Vacation Playhouse

Vacation Playhouse is an American anthology television series that was broadcast during the summer months on CBS from July 22, 1963, to August 21, 1967.[1]

Vacation Playhouse
Created byRichard Michaels
Directed byHy Averback
Richard Crenna
Jack Donohue
Claudio Guzmán
Jerry Hopper
Fletcher Markle
Norman Z. McLeod
Gene Reynolds
Barry Shear
Don Taylor
Richard Whorf
Don Weis
Starring(see below)
ComposerJerry Fielding
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes47
Production
Executive producersWarren Lewis
William Dozier
ProducersHal Kanter
Arthur Julian
Jack Donohue
Stanley Shpetner
Edward H. Feldman
Jim McGinn
Production locationsDesilu Studios
CBS Television City
EditorsBill Heath
Robert L. Swanson
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesBing Crosby Productions
Desilu Productions
Four Star Television
Universal Television
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseJuly 22, 1963 (1963-07-22) –
August 21, 1967 (1967-08-21)

Premise

Vacation Playhouse premiered on July 22, 1963, on CBS.[1] The show aired as a summer replacement for CBS's sitcom The Lucy Show. A voiceover introduced each episode with "While Lucy's on vacation . . . it's Vacation Playhouse".[2]

The series was a showcase for previously unaired unsold television pilot films. When it replaced The Lucy Show in 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1967, its episodes were comedies. In 1965, it replaced Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. with episodes of drama and adventure.[2]

The final episode aired Monday, August 21, 1967 after four years and five seasons.

Production notes

The series was directed by actors Don Taylor, and Richard Crenna and television producer/director Jack Donohue.[3] The series was produced by producers Hal Kanter, Arthur Julian and Donohue.[3] Other producers included Norman Lear. Other directors included Bud Yorkin.[4]

The series was filmed alternatively between the Desilu Studios and Television City. The series was also produced with the association of Bing Crosby Productions, Desilu Productions, Four Star Television, and Universal Television.

Broadcast history

Vacation Playhouse aired on Mondays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time during its first and second seasons. During its third season, (1965), the series aired on Friday nights from 9:30 to 10 p.m. E. T. It returned to its previous time slot on Monday nights in 1966 and for a final run in the summer of 1967.[1]

Episodes
SeasonEpisodesSeason PremiereSeason Finale
1 10 July 22, 1963 (1963-07-22) September 23, 1963 (1963-09-23)
2 12 June 15, 1964 (1964-06-15) September 14, 1964 (1964-09-14)
3 12 June 20, 1965 (1965-06-20) September 5, 1965 (1965-09-05)
4 8 July 4, 1966 (1966-07-04) September 5, 1966 (1966-09-05)
5 5 July 3, 1967 (1967-07-03) August 21, 1967 (1967-08-21)

Season 1

Season 2
  • Hey, Teacher – June 15, 1964
  • Hooray for Hollywood – June 22, 1964
  • Papa G.I. – June 29, 1964
  • I and Claude – July 6, 1964
  • He's All Yours – July 20, 1964
  • Love is a Lion's Roar – July 27, 1964 - James Franciscus, Suzanne Pleshette[4]
  • At Your Service – August 3, 1964
  • The Graduation Dress – August 10, 1964
  • The First Hundred Years – August 17, 1964
  • My Darling Judge – August 31, 1964
  • The Bean Show – September 7, 1964 - Orson Bean[10]
  • The Ivy League – September 14, 1964

Season 3
  • Sybil – June 20, 1965
  • Alec Tate – June 27, 1965
  • The Barbara Rush Show – July 4, 1965
  • Patrick Stone – July 11, 1965
  • Starr (aka – "Starr, First Baseman" or "Starr of the Yankees") – July 18, 1965
  • The Brave Duke – July 25, 1965
  • Luke and the Tenderfoot Part I – August 6, 1965[11]
  • Luke and the Tenderfoot Part II – August 13, 1965[11]
  • Coogan's Reward – August 15, 1965
  • Three on an Island – August 22, 1965
  • Cap'n Ahab – August 29, 1965
  • Down Home – September 5, 1965

Season 4
  • The Good Old Days – July 11, 1966
  • Frank Merriwell – July 25, 1966
  • Where's There Smokey – August 1, 1966
  • My Lucky Penny – August 8, 1966
  • The Hoofer – August 15, 1966 - Donald O'Connor, Soupy Sales, Jerome Cowan[3]
  • My Son, the Doctor – August 22, 1966
  • The Two of Us – August 29, 1966
  • Off We Go! – September 5, 1966

Season 5
  • You're Only Young Twice – July 3, 1967
  • My Boy Goggle – July 24, 1967
  • Alfred of the Amazon – July 31, 1967
  • Heaven Help Us – August 14, 1967
  • The Jones Boys – August 21, 1967

References
  1. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 1463. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  2. Monush, Barry (2011-06-01). Lucille Ball FAQ: Everything Left to Know About America's Favorite Redhead. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-55783-940-4. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  3. Terrace, Vincent (January 17, 2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-4766-3810-2. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  4. "Franciscus And Pleshette In New Comedy". Portland Press Herald. July 26, 1964. p. 6 C. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Begin Vacation Playhouse". The Times Herald. Michigan, Port Huron. July 20, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Magic Lamp And Wishes Prove Jinx". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. July 21, 1963. p. 84. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "'Hide And Seek' Offered Aug. 5". The Progress-Index. Virginia, Petersburg. July 25, 1963. p. 25. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Harris, Harry (August 13, 1963). "'Mickey and Contessa' Is Surefire Comedy — But a Few Years Late". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Inventor". The Austin American. August 18, 1963. p. 76. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Bean Show: Wild & Wacky". The State. South Carolina, Columbia. September 7, 1964. p. 4 - A. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Pitts, Michael R. (2003-06-04). Charles Bronson: The 95 Films and the 156 Television Appearances. McFarland. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-7864-1702-5. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
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