TMBTMB
TMBTMB

Track, discover and find where to watch TV shows and movies.

Discover

  • Movies
  • TV Shows
  • Browse
  • Topics

Account

  • Watchlist
  • Watched
  • Ratings

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2026 Movie Browser. All rights reserved.

Data provided by TMDB

Home
Browse
Watchlist
backdrop
backdrop
logo
Before Black Mirror, there was THIS: rotary phones delivering existential dread in 30-minute bites.
TMDB
63
IMDb
74

Telephone Time (1956)

Retro existentialismMoral fablesBlack-and-white dread

Latest Episode

Season 3 • Episode 29

Latest

Trail Blazer

Apr 1, 1958

Overview

Drama

Telephone Time is an American anthology drama series that aired on CBS in 1956, and on ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. The program was directed by Arthur Hiller.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
anthology
Moral consequenceTechnological anxietyHuman fragilityKarma

Standout Aspects

Direction

Arthur Hiller's early work pre-dating his Hollywood fame.

Production

John Nesbitt's distinctive paranoid narration style.

Best for:Solo: Late-night melancholy with vintage TV vibes.·Rewatch: Spot which episodes Arthur Hiller directed.·Background: Nesbitt's voice works as strange ASMR.
Heads up:Emotional: Many episodes end in tragedy or ironic downfall.·Triggers: Period-typical depictions of suicide, accidents, medical trauma.
First AiredApr 8, 1956
StatusEnded

Vibe

Paceslow
Intensitymedium
Tonemixed
Feelmedium
Seasons3·Episodes82
CBS

Top Cast

John Nesbitt

John Nesbitt

Self - Host

Ask about Telephone Time

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Nesbitt's 'Passing Parade' shorts preceded this series, establishing his voice as the sound of mid-century American moral anxiety.

Trivia

Arthur Hiller directed multiple episodes before his feature film career, including 'The Hospital' and 'Love Story.'

Recommended

R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour series poster (2010)
8.2

R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour

Night Gallery series poster (1970)
7.8

Night Gallery

Alfred Hitchcock Presents series poster (1955)
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents series poster (1985)
7.2

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Infinity Train series poster (2019)
8.4

Infinity Train

Swagger series poster (2021)
7.8

Swagger

Tyler Perry's The Oval series poster (2019)
8.2

Tyler Perry's The Oval

Offspring series poster (2010)
6.9

Offspring

Silk series poster (2011)
7.5

Silk

Return to Eden series poster (1983)
6.9

Return to Eden

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour series poster (1962)
7.8

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

John Doe series poster (2002)
7.3

John Doe

Sullivan's Crossing series poster (2023)
8.1

Sullivan's Crossing

Are You Afraid of the Dark? series poster (2019)
7.6

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Night Visions series poster (2001)
7.1

Night Visions

More Like This

Klangor series poster (2021)
6.7

Klangor

The Company of Five series poster (1968)
7.0

The Company of Five

Letter to Loretta series poster (1953)
6.6

Letter to Loretta

The Dick Powell Show series poster (1961)
5.7

The Dick Powell Show

Greatest Heroes of the Bible series poster (1978)
3.8

Greatest Heroes of the Bible

5 Songs series poster (2022)
7.0

5 Songs

Murder in Mind series poster (2001)
8.3

Murder in Mind

Island Rumor series poster (2025)

Island Rumor

Navarasa series poster (2021)
5.4

Navarasa

A Vida Como Ela É... series poster (1996)
5.9

A Vida Como Ela É...

Them series poster (2021)
7.6

Them

10 Minute Tales series poster (2009)
7.5

10 Minute Tales

The Agatha Christie Hour series poster (1982)
6.8

The Agatha Christie Hour

So Long! series poster (2013)
7.3

So Long!