Wealthy matriarch, Ann Lotterman, has two sons and believes she understands them equally well. Elder son Robert she considers to be honest and hardworking. Younger son Tom she considers to be an irresponsible disappointment. A $50,000 household theft exposes a very unlikely thief and considerably changes the family dynamic.

"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.