Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse was built around four established performers: Dick Powell, Charles Boyer, David Niven, and Ida Lupino. They appeared in rotating dramatic roles across different episodes rather than playing recurring characters, and each episode featured one or more of them in a leading part.

Four Star Playhouse aired on CBS from 1952 to 1956. It was one of the most prominent anthology drama series of early American television's golden age, running for over 100 episodes during its four-year span.

Yes, Ida Lupino was not only one of the four rotating stars but also directed several episodes of the series. She was one of the very few women directing in Hollywood television during the 1950s, having previously co-founded the independent production company Filmakers.

It was an anthology drama, meaning each weekly episode presented a completely self-contained story with new characters and settings. The four lead actors took turns headlining episodes alongside guest performers, covering genres ranging from crime and melodrama to comedy and suspense.