July 22, 1963 (1963-07-22) – August 28, 1967 (1967-08-28)
Vacation Playhouse is an American anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS during the summer months from 1963 through 1967.[1]
Background
The practice of television executives of ordering dozens of pilots for proposed television series each year – far more than their networks could possibly broadcast as series – created a sizable body of unsold pilots that had never aired.[2] Packaging these unsold pilots in anthology series and airing them during the summer provided television networks with a way of both providing fresh programming during the summer rerun season and recouping at least some of the expense of producing them.[2]Vacation Playhouse was one such series, aired by CBS each summer from 1963 through 1967.[2]
Production
Vacation Playhouse premiered on July 22, 1963,[1][2] airing as a summer replacement for the situation comedyThe Lucy Show; a voiceover introduced each episode with "While Lucy's on vacation . . . it's Vacation Playhouse."[3] In 1963, it consisted of unsold pilots for situation comedies. When it returned in 1964, again replacing The Lucy Show, it mostly aired previously unseen situation comedy pilots,[2] but also included the pilot for a musical-comedy variety show[2] and repeats of comedic episodes of General Electric Theater. In 1965, it replaced Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and that summer it aired dramatic adventure and mystery episodes[1][3] in addition to situation comedies.[2] It again replaced The Lucy Show in 1966 and 1967 and returned to its earlier format of presenting situation comedy pilots, during each of those summers consisting of previously unaired pilots and repeats of episodes that it had aired in previous years.[1][2]
Two episodes of Vacation Playhouse aired twice on the series, two others aired three times, and the series also included a few repeats of episodes of other anthology series. Nonetheless, by the time Vacation Playhouse aired for the last time in August 1967, it had broadcast 47 unsold pilots since its 1963 premiere.[2] Its five-season run made it the longest-lived series of unsold television pilots.[2]
Broadcast history
During 1963, Vacation Playhouse aired on Mondays from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, premiering on July 22 and concluding on September 23.[2] It returned in the summer of 1964 in the same time slot, running from June 15 to September 14.[2] During its third season in 1965, the series moved to Friday nights from 9:30 to 10:00 pm. Eastern Time from June 25 to September 10.[2] It returned to its previous time slot on Monday nights in 1966, airing from July 4 and September 5, as well as for a final run in the summer of 1967 which began on July 3.[1][2] Its final episode was broadcast on August 28, 1967.[2]
Season 4's nine episodes included two repeats of previously aired episodes.[2] Season 5's nine episodes included four repeats of previously aired episodes.[2]
A mystery writer can be scatterbrained, but she has an ineffable sense of logic, and she works together with her husband, a successful criminal defense attorney, to solve crimes. Starring Glynis Johns, Keith Andes, Michael Constantine, Mary Gregory, and Phyllis Love.[6][13] This episode was the pilot for the proposed television series The Glynis Johns Show, which, after some cast changes, aired as the series Glynis during the 1962–1963 television season.[14]
A young couple that live on a houseboat and drive a motorcycle face a threat to their marriage when the husband must choose between working for his wealthy father-in-law or staying in college. Starring Beverly Wills.[6][21]
9
"Come a-Runnin'"
Unknown
Unknown
September 16, 1963 (1963-09-16)
A small-town physician who has many heartwarming adventures and rarely is paid with money for his services faces a challenge when a couple prefers to use a midwife to deliver their first baby.[6][22]
10
"Maggie Brown"
Unknown
Unknown
September 23, 1963 (1963-09-23)
A woman who owns a nightclub in the South Pacific patronized by sailors must keep 3,000 of them away from her daughter – and then is forced to make her own beer when her club is declared off limits. Starring Ethel Merman.[2][6][23][24]
Season 2 (1964)
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original release date
1
"Hey, Teacher"
Unknown
Unknown
June 15, 1964 (1964-06-15)
On his hectic first day on the job as the only male member of the teaching staff of an elementary school, a third-grade teacher enlists the aid of the school's jokester janitor to deal with a snake that has gotten loose while the rest of the school's staff makes bets on how many hours he will last in the job. Starring Dwayne Hickman.[2][6][25][26]
2
"Hooray for Hollywood"
Unknown
Unknown
June 22, 1964 (1964-06-22)
In 1920s Hollywood, a temperamental actress who is the top box-office attraction threatens to quit after arguing with a movie mogul, prompting two movie studios to fight over her. Starring Herschel Bernardi.[2][6]
A pair of traveling buddies whose only possession is a ramshackle makeshift trailer devise creative schemes to make a living. Starring Ross Martin and Jerry Lanning.[6][28]
A French dancer is determined to marry a handsome New York City millionaire bachelor who is equally determined not to get married. Starring James Franciscus and Suzanne Pleshette.[2][6][5] A repeat[30] of an episode of General Electric Theater that originally aired on March 19, 1961, it was a pilot for the proposed situation comedy Band of Gold.
When a slick and lecherous city boy who works as a traveling photographer takes his camera into a rural area in the Tennessee hills to photograph a high school graduation, a beautiful country girl in need of a graduation dress captivates him, and he stirs up excitement when he tries to trade a dress for some favors.[6][32][33][34] Starring Hugh O'Brian, Stella Stevens, Ellen Corby, Buddy Ebsen, Tommy Nolan, and Suzanne Sydney. A repeat of an episode which aired originially on General Electric Theater on October 30, 1960.[6]
A judge tries to get away from his duties temporarily and overcome family obstacles so he can enjoy a fishing trip. Starring Fred Clark and Audrey Totter.[6][37][38]
As punishment for her vanity, a young wood nymph is banished from her native habitat and sent to reside on Earth until she does 100 good deeds. Starring Suzy Parker.[2][6][43]
2
"Alec Tate"
Unknown
Unknown
July 2, 1965 (1965-07-02)
The teenage sister of a bachelor who owns an apartment house arranges for him to meet an eligible young woman.[6][44]
3
"The Barbara Rush Show"
Unknown
Unknown
July 9, 1965 (1965-07-09)
A housewife takes a job as a public stenographer to support her medical-student husband and three children. Starring Barbara Rush.[2][6][45]
Alternative titles "Starr" and "Starr of the Yankees." A rookie baseball player has an accident that almost ends his career before it can begin. Starring Martin Milner.[2][6][47][48]
6
"The Brave Duke"
Unknown
Unknown
July 30, 1965 (1965-07-30)
An expatriate American who operates a casino in Mexico becomes involved in a gun-smuggling plot by Mexican revolutionaries in 1870. Starring Gerald Mohr.[6][49][50]
At the reading of a will, two women who are distant cousins learn that they will inherit money, a townhouse in New York City, and a conniving 97-year-old parrot named named Cap'n Ahab, but to qualify for the inheritance, they must live together and care for Cap'n Ahab. Starring Judy Canova and Jaye P. Morgan.[6][54]
On his hectic first day on the job as the only male member of the teaching staff of an elementary school, a third-grade teacher enlists the aid of the school's jokester janitor to deal with a snake that has gotten loose while the rest of the school's staff makes bets on how many hours he will last in the job. Starring Dwayne Hickman.[2][6][25][26] A repeat of the episode previously aired on June 15, 1964.[2][6]
A woman who owns a nightclub in the South Pacific patronized by sailors must keep 3,000 of them away from her daughter – and then is forced to make her own beer when her club is declared off limits. Starring Ethel Merman.[2][23][24] A repeat of the episode previously aired on September 23, 1963.[2]
A small-town fire chief's brother-in-law is an eager but ineffectual fireman who shares a home with the chief and the chief's wife, although the chief always is trying to get him move out of the house. The chief has a perfect record of fire safety and control until his brother-in-law unconsciously – but steadily – undermines the fire department′s operations. Starring Soupy Sales, Gale Gordon, and Jack Weston.[2][6][59][60]
A pair of no-talent vaudeville performers searching for a great gig try a series of tricks to get a top agent and impresario in a Chicago hospital to see their act. Starring Donald O'Connor, Soupy Sales, and Jerome Cowan. Unsold pilot for The Donald O'Connor Show.[2][6][4][62][63]
A young widow works as an illustrator, and her impressionable 7-year-old son imagines her drawings coming to life, preferring the world of fantasy he creates to making real friends. Starring Patricia Crowley and Bill Mumy.[2][6][65]
A sweet old college professor invents a rejuvenation pill that makes anyone who takes it look 10 years younger, but only for a short time. He lets a pretty housewife try it, leading to an encounter with her errant husband in a nightclub and a teenage beach party at Malibu, California. Starring Ed Wynn in a posthumous role and Ethel Waters.[2][6][67][68]
2
"Maggie Brown"
Unknown
Unknown
July 10, 1967 (1967-07-10)
A woman who owns a nightclub in the South Pacific patronized by sailors must keep 3,000 of them away from her daughter – and then is forced to make her own beer when her club is declared off limits. Starring Ethel Merman.[2][23][24] A repeat of the episode aired twice previously,[2] on September 23, 1963,[6] and July 18, 1966.
A bumbling young man who owns a rubber plantation in South America and fights injustice as a jungle adventurer in his spare time sets off into the Amazon rainforest to rescue a dentist and a nurse – who also is the dentist's beautiful daughter – from headhunters who are holding them captive. Starring Wally Cox.[2][6][70][71]
6
"The Two of Us"
Unknown
Unknown
August 7, 1967 (1967-08-07)
A young widow works as an illustrator, and her impressionable 7-year-old son imagines her drawings coming to life, preferring the world of fantasy he creates to making real friends. Starring Patricia Crowley and Bill Mumy.[2][6][65] A repeat of an episode previously aired on August 29, 1966.[2][6][65]
7
"Heaven Help Us"
Unknown
Unknown
August 14, 1967 (1967-08-14)
After the spirit of his late wife returns to help him find a new mate, a magazine editor ends up with two dates on the same night. Starring Barry Nelson and Joanna Moore.[2][6][72]
On his hectic first day on the job as the only male member of the teaching staff of an elementary school, a third-grade teacher enlists the aid of the school's jokester janitor to deal with a snake that has gotten loose while the rest of the school's staff makes bets on how many hours he will last in the job. Starring Dwayne Hickman.[2][6][25][26] A repeat of an episode aired twice previously, on June 15, 1964[6] and July 4, 1966.[2]
