Four Star Television , also called Four Star International , was an American television production company. Founded in 1952 as Four Star Productions by prominent Hollywood actors Dick Powell , David Niven , Charles Boyer and Joel McCrea , it was inspired by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz founding Desilu Productions a year earlier. McCrea left soon after its founding to continue in films, television and radio, and was replaced by Ida Lupino as the fourth star—although Lupino did not own stock in the company.
46-408: Four Star produced several popular programs in the early days of television, including Four Star Playhouse (its first series), Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre , Stagecoach West , The June Allyson Show (also known as The DuPont Show Starring June Allyson ), The Dick Powell Show , Burke's Law , The Rogues and The Big Valley . Despite its stars sharing equal billing, Powell played
92-687: A 1958 episode of Gunsmoke , playing the role of murder suspect, “Fly Hoyt”, a cowboy working on a Texas cattle drive. That same year, Breck played the role of a bad guy in an episode of Wagon Train , "The Story of Tobias Jones", opposite Lou Costello . From January 1959 to May 1960, Breck starred as Clay Culhane, the gunfighter-turned- lawyer in the ABC Western Black Saddle , with secondary roles for Russell Johnson , Anna-Lisa , J. Pat O'Malley , and Walter Burke . Unlike in The Big Valley , in which Breck played an easily angered rancher, he
138-422: A Hollywood veteran of twenty years in 1952, longed to produce and direct. While he did have some opportunities to do so, such as RKO Radio Pictures ' The Conqueror (1956) with John Wayne , Powell saw greater opportunities offered by the then-infant medium of television . Powell came up with an idea for an anthology series, with a rotation of established stars every week, four stars in all. The stars would own
184-427: A cast and crew of 220 people, 91 contracted various forms of organ cancers by 1981, including stars John Wayne , Susan Hayward and Agnes Moorehead . An ad executive named Thomas McDermott was brought in to run the studio for Niven, Boyer, and Powell's family. But without Powell's vision, the studio went into a period of decline. Within two years after Powell's death, Four Star had decreased to only five programs on
230-554: A jazz musician. He attended the University of Houston, where he studied English and drama. Breck was the son of bandleader Joe Breck, who was nicknamed "the Prince of Pep", and whose band once included trombone player Jerry Colonna . His parents divorced when Peter was eight. Peter went with Joe, while his younger brother George accompanied their mother, resulting in a decades-long separation. In 1959, an Associated Press photograph showed
276-551: A leading man in Hollywood, you either draw $ 250,000 like Steve McQueen or you had better be in a series." From 1965 to 1969, Breck starred on The Big Valley as Nick Barkley, foreman of the Barkley ranch and son to Barbara Stanwyck's character, Victoria Barkley. The second of four children, Nick was hot-headed, short-tempered, and very fast with a gun. Always spoiling for a fight and frequently wearing leather gloves, Breck's character took
322-507: A new holding company called Four Star Television, and began publicly trading on the American Stock Exchange on January 12, 1959. After Powell's death in 1963, Four Star was led by Thomas McDermott, followed by Aaron Spelling . It was then purchased and developed for global film and television markets by David Charnay, and subsequently was sold to Ron Perelman ; Perelman sold it to 20th Century Fox Television in 1996. Dick Powell,
368-510: A pact with Color Systems Technology to do a colorized version of Wanted Dead or Alive , which led to a lawsuit from Compact Video and Four Star against CST. By 1987, David Charnay had sold Four Star to Robert Seidenglanz's Compact Video Systems, which was then majority-owned by Ronald Perelman . After Compact Video shut down, its remaining assets, including Four Star, were folded into Perelman's MacAndrews and Forbes Incorporated . In 1989, Perelman acquired New World Entertainment and Four Star
414-459: A pilot for Wanted: Dead or Alive with Steve McQueen ), The Westerner with Brian Keith , Black Saddle with Peter Breck and Russell Johnson and The Rifleman , starring Chuck Connors, Johnny Crawford and Paul Fix. While not given a production byline, when Joel McCrea and Walter Mirisch developed the 1959–1960 NBC series Wichita Town , adapted from the 1955 film Wichita in which McCrea starred as Wyatt Earp, Four Star provided
460-543: A result of the buyout between Rupert Murdoch and Ron Perelman in 1996. With the subsequent sale of New World to 20th Century Fox (now owned by The Walt Disney Company ) in 1997, the Four Star catalogue is now owned by Disney Platform Distribution , with a few exceptions: Four Star Playhouse Four Star Playhouse (syndicated as Star Performance ) is an American anthology series that ran from September 25, 1952, through September 27, 1956. Four Star Playhouse
506-580: A sizable inventory of programs for syndication, including The Rifleman , Wanted: Dead or Alive , The Rogues , Zane Grey Theatre and The Big Valley . While it did get a hit of sorts in producing a show called Thrill Seekers (a sort of proto- reality TV program, and the first reality show in the United States ), the studio's primary niche was in its successful syndication to global film and television audiences. In 1985, Four Star renewed its ties with Charnay himself. During his tenure, they made
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#1733085943241552-415: A son, Christopher, who died of leukemia at age 30. In June 2010, Breck's wife Diane announced on his website that he had been suffering from dementia and could no longer sign autographs for fans, although she said that he still read and enjoyed their letters. Despite this diagnosis, she said he was still physically healthy and did not require medication. Thereafter, Diane Breck reported that her husband
598-453: Is low-key, restrained, and considerate as the lawyer Culhane. Breck was later a contract star with Warner Bros. Television , where he appeared as Doc Holliday on Maverick , a part that had been played twice earlier in the series by Gerald Mohr and by Adam West on ABC's Lawman . Breck appeared in several other ABC/WB series of the time, such as Cheyenne , 77 Sunset Strip , The Roaring Twenties (as trumpet player Joe Peabody in
644-590: The CBS Western anthology series , Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre . Breck appeared with fellow guest star Diane Brewster in the 1958 episode "The Lady Gambler" of the ABC Western series, Tombstone Territory , starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham . That same year, Breck appeared in an episode of the syndicated Highway Patrol , starring Broderick Crawford . He was also cast in an episode of NBC's The Restless Gun , starring John Payne . He appeared in
690-617: The Rochester Royals during the 1948–49 season. He then worked as a ranch hand while studying drama at the University of Houston , and went on to make his on-screen debut in a 1958 film that was eventually released under the title The Beatniks . As well as performing in live theatre, Breck had several guest-starring roles on a number of popular series, such as Sea Hunt , several episodes of Wagon Train , Have Gun – Will Travel , Perry Mason , and Gunsmoke (a disturbed cowboy in
736-504: The 1960s ABC/ Four Star Western The Big Valley . Breck also had the starring role in an earlier NBC/Four Star Western television series entitled Black Saddle . Joseph Peter Breck was born in Rochester, New York . He grew up living with his grandparents in Haverhill, Massachusetts, because they felt they could provide a more stable home environment than his father, who often traveled as
782-636: The 1963 title role in "The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner"). When Robert Mitchum saw Breck in George Bernard Shaw 's play The Man of Destiny in Washington, DC , he offered Breck a role as a rival driver in Thunder Road (1958). Mitchum helped Breck to relocate to Los Angeles . As Breck then did not have his own car, Mitchum lent him his Jaguar . Mitchum introduced Breck to Dick Powell , who contracted him to Four Star Productions, where Breck appeared in
828-557: The Antic Angel", and defendant Peter Warren in the 1965 episode, "The Case of the Gambling Lady". During this time, he appeared on episodes of such television series as Mr. Novak , The Outer Limits , Bonanza and The Virginian . Breck claimed to have been considered for leads on two successful television series produced by Quinn Martin : The Fugitive (1963) and 12 O'Clock High (1964), with Breck commenting, "If you are
874-469: The air for four seasons. In 1954, Billboard voted it the second best filmed network television drama series. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series, making his debut as a director on the program in 1952. The pilot for Meet McGraw , starring Frank Lovejoy , aired here (under that title, February 25, 1954), as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from
920-452: The air. After another two years, all but one had gone off the air; The Big Valley was the only show left. Aaron Spelling began his career at Four Star Television as a staff writer and after a number of hits began producing television shows for Four Star. Spelling left the studio in 1966 to form his own production company with Danny Thomas, Thomas Spelling Productions. For a brief time, Four Star Television owned Valiant Records , but sold
966-530: The biggest role in the company's early success and growth. Powell became President of Four Star within a few years of its formation and, in 1955, Four Star Films, Inc. was formed as an affiliate which produced such hit shows as The Rifleman ; Trackdown ; Wanted Dead or Alive ; Richard Diamond, Private Detective and The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor . There were also failed series, including Jeannie Carson 's Hey, Jeannie! In late 1958, Four Star Productions and Four Star Films were merged into
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#17330859432411012-413: The brothers reunited after being out of touch for 22 years. The caption explained: "George told newsmen he saw Peter on television and recognized a resemblance. He went to the actor's studio and the relationship was confirmed." After post-World War II United States Navy service in the 1940s on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) , Breck played professional basketball for
1058-682: The company Four Star International . For more than two decades, he served as president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Four Star. He directed the company, employing his only son, John Charnay as Director of Public Relations, as well as employing many of Hollywood's leading producers, stars, and executives of the late 20th and early 21st century, including Deke Heyward , Morey Amsterdam , Dick Colbert, Tony Thomopoulos , and collaborating with Aaron Spelling and George Spota for continued film and television projects, as well as many Hollywood stars and starlets before many producers advanced to create their own companies. Four Star amassed
1104-437: The company. Following the cancellation of Four Star Playhouse , two new programs came on CBS: a comedy called Hey, Jeannie! which starred Jeannie Carson , and a western anthology show Zane Grey Theater , more formally named Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater . Carson's show ran for just a season, but Zane Grey Theater ran for four. It hosted the pilot episodes for Trackdown starring Robert Culp (which in turn hosted
1150-449: The competition, and Niven took second place in that category. Peter Breck Joseph Peter Breck (March 13, 1929 – February 6, 2012) was an American character actor . The rugged, dark-haired Breck played the gambler and gunfighter Doc Holliday on the ABC / Warner Bros. Television series Maverick as well as Victoria Barkley's ( Barbara Stanwyck ) hot-tempered middle son Nick in
1196-572: The drama school, Breck was notified of Barbara Stanwyck's death. She requested no funeral nor memorial. In 1991, he appeared as Sham-Ir, the chief of all genies, in the NBC television special I Still Dream of Jeannie , the second reunion film that reunited I Dream of Jeannie TV series co-stars Barbara Eden and Bill Daily , along with Al Waxman and Ken Kercheval . In the film The Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph Carter (1993), Breck played Sheriff Hatch. In 1996, he appeared in an episode of
1242-471: The episode "Big Town Blues"), and The Gallant Men . He was cast as a young Theodore Roosevelt in the 1961 episode "The Yankee Tornado" of the ABC/WB Western series, Bronco , starring Ty Hardin . "The Yankee Tornado" featured Will Hutchins of the ABC/WB Western series Sugarfoot in a crossover appearance. Breck's first starring role in a film was Lad, A Dog (1962). The next year, he played
1288-469: The episode titled "Hannah". Most of his roles in the 1970s and 1980s were television guest-starring performances on such series as Alias Smith and Jones , Mission: Impossible , McMillan & Wife , S.W.A.T. , The Six Million Dollar Man (again with Lee Majors), The Incredible Hulk , and The Dukes of Hazzard , as well as roles as himself on Fantasy Island , and The Fall Guy which also starred former television "brother" Lee Majors. In
1334-440: The fall of 1952. While it ran on alternate weeks during its first season (the program it alternated with was the television version of Amos 'n' Andy ), it was successful enough to be renewed and become a weekly program beginning with the second season and until the end of its run in 1956. Actress/director Ida Lupino was brought on board as the pro forma fourth star, though unlike Powell, Boyer, and Niven, she owned no stock in
1380-470: The fall of 1953 (both sponsors' names alternated as part of the show's title in its initial broadcasts). From September 1952 through September 1954 it was broadcast on Thursdays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. In October 1954, it was moved to 9:30 to 10 p.m. E. T. on Thursdays, remaining in that slot for the rest of its run. While it never made the Nielsen Top 30, the ratings were sufficient to keep it on
1426-540: The label to Warner Bros. Records in 1966, shortly after pop group The Association released their first records for the label. Early copies of the album And Then... Along Comes the Association show the Four Star disclaimer blacked out at the bottom of the label. From 1967 to 1989, David Charnay was the leader of a buyout group that owned a controlling interest in Four Star Television and subsequently renamed
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1472-457: The leading roles in both Samuel Fuller 's Shock Corridor and the science-fiction horror film The Crawling Hand . He also costarred in the cavalry film The Glory Guys . Between 1963 and 1965, Breck made three guest appearances on Perry Mason , in the roles of Clay Eliott in the 1963 episode "The Case of the Bluffing Blast", defendant William Sherwood in the 1964 episode, "The Case of
1518-490: The mid-1980s, Breck moved to Vancouver, British Columbia , Canada, with his wife Diane and their son, Christopher. He was asked by a casting director to teach a weekly class to young actors on film technique. That once-a-week class became a full-time acting school - The Breck Academy - which he operated for 10 years. In 1990, Breck appeared in the Canadian cult film Terminal City Ricochet . On January 20, 1990, while teaching at
1564-404: The new version of The Outer Limits . Breck provided the voice of Farmer Brown in "Critters", a 1998 episode of The New Batman Adventures . His last television performance was on an episode of John Doe in 2002. Prior to his death, most of his film performances have been in undistributed films that are shown only at film festivals . Breck married dancer Diane Bourne in 1960. They had
1610-881: The production facilities. In 1957 Four Star debuted the first of its many police/detective shows, Richard Diamond, Private Detective . The "Diamond" series was originally created for radio by Blake Edwards , and the character played by Powell, but Powell recast the character with the then-unknown Clark Gable -lookalike David Janssen . Don Taylor portrayed Richard Diamond in the pilot film. Other crime series produced by Four Star included Target: The Corruptors! with Stephen McNally and Robert Harland , The Detectives starring Robert Taylor , Adam West, Tige Andrews, Mark Goddard, Russell Thorson and Lee Farr and Burke's Law starring Gene Barry , Gary Conway, Russell Thorson and Leon Lontoc and Honey West starring Anne Francis and John Ericson . Another program, The Rogues , starred Boyer and Niven with Gig Young on NBC TV. This
1656-521: The radio drama Nightbeat (titled "Search in the Night", November 5, 1953). Directors who worked on the show include Writers who worked on the show include: Official Films syndicated reruns of Four Star Playhouse under the title Star Performance . In 1956 it was named the best syndicated dramatic show in Billboard's Fourth Annual Program and Talent Awards. Powell was named the best dramatic performer in
1702-399: The recurring character of illegal gambling-house operator Willie Dante. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff . Many actors appeared in different roles in more than one episode, including The show was sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company . Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in
1748-421: The slightest offense to the Barkley name personally and quickly made his displeasure known, as often with his fists as with his vociferous shouts. Often, this proved to be a mistake, and only through the calming influence of his mother and cooler-headed siblings, Jarrod ( Richard Long ), half-brother Heath ( Lee Majors ), sister Audra ( Linda Evans ), and Eugene ( Charles Briles ; written out after season one when he
1794-478: The studio and the program, as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had done successfully with the Desilu studio. Powell had intended for the program to feature himself, Charles Boyer , Joel McCrea and Rosalind Russell ; however, Russell and McCrea backed out, and David Niven came on board as the "third star". The fourth star would be a guest star at first. CBS liked the idea, and Four Star Playhouse made its debut in
1840-410: Was (after Four Star Playhouse ) the closest the studio's owners would come to appearing on the same program. The idea was for the three actors to alternate as the lead each week playing moral con-man cousins out to fleece reprehensible villains, often with one or two of the others turning up to play a small part in the caper (real ensemble episodes were rare). The schedule of who pulled leading man duty
1886-577: Was drafted into the Army), would a difficult situation be rectified. Having been a Barbara Stanwyck admirer since the 1940s, when he was a teenager, Breck developed an on- and off-screen chemistry with her, practicing longer lines and even being a ranch foreman on the set. After the series was cancelled, he stayed close to her until her death. In 1970 he appeared as Lafe Harkness on the TV Western The Men from Shiloh (rebranded name for The Virginian ) in
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1932-420: Was largely determined by the actors' movie commitments, thereby giving Niven, Boyer, and Young additional work between film roles. In any event, Young wound up helming most of the episodes since he usually had more spare time than Niven or Boyer, but even he had to be replaced by Larry Hagman as another cousin for two episodes when Young was too busy. The series lasted only through the 1964–65 season. The studio
1978-465: Was merged into New World by April 1990. After Four Star International became part of New World, Four Star operated as in-name-only. In 1993, Four Star acquired 50% of Genesis Entertainment . As part of the acquisition, Genesis acquired television distribution rights to Four Star's 160 feature films and television series. Four Star International is now owned by The Walt Disney Company , with most of its library of programs controlled by 20th Television as
2024-664: Was owned by Four Star International . Its episodes ranged anywhere from surreal mysteries, such as "The Man on the Train", to light comedies, such as "The Lost Silk Hat". The original premise for the program was that Charles Boyer , Dick Powell , Rosalind Russell , and Joel McCrea would rotate as stars of episodes. By the time it debuted, David Niven and Ida Lupino had replaced McCrea and Russell. In addition to those four stars, other performers, including Ronald Colman , Joan Fontaine , Frank Lovejoy , Merle Oberon , and Teresa Wright occasionally had leading roles. Powell portrayed
2070-494: Was successful in the late 1950s as a result of the success of its programs. Four Star also helped bring some prominent names in television and movies to public attention including David Janssen , Steve McQueen , Robert Culp , Chuck Connors , Mary Tyler Moore , Linda Evans , Jeannie Carson , Lee Majors , The Smothers Brothers , Aaron Spelling , Dick Powell , David Niven , Joel McCrea , Charles Boyer , Ida Lupino , Richard Long , Peter Breck and Sam Peckinpah . The studio
2116-488: Was well known as being sympathetic to creative staff. Powell often battled with network executives on behalf of writers, directors, and actors. On January 2, 1963, a day after his last appearance on his program The Dick Powell Show aired, Dick Powell died of stomach cancer . The stomach cancer was likely a result of having directed Howard Hughes 's The Conqueror , amidst dust clouds of atomic test radiation in Utah. Out of
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