American Playhouse

American Playhouse
Genre	Anthology
Directed by	Perry Miller Adato Robert Allan Ackerman Paul Bogart Kirk Browning Jonathan Demme Bill Duke Peter H. Hunt David Hugh Jones Barbara Kopple Jack O'Brien Philip Leacock Marshall W. Mason Vivian Matalon Sharron Miller Joanne Woodward
Composer	David Amram
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	13
Production
Executive producer	David M. Davis
Producer	Lindsay Law
Production companies	KCET South Carolina Educational Television WGBH WNET
Original release
Network	PBS
Release	January 12, 1982 (1982-01-12) – September 29, 1996 (1996-09-29)

American Playhouse is an American anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Background

It premiered on January 12, 1982, with The Shady Hill Kidnapping, written and narrated by John Cheever and directed by Paul Bogart. Its final broadcast, a television version of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Broadway musical Passion , aired on September 29, 1996. ^[4]

The series proved to be a springboard for the careers of numerous performers, including David Marshall Grant, Laura Linney, A Martinez, Conchata Ferrell, Eric Roberts, Lynne Thigpen, John Malkovich, Peter Riegert, Lupe Ontiveros, Ben Stiller, and Megan Mullally.

As part of WGBH's development of the Descriptive Video Service (DVS), American Playhouse was one of the first U.S. television programs to air with audio description for the visually impaired on the Secondary audio program (SAP). After trialing the system during previous seasons, the 1990 season was the first to offer it as part of their wider rollout of DVS, initially through 32 member stations. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

In 1994, the series announced an ambitious joint venture with The Samuel Goldwyn Company, in which American Playhouse would produce theatrical motion pictures that would be released by Goldwyn. ^[8] Those films included Angels and Insects (1995), Reckless (1995), Palookaville (1995), My Family (1995), and I Shot Andy Warhol (1996). ^[9] However, the series was cancelled before any of the films aired on PBS.

Episodes

Season 1 (1982)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Shady Hill Kidnapping"	Paul Bogart	John Cheever	January 12, 1982 (1982-01-12)
2	"King of America"	Dezső Magyar	B.J Merholz	January 19, 1982 (1982-01-19)
3	"Seguin"	Jesús Salvador Treviño	Jesús Salvador Treviño	January 26, 1982 (1982-01-26)
4	"Who Am I This Time?"	Jonathan Demme	Neal Miller, based on the short story by Kurt Vonnegut	February 2, 1982 (1982-02-02)
5	"Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby Is a Friend of Mine"	Ralph Rosenblum	Mary Trimble, based on the story by Ray Bradbury	February 9, 1982 (1982-02-09)
6	"Come Along with Me"	Joanne Woodward	June Finfer, Neal Miller and Joanne Woodward, based on the unfinished novel by Shirley Jackson	February 16, 1982 (1982-02-16)
7	"For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf"	Oz Scott	Ntozake Shange, based on her stage play	February 23, 1982 (1982-02-23)
8	"Carl Sandburg: Echoes and Silences"	Perry Miller Adato	Paul Shyre, based on poems by Carl Sandburg	March 2, 1982 (1982-03-02)
9	"Fifth of July"	Kirk Browning Marshall W. Mason	Lanford Wilson, based on his stage play	March 9, 1982 (1982-03-09)
10	"The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters"	Richard Bartlett	Jean Shepherd, based on his work In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash	March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)
11	"Pilgrim, Farewell"	Michael Roemer [10]	Michael Roemer	March 23, 1982 (1982-03-23)
12	"Northern Lights"	John Hanson Rob Nilsson [11]	John Hanson and Rob Nilsson	March 30, 1982 (1982-03-30)
13	"Medal of Honor Rag"	Lloyd Richards	Tom Cole, based on his stage play	April 6, 1982 (1982-04-06)
14	"Working"	Stephen Schwartz and Kirk Browning	Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, based on their musical	April 13, 1982 (1982-04-13)
15	"Weekend"	Paul Bogart	Ann Beattie, based on her short story	April 20, 1982 (1982-04-20)
16	"Private Contentment"	Vivian Matalon	Reynolds Price	April 27, 1982 (1982-04-27)
17	"My Palikari"	Charles S. Dubin	George Kirgo and Leon Capetanos	May 4, 1982 (1982-05-04)
18	"Oppenheimer (1)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	May 11, 1982 (1982-05-11)
19	"Oppenheimer (2)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	May 18, 1982 (1982-05-18)
20	"Oppenheimer (3)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	May 25, 1982 (1982-05-25)
21	"Oppenheimer (4)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	June 1, 1982 (1982-06-01)
22	"Oppenheimer (5)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	June 8, 1982 (1982-06-08)
23	"Oppenheimer (6)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	June 15, 1982 (1982-06-15)
24	"Oppenheimer (7)"	Barry Davis	Peter Prince	June 22, 1982 (1982-06-22)
25	"The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez"	Robert M. Young	Victor Villaseñor and Robert M. Young, based on the book With His Pistol in His Hand by Américo Paredes	June 29, 1982 (1982-06-29)

Season 2 (1983)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Skin of Our Teeth"	Jack O'Brien	Thorton Wilder	January 18, 1983 (1983-01-18)
2	"Miss Lonelyhearts"	Michael Dinner	Robert E. Bailey and Michael Dinner, based on the novel by Nathaniel West	January 25, 1983 (1983-01-25)
3	"Family Business"	John Stix	Dick Goldberg, based on his stage play	February 1, 1983 (1983-02-01)
4	"Keeping On"	Barbara Kopple	Horton Foote	February 8, 1983 (1983-02-08)
5	"The File on Jill Hatch (1)"	Alastair Reid	Kenneth Cavander	February 15, 1983 (1983-02-15)
6	"The File on Jill Hatch (2)"	Alastair Reid	Kenneth Cavander	February 22, 1983 (1983-02-22)
7	"The File on Jill Hatch (3)"	Alastair Reid	Alex Mount	March 1, 1983 (1983-03-01)
8	"For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story"	Michael Schultz	Ossie Davis and J. Rotcop, based on the book by Myrlie Evers-Williams and William Peters	March 22, 1983 (1983-03-22)
9	"Verse Person Singular"	Robert Deubel	created by Richard Kiley	March 29, 1983 (1983-03-29)
10	"Until She Talks"	Mary Lampson	Doris Baizley	April 5, 1983 (1983-04-05)
11	"Wings"	John Madden	Arthur Kopit, based on his stage play	April 26, 1983 (1983-04-26)
12	"The Rothko Conspiracy"	Paul Watson	Michael Baker	May 3, 1983 (1983-05-03)

Season 3 (1984)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Ghost Writer"	Tristram Powell	Tristram Powell and Philip Roth, based on the novel by Roth	January 17, 1984 (1984-01-17)
2	"Pudd'nhead Wilson"	Alan Bridges	Philip H. Reisman Jr., based on the novel by Mark Twain	January 24, 1984 (1984-01-24)
3	"True West"	Allan Goldstein and Gary Sinise	Sam Shepard, based on his stage play	January 31, 1984 (1984-01-31)
4	"Nothing but a Man"	Michael Roemer	Michael Roemer and Robert M. Young	February 7, 1984 (1984-02-07)
5	"Popular Neurotics"	Sheldon Larry	Aubrey Wertheim, based on his stage play	February 14, 1984 (1984-02-14)
6	"The Cafeteria"	Amram Nowak	Ernest Kinoy, based on the short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer	February 21, 1984 (1984-02-21)
7	"Refuge"	Huck Fairman	Huck Fairman and Luther Sperberg	February 28, 1984 (1984-02-28)
8	"The Gin Game"	Terry Hughes	Donald L. Coburn, based on his stage play	March 6, 1984 (1984-03-06)
9	"Haunted"	Michael Roemer	Michael Roemer	March 20, 1984 (1984-03-20)
10	"The Killing Floor"	Bill Duke	Leslie Lee	April 10, 1984 (1984-04-10)
11	"Heartland"	Richard Pearce [12]	Beth Ferris and William Kittredge, based on the letters of Elinore Pruitt Stewart	April 17, 1984 (1984-04-17)
12	"City News"	David Fishelson and Zoe Zinman	David Fishelson and Zoe Zinman	April 24, 1984 (1984-04-24)
13	"Hughie"	Terry Hughes and José Quintero	Eugene O'Neill	May 1, 1984 (1984-05-01)
14	"Concealed Enemies (1)"	Jeff Bleckner	Hugh Whitemore	May 7, 1984 (1984-05-07)
15	"Concealed Enemies (2)"	Jeff Bleckner	Hugh Whitemore	May 7, 1984 (1984-05-07)
16	"Concealed Enemies (3)"	Jeff Bleckner	Hugh Whitemore	May 8, 1984 (1984-05-08)
17	"Concealed Enemies (4)"	Jeff Bleckner	Hugh Whitemore	May 9, 1984 (1984-05-09)

Season 4 (1984–1985)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Testament"	Lynne Littman	John Sacret Young, based on the short story "The Last Testament" by Carol Amen	November 26, 1984 (1984-11-26)
2	"A Matter of Principle"	Gwen Arner	Morton Neal Miller and Nancy Miller, based on the short story by John D. Weaver	December 3, 1984 (1984-12-03)
3	"Solomon Northup's Odyssey"	Gordon Parks	Lou Potter and Samm-Art Williams, based on the autobiography Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup	December 10, 1984 (1984-12-10)
4	"Tomorrow"	Joseph Anthony	Horton Foote, based on his stage play	December 17, 1984 (1984-12-17)
5	"Go Tell It on the Mountain"	Stan Lathan	Gus Edwards and Leslie Lee, based on the novel by James Baldwin	January 14, 1985 (1985-01-14)
6	"Noon Wine"	Michael Fields	Michael Fields, based on the novel by Katherine Anne Porter	January 21, 1985 (1985-01-21)
7	"The Joy That Kills"	Tina Rathborne	Tina Rathborne and Nancy Dyer, based on the short story "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin	January 28, 1985 (1985-01-28)
8	"Overdrawn at the Memory Bank"	Douglas Williams	Corinne Jacker, based on the short story by John Varley	February 4, 1985 (1985-02-04)
9	"The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski"	Fred Barzyk	Jean Shepherd, based on his work In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash	February 11, 1985 (1985-02-11)
10	"Some Men Need Help"	Allan Goldstein	John Ford Noonan, based on his play	February 18, 1985 (1985-02-18)
11	"Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom"	Barry Crane	Samm-Art Williams	February 25, 1985 (1985-02-25)
12	"Breakfast with Les and Bess"	Perry Rosemond	Lee Kalcheim	March 11, 1985 (1985-03-11)
13	"Nightsongs"	Marva Nabili	Marva Nabili, based on journal entries by Fae Myenne Ng	April 15, 1985 (1985-04-15)
14	"Under the Biltmore Clock"	Neal Miller	Neal Miller and Ilene Cooper, based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald	April 22, 1985 (1985-04-22)
15	"Displaced Person"	Alan Bridges	Fred Barron, based on the short story by Kurt Vonnegut	May 6, 1985 (1985-05-06)
16	"The Europeans"	James Ivory	Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, based on the novel by Henry James	May 13, 1985 (1985-05-13)
17	"El Norte"	Gregory Nava	Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas	May 20, 1985 (1985-05-20)
18	"Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1)"	Philip Leacock	Victor Pisano	May 27, 1985 (1985-05-27)
19	"Three Sovereigns for Sarah (2)"	Philip Leacock	Victor Pisano	June 3, 1985 (1985-06-03)
20	"Three Sovereigns for Sarah (3)"	Philip Leacock	Victor Pisano	June 10, 1985 (1985-06-10)
21	"Paper Angels"	John Lone	Genny Lim, based on her stage play	June 17, 1985 (1985-06-17)
22	"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"	Jack Hofsiss	Tennessee Williams, based on his stage play	June 24, 1985 (1985-06-24)

Season 5 (1986)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket"	Emile Ardolino	Peter Parnell, based on his stage play	January 20, 1986 (1986-01-20)
2	"The Roommate"	Nell Cox	Morton Neal Miller, based on the short story "The Christian Roommates" by John Updike	January 27, 1986 (1986-01-27)
Two young men who are polar opposites are assigned to the same dorm room at Northwestern University in 1952.
3	"Valentine's Revenge"	Paul Saltzman	Paul M. Lally, based on the short story by O. Henry	February 3, 1986 (1986-02-03)
4	"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1)"	Peter H. Hunt	Guy Gallo, based on the novel by Mark Twain	February 10, 1986 (1986-02-10)
5	"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (2)"	Peter H. Hunt	Guy Gallo, based on the novel by Mark Twain	February 17, 1986 (1986-02-17)
6	"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (3)"	Peter H. Hunt	Guy Gallo, based on the novel by Mark Twain	February 24, 1986 (1986-02-24)
7	"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (4)"	Peter H. Hunt	Guy Gallo, based on the novel by Mark Twain	March 3, 1986 (1986-03-03)
8	"Tell Me a Riddle"	Lee Grant	Joyce Eliason and Alev Lytle, based on the novella by Tillie Olsen	March 17, 1986 (1986-03-17)
An elderly couple who are frustrated with each other about how to spend their last years of life decide to travel across the USA and visit their children and grandchildren.
9	"The Little Sister"	Jan Egleson	Jan Egleson	April 7, 1986 (1986-04-07)
10	"The House of Ramon Iglesia"	Luis F. Soto	José Rivera	April 14, 1986 (1986-04-14)
Ramón Iglesia plans to retire from his janitorial job, sell his suburban Long Island home and return to Puerto Rico with his wife and three sons, but does not hold the deed to his house which was purchased through an oral contract. Javier, his oldest son, refuses to return to Puerto Rico and chastises him for his unsophisticated approach to legal matters, but eventually has a change of heart and decides to help.
11	"A Flash of Green"	Victor Nunez	Victor Nuñez, based on the novel by John D. MacDonald	April 21, 1986 (1986-04-21)
12	"Damien"	Nino J. Martin	Aldyth Morris	April 28, 1986 (1986-04-28)
A 19th century Roman Catholic priest who worked with lepers on the island of Molokai discusses his experiences there.
13	"Rocket to the Moon"	John Jacobs	Wesley Moore, Clifford Odets	May 5, 1986 (1986-05-05)
In 1938 New York, a middle-aged dentist's practice is failing and his marriage is on the rocks. He becomes withdrawn until he starts getting involved with his lively assistant, a free spirit with a penchant for tall tales and a hidden loneliness. After receiving encouragement from his own father-in-law, the two find comfort in each other.
14	"A Case of Libel"	Eric Till	Henry Denker, Louis Nizer	May 12, 1986 (1986-05-12)
In 1954, a news reporter sues a columnist for libel for proclaiming him a communist in print.
15	"Painting Churches"	Jack O'Brien	Tina Howe	May 19, 1986 (1986-05-19)
An examination of the relationship between an artist daughter and her aging parents.
16	"Roanoak (1)"	Jan Egleson	Dina Harris, James K. McCarthy	May 26, 1986 (1986-05-26)
17	"Roanoak (2)"	Jan Egleson	Dina Harris, James K. McCarthy	June 2, 1986 (1986-06-02)
18	"Roanoak (3)"	Jan Egleson	Dina Harris, James K. McCarthy	June 9, 1986 (1986-06-09)
19	"Sunday in the Park with George"	Terry Hughes	James Lapine, Stephen Sondheim	June 16, 1986 (1986-06-16)
A fictionalized Georges Seurat paints his lover, Dot, and "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

Season 6 (1987)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"All My Sons"	Jack O'Brien	Arthur Miller	January 19, 1987 (1987-01-19)
2	"The Prodigious Hickey"	Robert Iscove	Jan Jaffe Kahn, based on the novel by Owen Johnson	January 26, 1987 (1987-01-26)
3	"The Wide Net"	Anthony Herrera	Anthony Herrera, based on the story by Eudora Welty	February 2, 1987 (1987-02-02)
4	"Smooth Talk"	Joyce Chopra	Tom Cole, based on a story by Joyce Carol Oates	February 9, 1987 (1987-02-09)
5	"A Mistaken Charity"	Chuck Portz	Lawrence DuKore & Chuck Portz, adapted from the story by Mary Wilkins Freeman	February 16, 1987 (1987-02-16)
6	"Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart"	Wayne Wang	Terrel Seltzer	March 2, 1987 (1987-03-02)
7	"Eleanor: In Her Own Words"	Mark Cullingham	Russell Vandenbroucke	March 9, 1987 (1987-03-09)
A one-women show with Lee Remick as Eleanor Roosevelt
8	"Story of a Marriage: Courtship (1)"	Howard Cummings	Horton Foote	April 6, 1987 (1987-04-06)
9	"Story of a Marriage: 1918 (2)"	Ken Harrison	Horton Foote	April 13, 1987 (1987-04-13)
10	"Story of a Marriage: On Valentine's Day (3)"	Ken Harrison	Horton Foote	April 13, 1987 (1987-04-13)
11	"A Case of Libel"	Eric Till	Henry Denker, based on the book by Louis Nizer	May 4, 1987 (1987-05-04)
12–1	"Charley's Aunt"	William Asher	Ron Friedman, based on the play by Brandon Thomas	May 11, 1987 (1987-05-11)
13	"Gal Young 'Un"	Victor Nuñez	Victor Nuñez, based on the story by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings	May 18, 1987 (1987-05-18)
14	"The House of Blue Leaves"	Kirk Browning	John Guare	May 25, 1987 (1987-05-25)
15	"Blue Window"	Norman René	Craig Lucas	June 1, 1987 (1987-06-01)
16	"Dottie"	David Gelfand	Bruce Gelfand	June 8, 1987 (1987-06-08)
17	"Waiting for the Moon"	Jill Godmilow	Mark Magill, based on a story by Jill Godmilow & Mark Magill	June 15, 1987 (1987-06-15)

Season 7 (1988)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Strange Interlude (1)"	Herbert Wise	Robert Enders, based on the play by Eugene O’Neill	January 18, 1988 (1988-01-18)
2	"Strange Interlude (2)"	Herbert Wise	Robert Enders, based on the play by Eugene O’Neill	January 19, 1988 (1988-01-19)
3	"Strange Interlude (3)"	Herbert Wise	Robert Enders, based on the play by Eugene O’Neill	January 20, 1988 (1988-01-20)
4	"The Return of Hickey"	Allan A. Goldstein	Jan Jaffe Kahn, based on the novel by Owen Johnson	February 3, 1988 (1988-02-03)
5	"Lemon Sky"	Jan Egleson	Lanford Wilson	February 10, 1988 (1988-02-10)
6	"The Revolt of Mother"	Victor Lobl	Cynthia A. Cherbak, adapted from the story by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman	February 17, 1988 (1988-02-17)
7	"Pigeon Feathers"	Sharron Miller	Jan Hartman [13]	February 17, 1988 (1988-02-17)
8	"Billy Galvin"	John Gray	John Gray	February 24, 1988 (1988-02-24)
9	"A Flash of Green"	Victor Nuñez	Victor Nuñez, based on the novel by John D. MacDonald	March 23, 1988 (1988-03-23)
10	"Journey Into Genius"	Calvin Skaggs	Lanie Robertson	April 6, 1988 (1988-04-06)
11	"Suspicion"	Andrew Grieve	Jonathan Lynn and Barry Levinson from the 1941 screenplay	April 20, 1988 (1988-04-20)
12	"The Trial of Bernard Goetz"	Harry Moses	Harry Moses	May 11, 1988 (1988-05-11)
13	"The Land of Little Rain"	Evelyn Purcell	Doris Baizley	June 1, 1988 (1988-06-01)
14	"I Never Sang for My Father"	Jack O'Brien	Robert Anderson	June 15, 1988 (1988-06-15)
15	"Native Son"	Jerrold Freedman	Richard Wesley, from the novel by Richard Wright	June 29, 1988 (1988-06-29)
16	"The Big Knife"	John Jacobs	Clifford Odets	July 27, 1988 (1988-07-27)

Season 8 (1989)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"A Raisin in the Sun"	Bill Duke	Lorraine Hansberry	February 1, 1989 (1989-02-01)
2	"Ask Me Again"	Deborah Reinisch	Richard Greenberg, based on the novel by Laurie Colwin	February 8, 1989 (1989-02-08)
3	"Stacking"	Martin Rosen	Victoria Jenkins	February 15, 1989 (1989-02-15)
4	"My American Cousin"	Sandy Wilson	Sandy Wilson	February 22, 1989 (1989-02-22)
5	"Love and Other Sorrows"	Steve Gomer	Dick Goldberg, based on Harold Brodkey's short story "First Love and Other Sorrows"	March 1, 1989 (1989-03-01)
6	"Stand and Deliver"	Ramón Menéndez	Ramón Menéndez, Tom Musca	March 15, 1989 (1989-03-15)
7	"The Silence at Bethany"	Joel Oliansky	Joyce Keener	March 22, 1989 (1989-03-22)
8	"The Beginning of the Firm"	Allan A. Goldstein	Jan Jaffe Kahn, based on the novel by Owen Johnson	April 5, 1989 (1989-04-05)
9	"Life Under Water"	Jay Holman	Richard Greenberg, based on his play	April 12, 1989 (1989-04-12)
10	"A Great Wall"	Peter Wang	Peter Wang & Shirley Sun	April 19, 1989 (1989-04-19)
11	"The Diaries of Adam and Eve"	William Woodman	David Birney, adapted from Extracts from Adam's Diary and Eve's Diary by Mark Twain	April 26, 1989 (1989-04-26)
12	"The Meeting"	Bill Duke	Jeff Stetson	May 3, 1989 (1989-05-03)
13	"A Walk in the Woods"	Kirk Browning	Lee Blessing	May 10, 1989 (1989-05-10)
14	"Big Time"	Jan Egleson	Keith Reddin	May 17, 1989 (1989-05-17)
15	"The Thin Blue Line"	Errol Morris	Errol Morris	May 24, 1989 (1989-05-24)
16	"Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss"	Dick Bartlett	Jean Shepherd	May 31, 1989 (1989-05-31)
17	"Imagining America"	Ralph Bakshi, Mustapha Khan, Edward Lachman, Matt Mahurin	Ralph Bakshi (segment: "This Ain't Bebop")	June 7, 1989 (1989-06-07)
18	"Belizaire the Cajun"	Glen Pitre	Glen Pitre	June 14, 1989 (1989-06-14)
19	"Rachel River"	Sandy Smolan	Judith Guest, based on stories by Carol Bly	June 21, 1989 (1989-06-21)
20	"Thousand Pieces of Gold"	Nancy Kelly	Anne Makepeace, based on the novel by Ruthanne Lum McCunn	November 30, 1989 (1989-11-30)

Season 9 (1990)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Sensibility and Sense"	David Hugh Jones	Richard Nelson	January 24, 1990 (1990-01-24)
2	"Women & Wallace"	Don Scardino	Jonathan Marc Sherman, based on his play	January 31, 1990 (1990-01-31)
3	"The Wizard of Loneliness"	Jenny Bowen	Nancy Larson, based on the novel by John Nichols	February 7, 1990 (1990-02-07)
4	"Zora Is My Name!"	Neema Barnette	Ruby Dee, based on her play and work by Zora Neale Hurston	February 14, 1990 (1990-02-14)
5	"In a Shallow Grave"	Kenneth Bowser	Kenneth Bowser, based on the novel by James Purdy	February 21, 1990 (1990-02-21)
6	"Andre's Mother"	Deborah Reinisch	Terrence McNally	March 7, 1990 (1990-03-07)
7	"The Wash"	Michael Toshiyuki Uno	Philip Kan Gotanda	March 21, 1990 (1990-03-21)
8	"Triple Play"	Richard Kletter ("Teach 109"), Bryan Gordon ("Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall"), Johanna Demetrakas ("Homesick")	Richard Kletter, based on an idea by Isaac Asimov ("Teach 109"), Bryan Gordon ("Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall"), Robert Gordon ("Homesick")	March 28, 1990 (1990-03-28)
9	"Break of Dawn"	Isaac Artenstein	Isaac Artenstein	April 11, 1990 (1990-04-11)
10	"Prisoners of Inertia"	Jeffrey Noyes Scher	Jeffrey Noyes Scher	April 25, 1990 (1990-04-25)
11	"Eat a Bowl of Tea"	Wayne Wang	Judith Rascoe, based on the novel by Louis Chu	May 2, 1990 (1990-05-02)
12	"All God's Dangers"	Michael Hadley	Michael Hadley & Jennifer Hadley	May 9, 1990 (1990-05-09)
13	"Sidewalk Stories"	Charles Lane	Charles Lane	May 16, 1990 (1990-05-16)
14	"Bloodhounds of Broadway"	Howard Brookner	Howard Brookner & Colman DeKay, based on stories by Damon Runyon	May 23, 1990 (1990-05-23)
15	"Where the Spirit Lives"	Bruce Pittman	Keith Ross Leckie	June 6, 1990 (1990-06-06)
16	"An Enemy of the People"	Jack O'Brien	Arthur Miller, based on the play by Henrik Ibsen	June 13, 1990 (1990-06-13)
17	"Separation"	Barry Davis	Tom Kempinski	June 27, 1990 (1990-06-27)
18	"Hyde in Hollywood"	Gerald Gutierrez	Peter Parnell	July 6, 1990 (1990-07-06)

Season 10 (1991)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Into the Woods"	James Lapine	James Lapine, Stephen Sondheim	March 15, 1991 (1991-03-15)
2	"The Grapes of Wrath"	Kirk Browning & Frank Galati	Frank Galati	March 22, 1991 (1991-03-22)
3	"Three Hotels"	Jon Robin Baitz	Jon Robin Baitz	March 29, 1991 (1991-03-29)
4	"The Sunset Gang"	Anthony Drazan, Calvin Skaggs	Ronald Ribman, adapted from stories by Warren Adler	April 5, 1991 (1991-04-05)
5	"Signs of Life"	John David Coles	Mark Malone	April 26, 1991 (1991-04-26)
6	"The End of a Sentence"	David Jones	Richard Nelson	May 3, 1991 (1991-05-03)
7	"O Pioneers!"	Kirk Browning & Kevin Kuhlke	Darrah Cloud, adapted from the novel by Willa Cather	May 15, 1991 (1991-05-15)
8	"Triple Play II"	Jonathan Sanger ("Peacemaker"), Susan Rogers ("Astronomy"), Stephen Tolkin ("The Price of Life")	Jonathan Sanger ("Peacemaker"), Susan Rogers ("Astronomy"), Stephen Tolkin ("The Price of Life")	May 21, 1991 (1991-05-21)
9	"Hot Summer Winds"	Emiko Omori	Emiko Omori, adapted from stories by Hisaye Yamamoto	May 24, 1991 (1991-05-24)
10	"The Plot Against Harry"	Michael Roemer	Michael Roemer	May 31, 1991 (1991-05-31)
11	"Darrow"	John David Coles	William Schmidt & Stephen Stept	June 7, 1991 (1991-06-07)
12	"The Hollow Boy"	Noel Black	Jay Neugeboren, adapted from the short story by Hortense Calisher	June 14, 1991 (1991-06-14)
13	"Misplaced"	Louis Yansen	Louis Yansen & Thomas De Wolfe	June 28, 1991 (1991-06-28)
14	"A Marriage: Georgia O'Keeffe & Alfred Stieglitz"	Edwin Sherin	Julian Barry	July 26, 1991 (1991-07-26)
15	"Longtime Companion"	Norman René	Craig Lucas	September 29, 1991 (1991-09-29)
16	"Metropolitan"	Whit Stillman	Whit Stillman	December 4, 1991 (1991-12-04)

Season 11 (1992–1993)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Surviving Desire"	Hal Hartley	Hal Hartley	January 22, 1992 (1992-01-22)
2	"The Feud"	Bill D'Elia	Bill D'Elia & Robert Uricola, based on the novel by Thomas Berger	February 26, 1992 (1992-02-26)
3	"Fool's Fire"	Julie Taymor	Julie Taymor, adapted from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe	March 25, 1992 (1992-03-25)
4	"Mrs. Cage"	Robert Allan Ackerman	Nancy Barr, based on her play	May 20, 1992 (1992-05-20)
5	"Daughters of the Dust"	Julie Dash	Julie Dash	July 22, 1992 (1992-07-22)
6	"Tales from Hollywood"	Carlos Avila	Carlos Avila & Edit Villareal	October 19, 1992 (1992-10-19)
7	"Strangers in Good Company"	Cynthia Scott	Gloria Demers, with Sally Bochner, Cynthia Scott, & David Wilson	November 11, 1992 (1992-11-11)
8	"84 Charlie Mopic"	Patrick Sheane Duncan	Patrick Sheane Duncan	November 18, 1992 (1992-11-18)
9	"Tru"	Kirk Browning & Jay Presson Allen	Jay Presson Allen	November 23, 1992 (1992-11-23)
10	"Thank You and Good Night"	Jan Oxenberg	Jan Oxenberg	November 30, 1992 (1992-11-30)
11	"Straight Out of Brooklyn"	Matty Rich	Matty Rich	January 20, 1993 (1993-01-20)
12	"Fires in the Mirror"	George C. Wolfe	Anna Deavere Smith	April 28, 1993 (1993-04-28)
13	"In the Wings: Angels in America on Broadway"	Tom Bywaters	Tom Bywaters	June 11, 1993 (1993-06-11)
14	"La Carpa"	Carlos Avila	Carlos Avila and Edit Villarreal	June 16, 1993 (1993-06-16)
15	"Porgy and Bess"	Trevor Nunn	George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin & DuBose Heyward & Dorothy Heyward	October 6, 1993 (1993-10-06)
16	"The Quarrel"	Eli Cohen	David Brandes, adapted from the play by Joseph Telushkin, based on a story by Chaim Grade	November 29, 1993 (1993-11-29)
17	"Hallelujah"	Charles Lane	Michael Genet	December 22, 1993 (1993-12-22)

Season 12 (1994)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Tales of the City"	Alastair Reid	Richard Kramer, based on the novel by Armistead Maupin	January 10, 1994 (1994-01-10)
2	"Simple Men"	Hal Hartley	Hal Hartley	April 4, 1994 (1994-04-04)
3	"Brother's Keeper"	Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky	[documentary]	May 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)
4	"Long Shadows"	Sheldon Larry	Milan Stitt	August 26, 1994 (1994-08-26)
5	"Ethan Frome"	John Madden	Richard Nelson, based on the novel by Edith Wharton	November 16, 1994 (1994-11-16)
6	"Golden Gate"	John Madden	David Henry Hwang	November 30, 1994 (1994-11-30)

Season 13 (1995–1996)

No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Making of Angels and Insects"	Unknown	Unknown	January 2, 1995 (1995-01-02)
2	"Blown Sideways Through Life"	Christopher Ashley	Claudia Shear, based on her play	July 19, 1995 (1995-07-19)
3	"Drawn from Memory"	Paul Fierlinger	Paul Fierlinger	October 30, 1995 (1995-10-30)
4	"The Beans of Egypt, Maine"	Jennifer Warren	Bill Phillips, based on the novel by Carolyn Chute	August 11, 1996 (1996-08-11)
5	"Passion"	James Lapine	James Lapine, Stephen Sondheim	September 29, 1996 (1996-09-29)

Notable cast

• Tom Aldredge
• Anne Bancroft
• Christine Baranski
• Claire Bloom
• Jacques Boudet
• Kenneth Branagh
• Kate Burton
• Christopher Collet
• Jeff Daniels
• Jeffrey DeMunn
• Pedro De Pool
• Ruby Dee
• Matt Dillon
• Olympia Dukakis
• Megan Follows
• Matt Frewer
• Boyd Gaines
• Lillian Gish
• Joanna Gleason
• Danny Glover
• Annie Golden
• Louis Gossett Jr.
• George Grizzard
• Julie Hagerty
• Ed Harris
• Rosemary Harris
• Edward Herrmann
• Helen Hunt
• Glenda Jackson
• James Earl Jones
• Raul Julia
• Swoosie Kurtz
• Cloris Leachman
• John Malkovich
• Butterfly McQueen
• Caroline McWilliams
• Rita Moreno
• Paul Newman
• Geraldine Page
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Estelle Parsons
• Mandy Patinkin
• Bernadette Peters
• Lenka Peterson
• Vanessa Redgrave
• Keanu Reeves
• Lee Remick
• Jason Robards
• Esther Rolle
• Liliane Rovère
• Susan Sarandon
• Sylvia Sidney
• Jean Simmons
• Gary Sinise
• Anna Deavere Smith
• Elaine Stritch
• Richard Thomas
• Anne Twomey
• Dick Van Dyke
• Chuck Wagner
• Christopher Walken
• Eli Wallach
• Robert Westenberg
• Lynn Whitfield
• Paul Winfield
• Alfre Woodard
• Chip Zien

Accolades

Some of the productions won multiple Emmys: one for Robert Morse in Tru, ^[14] Outstanding Children's Program for Displaced Person ^[15] and technical achievements for The Meeting alongside many nominations. ^[16]

Academy Award recognitions included El Norte's nomination for Best Original Screenplay, ^{[17] [18]} a Best Actress nod for Jane Alexander in Testament , ^{[19] [20]} a Best Actor nod for Edward James Olmos in Stand and Deliver , ^{[21] [22]} a Best Supporting Actor nod for Bruce Davison in Longtime Companion and a Best Original Screenplay nod for Metropolitan . ^[23]

Golden Globe recognitions included three for Stand and Deliver (two for Olmos (Leading Actor) and Diamond Phillips (Supporting Actor) and one for Best Motion Picture - Drama). ^[24]

American Playhouse also won a Peabody Award in 1990. ^[25]

Legacy

Episodes like Nothing but a Man , The Thin Blue Line , El Norte and Stand and Deliver were each inducted into the National Film Registry. ^[26]

Overdrawn at the Memory Bank was featured as an episode of the cult science fiction series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . ^{[27] [28]}

References

1. "American Playhouse' Appoints Lynn Holst (Published 1987)". The New York Times. June 9, 1987. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021.
2. Goodman, Walter (January 24, 1990). "Review/Television; 'Hallmark' vs. 'American Playhouse' (Published 1990)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016.
3. O'Connor, John J. (June 16, 1993). "Review/Television; Cultures Clash on 'American Playhouse' (Published 1993)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021.
4. King, Susan (September 28, 1996). "Sunday, No Park, Lots of 'Passion'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
5. Gibson, Gwen (December 29, 1989). "Words worth 1,000 pictures". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
6. Molotsky, Irvin (January 13, 1988). "New TV System Offers Descriptions for Blind". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 22, 2019.
7. Ellis, Katie (February 1, 2019). Disability and Digital Television Cultures: Representation, Access, and Reception. Routledge. ISBN   9781317627845.
8. "Untitled". Communications Daily. 14 (62). Warren Publishing: 4. March 31, 1994.
9. Carver, Benedict (February 21, 1999). "Gannon prod'n director at Fox Searchlight pics". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
10. Michael Roemer's Patient and Unflinching Study of Mortality|Current|The Criterion Collection
11. american playhouse: northern lights (tv) - The Paley Center for Media
12. american playhouse: heartland (tv) - The Paley Center for Media
13. "Jan Hartman | Writer". IMDb .
14. Tru (American Playhouse)|Television Academy
15. Displaced Person American Playhouse|Television Academy
16. The Meeting American Playhouse|Television Academy
17. 1985|Oscars.org
18. Robert Benton and Peter Shaffer winning Writing Oscars® - Oscars on YouTube
19. 1984|Oscars.org
20. Shirley MacLaine Wins Best Actress: 1984 Oscars
21. 1989|Oscars.org
22. Dustin Hoffman Wins Best Actor: 1989 Oscars
23. 1991|Oscars.org
24. Stand and Deliver|Golden Globes
25. "American Playhouse" . Retrieved March 2, 2019.
26. Brief Descriptions and Expanded Essays of National Film Registry Titles | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board
27. Vorel, Jim (April 13, 2017). "Ranking Every MST3K Episode, From Worst to Best". Paste. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
28. Cecchini, Mike (April 15, 2017). "The Top 100 Best MST3K Episodes". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2019.

External links

• American Playhouse at IMDb
• TV Guide
• Chicago Tribune - PBS` `American Playhouse`: A Multimedia Enterprise