William "Billy" Pemberton (Tom Coley) is a lawyer and the politically ambitious son of legendary retired governor Thomas Pemberton (James Bell). Billy is considered by some to be a lightweight until he is appointed Assistant Attorney General and uncovers long-standing malfeasance in the Governor's office. A sensational court trial follows centered on the corruption pits father against son, with surprising results.

"The O. Henry Playhouse" is a 1957 single season, 39-episode TV series. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) is considered one of America's greatest writers of short stories. His writings are laced with humor and irony and often end with a sly twist ending. Veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell stars in each episode as writer O. Henry himself as he relates his stories to his publisher, his housekeeper, a barber, a bartender, or the cop on the beat. In some episodes, O. Henry meets his characters as he discovers firsthand the story he will later write. This unique storytelling method gives great insight into the famous author's creative process.

You can read the original literary version of "The Emancipation of Billy" HERE and compare it with the many changes in the film adaptation. "The Emancipation of Billy" is one of 13 episodes in volume three of "The O. Henry Playhouse." The films have been beautifully restored on DVD by the home video label ClassicFlix!