| American Playhouse | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Genre | Anthology |
| Directed by | |
| 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 Americananthologytelevision series periodically broadcast byPublic Broadcasting Service (PBS).[1][2][3]
It premiered on January 12, 1982, withThe Shady Hill Kidnapping, written and narrated byJohn Cheever and directed byPaul Bogart. Its final broadcast, a television version ofStephen Sondheim andJames Lapine's Broadway musicalPassion, aired on September 29, 1996.[4]
The series proved to be a springboard for the careers of numerous performers, includingDavid Marshall Grant,Laura Linney,A Martinez,Conchata Ferrell,Eric Roberts,Lynne Thigpen,John Malkovich,Peter Riegert,Lupe Ontiveros,Ben Stiller, andMegan Mullally.
As part of WGBH's development of the Descriptive Video Service (DVS),American Playhouse was one of the first American television programs to air withaudio description for the visually impaired on theSecondary 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 withThe Samuel Goldwyn Company, in whichAmerican Playhouse would produce theatrical motion pictures that would be released by Goldwyn.[8] Those films includedAngels and Insects (1995),Reckless (1995),Palookaville (1995),My Family (1995), andI Shot Andy Warhol (1996).[9] However, the series was cancelled before any of the films aired on PBS.
| 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 theshort story byKurt 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 byRay Bradbury | February 9, 1982 (1982-02-09) |
| 6 | "Come Along with Me" | Joanne Woodward | June Finfer, Neal Miller and Joanne Woodward, based on theunfinished novel byShirley 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 byCarl 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 workIn 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 andKirk 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 bookWith His Pistol in His Hand byAmérico Paredes | June 29, 1982 (1982-06-29) |
| 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 byNathaniel 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 byMyrlie Evers-Williams andWilliam Peters | March 22, 1983 (1983-03-22) |
| 9 | "Verse Person Singular" | Robert Deubel | created byRichard 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) |
| No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Ghost Writer" | Tristram Powell | Tristram Powell andPhilip 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 byMark Twain | January 24, 1984 (1984-01-24) |
| 3 | "True West" | Allan Goldstein andGary Sinise | Sam Shepard, based on his stage play | January 31, 1984 (1984-01-31) |
| 4 | "Nothing but a Man" | Michael Roemer | Michael Roemer andRobert 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 byIsaac 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 andWilliam Kittredge, based on the letters ofElinore 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 andJosé 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) |
| 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 andNancy 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 andSamm-Art Williams, based on the autobiographyTwelve Years a Slave bySolomon 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 thenovel byJames Baldwin | January 14, 1985 (1985-01-14) |
| 6 | "Noon Wine" | Michael Fields | Michael Fields, based on the novel byKatherine 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" byKate Chopin | January 28, 1985 (1985-01-28) |
| 8 | "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank" | Douglas Williams | Corinne Jacker, based on the short story byJohn Varley | February 4, 1985 (1985-02-04) |
| 9 | "The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski" | Fred Barzyk | Jean Shepherd, based on his workIn 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 byFae Myenne Ng | April 15, 1985 (1985-04-15) |
| 14 | "Under the Biltmore Clock" | Neal Miller | Neal Miller andIlene Cooper, based on the short story byF. Scott Fitzgerald | April 22, 1985 (1985-04-22) |
| 15 | "Displaced Person" | Alan Bridges | Fred Barron, based on the short story byKurt Vonnegut | May 6, 1985 (1985-05-06) |
| 16 | "The Europeans" | James Ivory | Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, based on thenovel byHenry James | May 13, 1985 (1985-05-13) |
| 17 | "El Norte" | Gregory Nava | Gregory Nava andAnna 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 hisstage play | June 24, 1985 (1985-06-24) |
| 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" byJohn 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 byO. Henry | February 3, 1986 (1986-02-03) | |
| 4 | "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1)" | Peter H. Hunt | Guy Gallo, based on the novel byMark Twain | February 10, 1986 (1986-02-10) | |
| 5 | "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (2)" | Peter H. Hunt | Guy Gallo, based on the novel byMark Twain | February 17, 1986 (1986-02-17) | |
| 6 | "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (3)" | Peter H. Hunt | Guy Gallo, based on the novel byMark Twain | February 24, 1986 (1986-02-24) | |
| 7 | "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (4)" | Peter H. Hunt | Guy Gallo, based on the novel byMark Twain | March 3, 1986 (1986-03-03) | |
| 8 | "Tell Me a Riddle" | Lee Grant | Joyce Eliason andAlev Lytle, based on the novella byTillie 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 suburbanLong Island home and return toPuerto Rico with his wife and three sons, but does not hold thedeed to his house which was purchased through anoral 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 byJohn D. MacDonald | April 21, 1986 (1986-04-21) | |
| 12 | "Damien" | Nino J. Martin | Aldyth Morris | April 28, 1986 (1986-04-28) | |
A19th centuryRoman Catholicpriest who worked with lepers on the island ofMolokai 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 fictionalizedGeorges Seurat paints his lover, Dot, and "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." | |||||
| 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 byOwen Johnson | January 26, 1987 (1987-01-26) | |
| 3 | "The Wide Net" | Anthony Herrera | Anthony Herrera, based on the story byEudora Welty | February 2, 1987 (1987-02-02) | |
| 4 | "Smooth Talk" | Joyce Chopra | Tom Cole, based ona story byJoyce Carol Oates | February 9, 1987 (1987-02-09) | |
| 5 | "A Mistaken Charity" | Chuck Portz | Lawrence DuKore & Chuck Portz, adapted from the story byMary 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 withLee Remick asEleanor 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 byLouis Nizer | May 4, 1987 (1987-05-04) | |
| 12–1 | "Charley's Aunt" | William Asher | Ron Friedman, based on the play byBrandon Thomas | May 11, 1987 (1987-05-11) | |
| 13 | "Gal Young 'Un" | Victor Nuñez | Victor Nuñez, based on the story byMarjorie 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) | |
| No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Strange Interlude (1)" | Herbert Wise | Robert Enders, based on the play byEugene O’Neill | January 18, 1988 (1988-01-18) |
| 2 | "Strange Interlude (2)" | Herbert Wise | Robert Enders, based on the play byEugene O’Neill | January 19, 1988 (1988-01-19) |
| 3 | "Strange Interlude (3)" | Herbert Wise | Robert Enders, based on the play byEugene O’Neill | January 20, 1988 (1988-01-20) |
| 4 | "The Return of Hickey" | Allan A. Goldstein | Jan Jaffe Kahn, based on the novel byOwen 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 byMary 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 byJohn 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 andBarry 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 byRichard Wright | June 29, 1988 (1988-06-29) |
| 16 | "The Big Knife" | John Jacobs | Clifford Odets | July 27, 1988 (1988-07-27) |
| 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 byLaurie 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 onHarold 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 byOwen 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 fromExtracts from Adam's Diary andEve's Diary byMark 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 byCarol Bly | June 21, 1989 (1989-06-21) |
| 20 | "Thousand Pieces of Gold" | Nancy Kelly | Anne Makepeace, based onthe novel byRuthanne Lum McCunn | November 30, 1989 (1989-11-30) |
| 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 byJohn Nichols | February 7, 1990 (1990-02-07) |
| 4 | "Zora Is My Name!" | Neema Barnette | Ruby Dee, based on her play and work byZora Neale Hurston | February 14, 1990 (1990-02-14) |
| 5 | "In a Shallow Grave" | Kenneth Bowser | Kenneth Bowser, based on the novel byJames 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"[14]),Bryan Gordon ("Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall"),Johanna Demetrakas ("Homesick") | Richard Kletter, based on an idea byIsaac Asimov ("Teach 109"[14]),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 onthe novel byLouis 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 byDamon 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 onthe play byHenrik 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) |
| 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 byWarren 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 fromthe novel byWilla 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 byHisaye 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 byHortense 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) |
| 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 byThomas Berger | February 26, 1992 (1992-02-26) |
| 3 | "Fool's Fire" | Julie Taymor | Julie Taymor, adapted from the short story byEdgar 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 byJoseph Telushkin, based on a story byChaim Grade | November 29, 1993 (1993-11-29) |
| 17 | "Hallelujah" | Charles Lane | Michael Genet | December 22, 1993 (1993-12-22) |
| No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Tales of the City" | Alastair Reid | Richard Kramer, based on the novel byArmistead 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 byEdith Wharton | November 16, 1994 (1994-11-16) |
| 6 | "Golden Gate" | John Madden | David Henry Hwang | November 30, 1994 (1994-11-30) |
| No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Making ofAngels 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 byCarolyn Chute | August 11, 1996 (1996-08-11) |
| 5 | "Passion" | James Lapine | James Lapine,Stephen Sondheim | September 29, 1996 (1996-09-29) |
Some of the productions won multiple Emmys: one forRobert Morse inTru,[15]Outstanding Children's Program forDisplaced Person[16] and technical achievements forThe Meeting alongside many nominations.[17]
Academy Award recognitions includedEl Norte's nomination forBest Original Screenplay,[18][19] aBest Actress nod forJane Alexander inTestament,[20][21] aBest Live Action Short Film win forRay's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall,[22] aBest Actor nod forEdward James Olmos inStand and Deliver,[23][24] a Best Supporting Actor nod forBruce Davison inLongtime Companion and a Best Original Screenplay nod forMetropolitan.[25]
Golden Globe recognitions included three forStand and Deliver (two for Olmos (Leading Actor) and Diamond Phillips (Supporting Actor) and one forBest Motion Picture - Drama).[26]
American Playhouse also won aPeabody Award in 1990.[27]
Episodes likeNothing but a Man,The Thin Blue Line,El Norte andStand and Deliver were each inducted into theNational Film Registry.[28]
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank was featured as an episode of thecultscience fiction seriesMystery Science Theater 3000.[29][30]
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