''Telephone Time'' is an American
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
drama series that aired on
CBS in 1956, and on
ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays adapted from short stories by
John Nesbitt who hosted the first season.
became the host effective with the September 10, 1957, episode. He hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. A total of 81 episodes aired from April 1956 to March 1957 on CBS, and from April 1957 to April 1958 on ABC. The
Bell Telephone System sponsored the series.
Overview
The program showcased the talents of actors and actresses such as
Alma Lawton,
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
,
Florenz Ames,
Greer Garson,
Dennis Morgan,
Joseph Cotten,
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...
,
Michael Landon
Michael Landon Sr. (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in ''Bonanza'' (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in ''Little House on th ...
,
Cloris Leachman,
Johnny Crawford,
Katherine Warren,
Joel Grey,
Fay Wray,
Thomas Mitchell,
Vivi Janiss
Vivi Janis (born Vivian Audrey Jamison; May 29, 1911 – September 7, 1988) was an American actress, known for such films as ''The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues'' (1955), ''Man on the Prowl (film), Man on the Prowl'' (1957), and ''First, You Cry'' ...
,
Wright King,
Strother Martin,
Lon Chaney Jr.,
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...
,
John Carradine,
Helen Wallace, and
Michael Winkelman. Famed circus performer
Emmett Kelly made his dramatic debut in the presentation ''Captain from Kopenick''.
Michael Raffetto appeared in the "Vicksburg, 5:35 PM" episode as Joe Palermo (1956).
Award nomination
Nesbitt was nominated for an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
in 1957 for Best Teleplay Writing - Half Hour or Less.
Episodes
* 1.01 The Golden Junkman - April 8, 1956 - Chaney
* 1.02 Man With A Beard
* 1.03 Captain From Kopenick
* 1.04 Borders Away
* 1.05 The Mystery of Caspar Hauser
* 1.06 The Stepmother
* 1.07 Time Bomb
* 1.08 Emperor Norton's Bridge
* 1.09 The Man Who Believed In Fairy Tales
* 1.10 Harry In Search of Himself
* 1.11 Felix the Fourth
* 1.12 Smith of Ecuador
* 1.13 The Gingerbread Man
* 1.14 Joyful Lunatic
* 1.15 The Key
* 1.16 Grandpa Changes the World
* 1.17 Again the Stars
* 2.01 Keeley's Wonderful Machine
* 2.02 I Am Not Alone
* 2.03 Mr. and Mrs. Browning
* 2.04 Vicksburg, 5:35 P.M.
* 2.05 The Churchill Club
* 2.06 She Sette Her Little Foote
* 2.07 Hatfield, the Rainmaker
* 2.08 She Also Ran
* 2.09 Knockout
* 2.10 Chico and the Archbishop
* 2.11 Raccoon Hunt
* 2.12 Fortunatus
* 2.13 Scio, Ohio
* 2.14 The Sergeant Boyd Story
* 2.15 The Mountain That Moved
* 2.16 Passport To Life
* 2.17 The Jumping Parson
* 2.18 Parents Of A Stranger
* 2.19 The Consort - January 27, 1957 -
Alan Napier
* 2.20 The Man Who Discovered O. Henry
* 2.21 The Greatest Man in the World
* 2.22 The Unsinkable Molly Brown - February 24, 1957 - Leachman
* 2.23 The Intruder
* 2.24 Fight For The Title -
George Brenlin, Landon
* 2.25 Escape
* 2.26 Castle Dangerous
* 2.27 Bullet Lou Kirn
* 2.28 Elfego Baca - April 18, 1957 - Manuel Rojas
* 2.29 Rabbi On Wheels
* 2.30 The Diamond Peer
* 2.31 Stranded - Davis
* 2.32 Plot To Save A Boy
* 2.33 Line Chief
* 2.34 Pit-a-Pit and the Dragon
* 2.35 The Koshetz Story
* 3.01 Revenge - September 10, 1957 - Garson, Ames,
Grant Richards
* 3.02 Here Lies Francois Gold
* 3.03 Campaign For Marriage
* 3.04 The Gadfly - Mitchell
* 3.05 Hole In The Wall
* 3.06 The Man The Navy Couldn't Sink
* 3.07 Under Seventeen
* 3.08 The Other Van Gogh
* 3.09 Arithmetic Sailor
* 3.10 I Get Along Without You Very Well
* 3.11 Alice's Wedding Gown - November 19, 1957 - Wray
* 3.12 The Rescue
* 3.13 Novel Appeal
* 3.14 Sam Houston's Decision
* 3.15 The Frying Pan
* 3.16 A Picture of the Magi
* 3.17 Death Of A Nobody
* 3.18 Abby, Julia and the Seven Pet Cows
* 3.19 Cavalry Surgeon
* 3.20 A Stubborn Fool
* 3.21 Flight For Life
* 3.22 The Immortal Eye
* 3.23 Recipe For Success
* 3.24 The Checkered Flag
* 3.25 The Vestris - February 25, 1958 -
Torin Thatcher, Karloff
* 3.26 War Against War
* 3.27 The Quality of Mercy - March 11, 1958 - Harry Towne
* 3.28 Man of Principle
* 3.29 Trail Blazer
Production
Hal Roach Jr. and Jerry Stagg were the producers.
The program was directed by
Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By the late ...
,
Robert Florey
Robert Florey (September 14, 1900 – May 16, 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor.
Florey directed more than 50 films, the best known likely being the Marx Brothers first feature ''The Cocoanuts'' (1929 ...
, and
Lewis Allen. Writers included
Donald S. Sanford.
The CBS version was broadcast on Sundays from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
[ Bell's dissatisfaction with that time slot led to the change in networks. It had asked CBS in December 1956 to move the program to a later time. The ABC version initially was on Thursdays from 10 to 10:30 p.m. E. T. In June 1957 it was moved to Tuesdays from 9:30 to 10 p.m. E. T.]
Critical response
A review of the episode "Revenge" 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 ...
'' described it as "slickly produced" but added that it "suffered from over simplification of the basic issues, which resulted in scene punchlines and plot twists telegraphed well in advance."
References
External links
* {{IMDb title, 0048903, Telephone Time
''Telephone Time (TV series)'' at CVTA with episode list
Video of public domain episode ''I Am Not Alone'' on the Internet Archive
Video of public domain episode ''Recipe for Success'' on the Internet Archive
1950s American anthology television series
1956 American television series debuts
1958 American television series endings
Bell System
1950s American drama television series
Black-and-white American television shows
American English-language television shows
Television series based on plays
CBS television dramas
American Broadcasting Company television dramas