Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1h

Drama

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS television between 1958 and 1960. Two of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s television series The Twilight Zone and The Untouchables.

Episodes

Cast

Lucy Goes to Mexico

1. Lucy Goes to Mexico

1h

6th Oct 1958

Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel are visiting San Diego. While Ricky rehearses a show with Maurice Chevalier, Lucy and Ethel cross the Mexican border to do a little shopping. Returning to the US, a stowaway boy is found in the Ricardo's car trunk by US Customes. With Lucy and Ethel in jail, Ricky, Fred, and Maurice come to the rescue. Unfortunately, now Chevalier is being held because he is not authorized to leave the US into Mexico. This sends Lucy off to a bullfight to find the American consul, only Lucy disguises herself as a matador, and ends up facing a raging bull.

Song of Bernadette

2. Song of Bernadette

1h

13th Oct 1958

Based on Mary Gray Blanton's biography The Miracle of Bernadette, this is the story of Bernadette Soubirous, a french peasant girl who discovered healing waters after seeing a vision of Mary, Mother of Jesus. The experience changed her life, and she eventually became a nun, and later named a Saint by the Catholic church.

The Case For Dr. Mudd

3. The Case For Dr. Mudd

1h

20th Oct 1958

My Father The Fool

4. My Father The Fool

1h

27th Oct 1958

Debut

5. Debut

1h

3rd Nov 1958

The Time Element

6. The Time Element

1h

10th Nov 1958

A patient visiting a psychiatrist complains of recurrent dreams in which he imagines he is living in Hawaii just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. A series of flashbacks shows him living with his knowledge of what has happened in the seventeen years since, betting on sure winners in sports events, but also seeking to warn a newly-married couple, newspaper editors, and anyone else who will listen that they will be attacked by the Japanese. Everyone is either too interested in a good time or too determinedly patriotic to give heed; the man only gets punched on the jaw. In the end the psychiatrist is left looking at a blank couch, and to steady his own nerves he goes to a bar to get a drink. There he learns his patient was killed at Pearl Harbor.

The Night The Phone Rang

7. The Night The Phone Rang

1h

17th Nov 1958

What more terrifying predicament could an innocent man be faced with than to become involved with a gang of highly organized criminals—a murder syndicate which selects not only its victim but his executioner?

Silent Thunder

8. Silent Thunder

1h

24th Nov 1958

An American Indian seeks dignity in a white community.

Lucy Makes Room for Danny

9. Lucy Makes Room for Danny

1h

1st Dec 1958

Lucy & Ricky are off to sunny California for his latest motion picture, and rent their home to Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) and family. When Ricky's picture deal falls through, suddenly the Ricardo's are without a place to live. The Mertz' offer their home, and the two couples are now housemates. Unfortunately, Lucy becomes up in arms regarding the way the Williams are using their home, and soon makes a pest of herself. Culminating in a snow fight, the matter is finally settled in court.

K. O. Kitty

10. K. O. Kitty

1h

8th Dec 1958

Dance teacher Kitty Williams, who loves dogs, is delighted when she learns that she has inherited a boxer from her late Uncle Charlie. But the ""boxer"" turns out to be Harold Tibbetts, a muscle-bound country boy.

The Crazy Hunter

11. The Crazy Hunter

1h

15th Dec 1958

A girl trains a blind horse.

Ballad For A Bad Man

12. Ballad For A Bad Man

1h

22nd Dec 1958

Chris Hody, a professional bounty hunter, goes after young Danny Cash, who is wanted for robbery and murder. The girl Cash loves is a member of a troupe of entertainers. Hody joins the troupe as a guide, hoping that Cash will turn up with the stolen money.

Chez Rouge

13. Chez Rouge

1h

22nd Dec 1958

The Comeback

14. The Comeback

1h

4th Feb 1959

A has-been ballplayer revives a Little League team.

Happy Hill

15. Happy Hill

1h

18th Nov 1958

Trial At Devil's Canyon

16. Trial At Devil's Canyon

1h

9th Dec 1958

Symbol of Authority

17. Symbol of Authority

1h

23rd Dec 1958

Martin's Folly

18. Martin's Folly

1h

19th Jan 1959

Perilous

19. Perilous

1h

20th May 1959

Chain of Command

20. Chain of Command

1h

12th Feb 1959

A Diamond For Carla

21. A Diamond For Carla

1h

17th Mar 1959

Lucy Goes to Alaska

22. Lucy Goes to Alaska

1h

9th Feb 1959

Alaska is celebrating statehood! Red Skelton invites Ricky Ricardo to appear on his television show that is being filmed in the new state. The entire gang comes along and take a look at a recent Alaskan land investment by Ricky & Fred. Unfortunately, accomadations are scarce and the foursome must share a room, with Lucy spending the night on a troublesome hammock. The following morning, Lucy lucks out and lands an appearance on the TV show with Red in a Freddy the Freeloader sketch. Clever Lucy begins to believe she can pawn off the bad land investment on Red, and the two head out to take a look. Ultimately stranded, the two redheads trade land for airfare, but on the way back, Lucy and Red end up having to pilot the plane to safety.

The Innocent Assassin

23. The Innocent Assassin

1h

16th Feb 1959

Eileen Gorman and Jamsie Corcoran are in love, but they live in 1921 Dublin, Ireland, and their romance is blighted by civil strife. Their fathers are partisans of the Irish Republican Army, fighting the British. Their IRA group decides that a traitor must be killed, and Jamsie is assigned to assassinate him.

The Hard Road

24. The Hard Road

1h

30th Mar 1959

The Untouchables [1]

25. The Untouchables [1]

1h

20th Apr 1959

The Untouchables [2]

26. The Untouchables [2]

1h

27th Apr 1959

Lucy's Summer Vacation

27. Lucy's Summer Vacation

1h

8th Jun 1959

Lucy Wants A Career

28. Lucy Wants A Career

1h

13th Apr 1959

Lucy is exasperated. Once again tired of her daily routine, she wants to give show business another try. Ricky agrees, and Lucy auditions as a ""Girl Friday"" for a morning news show anchored by Paul Davis. At the audition, Lucy suddenly realizes her age, and does a little fancy maneuvering for notice. All but giving up hope, she is startled to get the job. Her first appearance is a disaster, but the viewers find it very humorous, and Lucy ends up with a long-term contract. Ultimately, Lucy misses Little Ricky and being a homemaker, and decides, after all these years, that show business really isn't for her after all. Lucy decides to quit, and goes home for some rest. With her sleeping schedule off kilter, Lucy downs a couple of sleeping tablets. A groggy Lucy is awoken by Ricky. They'll be sued if she doesn't honor her contract, and a heavily medicated Lucy is rushed to the studio.

Two Counts of Murder

29. Two Counts of Murder

1h

6th Jul 1959

The Killer Instinct

30. The Killer Instinct

1h

4th Jun 1959

Murder in Gratitude

31. Murder in Gratitude

1h

20th Nov 1959

After the reception for Gerald Lester's wedding, his brother Derek and a few close associates board a train with the newlyweds. During the trip Gerald suddenly becomes ill and dies - and Derek is convinced his brother was poisoned.

First air date

6th Oct 1958

Last air date

10th Jun 1960

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks