Telephone Time

30min

Drama

Telephone Time is an American anthology drama series that aired on CBS in 1956, and on ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. The program was directed by Arthur Hiller.

Episodes

Cast

The Golden Junkman

1. The Golden Junkman

8th Apr 1956

True story of an Armenian immigrant who overcomes all odds to become a wealthy and educated man: after his wife's death, he rears his beloved sons in old-world simplicity, only to have them turn on him and call him an ignorant peddler. Hurt, but not discouraged, he begins to educate himself by studying the encyclopedia and ultimately returns to college to earn his degree and the respect of his children. A hardworking, old-world immigrant raises two sons by himself while becoming very succesfull in the junkyard business. His sons attend the best college, but to the father's dismay, they resent and are embarrassed by his crude style and mannerisms. Undaunted, the man sends himself to college and proves to be a brilliant student with an enclyclopedic mind. The family is lovingly reunited when the boys see their father for the kind, loving, generous, happy, well-liked man that he has become.

Man with a Beard

2. Man with a Beard

15th Apr 1956

Captain from Kopenick

3. Captain from Kopenick

22nd Apr 1956

Based on a real scandal where a cobbler posing as a captain absconded with the treasury of a Berlin suburb in 1906.

Borders Away

4. Borders Away

29th Apr 1956

The WW2 story of Captain Dan Gallery. He convinced his superiors he could capture a German U-boat. See the top secret preparation, the planning for booby traps, and the actual boarding and capturing of the U-505 German submarine. This harrowing feat led to the capture of the German code books which helped shorten the war.

The Mystery of Caspar Hauser

5. The Mystery of Caspar Hauser

6th May 1956

The Stepmother

6. The Stepmother

13th May 1956

Time Bomb

7. Time Bomb

20th May 1956

Emperor Norton's Bridge

8. Emperor Norton's Bridge

27th May 1956

The Man Who Believed in Fairy Tales

9. The Man Who Believed in Fairy Tales

3rd Jun 1956

Harry in Search of Himself

10. Harry in Search of Himself

10th Jun 1956

Felix the Fourth

11. Felix the Fourth

17th Jun 1956

Smith of Ecuador

12. Smith of Ecuador

24th Jun 1956

The Gingerbread Man

13. The Gingerbread Man

1st Jul 1956

Joyful Lunatic

14. Joyful Lunatic

8th Jul 1956

The Key

15. The Key

15th Jul 1956

Grandpa Changes the World

16. Grandpa Changes the World

22nd Jul 1956

Far more than courtroom drama, this TRUE STORY about how Alexander Hamilton, attorney to William Penn and the only colonial admitted to the English Bar, came out of retirement to defend a printer accused of libelling the Governor by printing the truth in his newspaper about his corrupt activities. The principals established in this case, as so eloquently argued by Hamilton, had a profound influence on the drafting of the Bill of Rights several years latter. ""Gentlemen, with an impartial, uncorrupted verdict we assure ourselves, our posterity, the right, the liberty of speaking and writing the truth."" As author and host, John Nesbitt says at the conclusion of this drama, ""The great footnote to this story, of course, lies in the Bill of Rights. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Old Andrew Hamilton that day in court was not so much defending his client with law that was already in existence, but was actually creating law that would not be clearly written down for generations to

Again the Stars

17. Again the Stars

29th Jul 1956

First air date

8th Apr 1956

Last air date

1st Apr 1958

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks