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The Best Episodes of Playhouse 90

Every episode of Playhouse 90 ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Playhouse 90!

Binge this in 8d 9h•Peaking at 9.4/10

Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 8 - Old Man
    9.4/10(17 votes)

    #1 - Old Man

    S3:E8

    To fight a Mississippi flood in 1927, a prison farm releases some convicts.

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 3 - The Time of Your Life
    9.3/10(29 votes)

    #2 - The Time of Your Life

    S3:E3

    William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning play revolves around the denizens of a San Francisco bar in 1939. Lonely, lovelorn, weary or cynical, the characters drift in and out of the bar and each other's lives, giving voice to Saroyan's philosophies as they randomly comment about the impending world war, the beauty of art, and traditional notions of good and evil.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 34 - The Rank and File
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - The Rank and File

    S3:E34

    A powerful union leader is interrogated by a Senate committee. Testifying before a Senate, William Kilcoyne tells the story of his career. He began as a factory worker and his shrewdness and ambition carried him up through the ranks to his present position as head of a large union.

    Director:Franklin J. Schaffner
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  4. Playhouse 90 Season 4 Episode 14 - Alas, Babylon
    8.8/10(46 votes)

    #4 - Alas, Babylon

    S4:E14

    Americans try to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear catastrophe.

    Director:Robert Stevens
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 2 - Requiem for a Heavyweight
    8.3/10(361 votes)

    #5 - Requiem for a Heavyweight

    S1:E2

    An over-the-hill heavyweight boxing champion who suffers from the ravages of years of head trauma is exploited by his manager, despite the efforts of a compassionate young woman who tries to help him recover his self-respect.

    Director:Ralph Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 25 - Portrait of a Murderer
    8.3/10(30 votes)

    #6 - Portrait of a Murderer

    S2:E25

    Based on a true story, Donald Bashor robs and bludgeons two women to their deaths. While committing the crimes he maintains a normal existence with his girlfriend Florry.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Playhouse 90

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  7. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 38 - A Town Has Turned to Dust
    8.3/10(72 votes)

    #7 - A Town Has Turned to Dust

    S2:E38

    A weakling sheriff is unable to prevent a lynching. Can he redeem himself by preventing a second one?

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 1 - The Plot to Kill Stalin
    8.1/10(35 votes)

    #8 - The Plot to Kill Stalin

    S3:E1

    In late 1952, an aging and increasingly paranoid Stalin puts in motion a purge against his doctors, with anti-Semitic overtones. His lackeys, including Khrushchev, Molotov and Beria, fear it will spread to the Politburo, and plan to strike first.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 16 - The Velvet Alley
    8.1/10(44 votes)

    #9 - The Velvet Alley

    S3:E16

    Ernie Pandish has tried to be a writer for years and has never made much money out of it. But now he seems likely to hit the big-time.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Playhouse 90 Season 4 Episode 17 - In the Presence of Mine Enemies
    8.1/10(28 votes)

    #10 - In the Presence of Mine Enemies

    S4:E17

    In the Warsaw ghetto, a Jewish man seeks revenge for the rape of his sister by a German soldier.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 23 - Invitation to a Gunfighter
    8.0/10(12 votes)

    #11 - Invitation to a Gunfighter

    S1:E23

    A gunfighter is terrorizing a small western town. The townspeople finally pool their money to a hire another gunfighter to drive him out of town. The townsfolk thought they had it bad until they handed the reigns over to the new terror. Pooling their money again, this time to hire Jeffers to get rid of Dancer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 28 - Judgment at Nuremberg
    8.0/10(80 votes)

    #12 - Judgment at Nuremberg

    S3:E28

    In the later stages of the Nuremberg Trials, four German judges are accused of perverting the course of justice.

    Director:George Roy Hill
    Writer:Abby Mann

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  13. Playhouse 90 Season 4 Episode 12 - Tomorrow
    8.0/10(29 votes)

    #13 - Tomorrow

    S4:E12

    Slow witted, and tired, Fentry leads a lonely life of grinding poverty in his sharecropper's shack until a sick, pregnant woman escaping her abusive husband comes there. He takes her in and cares for her, eventually falling in love with her.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 19 - The Miracle Worker
    7.9/10(23 votes)

    #14 - The Miracle Worker

    S1:E19

    The story of Anne Sullivan's struggle to teach the blind and deaf Helen Keller how to communicate.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 20 - The Comedian
    7.8/10(302 votes)

    #15 - The Comedian

    S1:E20

    Sammy Hogarth, a vaudeville comedian who now has his own TV show, is a ruthless egomaniac who demands instant obedience from his staff and heaps abuse on those in lesser positions than his. His most vituperative behavior, however, is reserved for his weak-willed brother, Lester, whom Sammy has hired as his assistant but whom he really uses as his whipping boy.

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  16. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 27 - Clipper Ship
    7.8/10(11 votes)

    #16 - Clipper Ship

    S1:E27

    A romance on the high seas revolving around the comely widow of a shipping magnate, and her growing love for a handsome young political prisoner who was scheduled to be put to death when the vessel reached its destination. Though unyielding at first, the ship's stern captain eventually helped the woman to make a clean getaway, with the condemned man in tow.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 2 - Days of Wine and Roses
    7.8/10(195 votes)

    #17 - Days of Wine and Roses

    S3:E2

    An alcoholic falls in love with and gets married to a young woman, whom he systematically addicts to booze so they can share his "passion" together.

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 24 - The Last Tycoon
    7.7/10(26 votes)

    #18 - The Last Tycoon

    S1:E24

    A movie producer is slowly working himself to death.

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 35 - Bomber's Moon
    7.7/10(33 votes)

    #19 - Bomber's Moon

    S2:E35

    A hard-hearted Colonel loses many men in his group's bombing missions over World War II Germany, but keeps on going and won't tolerate a young lieutenant losing his nerve under the strain, who refuses to continue.

    Director:John Frankenheimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 39 - The Great Gatsby
    7.7/10(10 votes)

    #20 - The Great Gatsby

    S2:E39

    A Midwesterner becomes fascinated with his wealthy neighbor, who obsesses over his lost love.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Playhouse 90 Season 1 Episode 38 - Ain't No Time for Glory
    7.6/10(16 votes)

    #21 - Ain't No Time for Glory

    S1:E38

    American soldiers must use stealth to take over a German command post in Normandy.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 23 - No Time at All
    7.6/10(31 votes)

    #22 - No Time at All

    S2:E23

    An airliner flying nonstop at night from Miami to New York fails to check in, then disappears from radar. We see how its disappearance affects people on the ground. The Episode was directed by David Swift, who also collaborated with Charles Einstein with the screenplay. Charles Einstein is also credited with writing the story. Guests include William Lundigan, Betsy Palmer, Jane Greer, Buster Keaton, Chico Marx, Frank Wilcox & Charles Bronson. The Production Company was CBS Television Network and was distributed in the USA by CBS.

    Director:David Swift
    Writer:Charles Einstein

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  23. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 32 - A Marriage of Strangers
    7.6/10(15 votes)

    #23 - A Marriage of Strangers

    S3:E32

    Marry in haste, repent at leisure? Well, maybe.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Playhouse 90 Season 2 Episode 30 - The Dungeon
    7.4/10(12 votes)

    #24 - The Dungeon

    S2:E30

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Playhouse 90 Season 3 Episode 12 - The Nutcracker
    7.4/10(13 votes)

    #25 - The Nutcracker

    S3:E12

    This telecast of George Balanchine's famous production was broadcast only four years after it was premiered by the New York City Ballet. This was the only episode of the series televised in color.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Old Man" is the best rated episode of "Playhouse 90". It scored 9.4/10 based on 17 votes. Directed by John Frankenheimer and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/20/1958. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Time of Your Life".