1-R.sub.1 -3-amino-5-(3-R'-4-R"-phenyl)-6-R-2(1H)-pyridinones or salts thereof, which are useful as cardiotonics, where R.sub.1 is hydrogen, lower-alkyl, or lower-hydroxyalkyl, R is hydrogen or lower-alkyl, and, R' and R" are each hydrogen, hydroxy or amino at least one of R' or R" being other than hydrogen, are prepared by reacting the corresponding 3-carbamyl compound with a reagent capable of converting carbamyl to amino or by first reacting the corresponding 3-carbamyl compound where R' and R" are each hydrogen, nitro or lower-alkoxy at least one of R' and R" being other than hydrogen with a reagent capable of converting carbamyl to amino and then reacting the resulting 3-amino compound where R' and/or R" are/is lower-alkoxy and/or nitro with a reagent capable of converting lower-alkoxy to hydroxy and/or with a reagent capable of converting nitro to amino. Preparation of the corresponding 3-carbamyl and 3-cyano compounds is shown, the latter including cardiotonically active novel 1-R.sub.1 -1,2-dihydro-5-(3-R.sub.2 -4-R.sub.3 -phenyl)-6-R-nicotinonitriles where R.sub.1 and R are defined as above, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 have the above given definitions for R' and R" or where R.sub.2 is nitro and R.sub.3 is hydroxy. Also shown are cardiotonic compositions and cardiotonic method of use of above-said compounds.