Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
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Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
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Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS television between 1958 and 1960. Two of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s television series The Twilight Zone and The Untouchables.

Seasons & Episodes

Lucille Ball plays herself as the vice-president of Desilu Productions, who is busy readying her workshop of young performers for their musical revue. The performers in this program were actual members of Lucy's Workshop at Desilu Studios, and included film historian Robert Osborne, Carole Cook and Dick Kallman, who later starred in the series ""Hank"".

In 1956, viewers saw Ed Wynn give a moving performance in ""Requiem for a Heavyweight"" on the Playhouse 90 series. This program shows the tense drama which unfolded behind the scenes, when Ed's son and co-star Keenan Wynn feared that ""The Perfect Fool"" would be far from perfect in his first straight dramatic role.

Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel are visiting San Diego. While Ricky rehearses a show with Maurice Chevalier, Lucy and Ethel cross the Mexican border to do a little shopping. Returning to the US, a stowaway boy is found in the Ricardo's car trunk by US Customes. With Lucy and Ethel in jail, Ricky, Fred, and Maurice come to the rescue. Unfortunately, now Chevalier is being held because he is not authorized to leave the US into Mexico. This sends Lucy off to a bullfight to find the American consul, only Lucy disguises herself as a matador, and ends up facing a raging bull.

Based on Mary Gray Blanton's biography The Miracle of Bernadette, this is the story of Bernadette Soubirous, a french peasant girl who discovered healing waters after seeing a vision of Mary, Mother of Jesus. The experience changed her life, and she eventually became a nun, and later named a Saint by the Catholic church.

The Time Element

A patient visiting a psychiatrist complains of recurrent dreams in which he imagines he is living in Hawaii just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. A series of flashbacks shows him living with his knowledge of what has happened in the seventeen years since, betting on sure winners in sports events, but also seeking to warn a newly-married couple, newspaper editors, and anyone else who will listen that they will be attacked by the Japanese. Everyone is either too interested in a good time or too determinedly patriotic to give heed; the man only gets punched on the jaw. In the end the psychiatrist is left looking at a blank couch, and to steady his own nerves he goes to a bar to get a drink. There he learns his patient was killed at Pearl Harbor.

What more terrifying predicament could an innocent man be faced with than to become involved with a gang of highly organized criminals—a murder syndicate which selects not only its victim but his executioner?

An American Indian seeks dignity in a white community.

Lucy & Ricky are off to sunny California for his latest motion picture, and rent their home to Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) and family. When Ricky's picture deal falls through, suddenly the Ricardo's are without a place to live. The Mertz' offer their home, and the two couples are now housemates. Unfortunately, Lucy becomes up in arms regarding the way the Williams are using their home, and soon makes a pest of herself. Culminating in a snow fight, the matter is finally settled in court.

Dance teacher Kitty Williams, who loves dogs, is delighted when she learns that she has inherited a boxer from her late Uncle Charlie. But the ""boxer"" turns out to be Harold Tibbetts, a muscle-bound country boy.

A girl trains a blind horse.

Chris Hody, a professional bounty hunter, goes after young Danny Cash, who is wanted for robbery and murder. The girl Cash loves is a member of a troupe of entertainers. Hody joins the troupe as a guide, hoping that Cash will turn up with the stolen money.

A has-been ballplayer revives a Little League team.

Alaska is celebrating statehood! Red Skelton invites Ricky Ricardo to appear on his television show that is being filmed in the new state. The entire gang comes along and take a look at a recent Alaskan land investment by Ricky & Fred. Unfortunately, accomadations are scarce and the foursome must share a room, with Lucy spending the night on a troublesome hammock. The following morning, Lucy lucks out and lands an appearance on the TV show with Red in a Freddy the Freeloader sketch. Clever Lucy begins to believe she can pawn off the bad land investment on Red, and the two head out to take a look. Ultimately stranded, the two redheads trade land for airfare, but on the way back, Lucy and Red end up having to pilot the plane to safety.

Eileen Gorman and Jamsie Corcoran are in love, but they live in 1921 Dublin, Ireland, and their romance is blighted by civil strife. Their fathers are partisans of the Irish Republican Army, fighting the British. Their IRA group decides that a traitor must be killed, and Jamsie is assigned to assassinate him.

Lucy is exasperated. Once again tired of her daily routine, she wants to give show business another try. Ricky agrees, and Lucy auditions as a ""Girl Friday"" for a morning news show anchored by Paul Davis. At the audition, Lucy suddenly realizes her age, and does a little fancy maneuvering for notice. All but giving up hope, she is startled to get the job. Her first appearance is a disaster, but the viewers find it very humorous, and Lucy ends up with a long-term contract. Ultimately, Lucy misses Little Ricky and being a homemaker, and decides, after all these years, that show business really isn't for her after all. Lucy decides to quit, and goes home for some rest. With her sleeping schedule off kilter, Lucy downs a couple of sleeping tablets. A groggy Lucy is awoken by Ricky. They'll be sued if she doesn't honor her contract, and a heavily medicated Lucy is rushed to the studio.

After the reception for Gerald Lester's wedding, his brother Derek and a few close associates board a train with the newlyweds. During the trip Gerald suddenly becomes ill and dies - and Derek is convinced his brother was poisoned.

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Crew & Casts
Details Of TV
Location
Language English
Release 1958-10-06
Producer