Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953. The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series. Edwards created the recurring character of illegal gambling house operator Willie Dante for Dick Powell to play on this series. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff, then-husband of Lupino. The pilot for Meet McGraw, starring Frank Lovejoy, aired here, as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from the radio drama Nightbeat.
Episode 1
Man invents a wife, then accused of murdering her.
Episode 2
Willie Dante owns a bar and gambling house called Dante's Inferno. One night, the wife of an acquaintance tells Willie that her husband has threatened her. Willie comforts her and sends her home, but she turns up dead the next day.
Episode 3
Englishman must retrieve his hat after visiting his love.
Episode 4
An actor named Paul is out on an evening stroll when he sees a young woman attempting to jump off a bridge. After a struggle, he discovers her name is Amy and she is homeless. Paul believes $5 could mean the difference between decency & despair so he pays for Amy to stay in a hotel for the night, agreeing to meet her the next day. Amy is nowhere to be found when Paul returns. He worries and begins the search for this mysterious woman.
Episode 5
A notorious criminal returns to his home town after 15 years away, and a young man wants to join him in notoriety and, probably, death at the hands of police.
Episode 6
Rebellious physician on an island in the South Pacific.
Episode 7
A reformed pickpocket in Paris obtains the purse of an attractive woman. He reads a letter telling about her dying son, and he decides to grant the boy's wish to meet his father.
Episode 8
Middleweight boxer finds his big bout has been fixed.
Episode 9
William encounters an old acquaintance, John Dwerrihouse, on a train with 75,000 pounds. Only later did William learn that Dwerrihouse had disappeared four months earlier after embezzling 75,000 pounds from the train company.
Episode 10
A famous marshal of Dodge City sets out in search of the murderous Sonoma Kid and runs into a tragedy of the desert.
Episode 11
Woman buys hearing aid and hears husband plot her murder.
Episode 12
Boyer plays four roles in story of a director and his woes.
Episode 13
Young boy fights to win his foster mother's love.
Episode 14
After separating from his wife, a wealthy clubman is about to marry a much young woman -- whereupon his mirror image walks out on him in disgust.
Episode 15
Sea captain discovers a time bomb is planted on his ship.
Episode 16
Five people, one a murderer, are trapped on subway.
Episode 17
A psychiatrist listens to his female patients go on about their troubles. As they talk, he imagines himself within each of their stories.
Episode 18
A bank employee mails a letter to his boss confessing to stealing $7000 and includes the stocks he bought with the money. As he puts a gun to his head, he sees in the paper that the stocks' worth have gone through the roof. Now he wants to live and goes on a frantic chase to get the letter back from the post office before it gets delivered.
Episode 19
Past haunts politician running for Senator.
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