The ABC Afternoon Playbreak


The ABC Afternoon Playbreak is an American television anthology series that was broadcast on ABC from 1973 to 1975. The ninety-minute dramas aired once a month and featured some of the more popular television and film stars of the 1970s.

Episodes

Season 1
  1. "The Things I Never Said"
  2. "A Special Act of Love"
  3. "Mother of the Bride"
  4. "Miss Kline, We Love You"
  5. "Last Bride of Salem"
Season 2
  1. "Can I Save My Children?"
  2. "Heart in Hiding"
  3. "Oh, Baby, Baby, Baby..."
  4. "The Girl Who Couldn't Lose"

    ABC's Matinee Today

The series was preempted in December 1973 for the pilot of ABC's Matinee Today, another dramatic anthology series. The pilot ran daily for five days, but never returned to the ABC schedule. The five episodes are frequently listed as part of The ABC Afternoon Playbreak.
  1. "I Never Said Goodbye"
  2. "The Other Woman"
  3. "Alone with Terror"
  4. "My Secret Mother"
  5. "The Mask of Love"

    Awards

The 14 episodes of these two related anthologies won 18 Daytime Emmy Awards and were nominated an additional 16 times.
EpisodeAward SeasonAward
"A Special Act of Love"1973-1974Richard Clements, Outstanding Music Direction
"The Other Woman"1973-1974Outstanding Drama Special
Pat O'Brien, Outstanding Actor in Daytime Drama
Pat O'Brien, Daytime Actor of the Year
"The Mask of Love"1973-1974Cathleen Nesbitt, Outstanding Actress in Daytime Drama
Cathleen Nesbitt, Daytime Actress of the Year
Bill Jobe, Outstanding Costume Design
Douglas D. Kelly, Outstanding Makeup
"Miss Kline, We Love You"1973-1974H. Wesley Kenney, Outstanding Directing in a Special Program
H. Wesley Kenney, Daytime Director of the Year
Outstanding Editing
"Mother of the Bride"1973-1974Lila Garrett, Sandy Krinski, Outstanding Writing in a Special
Lila Garrett, Sandy Krinski, Daytime Writer of the Year
"The Girl Who Couldn't Lose"1974-1975Outstanding Drama Special
Mort Lachman, Outstanding Directing in a Special
"The Last Bride of Salem"1974-1975Bradford Dillman, Outstanding Actor in a Drama Special
"Heart in Hiding"1974-1975Kay Lenz, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Special
Audrey Davis Levin, Outstanding Writing in a Special