Colgate Theatre (1958)
Synopsis
A 1958 American anthology television series broadcast on NBC, composed entirely of unsold television pilots. Created as a summer replacement program, the series repackaged unaired pilots originally produced for proposed television shows, presenting them as standalone dramatic episodes. Hosted by Bill Goodwin, the series served as filler programming following the cancellation of the quiz show Dotto and ran for eight consecutive weeks. Notable episodes included Orson Welles’s The Fountain of Youth, which won a Peabody Award and became one of the most celebrated television productions of the era.
Creator
Desi Arnaz
Network
NBC
Episodes
Adventures of a Model
A fashion model who uses her wits to hold off wolfish suitors and dislikes athletics must endure an agonizing series of athletic challenges to please a Texas sportswear manufacturer.
The Last Marshal
A United States marshal travels to Wyoming to clean up illegal activities involving both outlaws and lawmen.
Tonight in Havana
A restaurant owner and his wife lead a carefree life in Havana, Cuba, until an old romantic partner of the owner arrives and begs him to help her recover a stolen necklace.
Strange Counsel
A very astute lawyer with a folksy demeanor works for a young woman who believes that someone has tampered with her grandfather's will and that her uncle is the culprit.
Fountain of Youth
A newly married woman receives as a wedding gift from her vengeful scientist ex-boyfriend a vial containing a potion that can provide a person with 200 years of youthful vigor and good looks — but there is only enough potion in the vial for one person, leading to conflict as she ponders whether to take the potion herself or give it to her new husband. (Note: Written, directed, narrated, designed, and produced by Orson Welles, this episode won a 1958 Peabody Award and is widely regarded as one of the most important works of early television experimentation. It is considered a foundational example of Welles’s essay-film style, directly anticipating later works such as F for Fake, and remains the most critically significant and historically influential episode of Colgate Theatre.)
McCreedy’s Woman
The owner of a small nightclub tries to turn a gambler into an honest man, but romance and the interference of other people complicate her efforts.
Welcome to Washington
After a newly elected congresswoman arrives in Washington, D.C., she discovers that there is a lot more to representing her legislative district than merely passing legislation — including, as one of her first challenges, house-hunting with her husband.
If You Knew Tomorrow
When a teletype machine begins to report the news before it happens, a newscaster sets out to avert a disaster, trying to find a woman who will be in a catastrophic accident when her car collides with a train the following day.
Cast
Details
Original Title
Colgate Theatre
Status
Ended
Seasons
1
Episodes
8
Production
NBC