Matinee Theater 1955

Overview

Matinee Theater is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television. The program ran daily in the afternoon from October 31, 1955, to June 27, 1958. The series frequently featured live broadcasts and presented both original material and adaptations of literary classics. The production team included Albert McCleery, Darrell Ross, George Cahan, and Frank Price, with George Lowther serving as the executive producer. McCleery previously produced the live series Cameo Theatre, which introduced the concept of theater-in-the-round to television by utilizing plays staged with minimal sets. The show featured various performers, including John Conte, Sarah Churchill, Peter Hansen, and Johnny Crawford. The term matinee refers to a musical or dramatic performance or a public event held during the daytime. The series is sometimes titled Matinee Theatre. The production was noted for its ambitious nature during its three-year run on the network.