The Play of the Week is an American anthology series of televised stage plays which aired in NTA Film Network syndication from October 12, 1959, to May 1, 1961.
Ambitious undertaking The series presented 67 (35 in the first season, 32 in the second) videotaped Broadway-style productions, broadcast nightly and Sunday afternoons on NTA-owned independent station WNTA-TV (now WNET) in New York City, and syndicated to approximately 100 other NTA Film Network-affiliated stations. Because well-known performers were willing to accept minimum payments (top salary was $750) for the prestige of appearing in the critically praised showcase, production costs were kept to an average of $40,000. Although the budget was low, the show had a high distinction which, combined with its reputation as an innovative production, gave it momentum and propelled it into winning a Peabody Award.Pace, Eric. "Ely Landau, Producer, 73, Dies; Filmed Plays for TV and Theaters" (The New York Times, November 8, 1993)Shepard, Richard F. "4 Dramas Listed by Play of the Week" (The New York Times, January 15, 1960)Shepard, Richard F. "Allen to Give Up Regular TV Show / To Appear on Time-to-Time Basis in the Fall—Susskind Drops 'Play of the Week' Post / Miner Replaces Susskind" (The New York Times, April 6, 1960)
Episodes Season 1 (1959–60) First aired # Title AuthorAdaptation Producer Director NotesCast Oct121959 1x01 Medea Euripidestranslated byRobinson Jeffers David Susskind H. Wesley KenneyandJosé Quintero [In order of appearance] Judith Anderson as Medea (1947–48 and 1949 Broadway cast), Henry Brandon as Jason (1949 Broadway cast), Aline MacMahon as Nurse, Jacqueline Brookes as Attendant to Medea, Eric Berry as Aegeus, Colleen DewhurstColleen Dewhurst—Her Autobiography—Written with and Completed by Tom Viola. Simon and Schuster, 2002, pp. 141–143 as Second Woman of Corinth, Morris Carnovsky as Creon, Michael Wager as Jason's Slave, Mannie Sloane as Child, Rickey Sloane as Child, Don McHenry as Tutor (1947–48, 1949 and 1982 Broadway cast), Betty Miller as First Woman of CorinthIntroduction by episode producer David Susskind Oct261959 1x02 Burning Bright John Steinbeck Lewis FreedmanandHenry Weinstein Curt Conway Staged by Guthrie McClintic and produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Burning Bright opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 18, 1950 and closed on October 28, after 13 performances. starring Myron McCormick [first of five appearances on The Play of the Week] as Joe Saul, with Colleen Dewhurst as Mordeen, Dana Elcar as Ed and Donald Madden as Victor, Songs by Will HoltIntroduction by episode co-producer Lewis Freedman Nov21959 1x03 Back to Back:The Dock BriefandWhat Shall We Tell Caroline? John Mortimer David Susskind Stuart Burge Michael Hordern as Morgenhall and Tony Peters, George Rose as Fowle and Arthur Louden, Lueen McGrath as Bin, Jeane Marsh as Caroline Nov91959 1x04 A Month in the Country Ivan Turgenevtranslated byEmlyn Williams Lewis FreedmanandHenry Weinstein Marc Daniels Uta Hagen as Natalia Petrovna, Luther Adler as Ignaty Illyich Shpichelsky, Alexander Scourby as Rakitin, Richard Easton as Beliaev, Tim O'Connor as Yslaev, Olga Bellin as Vera Nov161959 1x05 The Waltz of the Toreadors Jean Anouilhtranslated byLucienne Hill David Susskind Stuart Burge Hugh Griffith as Général St. Pé, Mildred Natwick as Mme. St. Pé, Beatrice Straight as Mlle. de St. Euverte, John Abbott as Dr. Bonfant, Mary Grace Canfield as Sidonia, Jenny Egan as Estelle, Louise Kirtland as Mme. Dupont-Fredaine, James Valentine as Gaston Nov191959 1x06 The Power and the Glory Graham Greeneadapted byPierre Bostand Denis Cannan David Susskind Carmen Capalbo James Donald as Priest, Peter Falk as Mestizo, Ronald Long as Tench, Val Avery as Police Chief, Scotty McGregor as Maria, David J. Stewart as Governor's Cousin, John Alderson as Miguel, Alfred Ryder, Rudy Bond Nov231959 1x07 The White Steed Paul Vincent Carroll David Susskind Joseph Gistirak Frank Conroy as Canon Matt Lavelle, Tim O'Connor as Father Shaughnessy, Helena Carroll as Nora Fintry, Dermot McNamara as Denis Dillon, Roy Poole as Patrick Hearty, Pauline Flanagan as Sarah Hearty, Lester Rawlins as Toomey, Neil Fitzgerald as Fintry, Tom Clancy as Shivers Nov301959 1x08 Crime of Passion Jean-Paul Sartretranslated byLionel Abel David Susskind Stuart Burge Claude Dauphin as Hoederer, Donald Harron as Hugo, Betsy von Furstenberg as Jessica, Marian Seldes as Olga, Horace McMahon as Georges Dec71959 1x09 Simply Heavenly Langston Hughesmusic byDavid Martin David Susskind Joshua Shelley Melvin Stewart as Jesse P. Simple, Claudia McNeil as Mamie, Gail Fisher as Joyce Lane, Ethel Ayler as Zarita, Frederick O'Neal as Boyd, Earle Hyman as Hopkins Dec141959 1x10 The World of Sholom Aleichem Arnold PerlMusic bySerge HoveyandRobert de Cormier Producer for NTALewis FreedmanProduced byHenry T. Weinstein Don Richardson 1. "A Tale of Chelm"2. "Bontche Schweig — Based on a story by I. L. Peretz3. "The High School" — Based on a story by Sholom Aleichem Starring Gertrude Berg, Sam Levene, Zero Mostel, Morris Carnovsky, Lee Grant and Nancy Walker as Rifkele, with Jack Gilford and in order of appearance Charlotte Rae, Elsa Freed, Henry Lascoe, Conrad Josephs, Frederick Rolf, Dora Weissman Dec211959 1x11 Thieves' Carnival Jean Anouilhtranslated byLucienne Hill Lewis Freedman Warren EntersandRichard Dunlap [in alphabetical order] Larry Blyden as Hector, Tom Bosley as Dupont-Dufour Jr., Howard Da Silva as Dupont-Dufour Sr., Kurt Kasznar as Peterbono, Robert Morse as Gustave, Cathleen Nesbitt as Lady Hurf, Pat Stanley as Juliette, Frances Sternhagen as Eva Dec281959 1x12 The Cherry Orchard Anton Chekhov David Susskind Daniel Petrie Helen Hayes as Madame Ranevskaya, E. G. Marshall as Lopakhin, Susan Strasberg as Anya, Salome Jens as Dunyasha, John Abbott as Gayev, Peggy McCay as Vary, Gerald Hiken as Trofimoff, Martin Wolfson as Semyonoff-Pishtchik, Paula Laurence as Carlotta Ivanova, Woodrow Parfrey as Epihodoff, Byron Russell as Fiers, Julian Battersby as Gardener Jan41960 1x13 The Closing Door Alexander Knox David Susskind Alexander KnoxandKarl Genus Staged by Lee Strasberg and produced by Cheryl Crawford, The Closing Door opened on Broadway at the Empire Theatre on December 1, 1949 and closed on December 17, after 22 performances. The playwright, Alexander Knox, had the leading role of Vail Trahern, and his wife, Doris Nolan, played Vail Trahern's wife, Norma. Dane Clark as Vail Trahern, Kim Hunter as Norma Trahern, Arthur Hill as Dr. Ed Harriman, Kevin Coughlin as David Trahern, Katherine Squire as Grandma, George Segal as Don, John Randolph as Hector Trahern, Elizabeth Eustis as Connie Jan111960 1x14 The Emperor's Clothes George Tabori Lewis Freedman Boris Sagal Viveca Lindfors as Belia Odry, Jules Munshin as Kossa, George Voskovec as Elek Odry, Sandor Szabo as the Baron, Charles Saari as Ferike, Tamara Daykarhanova, Peter Falk, Margit Fossgrin, David Hurst, Reuben Singer Jan181960 1x15 Lullaby Don Appell David Susskind Don Richardson Eli Wallach as Johnny Horton, Anne Jackson as Eadie Horton, Ruth White as Mother, Tom Carlin as the Bellboy Jan251960 1x16 Strindberg on Love:Miss JulieandThe Stronger August Strindbergtranslated byArvid Paulsenadapted byGeorge Tabori David Susskind Henry Kaplan Lois Smith as Julie, Robert Loggia as Gene, Patricia Neal as the Mistress, Nancy Wickwire as the Wife, Madeleine Sherwood as Kristin Feb21960 1x17 Juno and the Paycock Seán O'Casey David Susskind Paul Shyre Pauline Flanagan as Juno Boyle, Hume Cronyn as Captain Jack Boyle, Walter Matthau as Joxer Daly, Evans Evans as Mary Boyle, Luella Gear as Maisie Madigan, Liam Clancy as Johnny Boyle, Thomas A. Carlin as Jerry Devine, James Kenny as Charlie Bentham Feb81960 1x18 Tiger at the Gates Jean Giraudouxtranslated by Christopher Fry Robert L. JosephandHenry Weinstein Paul AlmondandHarold Clurman Directed by Harold Clurman and produced by Robert L. Joseph, Tiger at the Gates, the English-language title translator-playwright Christopher Fry chose for Jean Giraudoux's 1935 play La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu [The Trojan War Will Not Take Place] opened on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on October 3, 1955, transferred to the Helen Hayes Theatre on November 21, and closed on April 7, 1956, after 217 performances. Donald Davis as Hector, Martin Gabel as Ulysses, Patricia Cutts as Helen, Nina Foch as Andromache, Arthur Treacher as Lawyer Busiris, Patrick Horgan as Paris, Leueen McGrath as Cassandra (Broadway cast [billed as Leueen MacGrath]), Cathleen Nesbitt as Hecuba, Mike Kellin as Ajax, Bramwell Fletcher as King Priam, David Hurst as Poet Propagandist, Milton Selzer as Mathematician (Broadway cast), Bill Howe Feb151960 1x19 Don Juan in Hell George Bernard Shaw David Susskind Don Richardson [in alphabetical order] Marc Connelly as The Stage Manager, Hurd Hatfield as Don Juan, Dennis King as The Statue of the Commander, Siobhán McKenna as Dona Ana, George C. Scott as The Devil Feb221960 1x20 A Very Special Baby Robert Alan Aurthur David Susskind Marc Daniels Oscar Homolka as Mr. Casale, Marion Winters as Anna Casale, Larry Blyden as Joey Casale Feb291960 1x21 The Climate of Eden Moss Hartadapted fromEdgar Mittelholzer's 1951 novel David Susskind Moss Hart Staged by Moss Hart, who adapted it from Edgar Mittelholzer's British Guiana-set novel, Shadows Move Among Them, The Climate of Eden opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on November 13, 1952 and closed on November 22, after 20 performances. [in order of appearance] Donald HarronHarron, Don. My Double Life—Sexty Yeers of Farquharson Around With Don Harn. Google eBook, 2012, p. 228. as Mr. Buckingham, Roland Culver as The Reverend Gerald Harmston, Diana Hyland as Mabel, Chuck Gordone as Logan, Lynn Loring as Olivia, Kevin Coughlin as Berton Mar71960 1x22 Volpone Ben Jonson Jack KuneyFox, Margalit. "Jack Kuney, 88, Producer of Notable Early TV Shows, Is Dead" (The New York Times, November 17, 2007) J. Robert BlumandGene Frankel [in alphabetical order] Ludwig Donath as Corbaccio, Alfred Drake as Mosca, Evans Evans as Colomba, Lou Jacobi as Corvino, Kurt Kasznar as Volpone, Art Smith as Voltore, Michael Tolan as Leone, Jo Van Fleet as Canina Mar141960 1x23 The Rope DancersShanley, John P. "Rope Dancers Bows" (The New York Times, March 15, 1960) Morton Wishengrad David Susskind Peter Hall Directed by Peter Hall, The Rope Dancers opened on Broadway at the Cort Theatre on November 20, 1957, transferred to Henry Miller's Theatre on January 27, 1958 and closed on May 3, after 189 performances. At the 12th Tony Awards on April 13, 1958, The Rope Dancers was one of eight nominees for Best Play and Siobhán McKenna was among six nominees for Best Actress in a Play. Siobhán McKenna as Margaret Hyland (Broadway cast), Walter Matthau as James Hyland, Audrey Christie as Mrs. Farrow, Jacob Ben-Ami as Dr. Jacobson, Frances Myers as Clementine, Judy Sanford as Lizzie Hyland, Joseph Boland as Police Officer (Broadway cast) Mar211960 1x24 Henrick Ibsen'sThe Master BuilderGould, Jack. "TV: The Master Builder; Ibsen Work Begins on Play of the Week" (The New York Times, March 22, 1960) Henrik IbsenTranslated byEva Le Gallienne Executive ProducerDavid SusskindProduced byLewis Freedman John StixandRichard A. Lukin In London, two months after the December 1892 Norwegian publication of The Master Builder, the play received its first English-language production, with a translation by William Archer. The January 1900 American premiere in New York City was not at a Broadway theater, but in Carnegie Hall's Lyceum.