CTVA US Anthology - "General Electric Theater" (Revue/CBS) Season 5 (1956-57)

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Hosted by Ronald Reagan
 Season 5 (CBS) (1956-57)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:  Rina Fox, Tom Alger [#5.29 Updated Apr 2020 TA]
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive


######### General Electric Theater ###########
############## season 5 1956-57 ##############
##############################################
   CBS Sundays 9:00-9:30 pm Eastern (30 min) (weekly)
Revue Productions, Inc.
(most episodes filmed from here on)

5.01 [--] General Electric Theater: THE GREAT LADY (film)

Meridian Productions

16Sep56

Written by Dwight Cummins & Dorothy Cummins

Directed by Roy Kellino

Director of photography Russ Harlan

starring

Ann Harding ...... Julia Courtney

Douglas Kennedy

Vera Miles

Mary Carroll

Glen Roberts

Maudie Prickett

James Lloyd

Anne O'Neal

Synopsis:

Ann Harding plays Julia Courtney, a retired actress who becomes involved in a murder.

 Julia lives in a theatrical boarding house, and when one of the residents is murdered, all

of the residents are under suspicion. The chief suspect is a young friend of Julia's,

 played by Vera Miles. [RF]

 

5.02 [--] General Electric Theater: THE GLORIOUS GIFT OF MOLLY MALLOY

23Sep56

Director of photography Robert Pittack (Emmy nominated)

starring

Greer Garson ......... Molly Malloy

John Abbott ......... Professor Meyerdal

Ludwig Stossel ......... Professor Harnish

J.M. Kerrigan ......... Dennis Malloy

John Hoyt ......... Dietz

John Gallaudet ......... Investigator

 

5.03 [--] General Electric Theater: PROFESSOR BEWARE

(aka The Professor's Punch)

30Sep56

starring

Ronald Reagan .......... George Carroll

 

5.04 [--] General Electric Theater: POT OF GOLD

07Oct56

Written by John McGreevey

Adapted from the Liam O'Flaherty story

starring

Hume Cronyn ....... Ralph Whitemore

Jessica Tandy ....... Laura Whitemore

Everett Glass ....... Uncle George

Marianne Stewart ....... Alice

Mike Post ....... Harold (credited as Michael Postil)

Jeri Lou James ....... Rachel

Synopsis:

Ralph and Laura Whitemore have suffered many financial disappointments

in their life together. But after all those "big deals" that fell through, at last

a "sure thing" comes along, and they wait for the phone call that will

bring their "pot of gold". [RF]

 

5.05 [--] General Electric Theater: THE ENEMIES

14Oct56

Directed By Herschel Daugherty
Teleplay By Larry Marcus
Based On A Story By Stephen Crane

starring

Joseph Cotten  ....... The Yankee Corporal
Royal Dano .......... The Confederate Deserter
Gaby Rodgers ........ The Girl
Don McGowan ......... The Yankee Sergeant
Josephine Hutchinson ....... The Woman
Ewing Mitchell ...... The Confederate Colonel

Synopsis:
Yankees take over the Southern home of a young girl and her sick

mother who are caring for an injured Confederate deserter. [SC]

 

5.06 [--] General Electric Theater: THE INVITATION

21Oct56

Written by Francis & Marion Cockrell

Adapted from the Algernon Blackwood story

starring

Kathryn Grayson ....... Alice Kellen

Larry Pennell ....... Walter Kellen

Katherine Warren ....... Mrs. Anderson

Virginia Carroll ....... Nurse

Ruby Goodwin ....... Maid

Arthur Hansen ....... Dr. Hawks

Synopsis:

After her baby dies in childbirth, Alice Kellen retreats into a world of her own. As she

sinks deeper into fantasy, her husband tries a desperate measure to snap

her back to reality. [RF]

 

5.07 [--] General Electric Theater: THE SECOND STRANGER (film)

28Oct56

Teleplay by Maurice Valency
Story by Thomas Hardy

starring

Burl Ives

Synopsis:
A stranger enters a tavern to take shelter from the storm, the year is 1829,

and finds the Inn crowded with townspeople, all celebrating tomorrow's hanging.

He also finds an old friend from the war of 1812, and the two men have a drink.

But they are the only ones not celebrating the coming execution. [RF]

 

5.08 [--] General Electric Theater: THE RIDER ON THE PALE HORSE

04Nov56

Story by Helen Eustis

starring

Gower Champion ......... Mr. Death

Marge Champion ....... Maude Applegate

Richard Crane ........ Billy

Kathryn Givney ........ Grannie

 

5.09 [--] General Electric Theater: THE CHARLATAN

11Nov56

written by Wells Root

directed by John Brahm

starring

George Sanders ....... Dr. Grissom

Virginia Gregg ....... Mamie

Bart Burns ........ Peter Wood

Jeff Morrow ........ Dr. Penny

Marianne Stewart ........ Mrs. Mikelson

Fredd Wayne ........ Hugh

William Remick ........ Judge

Dan Riss ........ Defense Lawyer

Jean Willes ........ Nurse

Synopsis:
A cancer therapist defends himself against a charge of fraud made by

a newspaperwoman and a doctor. [JB]

*Note Aired on Studio 57 07Nov56.

 

[--] General Electric Theater: I'm A Fool
18Nov56 (originally aired 14Nov54)
 

5.10 [--] General Electric Theater: THE ROAD THAT LED AFAR

25Nov56 (rerun 14Feb60)

Adapted from the Lula Vollmer 1939 Saturday Evening Post story

Directed by Herschel Daugherty

Assistant director Richard Birnie

starring

Piper Laurie ....... Phoebe Durkin (Emmy nominated)

Dan Duryea  ....... Brad Lawson

Beverly Washburn ....... Eloise

Edgar Buchanan ....... Preacher Bailey

Don Wittenberg ....... Hutch

Gary Hunley ....... Trap

Cheryl Callaway ....... Sally

Norman Leavitt ....... Clerk

Synopsis:
A young mountain girl marries a widower with four children and goes to live in his rustic cabin.

Not only does she find the unfamiliar routine hard, but she must face the task

of winning over the frightened youngsters. [JB]

 

5.11 [--] General Electric Theater: THE ORPHANS

02Dec56

starring

Kim Hunter ........ Hilda

Ronald Reagan ........ Larry

Rhys Williams ........ Charlie

 

5.12 [--] General Electric Theater: THE BREACH

09Dec56

starring

Betty Field ........ Emily Marsden

Marian Seldes

Bob Burton

Synopsis:
Authoress Emily Marsden secludes herself in a small village after quarreling

 with her husband. There she learns quite a lot about her own difficulties by

 trying to help someone else. [RF]

 

5.13 [--] General Electric Theater: THE CHESS GAME (film)

16Dec1956

Written by Bernard C. Schoenfeld

starring

Ronald Colman ......... Graham

Maxine Cooper ......... Helen

Russ Conway ......... Inspector Dougal

Clifford Tatum Jr. ......... Johnny

Adam Williams ......... Glen

Synopsis:
A young homicide suspect who has escaped from the police, seeks refuge with Graham,

an intellectual cynic. For reasons of his own, Graham decides to harbor the youngster. [RF]

 

5.14 [--] General Electric Theater: A CHILD IS BORN

23Dec56

Written by Stephen Vincent Benet

starring

Nadine Conner

Robert Middleton

 

5.15 [--] General Electric Theater: THE SHADOW OUTSIDE

30Dec56

Written by Paul Monash

starring

Terry Moore ......... Evvy Jeffers

Synopsis:

A teenager meets with a violent awakening to maturity. Evvy, who lives

with her parents in New Mexico, has met few boys. Suddenly she finds

herself in a situation which is both confusing and frightening when

Ray Poole, the town bully, becomes interested in her. [RF]

 

5.16 [--] General Electric Theater: NEVER TURN BACK

Revue Productions

06Jan57

Producer William Frye
Teleplay by Stirling Silliphant
From a story by Maurice Baudin
Directed by Ray Milland

starring

Ray Milland ......... Woodward
Eleanore Tanin ...... Ruth
Jonathan Hole ....... Clerk
Virginia Carroll .... Tired Woman
Barry Kelley ........ Fat Man
Judson Taylor ....... Bellboy

Gail Bonney
Frank Fenton
Marshall Kent

 

5.17 [--] General Electric Theater: THE EARRING

Revue Productions

13Jan57

Teleplay by James Cavanagh

 Based on Cornell Woolrich's novel "The Death Stone".

Directed by Jules Bricken
Hosted by Ronald Reagan

starring

Greer Garson ........ Lydia Shaw
Eduard Franz ........ David
Ruth Lee ............ Jane
Norman Lloyd ........ Johnny
Barney Phillips ..... Lieutenant Well
Philip Reed ......... Phil
Raymond Sanchez ..... Carlos
Frank Wolff ......... Cab Driver
Clark Howat ......... Milkman

Synopsis:
Lydia Shaw, wife of a successful lawyer, is being blackmailed by a man

who has some love letters she wrote before her marriage. Afraid to let her husband

 find out about the romance, Lydia agrees to pay off her former sweetheart. [RF]
*Note: Syndication airing on Turning Point 31May58.
 

5.18 [--] General Electric Theater: LADY OF THE HOUSE

20Jan57

Teleplay by Jameson Brewer

starring

Myrna Loy ........... Maggie Webster
Jeff Morrow ......... Elmer Brackett
Patric Knowles ...... Longridge
George Humbert ...... Max
Benny Baker ......... Sky
Harry Antrim ........ Congressman
Preston Hanson ...... Reporter

 

5.19 [--] General Electric Theater: THE DOCTORS OF PAWNEE HILL

Revue Productions

27Jan57

Teleplay By N.B. Stone, Jr.
Story By Thomas Thompson

Directed By Don Weiss

starring

Lee Marvin .......... Art Temple
Kevin McCarthy ...... Wayne Temple
Margaret Hayes ...... Molly Malone
William Challee...... Wally
Jean Howell ......... Helen Temple
Ted De Corsia ....... Ben Jackson
Claude Akins ........ Duke Williams
Dorothy Adams ....... Mrs. Clay
Howard Wright ....... The Old Man
Christian Pasques ... Ben
Don Devlin .......... The Townsman
Hal Smith ........... The Henchman
Harry Strang ........ The Town Citizen
Synopsis:
Two brothers, one a doctor the other a fast-draw Sheriff, live in conflict

with each other in a town that is run by a ruthless saloon owner. [SC]

*Special thanks to Sal Crisanti for all the details.
 

5.20 [--] General Electric Theater: NO SKIN OFF ME

03Feb57

starring

Ronald Reagan ....... Farmer Watson
Judith Ames ......... Mary
John Ericson ........ Wonder Boy Nick
Rusty Lane .......... Jasper Jones
Harry Davis ......... Dugan

Synopsis:
An ex-boxer now trainer feels his over confident young fighter

 is winding up for a big fall. [RF]

 

5.21 [--] General Electric Theater: THE TOWN WITH A PAST

10Feb57

Written by Oscar Brodney & Frank Burt

starring

James Stewart ....... Britt
Beulah Bondi ........ Annie
Walter Sande ........ Sheriff
Fredd Wayne ......... Clyde
Ted Mapes ........... Joe

 

5.22 [--] General Electric Theater: THE BIG SHOOTER

Revue Productions
17Feb57
Producer William Frye
Teleplay by Frank Tashlin & Oscar Brodney
Based on an original story by Frank Tashlin
Directed by Don Weis
Director of photography Ray Rennahan
Editor Michael McAdam
Art Director John Meehan
Music Supervisor Stanley Wilson

starring

Eva Gabor ........... Gloria Van Dine
Art Linkletter ...... Bill Baxter
John Beradino ....... Rick
Howard Smith ........ Uncle Bob
Charles Watts ....... Jerrold
Stewart Bradley ..... McCreedy
Richard Gaines ...... Beaummy
Jose Gonzales-Gonzales .... Mexican
Henry Hunter ........ Dr. Perry
Anne Kimbell ........ Sally
Madge Blake ......... Fat Lady

 

5.23 [--] General Electric Theater: FLIGHT FROM TORMENDERO (film)

24Feb57

Directed by John Brahm

starring

Donna Reed .......... Rayna
Helmut Dantine ...... Manson
George Macready ..... Clive

Synopsis:
During World War 2, a ship's captain picked up the survivors of a torpedoed ship.

 Among those rescued were a pretty Eurasian girl and a sinister-appearing man. [RF]

 

5.24 [--] General Electric Theater: THE FENTON TOUCH

03Mar57

starring

Jack Benny .......... Harold Fenton
Zsa Zsa Gabor ....... Mimi
Joseph Kearns ....... Waterman
Hallene Hill ........ Mrs. Fenton
Bill Kendis ......... Mr. Cartwright
Norma Crane ......... Blonde

Synopsis:
A man about to retire from his job at a department story after years of service

falls for a pretty blonde. He plots to make off with $50,000 from the store's safe,

only to be discovered by his boss. Instead of reporting him, the boss tries to

blackmail him into stealing an even larger amount of money. [RF]

 

5.25 [--] General Electric Theater: WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE (film)

10Mar57

Directed by Jules Bricken

starring

Bette Davis .......... Miss Burrows

John Baragrey ......... Brandisher

Frances Bavier .......... Miss Trimingham

Maudie Prickett .......... Mrs. Simms

Dee Carroll ......... Miss D.

Synopsis:

A woman accountant who aspires to be a novelist is embittered by the number of

rejection slips she receives. She decides to get vengeance on one publisher who holds

her beloved novel up to ridicule. Ironically her book concerns an author who shoots

a publisher when he rejects her novel. [RF]

 

5.26 [--] General Electric Theater: THE VICTORIAN CHAISE LOUNGE

17Mar57

starring

Joan Fontaine ....... Melanie Langdon
Mark Dana ........... Guy Langdon
Marian Seldes ....... Adelaide Baines
Sydney Smith ........ Dr. Gregory

 

5.27 [--] General Electric Theater: TOO GOOD WITH A GUN

Revue Productions

24Mar57

Producer William Frye

Directed By Herschel Daugherty
Teleplay By John Dunkel
Story By Lewis B. Patten

starring

Robert Cummings ..... Russ Baker
Michael Landon ...... Claude
Dayton Lummis ....... Mack Duncan
Judith Ames ......... Edie Duncan

Edith Evanson ....... Ma Duncan
Jack Lambert ........ Slick
Frank Ferguson ...... Arnold Hoffman
Ed Hinton ........... Nick
Synopsis:
A man tries to live down his reputation as a gunman by taking a job as a ranch hand.

When he is forced to shoot a man in defense of another,

an unusual sequence of events results. [SC]
*Syndication airing on Western Theater 14Aug59.

*Special thanks to Sal Crisanti for supplying the details.

 

[--] General Electric Theater: preempted for Julie Andrews Cinderella Musical Special.

31Mar57

 

5.28 [--] General Electric Theater: BARGAIN BRIDE

07Apr57

starring

Ronald Reagan ....... Colin McCullough
Eva Bartok .......... Nanette
Edgar Buchanan ...... Parson Meacham

 

5.29 [--] General Electric Theater: THE CAB DRIVER

14-Apr-1957 CBS Sun
Revue Productions /  Producer William Frye
Teleplay by John L. Greene
Based on the novel "Cab, Mister?" by Cornell Woolrich.
Directed by Don Weis
Hosted by Ronald Reagan

starring

Imogene Coca ........ Virginia Odell
Keenan Wynn ......... Sergeant Kelsey
Harry Bartell ....... Sheridan
Joyce Jameson ....... Blonde
Harry Shearer ....... Timmy
Joseph Downing ...... Lieutenant
Synopsis:
Story of a female taxicab driver who finds a dead man in the back seat of her cab,
and a persistent suitor in the person of the detective who investigates the case. [TA]
(Repeated 15Sep59 on the “Spotlight Playhouse” series.) 

 

5.30 [--] General Electric Theater: BITTER CHOICE (film)

21Apr57

written by Halsey Melone

story by Arthur Gordon

photography John L. Russell

directed by Herschel Daugherty

starring

Anne Baxter ........ Maj. Edith Johansen

Vince Edwards ........ Sgt. Lawrence Hancock

Michael Landon ......... Dixon

Russ Thorson ....... Colonel Gleason

Len Lesser ......... Friedman

with

Mike Ragan, Rayford Barnes

Lyn Thomas, James Goodwin

Synopsis:

An Army nurse resorts to a cruel ruse in an attempt to rouse a young sergeant

from complete apathy and possible death. But at the same time she arouses

in him a deep hatred for her. [RF]

 

5.31 [--] General Electric Theater: I WILL NOT DIE

28Apr57

starring

Jacques Bergerac ........ Armand Brissac

Merle Oberon ......... Mata Hari

Carl Benton Reid ......... Dunett

Helen Wallace ........ Sister Leonide

John Hoyt ....... Beaumont

Dayton Lummis ....... LaFort

Stella Lynn ........ Kim Suim

Alexander Campbell ...... President

 

5.32 [--] General Electric Theater: ANGEL OF WRATH (film)

Marada Production Corp.
05May57
Producer William Frye
Teleplay by Halsey Melone
From a story by William Fay
Directed by Ray Milland

starring

Ray Milland ....... John

Jeanne Bates ....... Sister Mary

Howard McNear ........ Silk

Thayer Roberts ....... Lester

Marianne Stewart ....... Phyllis

Hugh Sanders ....... Julian

K.L. Smith
Sue George

Synopsis:

After he has invested in a publishing firm, a Broadway star is shocked to learn that

it prints unsavory literature. He becomes involved in an argument with the publisher,

 and strikes the man. Convinced he is guilty of murder, the star does not know what to do.

Should he confess and bring scandal upon himself and his family, or should he run away? [RF]

 

5.33 [--] General Electric Theater: A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL

12May57 (rerun 08Sep57)

starring

Ronald Reagan ......... Captain John Annette

Kevin McCarthy ......... Dr. Towne

Arthur Space ........ Charlie Taney

Clark Howat ........ Lt. Harper

Robert Stevenson ....... Durfee

John War Eagle ....... Bull Hump

Dan Riss ....... Sergeant

Synopsis:
A cavalry captain and his small band are out-numbered by the surrounding

Comanche Indians. The captain is faced with a difficult decision when the company

surgeon offers to tend the fatally wounded son of the attacking chief. To let the surgeon

go would mean his certain death - but safety for the rest. [RF]

 

5.34 [--] General Electric Theater: THE MAN WHO INHERITED EVERYTHING

19May57

Adapted from the Richard Harding Davis story

starring

George Sanders ........... William Clark

Carolyn Jones ........ Phyllis

Leslie Bradley ......... Everett Conklin-Smythe

Noel Drayton ........ Bartender

 

5.35 [--] General Electric Theater: A NEW GIRL IN HIS LIFE

(pilot for "Bachelor Father")

26May57

Produced by Richard Lewis

starring

John Forsythe ......... Bentley Gregg

Noreen Corcoran ......... Kelly Gregg

Sammee Tong ........ Peter Tong

J.D. Thompson ........ Vicky

Barbara Darrow ......... Rita

Patricia Morrow ........ Nancy

######### General Electric Theater ###########
############## end of season 5 ###############
##############################################

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