Producers' Showcase
Season 3
This program aired once every fourth week, and was one of the most costly live shows of the 1950s. Many stars appeared on this show.
Where to Watch Season 3
12 Episodes
- The Lord Don't Play FavoritesE1
The Lord Don't Play FavoritesThe story of small-time traveling circus stranded in a drought-stricken small Kansas town, subjected to huge fine by city fathers as a way of raising money to pay for a professional rain-maker, when the circus needed money to enter its trick horse in the county races, with circus duping yokels into paying the race fee to the circus ringmaster posing as the rainmaker. - The LetterE2
The LetterThe scene is a rubber plantation outside of Singapore. As the story opens, Mrs. Leslie Crosbie is shooting one Geoffrey Hammond. Leslie insists she acted in self-defense. An attorney friend of the family agrees to take her case, only to have her story wrecked by the appearance of a letter Leslie had written to Hammond. - Jack and the BeanstalkE3
Jack and the BeanstalkAs the Peddler who exchanges the magic beans for Jack's cow, Cyril sang THERE ONCE WAS A BOY AND HIS NAME WAS JACK and THIS IS THE ONE about the cow. Later in the plot, Cyril and Celeste Holm, revealed as having plotted to bring Jack to the Giant's land in order for him to slay the giant, sing THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL. This production seemed heavily influenced by the 1939 WIZARD OF OZ, in that everything turned out to be a dream, and the characters Jack met in the Giant's land were played mainly by the same actors he knew in his hometown, Billy Gilbert appearing as both the town bully and the giant. - Festival of Music IIE4
Festival of Music IIThe stage concert starring Victoria De Los Angeles, Barry Morrell, Elizabeth Doubleday, Virginio Assandri, Arthur Newman (in opening scene of Verdi's ""La Traviata""), Marian Anderson (""Heav'n, Heav'n,"" ""My Lord, What a Mornin',"" ""Roll, Jord'n Roll""), pianist Artur Rubenstein (Rachmaninoff's ""Rhapsodie on a Theme by Paganini,"") Alfred Wallenstein conducting the Symphony of the Air Orchestra, guitarist Andres Segovia (Gavotte by J.S. Bach, Allegretto by M. Torroba), Boris Christoff, Nicola Moscona, Michael Pollock, Kirk Jordan (Last Act Death Scene from Mussorgsky's ""Boris Gudonov""); large supporting cast. - The Great SebastiansE9
The Great SebastiansSet in Prague in 1948, comedy-melodrama of vaudeville mind-reading team commanded by Communist general to entertain at a private party to use their talents to ferret out traitors; they are asked to falsely swear that the patriot Masaryk was depressed, thus excusing his apparent murder; they refuse, and escape by using their stage tricks. - Festival of MagicE12
Festival of MagicErnie Kovacs (who doubles as amateur magician whose acts fail miserably), features world famous magicians from seven countries performing their best-known acts: Milbourne Christopher (American who catches bullet in his teeth), Richard Cardini (British, performing sleight-of-hand), Robert Harbin (South African escape artist who gets out of strait jacket while suspended upside down in mid-air), June Merlin (Irish animal specialist who works with white mice and rabbits), Sorcar (India, buzz-sawing woman in half), Rene Septembre (France animal specialist), Mr. and Mrs. Li King Si (Chinese sword jugglers).
