Playboy After Dark is an American television show hosted by Hugh Hefner. It aired in syndication through Screen Gems from 1969 to 1970 and was taped at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.

Playboy After Dark
Comedian Bill Dana, actor Don Adams, Playmate Barbie Benton, and Hugh Hefner. Center back, actress Lindsay Wagner, and scientist Yorick Wilks, 1969.
GenreVariety
StarringHugh Hefner
Opening theme"Playboy's Theme" by Cy Coleman[1]
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes52
Production
Running time48 mins.
Production companyPlayboy Enterprises
Original release
NetworkSyndicated
ReleaseJanuary 18, 1969 (1969-01-18) –
August 25, 1970 (1970-08-25)

Overview

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Hugh Hefner and Soupy Sales, 1969.

Playboy After Dark followed much the same style as Hefner's earlier show, Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960), which had been taped at WBKB-TV in Chicago. The show portrayed a "typical" party at Hefner's place, complete with Playboy Playmates and celebrities, who then chatted with Hefner and performed for the party.

Season 1

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Episode Original airdate Guests Taped
1 January 18, 1969 Rowan & Martin, Stu Gilliam, Cathy Carlson, Paul Hampton, The Clara Ward Singers October 22, 1968
2 January 31, 1969 Bill Cosby, Bill Medley, Iron Butterfly, Kaye Stevens, The Blossoms, Shel Silverstein, Reverend Malcolm Boyd August 8, 1968
3 February 2, 1969 Tony Bennett, Steppenwolf, Milt Kamen, Morgana King, George Plimpton, Irwin Corey August 9, 1968
4 February 7, 1969 Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, Della Reese, Vic Damone, Don Adams, Bill Dana, Jackie Gayle, The Collectors July 24, 1968
5 February 15, 1969 Norm Crosby, Rich Little, Otto Preminger, Harry Nilsson, The Pair Extraordinaire, Carol Channing, The Brothers Castro August 30, 1968
6 February 21, 1969 Tommy Smothers, Buffy St. Marie, Louis Nye, John Stewart, Dr. William Schultz, The Buddy Miles Express September 29, 1968
7 March 1, 1969 Don Adams, Larry Hankin, David Hemmings, Gayle Hunnicutt, Tommy Smothers, Joan Baez, The Avant-Garde featuring Chuck Woolery November 11, 1968
8 March 7, 1969 The Checkmates, Bill Cosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Jerry Lewis, Larry Neiman, Anthony Newley December 19, 1968
9 March 15, 1969 The Checkmates, Gloria Loring, Jimmy Webb, Harry Blackstone Jr., Hendra & Ullett September 13, 1968
10 March 21, 1969 Melvin Belli, The Checkmates, The Collage, Bill Cosby, Bob Fuller, Kelly Garrett, Shecky Greene, Doug McClure, Don Rickles November 26, 1968
11 March 22, 1969 Sid Caesar, Elias & Shaw, The Grateful Dead, Brendan Hanlon, Noel Harrison, Sydney Omarr January 18, 1969
12 March 28, 1969 Pat Collins, Gore Vidal, John Hartford, Three Dog Night, Morgana King November 10, 1968
13 March 29, 1969 Bob Newhart, O.C. Smith, Bill Cosby, Gary LeMel, The Pickle Brothers, Rod Piazza Group, George Chakos September 9, 1968
14 April 11, 1969 Bill Cosby, Jackie DeShannon, Jim Brown, Louis Belson, Marty Ingels, Taj Mahal, Jeremy Vernon October 16, 1968
15 April 12, 1969 Buddy Rich, James Cotton Blues Band, Joe Williams, Sue Raney, Pat McCormick, Ray Hastings August 29, 1968
16 April 18, 1969 Shelley Berman, Buddy Miles Express, Lou Rawls, Joanie Sommers, David Steinberg, The Times Square Two December 10, 1968
17 May 2, 1969 Bill Cosby, Jack Carter, Soupy Sales, Clay Tyson, James Brown, Three Dog Night, Marva Whitney November 25, 1968
18 May 9, 1969 Pete Seeger, Bill Cosby, Jack E. Leonard, Carmen McRae, Teddy Neely October 15, 1968
19 May 16, 1969 Canned Heat, Colvin & Wilder, Buddy Greco, Johnny Janis, Shari Lewis, Max Lerner January 20, 1969
20 May 30, 1969 Pete Barbuti, The Committee, Pat Henry, Sally Marr, Marvin Gaye, The Byrds September 28, 1968
21 May 31, 1969 Sammy Bow, Bobby Doyle, Billy Eckstine, The Grass Roots, Rich Little, Paul Mazursky, Larry Tucker December 17, 1968
22 June 28, 1969 Shelley Berman, Pat Morita, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Frankie Randall, Lou Rawls, Second City December 11, 1968
23 July 19, 1969 Dr. George R. Bach, Michael Caine, Meredith MacRae, Greg Mullavey, Sir Douglas Quintet, Mort Sahl, Sammy Shore, The Clara Ward Singers January 25, 1969
24 October 10, 1969 Johnny Mathis, Mort Sahl, The Chambers Brothers, Bill Russell, Corbett Monica, Nadia Christen July 23, 1968
25 November 7, 1969 Joey Bishop, Skiles & Henderson, Steppenwolf, Joe Williams, Joanne Vent January 26, 1969
26 November 14, 1969 Don Adams, Jackie Gayle, David Hemmings, Gayle Hunnicutt, Deep Purple, Lynn Kellogg October 23,1968

Season 2

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Episode Original airdate Guests Taped
1 January 27, 1970[3] Canned Heat, Vic Damone, Dick Shawn, Sonny & Cher, Larry Storch November 20, 1969
2 February 3, 1970[4] Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Patty Duke, Doug Kershaw, Louis Nye, Rex Reed December 3, 1969
3 February 10, 1970 Tony Bennett, George Kirby, Moe Koffman, Mitch Miller, Joe Williams November 20, 1969
4 February 17, 1970 Don Adams, Fleetwood Mac, Arte Johnson, Tommy Leonetti, Lesley Gore January 8, 1970
5 February 24, 1970 Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Grand Funk Railroad, Tony Randall, Lou Rawls, Art Metrano December 3, 1969
6 March 3, 1970 Steve Allen, The Blossoms, Clair & McMahon, O.C. Smith, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band December 17, 1969
7 March 10, 1970 Don Adams, The Amazing Kreskin, The Checkmates, Bill Dana, Biff Rose, Carla Thomas November 5, 1969
8 March 17, 1970 Dolores Hall, John Hartford, Mitzi McCall & Charlie Brill, Steppenwolf December 17, 1969
9 March 24, 1970 Vicki Anderson, James Brown, The Chambers Brothers, Norm Crosby, Jack Jones January 7, 1970
10 March 31, 1970 Angeline Butler, Bill Cosby, Bill Medley, Scoey Mitchell, Hugh O'Brian, Sweetwater October 23, 1969
11 April 7, 1970 Sid Caesar, Joe Cocker & The Grease Band, Billy Eckstine, Linda Ronstadt, Mort Sahl October 22, 1969
12 April 14, 1970 Milton Berle, Barrie Chase, Muscatel, Tony Joe White, Jo Anne Worley February 18, 1970
13 April 21, 1970 Vic Damone, Noel Harrison, Lloyd Haynes, Marty Ingels, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Evie Sands February 20, 1970
14 April 28, 1970 Johnny Mathis, Modern Jazz Quartet, John Stewart March 18, 1970
15 May 5, 1970 Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Robert Goulet, Michel Legrand, Shari Lewis, Rich Little, Frankie Randall March 3, 1970
16 May 12, 1970 Edie Adams, Bill Cosby, Robert Clary, The Grass Roots, Les McCann Ltd., Frankie Randall March 19, 1970
17 May 19, 1970 Jackie Gayle, R.B. Greaves, The Jet Bunnies, Trini Lopez, Frankie Randall, Sarah Vaughan March 20, 1970
18 May 26, 1970 The Dillards, John Gary, Carmen McRae April 1, 1970
19 June 2, 1970 Sonny Charles, Sandy Baron, Lola Falana, Don Ho, Pat Paulson April 2, 1970
20 June 9, 1970 Country Joe & the Fish, Linda Ronstadt April 16, 1970
21 July 14, 1970 Pete Barbutti, B.B. King, Mitzi McCall & Charlie Brill, Barbara McNair, Mel Tormé April 15, 1970
22 July 18, 1970[5] Rich Little, Fran Jeffries, Buddy Miles Band, Belland & Somerville, Vic Damone April 29, 1970
24 July 21, 1970 Sammy Davis Jr., Moms Mabley, Bill Medley, Billy Preston April 20, 1970
25 August 11, 1970 The Cowsills, Nanci Roberts, Marty Allen, Frankie Laine, Sue Raney May 14, 1970
26 August 25, 1970[6] Spanky Wilson, Lou Rawls, Bossa Rio, Sandy Baron, Connie Kresk, Sandy Baron and George Carlin April 30, 1970

DVD release

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Two volumes of the best of Playboy After Dark have been released on DVD.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Playboy's Penthouse T.V. Party, Classic Themes dot com
  2. ^ a b "Playboy After Dark - Aired Order - All Seasons - TheTVDB.com". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  3. ^ "TV Times". The Los Angeles Times. January 25, 1970. p. 441.
  4. ^ "Tuesday TV Log". The Los Angeles Times. February 3, 1970. p. 62.
  5. ^ "Chicago Tribune TV Week". Chicago Tribune. July 18, 1970. p. 69.
  6. ^ "Tuesday's TV Programs". The Los Angeles Times. August 25, 1970. p. 64.
  7. ^ Cosgrove, Vincent (September 3, 2006). "'Playboy After Dark' Comes to DVD". The New York Times.
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