Journey to the Day - Misplaced Pages

14th episode of the 4th season of Playhouse 90

"Journey to the Day"

Playhouse 90 episode

Episode no.

Season 4
Episode 14

Directed by

John Frankenheimer

Written by

Roger O. Hirson

Original air date

April 22, 1960 (1960-04-22)

Running time

90 minutes

Guest appearances

Steven Hill as Dr. Gutera
Mary Astor as Helen
James Dunn as Mr. Cooper
James Gregory as Dr. Endicott
Vivian Nathan as Martha
Mike Nichols as Arthur Millman
Janice Rule as Katherine
David J. Stewart as Dr. Sobik
Peter Votrian as Billy
Helen Kleeb as nurse

Episode chronology

← Previous
"Alas, Babylon"

Next →
"The Shape of the River"

"Journey to the Day" was an American television play broadcast on April 22, 1960, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90. It was the 14th episode of the fourth season of Playhouse 90.

Plot

Dr. Gutera is assigned to lead group therapy at a state mental hospital. The play covers several group sessions with six patients: Katherine, a highly intelligent schizophrenic woman; Arthur, a talkative actor suffering from manic-depressive disorder; Martha, who is catatonic; Mr. Cooper, a con man sent to the asylum by the court; Billy, a delusional teenager committed to the asylum by his mother; and Helen, a housewife suffering from depression.

Production

Fred Coe was the producer. He made a pitch to produce a drama on the subject of mental health. Roger O. Hirson was hired to write the teleplay with John Bartlow Martin serving as a consultant on mental health issues. Hirson conducted research at the Columbus State Hospital in Ohio and at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York. To ensure accuracy, Hirson's script was submitted for review to the American Psychiatric Association and the National Association for Mental Health. The production required a year of production time.

John Frankenheimer was later brought in to direct. The music was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

The cast included Steven Hill as Dr. Gutera, Mary Astor as Helen, James Dunn as Mr. Cooper, James Gregory as Dr. Endicott, Vivian Nathan as Martha, Mike Nichols as Arthur Millman, Janice Rule as Katherine, David J. Stewart as Dr. Sobik, Peter Votrian as Billy, and Helen Kleeb as the nurse.

Due to producer Coe's obligations in Hollywood, the production was taped there. The play was rehearsed for two weeks in New York and continued on a jet flight to California.

Reception

Cyntia Lowry of the Associated Press Fran Swaebly of The Miami Herald found it be "too real to be real."

References

^ "Playhouse 90: Journey to the Day". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
^ "Playhouse 90 Play Aids Mental Health". Fort Lauderdale News. April 22, 1960. p. 7E – via Newspapers.com.
"Account of Mental Illness Too Real for TV-Drama Fan". The Miami Herald. April 23, 1960.

v t e Playhouse 90
People	John Frankenheimer Martin Manulis Franklin J. Schaffner Rod Serling
Season 1	"Forbidden Area" "Requiem for a Heavyweight" "Sizeman and Son" "Rendezvous in Black" "The Country Husband" "The Big Slide" "Heritage of Anger" "Eloise" "Confession" "Made in Heaven" "Sincerely, Willis Wade" "The Family Nobody Wanted" "Massacre at Sand Creek" "Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses" "The Ninth Day" "So Soon to Die" "The Star Wagon" "The Greer Case" "The Miracle Worker" "The Comedian" "The Coat of White" "The Blackwell Story" "Invitation to a Gunfighter" "The Last Tycoon" "The Hostess with the Mostes'" "Charley's Aunt" "Clipper Ship" "If You Know Elizabeth" "Three Men on a Horse" "Four Women in Black" "Child of Trouble" "Homeward Borne" "Helen Morgan" "Winter Dreams" "Circle of the Day" "Without Incident" "Clash by Night" "Ain't No Time for Glory" "The Fabulous Irishman"
Season 2	"The Death of Manolete" "The Dark Side of the Earth" "Topaze" "A Sound of Different Drummers" "The Playroom" "Around the World in 90 Minutes" "The Mystery of Thirteen" "The Edge of Innocence" "The Clouded Image" "The Jet Propelled Couch" "The Troublemakers" "Panic Button" "Galvanized Yankee" "The Thundering Wave" "For I Have Loved Strangers" "The Lone Woman" "Reunion" "The Last Man" "The 80 Yard Run" "Before I Die" "The Gentleman From Seventh Avenue" "The Violent Heart" "No Time at All" "Point of No Return" "Portrait of a Murderer" "The Last Clear Chance" "The Male Animal" "The Right Hand Man" "Turn Left at Mount Everest" "The Dungeon" "Verdict of Three" "Rumors of Evening" "Not the Glory" "Nightmare at Ground Zero" "Bomber's Moon" "Natchez" "The Innocent Sleep" "A Town Has Turned to Dust" "The Great Gatsby" "A Bitter Heritage"
Season 3	"The Plot to Kill Stalin" "Days of Wine and Roses" "The Time of Your Life" "The Long March" "Shadows Tremble" "Word From a Sealed-Off Box" "Heart of Darkness" "Old Man" "The Return of Ansel Gibbs" "Free Weekend" "Seven Against the Wall" "The Nutcracker" "Face of a Hero" "The Wings of the Dove" "The Blue Men" "The Velvet Alley" "A Quiet Game of Cards" "Child of Our Time" "The Second Man" "The Raider" "The Dingaling Girl" "Made in Japan" "For Whom the Bell Tolls" "A Trip to Paradise" "In Lonely Expectation" "The Day Before Atlanta" "Judgment at Nuremberg" "A Corner of the Garden" "Dark December" "Diary of a Nurse" "A Marriage of Strangers" "Out of Dust" "The Rank and File" "The Killers of Mussolini" "Project Immortality" "Dark as the Night" "The Second Happiest Day"
Season 4	"Target for Three" "The Sounds of Eden" "Misalliance" "The Hidden Image" "The Grey Nurse Said Nothing" "The Tunnel" "The Silver Whistle" "A Dream of Treason" "To the Sound of Trumpets" "The Cruel Day" "Tomorrow" "The Hiding Place" "Alas, Babylon" "Journey to the Day" "The Shape of the River" "In the Presence of Mine Enemies"
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