''Plymouth Playhouse'', also known as ''ABC Album'', is a half-hour American television anthology series that aired in 1953 to present "pilot program concepts."

History

The program was initially called ''ABC Album'' but it became known as ''Plymouth Playhouse'' when Plymouth became a sponsor beginning with the April 26, 1953, broadcast. ABC described the sponsorship (estimated at $250,000) as "one of the largest television sales since the merger of ABC with United Paramount Theaters". Episodes aired on the

American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...

(ABC) from April 12, 1953, to June 21, 1953. Some of the productions were live while others were filmed. It was hosted by

David Cook David Cook may refer to: Entertainment * David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR * David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol'' ** ''David Cook'' (album) (released 2008) ...

. ABC used the program to audition possible series in the hopes of gaining sponsorship for the fall 1953 TV season.

Spin-off programs

Three of the episodes went on to become series of their own:
''

Colonel Humphrey Flack ''Colonel Humphrey Flack'' is an American sitcom which ran Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET from October 7, 1953, to July 2, 1954, on the DuMont Television Network, then revived from 1958 to 1959 for first-run syndication. The series also aired under t ...

'' (1953–54), starring

Alan Mowbray Alan Mowbray MM (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood. Early life Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army ...

on DuMont Television
''

Jamie Jamie is a unisex name. Traditionally a masculine name, it can be diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names and is of Scottish English origin. It is also given as a name in its own right. Since the mid-20th century it has been used a ...

'' (1953–54), starring

Brandon deWilde Andre Brandon deWilde (April 9, 1942 – July 6, 1972) was an American theatre, film, and television actor. Born into a theatrical family in Brooklyn, he debuted on Broadway theater, Broadway at the age of seven and became a national phenomenon b ...

on ABC
''

Justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...

'' (1954–55), starring

Paul Douglas Paul Douglas may refer to: * Paul Douglas (Illinois politician) (1892–1976), American economist and US senator * Paul Douglas (actor) (1907–1959), American film actor * Paul P. Douglas Jr. (1919–2002), United States Air Force officer * Paul L. ...

and

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. In a career spanning over seven decades, she won an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Directors Guil ...

on NBC

Guest stars

Other guest stars included

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Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor. He is known for his roles on stage and screen and received nominations for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Albert made his actin ...

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, and

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Episodes

Production

Directors included Dick Darley and two later

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-nominated feature directors,

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, and

Ralph Nelson Ralph Nelson (August 12, 1916 – December 21, 1987) was an American film and television director, producer, writer, and actor. He was best known for directing '' Lilies of the Field'' (1963), '' Father Goose'' (1964), and '' Charly'' (1968 ...

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was the producer. Writers included

John Whedon John Ogden Whedon (November 5, 1905 – November 22, 1991) was an American screenwriter. He is best known for his writing for the television series '' The Donna Reed Show'' during the 1950s. Whedon also wrote for '' The Great Gildersleeve'' o ...

and Halstead Welles was the writer.

"A Tale of Two Cities"

ABC said that the two-part production of "A Tale of Two Cities" on ''Plymouth Playhouse'' used "perhaps the most extensive exterior settings ever used in a live dramatic television show." Much of the network's 23-acre Television Center facility was used for outdoor scenes that included a cobblestone street in France, the

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in London, and a scaffold with a guillotine. Interior scenes were shot on 14 sets that were specially designed on two sound stages. Producers gained 3,000 square feet of interior space by having seats for the audience removed from the studio.

Critical response

A review in the trade publication ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' said that the premiere episode indicated that the series might be "one of the hottest TV properties to unveil in a long time." Bob Francis wrote that the episode "Justice" was "exceedingly well-written" and that all aspects of the show "smacked of top-drawer projection." He called the acting of Douglas and Grant "superb" and said that Nelson's directing was "sensitively imaginative". The trade publication ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said that the "Hogan's Daughter" episode fell short of the program's usual high quality. A review complimented the work of the actors but said that their efforts could not overcome a flawed story. Nelson's directing received compliments, but the review concluded, "John Whedon's script had the premise of an idea, but its lack of development stymied proceedings from the start."

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0381727, title=Plymouth Playhouse
''Plymouth Playhouse'' at CVTA with episode list
1950s American anthology television series 1953 American television series debuts 1953 American television series endings American Broadcasting Company television dramas Black-and-white American television shows