The Campbell Playhouse (TV series)


The Campbell Playhouse was an American anthology series and television drama that aired on NBC June 6, 1952May 28, 1954.
The series was sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company.

History

Radio series

The television series was based on the 1938–40 radio series of the same name. The radio version was originally aired on CBS as The Mercury Theatre on the Air beginning July 11, 1938. The series made its last broadcast under that title on December 4, 1938. After that, the Campbell Soup Company sponsored the radio drama and renamed it The Campbell Playhouse. The Campbell Playhouse made its radio debut on December 9, 1938.
Orson Welles served as the host of the program. He was hired after casting directors heard Welles' work in the 1938 Halloween special War of the Worlds.
The series offered 60-minute adaptations of famous novels and plays and, on certain occasions, adaptations of popular motion pictures of the time.
The radio program ended on March 31, 1940.

Television series

The Campbell's Soup Corporation decided to renew the radio series but this time on television. On June 6, 1952, The Campbell Playhouse aired on NBC.
The series originally aired as a one time summer replacement for the NBC sitcom The Aldrich Family. The next year on July 10, 1953, the series came back for its second season as a permanent summer replacement series,, and also premiered on the fall lineup. The series also aired under the new name Campbell Soundstage.
The series ended its run on May 28, 1954.

Campbell Summer Soundstage

On June 4, 1954, the series aired a summer hiatus series entitled Campbell Summer Soundstage.
It was a short-lived revival of the television series. The series aired reruns of anthology series such as ABC's Gruen Playhouse,, DuMont's Dramatic Shorts, and NBC's Ford Theatre.

Production notes

The series was originally filmed live until its second season when it was released on film.

Directors

Broadcast history

The Campbell Playhouse aired on Fridays at 9:30-10:00 pm for its entire run. Campbell Summer Soundstage aired at that time as well.