The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse is an American dramatic anthology series that aired on ABC from 1953 to 1955, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The show was hosted by Arlene Dahl (1953), Anita Colby (1954), and, finally, Polly Bergen (1955). Initially the series was done live, but switched to film during the first season.
Guest stars
- Claude Akins
- Frances Bavier
- Whit Bissell
- Charles Bronson
- Sally Brophy
- Jean Byron
- Pat Carroll
- Bobby Clark
- Andy Clyde
- Lloyd Corrigan
- Walter Coy
- Ross Elliott
- Beverly Garland
- Nancy Gates
- Peter Graves
- Rick Jason
- Carolyn Jones
- Brian Keith
- Jack Kelly
- Barton MacLane
- Lee Marvin
- Vera Miles
- Dennis Morgan
- George Nader
- Jay Novello
- Patrick O'Neal
- Frances Rafferty
- Karen Sharpe
- Craig Stevens
- Onslow Stevens
Episode status
The UCLA Film and Television Archive has three episodes of the series in its collection.
Critical response
A review of the October 2, 1953, episode in the trade publication Billboard said that the series followed a standard Hollywood formula but "should be a commercial if not artistic triumph". The review called the episode's contents "unimaginative, stereotyped slop" but added that similar content was popular with housewives.