...

, Leo McCarey (2 episodes),

Norman Z. McLeod Norman Zenos McLeod (September 20, 1898 – January 27, 1964) was an American film director, screenwriter and cartoonist. McLeod's most acclaimed work was made in collaboration with major comic performers of the 1930s, and included such films as ...

George Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the US Army under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry ...

Ted Post Theodore I. Post (March 31, 1918 – August 20, 2013) was an American director of film and television. Highly prolific, Post directed numerous episodes of well-known television series including '' Rawhide'', ''Gunsmoke'', and ''The Twilight Zone'' ...

, H. C. Potter,

John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After d ...

, William A. Seiter,

George Sherman George Sherman (July 14, 1908 – March 15, 1991) was an American film director and producer of low-budget Western films. One obituary said his "credits rival in number those of anyone in the entertainment industry." Biography George Sherman ...

, Andrew L. Stone,

Ted Tetzlaff Dale H. "Ted" Tetzlaff (3 June 1903, Los Angeles, California – 7 January 1995, Sausalito, California) was an Academy Award-nominated Hollywood cinematographer active in the 1930s and 1940s. Career Tetzlaff was particularly favored by t ...

, Frank Tuttle,

George Waggner George Waggner (September 7, 1894 – December 11, 1984) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. He is best known for producing and directing the 1941 film '' The Wolf Man''. For some unknown reason, Waggner sometimes configured his ...

(2 episodes) and

Fred Zinnemann Alfred ''Fred'' Zinnemann (April 29, 1907 – March 14, 1997) was an Austrian Empire-born American film director. He won four Academy Awards for directing and producing films in various genres, including thrillers, westerns, film noir and pl ...

.''Screen Directors Playhouse'' at ''Classic TV Archive''
/ref>

Directors, vital dates, years of activity as director, episode titles, writers and broadcast dates

# Leo McCarey (1896–1969, 1921–62) "Meet the Governor" (October 5, 1955; also wrote) # Frank Borzage (1894–1962, 1913–61) "Day Is Done" (October 12, 1955; written by William Tunberg) #

(1893–1982, 1936–67) "A Midsummer Daydream" (October 19, 1955; written by

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''Th ...

) #

(1894–1984, 1938–67) "Arroyo" (October 26, 1955; also wrote) # William A. Seiter (1890–1964, 1915–60) "Want Ad Wedding" (November 2, 1955; written by Dane Lussier and Gertrude Walker) #

(1895–1964, 1928–63) "Life of Vernon Hathaway" (November 9, 1955; written by Barbara Merlin; story by

Richard Wormser Richard Edward Wormser (February 2, 1908 in New York City, New York – July, in Tumacaciori, Arizona) was an American writer of pulp fiction, detective fiction, screenplays, and Westerns, some of it written using the pseudonym of Ed Fri ...

) # Andrew L. Stone (1902–1999, 1927–72) "The Final Tribute" (November 16, 1955; also wrote; story by Octavus Roy Cohen) # Stuart Heisler (1896–1979, 1936–64) "The Brush Roper" (November 23, 1955; written by William Tunberg and Fred Gipson; story by Gipson) # Leo McCarey (see no. 1) "Tom and Jerry" (November 30, 1955; written by Leo McCarey's daughter,

Mary McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, the most well known today being ''Duck Soup'', ''Make Way for Tomorrow'', '' The Awful Tr ...

) #

(1894–1973, 1917–66) "Rookie of the Year" (December 7, 1955; written by Frank Nugent; story by W. R. Burnett) # H. C. Potter (1904–1977, 1936–57) "Lincoln's Doctor's Dog" (December 14, 1955; written by

William R. Cox William Robert Cox (March 14, 1901 – July 7, 1988) was an American writer. He was a prolific writer of short stories and Western and Mystery novels mainly for the pulp and paperback markets. He wrote under at least six pseudonyms: Willard ...

; story by

Christopher Morley Christopher Darlington Morley (May 5, 1890 – March 28, 1957) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet. He also produced stage productions for a few years and gave college lectures.''Online Literature'' Biography Morley was bo ...

) #

(1891–1975, 1916–72) "The Silent Partner" (December 21, 1955; also wrote; story by Barbara Hammer) #

(1903–1995, 1941–59) "The Titanic Incident" (December 28, 1955; written by

) #

(1894–1977, 1924–75) "Hot Cargo" (January 4, 1956; also story; written by David Dortort) #

(1885–1981, 1911–61) "It's Always Sunday" (January 11, 1956; written by D. D. Beauchamp; story by Jesse Goldstein and Frank Fox) #

(1918–1995, 1949–68) "No. 5 Checked Out" (January 18, 1956; also story; written by Willard Wiener) # David Butler (1894–1979, 1927–67) "Prima Donna" (February 1, 1956; written by Peter Milne and

Gene Raymond Gene Raymond (born Raymond Guion; August 13, 1908 – May 3, 1998) was an American film, television, and stage actor of the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to acting, Raymond was also a singer, composer, screenwriter, director, producer, and decorat ...

; story by Raymond) #

(1908–1991, 1937–78) "Cry Justice" (February 15, 1956; written by Donald Hyde) # Byron Haskin (1899–1984, 1927–68) "Affair in Sumatra" (February 22, 1956; written by Michael Fessier; story by Hobart Donavan) #

(1893–1972, 1923–68) "One Against Many" (March 7, 1956; written by

Donald S. Sanford Donald S. Sanford (March 17, 1918 – February 8, 2011) was an American television, radio and film screenwriter. Sanford was known for his work on numerous television series, as well as his role as the author of the screenplay for the 1976 World ...

; story by John Jacobs and Malvin Ward) #

(1905–1978, 1948–56) "It's a Most Unusual Day" (March 14, 1956; also wrote; story by

) #

(see no. 4) "The Sword of Villon" (April 4, 1956; written by Wilbur S. Peacock) #

(1907–1997, 1930–82) "Markheim" (April 11, 1956; written by John McGreevey and Paul Osborn

nother source indicates Alfred Harris Amalie Emmy NoetherEmmy is the '' Rufname'', the second of two official given names, intended for daily use. Cf. for example the résumé submitted by Noether to Erlangen University in 1907 (Erlangen University archive, ''Promotionsakt Emmy Noeth ...

story by

) # Frank Tuttle (1892–1963, 1922–59) "Claire" (April 25, 1956; written by

Philip MacDonald Philip MacDonald (5 November 1900 – 10 December 1980) was a British-born writer of fiction and screenplays, best known for thrillers. Life and work MacDonald was born in London, the son of author Ronald MacDonald and actress Constance Robert ...

and George Sinclair; story by Ruth Capps) # Frank Borzage (see no. 2) "A Ticket for Thaddeus" (May 9, 1956; written by A. I. Bezzerides; story by Rose C. Feld) #

(1901–1968, 1933–62) "The Dream" (May 16, 1956; written by John McGreevey

nother source indicates Richard Karlan and Patricia Karlan Amalie Emmy NoetherEmmy (given name), Emmy is the ''Rufname'', the second of two official given names, intended for daily use. Cf. for example the résumé submitted by Noether to Erlangen University in 1907 (Erlangen University archive, ''Promot ...

story by

Ivan Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (; rus, links=no, Ива́н Серге́евич Турге́невIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; 9 November 1818 – 3 September 1883 ( Old Style da ...

) # Gower Champion (1921–1980, 1956–74) "What Day Is It?" (June 6, 1956; written by Jean Holloway) # Lewis Allen (1905–2000, 1943–77) "Every Man Has Two Wives" (June 13, 1956; written by

DeWitt Bodeen DeWitt Bodeen (July 25, 1908 — March 12, 1988) was an American film screenwriter and television writer best known for writing ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat People'' (1942). Biography Born Homer DeWitt Bodeen on July 25, 1908, in Fresno, Cali ...

and Frank Gill, Jr.; story by Thames Williamson) #

(see no. 14) "Partners" (July 4, 1956; also story; written by Winston Miller) #

(1918–2013, 1950–99) "White Corridors" (July 11, 1956; written by Irving Cooper and Helen Cooper) #

(see no. 14 and no. 29) "The Carroll Formula" (July 18, 1956; written by John L. Greene) #

(1925–2012, 1951–99) "Apples on the Lilac Tree" (July 25, 1956; written by Lee Loeb and Phil Shuken) #

(see no. 3) "The Bitter Waters" (August 1, 1956; written by Zoe Akins; story "Louisa Pallant" by

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was th ...

) # Frank Borzage (see no. 2 and no. 25) "The Day I Met Caruso" (September 5, 1956; written by Zoe Akins; story by Elizabeth Bacon Rodewald) #

(see no. 15) "High Air" (September 12, 1956; written by A. I. Bezzerides; story by

Borden Chase Borden Chase (January 11, 1900 – March 8, 1971) was an American writer. Career Early jobs Born Frank Fowler, he left school at fourteen went through an assortment of jobs, including driving for gangster Frankie Yale and working as a sandhog ...

)

Directors listed by number of "Best Director" Academy Award nominations

(seven): '' The Search'' (1948), ''

High Noon ''High Noon'' is a 1952 American Western (genre), Western film produced by Stanley Kramer from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starring Gary Cooper. The plot, which occurs in Real time (media), real time, center ...

'' (1952), ''

From Here to Eternity ''From Here to Eternity'' is a 1953 American drama romance war film directed by Fred Zinnemann, and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1951 novel of the same name by James Jones. The picture deals with the tribulations of three U.S. ...

'' (1953: winner), ''

The Nun's Story ''The Nun's Story'' is a 1956 novel by Kathryn Hulme. It was a Book of the Month selection and reached #1 on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Hulme wrote the book based partly upon the experiences of her friend, Marie Louise Habets of ...

'' (1959), '' The Sundowners'' (1960), '' A Man for All Seasons'' (1966: winner) and ''

Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e ...

'' (1977) lso received three nominations as producer (1952: winner, 1960 and 1966: winner)#

(five): '' The Informer'' (1935: winner), ''

Stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...

'' (1939), ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Priz ...

'' (1940: winner), ''How Green Was My Valley (film), How Green Was My Valley'' (1941: winner) and ''The Quiet Man'' (1952: winner) [also received one nomination as producer (1952)] # Leo McCarey (three): ''The Awful Truth'' (1937: winner), ''Going My Way'' (1944: winner) and ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' (1945) [also received four nominations for writing (1939, 1940, 1944: winner and 1952) and one nomination for original song (1958)] # Frank Borzage (two): ''7th Heaven (1927 film), 7th Heaven'' (1927: winner) and Bad Girl (1931 film), Bad Girl (1931: winner) #

(one): ''The Life of Emile Zola'' (1937)

Television episodes

Opening announcement: "''SCREEN DIRECTORS PLAYHOUSE''. Bringing you each week an outstanding original screenplay chosen and directed by one of the country's foremost motion picture directors."

Sources

Audio Classics Archive Radio Logs: ''Screen Directors Playhouse''

References

External links

*

at the TCM Movie Database
''Screen Directors Playhouse''
at TV Guide
''Screen Directors Playhouse'' at CATV with episode list
*

Listen to

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Screen Directors Playhouse 1955 American television series debuts 1956 American television series endings 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs 1950s American drama television series American radio dramas Anthology radio series Black-and-white American television shows English-language television shows NBC original programming American Broadcasting Company original programming Radio programs based on films Radio programmes based on novels NBC radio programs