Lux Video Theatre is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays.
Lux Video Theatre began as a live 30-minute Monday evening CBS series on October 2, 1950, switching to Thursday nights during August, 1951.[1] In September 1953, the show relocated from New York to Hollywood.[2] On August 26, 1954, it debuted on NBC as an hour-long show on Thursday nights,[3] telecast until September 12, 1957. With the introduction of the one-hour format and the move to Hollywood, abridged versions of popular films were often used as the basis for shows.
To introduce each act and interview the stars at the conclusion, NBC added a series of regular hosts: James Mason[4] (1954–55), Otto Kruger (1955–56), Gordon MacRae (1956–57) and Ken Carpenter (1955–1957). Kruger recalled:
All I do is come up and tell the people who I am and what we're up to. I don't have a single thing to do with producing, directing or casting the show. Yet I get letters every week complimenting me on my production, my directing, my casting, even my script adaptations.[5]
New episodes were broadcast during the summer as the Summer Video Theatre. In 1957–58, Lux shifted sponsorship to a half-hour musical variety show, The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney.
For the 1958–59 season, the dramatic series was brought back with a new name, Lux Playhouse. The new series alternated weeks with Schlitz Playhouse. Those broadcasts began on October 3, 1958, and ended on September 18, 1959.[2]
The series finished in the Nielsen ratings at #30 in the 1950–51 season and #25 in 1955–56.[6]
Thomas Mitchell, Russell Collins, Whit Bissell, Harry Antrim, Dorothy Blackburn, Charles Thompson, John McGovern[12]
October 27, 1952
"Autumn Nocturne"
Lilli Palmer, Joseph Anthony, Frank Tweddell, Anita Bayless[13]
November 3, 1952
"The Face of Autumn"
Pat O'Brien, Anna Berger, Ann Seymour, Frank Campanella, William L. Erwin, Tony Canzoneri[14]
November 10, 1952
"Something to Celebrate"
Paul Lukas, Signe Hasso, E. a. Krumschmidt, anna Appel, Nils Asther, Paul Andor, Alfred Hesse, Eva Gerson, Walter Echler, Constance Hoffman, Ella Monnard, Sidney Lee, Jane Sparks, Bruce Reynolds, Mildred Reynolds, Josie Robertson, Walter Teschan[15]
November 17, 1952
"The Man Who Struck It Rich"
Barry Fitzgerald, Arthur Shields, Una O'Conner, Rex O'Malley, Barry MacCollum, Peg Mayo, Floyd Buckley, Naomi Riordan, William Portrude, Ann Sullivan, Tom McElhaney, Neil Fitzgerald, Gina Shield[16]
