Matinee Theater
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Matinee Theater

7.9 / 10 | United States
1955 | Drama | Horror | Mystery
Matinee Theater is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from 1955 to 1958. The series, which ran daily in the afternoon, was frequently live. It was produced by Albert McCleery, Darrell Ross, George Cahan and Frank Price with executive producer George Lowther. McCleery had previously produced the live series Cameo Theatre which introduced to television the concept of theater-in-the-round, TV plays staged with minimal sets. Jim Buckley of the Pewter Plough Playhouse recalled: When Al McCleery got back to the States, he originated a most ambitious theatrical TV series for NBC called Matinee Theater: to televise five different stage plays per week live, airing around noon in order to promote color TV to the American housewife as she labored over her ironing. Al was the producer. He hired five directors and five art directors. Richard Bennett, one of our first early presidents of the Pewter Plough Corporation, was one of the directors and I was one of the art directors and, as soon as we were through televising one play, we had lunch and then met to plan next week’s show. That was over 50 years ago, and I’m trying to think; I believe the TV art director is his own set decorator —yes, of course! It had to be, since one of McCleery’s chief claims to favor with the producers was his elimination of the setting per se and simply decorating the scene with a minimum of props. It took a bit of ingenuity.

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Cast List (160)

Walter Grauman
Walter Grauman
Director
Lamont Johnson
Lamont Johnson
Director
Boris Sagal
Boris Sagal
Director
Allan A. Buckhantz
Allan A. Buckhantz
Director
Sherman Marks
Sherman Marks
Director
Alan Cooke
Alan Cooke
Director
Livia Granito
Livia Granito
Director
Albert McCleery
Albert McCleery
Director
Alan Hanson
Alan Hanson
Director
Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller
Director
Larry Schwab
Larry Schwab
Director
Robert Ellis Miller
Robert Ellis Miller
Director
Dennis Patrick
Dennis Patrick
Director
Pace Woods
Pace Woods
Director
Tad Danielewski
Tad Danielewski
Director
Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan
Director
George Cahan
George Cahan
Director
Alan Neuman
Alan Neuman
Director
Laurence Schwab Jr.
Laurence Schwab Jr.
Director
John Drew Barrymore
John Drew Barrymore
Director
Richard Goode
Richard Goode
Director
John Conte
John Conte
Self - Host
John Conte
John Conte
Tom Loring
Sarah Churchill
Sarah Churchill
Charlotte Lovell
Sarah Churchill
Sarah Churchill
Emilia Marty
Sarah Churchill
Sarah Churchill
Emma Woodhouse
Peter Hansen
Peter Hansen
Fred Purdy
Peter Hansen
Peter Hansen
Philip Nolan
Peter Hansen
Peter Hansen
Beaucaire
Johnny Crawford
Johnny Crawford
Dickie Browning
Johnny Crawford
Johnny Crawford
Jimmy
Johnny Crawford
Johnny Crawford
Leo - Orphan Boy
John Hoyt
John Hoyt
Harry
John Hoyt
John Hoyt
Sebastian
John Hoyt
John Hoyt
the Bishop
Peggy McCay
Peggy McCay
Edith
Peggy McCay
Peggy McCay
Eugenie Grandet
Peggy McCay
Peggy McCay
Irene
Joan Elan
Joan Elan
Cherry
Joan Elan
Joan Elan
Clara Middleton
Joan Elan
Joan Elan
Dinah
Irene Hervey
Irene Hervey
Margaret March
Irene Hervey
Irene Hervey
Myra Gordon
Irene Hervey
Irene Hervey
Stella Martyn
Marcia Henderson
Marcia Henderson
Lady Ingram
Marcia Henderson
Marcia Henderson
Linda Gresham
Marcia Henderson
Marcia Henderson
Miss Miller
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Don Pedro
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Duke of Winterset
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Edward Rochester
Karen Sharpe
Karen Sharpe
Diane
Karen Sharpe
Karen Sharpe
Ellen Sidney
Lamont Johnson
Lamont Johnson
Aesop
Lamont Johnson
Lamont Johnson
Narrator
Lamont Johnson
Lamont Johnson
Savrola
Ann Doran
Ann Doran
Bess
Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis
Cesar Grandet
Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis
Father
Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon
Abraham
Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon
Heathcliff
Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon
John
Gene Raymond
Gene Raymond
Conley
Gene Raymond
Gene Raymond
Edward Dudley
Gene Raymond
Gene Raymond
Tony Kenyon
Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn
Emmy Chase
Addison Richards
Addison Richards
Frank
Addison Richards
Addison Richards
Judge
Addison Richards
Addison Richards
Simons
Albert McCleery
Albert McCleery
Writer
George Lowther
George Lowther
Writer
Helene Hanff
Helene Hanff
Writer
Theodore Apstein
Theodore Apstein
Writer
Robert Esson
Robert Esson
Writer
S.S. Schweitzer
S.S. Schweitzer
Writer
Nicholas E. Baehr
Nicholas E. Baehr
Writer
Robert Howard Lindsay
Robert Howard Lindsay
Writer
Warner Law
Warner Law
Writer
Harold Gast
Harold Gast
Writer
Anthony Spinner
Anthony Spinner
Writer
Richard McCracken
Richard McCracken
Writer
Michael Dyne
Michael Dyne
Writer
Kathleen Lindsey
Kathleen Lindsey
Writer
Betty Ulius
Betty Ulius
Writer
William McCleery
William McCleery
Writer
Elizabeth Hart
Elizabeth Hart
Writer
Henry James
Henry James
Writer
Lois Jacoby
Lois Jacoby
Writer
Ellen McCracken
Ellen McCracken
Writer
Greer Johnson
Greer Johnson
Writer
Henry Misrock
Henry Misrock
Writer
Peggy Phillips
Peggy Phillips
Writer
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
Writer
Robert Wallsten
Robert Wallsten
Writer
Nelia Gardner White
Nelia Gardner White
Writer
Richard Wendley
Richard Wendley
Writer
Herman Goldberg
Herman Goldberg
Writer
Will Schneider
Will Schneider
Writer
H.R. Hays
H.R. Hays
Writer
Harold Callen
Harold Callen
Writer
Samson Raphaelson
Samson Raphaelson
Writer
Jerome Ross
Jerome Ross
Writer
Gail Ingram
Gail Ingram
Writer
William Templeton
William Templeton
Writer
Jack Laird
Jack Laird
Writer
Marjorie Duhan Adler
Marjorie Duhan Adler
Writer
Robert E. Thompson
Robert E. Thompson
Writer
Sheldon Stark
Sheldon Stark
Writer
Elihu Winer
Elihu Winer
Writer
Kay Arthur
Kay Arthur
Writer
Dale Wasserman
Dale Wasserman
Writer
Doris Hursley
Doris Hursley
Writer
Frank Hursley
Frank Hursley
Writer
Abby Mann
Abby Mann
Writer
John Van Druten
John Van Druten
Writer
Robert J. Shaw
Robert J. Shaw
Writer
Alan Cooke
Alan Cooke
Writer
David Davidson
David Davidson
Writer
Lawrence Hazard
Lawrence Hazard
Writer
Mac Shoub
Mac Shoub
Writer
William Mourne
William Mourne
Writer
Jack Paritz
Jack Paritz
Writer
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Writer
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Writer
Mort Thaw
Mort Thaw
Writer
Ira Avery
Ira Avery
Writer
David Lamson
David Lamson
Writer
George Bradshaw
George Bradshaw
Writer
Frank Price
Frank Price
Writer
Stephen Vincent Benet
Stephen Vincent Benet
Writer
Alvin Boretz
Alvin Boretz
Writer
Gertrude Schweitzer
Gertrude Schweitzer
Writer
Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Writer
Edward Everett Hale
Edward Everett Hale
Writer
John P. Marquand
John P. Marquand
Writer
Emily Brontë
Emily Brontë
Writer
Frank D. Gilroy
Frank D. Gilroy
Writer
Bob Barbash
Bob Barbash
Writer
Charles Mergendahl
Charles Mergendahl
Writer
Wilton Schiller
Wilton Schiller
Writer
Thyra Samter Winslow
Thyra Samter Winslow
Writer
E. Jack Neuman
E. Jack Neuman
Writer
Gladys Schmitt
Gladys Schmitt
Writer
Ellis St. Joseph
Ellis St. Joseph
Writer
Rosemary Casey
Rosemary Casey
Writer
Rosemary Foster
Rosemary Foster
Writer
Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Writer
Sophie Kerr
Sophie Kerr
Writer
Albert Meglin
Albert Meglin
Writer
Elaine Ryan
Elaine Ryan
Writer
Dodie Smith
Dodie Smith
Writer
Peter Barry
Peter Barry
Writer
Joseph Caldwell
Joseph Caldwell
Writer
William Kendall Clarke
William Kendall Clarke
Writer
Helen Cotton
Helen Cotton
Writer
Barbara Davidson
Barbara Davidson
Writer
Doris Gilbert
Doris Gilbert
Writer
Roy Hargrave
Roy Hargrave
Writer
Peggy Lamson
Peggy Lamson
Writer
A.A. Milne
A.A. Milne
Writer
Arnold Rabin
Arnold Rabin
Writer