Matinee Theater (1955)

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.

Release Date: 1955-10-31
Seasons: 1 2 3
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  • Country: US
  • Language: English
  • Runtime: 60
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachm...
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholso...
Shirley Knight
Shirley Knigh...
Andrew Duggan
Andrew Duggan
William Schallert
William Schal...
Nina Foch
Nina Foch
John Hoyt
John Hoyt
James Griffith
James Griffit...
Vinton Hayworth
Vinton Haywor...
Henry Daniell
Henry Daniell
Roddy McDowall
Roddy McDowal...
Patrick O'Neal
Patrick O'Nea...
Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Lois Smith
Lois Smith
Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Richard Jaeckel
Richard Jaeck...
Victor Jory
Victor Jory
Cecil Kellaway
Cecil Kellawa...
James Flavin
James Flavin
Norma Varden
Norma Varden
Lurene Tuttle
Lurene Tuttle
Jim Backus
Jim Backus
Gloria Blondell
Gloria Blonde...
Harry Carey, Jr.
Harry Carey,...
Paul Burke
Paul Burke
John Carradine
John Carradin...
Bradford Dillman
Bradford Dill...
Robert Horton
Robert Horton
June Lockhart
June Lockhart
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
John Dehner
John Dehner
Ann Doran
Ann Doran
Wally Cox
Wally Cox
Les Tremayne
Les Tremayne
Paul Langton
Paul Langton
Anita Louise
Anita Louise
June Havoc
June Havoc
Dick Foran
Dick Foran
Thayer David
Thayer David
Wendy Hiller
Wendy Hiller
Peter Graves
Peter Graves
Ann Harding
Ann Harding
John Craven
John Craven
Skip Homeier
Skip Homeier
Leif Erickson
Leif Erickson
Amzie Strickland
Amzie Strickl...
Lillian Bronson
Lillian Brons...
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno
Keith Andes
Keith Andes
Russell Collins
Russell Colli...
Robert Middleton
Robert Middle...
Patric Knowles
Patric Knowle...
Judy Canova
Judy Canova
Mala Powers
Mala Powers
Alan Young
Alan Young
Tod Andrews
Tod Andrews
Irene Ryan
Irene Ryan
Ray Danton
Ray Danton
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Lee Patrick
Lee Patrick
Dabbs Greer
Dabbs Greer
Jeff Morrow
Jeff Morrow
John Banner
John Banner
Hayden Rorke
Hayden Rorke
John Conte
John Conte
Host
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
John Abbott
John Abbott
Myron Healey
Myron Healey
Leo G. Carroll
Leo G. Carrol...
Douglas Kennedy
Douglas Kenne...
Ben Welden
Ben Welden
Cara Williams
Cara Williams
Rhodes Reason
Rhodes Reason
Sean McClory
Sean McClory
Margaret Hayes
Margaret Haye...
Robert Karnes
Robert Karnes
Ernest Truex
Ernest Truex
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macne...
James Dunn
James Dunn
Anna Karen
Anna Karen
Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarth...
Gene Nelson
Gene Nelson
Patricia Cutts
Patricia Cutt...
Richard Erdman
Richard Erdma...
Darryl Hickman
Darryl Hickma...
Peggy McCay
Peggy McCay
Jack Albertson
Jack Albertso...
Herschel Bernardi
Herschel Bern...
Cathy O'Donnell
Cathy O'Donne...
Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwel...
Michael Landon
Michael Lando...
Louis Hayward
Louis Hayward
Alan Mowbray
Alan Mowbray
Ben Cooper
Ben Cooper
Joseph Mell
Joseph Mell
Jerry Mathers
Jerry Mathers
Will Hutchins
Will Hutchins
Jeanne Cooper
Jeanne Cooper
Sammee Tong
Sammee Tong
Virginia Christine
Virginia Chri...
Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Joseph Wiseman
Joseph Wisema...
Mary Beth Hughes
Mary Beth Hug...
Argentina Brunetti
Argentina Bru...
Arthur Hill
Arthur Hill
Paul Picerni
Paul Picerni
Everett Sloane
Everett Sloan...
Andrea King
Andrea King
Richard Anderson
Richard Ander...
Douglass Dumbrille
Douglass Dumb...
Sidney Blackmer
Sidney Blackm...
George Macready
George Macrea...
Richard Crenna
Richard Crenn...
Kathleen Crowley
Kathleen Crow...
Shelley Fabares
Shelley Fabar...
Alex Gerry
Alex Gerry
Kathleen Freeman
Kathleen Free...
Herbert Rudley
Herbert Rudle...
Billie Burke
Billie Burke
Onslow Stevens
Onslow Steven...
George Peppard
George Peppar...
Robert Morse
Robert Morse
Katherine Warren
Katherine War...
Werner Klemperer
Werner Klempe...
Jane Darwell
Jane Darwell
Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritc...
DeForest Kelley
DeForest Kell...
Addison Richards
Addison Richa...
Isobel Elsom
Isobel Elsom
Herbert Anderson
Herbert Ander...
Tudor Owen
Tudor Owen
Tom Laughlin
Tom Laughlin
Cedric Hardwicke
Cedric Hardwi...
Conrad Nagel
Conrad Nagel
Ann B. Davis
Ann B. Davis
Akim Tamiroff
Akim Tamiroff
Naomi Stevens
Naomi Stevens
Max Showalter
Max Showalter
Maureen O'Sullivan
Maureen O'Sul...
Miriam Hopkins
Miriam Hopkin...
Susan Oliver
Susan Oliver
Mona Freeman
Mona Freeman
Cathy Downs
Cathy Downs
Jackie Coogan
Jackie Coogan
Lawrence Dobkin
Lawrence Dobk...
Richard Long
Richard Long
Angie Dickinson
Angie Dickins...
Virginia Bruce
Virginia Bruc...
Edmund Gwenn
Edmund Gwenn
Ellen Corby
Ellen Corby
Steven Geray
Steven Geray
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Moorehe...
Regis Toomey
Regis Toomey
Warren Berlinger
Warren Berlin...
Hugh Marlowe
Hugh Marlowe
Irene Hervey
Irene Hervey
Johnny Crawford
Johnny Crawfo...
Earl Holliman
Earl Holliman
Jeanette Nolan
Jeanette Nola...
Kent Smith
Kent Smith
Jay Novello
Jay Novello
Jeff Donnell
Jeff Donnell
Shirley Ross
Shirley Ross
Philip Ober
Philip Ober
Josephine Hutchinson
Josephine Hut...
Doris Lloyd
Doris Lloyd
Gregory Gaye
Gregory Gaye
Brett Halsey
Brett Halsey
Nita Talbot
Nita Talbot
Marian Seldes
Marian Seldes
Catherine McLeod
Catherine McL...
Diana Lynn
Diana Lynn
Sara Haden
Sara Haden
Madge Evans
Madge Evans
Forrest Taylor
Forrest Taylo...
Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everet...
Arthur O'Connell
Arthur O'Conn...
Edward Binns
Edward Binns
Jess Barker
Jess Barker
Richard Davalos
Richard Daval...
David Janssen
David Janssen
Mona Washbourne
Mona Washbour...
Gene Raymond
Gene Raymond
Bea Benaderet
Bea Benaderet
Constance Ford
Constance For...
Jean Muir
Jean Muir
J. M. Kerrigan
J. M. Kerriga...
Richard Arlen
Richard Arlen
Luis van Rooten
Luis van Root...
Francis Lederer
Francis Leder...
Morey Amsterdam
Morey Amsterd...
Marie Windsor
Marie Windsor
Oskar Homolka
Oskar Homolka
Jean Parker
Jean Parker
Karen Steele
Karen Steele
Pernell Roberts
Pernell Rober...
Rex Reason
Rex Reason
Mary Wickes
Mary Wickes
William Hopper
William Hoppe...
Ludwig Donath
Ludwig Donath
Joe De Santis
Joe De Santis
Lamont Johnson
Lamont Johnso...
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciann...
Douglass Montgomery
Douglass Mont...
Philip Bourneuf
Philip Bourne...
Judith Evelyn
Judith Evelyn
Natalie Trundy
Natalie Trund...
Fay Bainter
Fay Bainter
Inger Stevens
Inger Stevens
Maidie Norman
Maidie Norman
Sheila Bromley
Sheila Bromle...
Gloria Talbott
Gloria Talbot...
Susan Kohner
Susan Kohner
Tommy Kirk
Tommy Kirk
Jean Byron
Jean Byron
John Lupton
John Lupton
Doris Singleton
Doris Singlet...
Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Lloyd Corrigan
Lloyd Corriga...
Jacques Bergerac
Jacques Berge...
Kerwin Mathews
Kerwin Mathew...
Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Br...
Bill Goodwin
Bill Goodwin
Joe Maross
Joe Maross
John Wengraf
John Wengraf
John Drew Barrymore
John Drew Bar...
Vanessa Brown
Vanessa Brown
Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn
Stafford Repp
Stafford Repp
Stanley Adams
Stanley Adams
Strother Martin
Strother Mart...
Leon Askin
Leon Askin
Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon
Nico Minardos
Nico Minardos
Kurt Kasznar
Kurt Kasznar
Geraldine Page
Geraldine Pag...
Donald Randolph
Donald Randol...
Jean Carson
Jean Carson
Geoffrey Toone
Geoffrey Toon...
Susan Harrison
Susan Harriso...
Russ Conway
Russ Conway
Tommy Farrell
Tommy Farrell
Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Peter Hansen
Peter Hansen
Robert Gist
Robert Gist
Sandy Descher
Sandy Descher
Rachel Ames
Rachel Ames
Harry Ellerbe
Harry Ellerbe
Don Keefer
Don Keefer
Miriam  Hopkins
Miriam Hopki...
Joanne Linville
Joanne Linvil...
Роджер Мур
Роджер Мур
Патрик О’Нил
Патрик О’Нил
Rebecca Welles
Rebecca Welle...
Phyllis Stanley
Phyllis Stanl...
Rolfe Sedan
Rolfe Sedan
Maudie Prickett
Maudie Pricke...
Gloria Castillo
Gloria Castil...
Melinda Casey
Melinda Casey
Liam Sullivan
Liam Sullivan
Augusta Dabney
Augusta Dabne...
Carol Nugent
Carol Nugent
Anthony Eustrel
Anthony Eustr...
Dorothy Kirsten
Dorothy Kirst...
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