1955-10-31 5/10
Overview
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.
Director :
Writer :
Cast
John Conte
Seasons List
Season 1
No description available.
1. Beginning Now
2. Make Believe Mother
3. The Persistent Image
4. I'm Straight with the World
5. Progress and Minnie Sweeney
6. The House on Wildwood Lane
7. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
8. One for the Road
9. An Apple for Miss Myrtle
10. The Man Without a Country
11. Jigsaw
12. She's the One with the Funny Face
13. All the Hoffmeyers in the World
14. The Aspern Papers
15. Roman Fever
16. Midsummer
17. The Lady Chooses
18. The Courtship of Miles Standish
19. Dispossessed
20. One for the Road
21. The Touchstone
22. Wuthering Heights
23. The Brass Ring
24. Jason
25. Arrowsmith
26. Passing Strange
27. For These Services
28. Cordially - With Bombs
29. The White Oaks
30. O'Toole from Moscow
31. The Milwaukee Rocket
32. This One is Different
33. Sins of the Fathers
34. See You on Sunday
35. Coming of Age
36. Technique
37. Gallin: All-American
38. Santa is No Saint
39. The Unwelcomed
40. The Red Sanders Story
41. Class of '58
42. Horns of the Dilemma
43. Little Girls Grow Up
44. The Shot
45. Mr. Krane
46. Yesterday is Gone
47. Double Door
48. The Happy Rest
49. The Gate
50. One Left Over
51. All the Trees in the Field
52. The Century Plant
53. Friday the 13th
54. The Old Maid
55. Mother Was a Bachelor
56. The Bottom of the River
57. The Carefree Tree
58. Interlude
59. The Big Box
60. Sincerely Yours, Charlie Fisher
61. Doc
62. The Amateur
63. Light and Shadow
64. Romney
65. O Promise Me
66. Hold My Hand and Run
67. Dark Possession
68. The Diamond
69. Susan and God
70. As Young As You Feel
71. The White Knight
72. The Anxious Years
73. The Heart of Mary Lincoln
74. The Middle Son
75. Valentine's Day
76. Summer Cannot Last
77. The Last Battlefield
78. The Catbird Seat
79. Dream House
80. The Runaways
81. The Ledger
82. When the Bough Breaks
83. I Want to March
84. Skylark
85. Tall, Dark Stranger
86. Anything But Love
87. Robin Daw
88. Letter to a Stranger
89. Dinner at Antoine's
90. The Mating of Watkins Tottle
91. Her Son's Wife
92. The Shining Palace
93. The Odd Ones
94. A Cowboy for Chris
95. The Rocking Chair
96. The Big Guy
97. Statute of Limitations
98. The Baron and the Banshees
99. Notebook Warrior
100. Temptation for a King
101. The White Knight
102. The Anxious Years
103. M is for the Many
104. Silent Partner
105. Winter in April
106. Bread Upon the Waters
107. The Giant Killer
108. The Book of Ruth
109. Singer in the Valley
110. The Heart of a Husband
111. From the Desk of Margaret Tydings
112. But You Look Like Sisters
113. The House of Seven Gables
114. Fiddlin' Man
115. The Hollow Woman
116. People in Glass
117. One of the Family
118. Young Hands, Young Feet
119. The Lark Shall Sing
120. In Dread of Winter
121. The Babylonian Heart
122. Ask Me No Questions
123. Whom Death Has Joined Together
124. The Wedding
125. The Reckoning
126. A Woman Named Ruby
127. The Bright Boy
128. The Carefree Tree
129. Graybeards and Witches
130. The Legend of Jenny Lind
131. Daughter of the Seventh Day
132. Night Must Fall
133. The 25th Hour
134. A Man and His Maid
135. Perspective
136. The Catamaran
137. Johnny Came Marching Home
138. A Family Affair
139. Blind Date
140. To Have and to Hold
141. Edwina Black
142. The Spare Room
143. The Bottle Imp
144. Brief Music
145. The Girl from Boro Park
146. To Whom It May Concern
147. Bachelor Buttons
148. The Children of Papa Juan
149. Herself Alone
150. Three for the Money
151. Taxi to the Moon
152. The Goodtime Boys
153. The American
154. Cause for Suspicion
155. Fight the Whole World
156. Autumn Crocus
157. George Has a Birthday
158. The Serpent's Tooth
159. Crime at Blossom's
160. The Luck of Amos Currie
161. Alison's House
162. Safe Place
163. The Guest Cottage
164. Forsaking All Others
165. Love, Honor and O'Day
166. The Damask Cheek
167. Moon Over
168. But Fear Itself
169. The Birthday Present
170. The Ghost of Greenwich Village
171. The Young and the Damned
172. There's Always Juliet
173. Seasoned Timber
174. The Declaration
175. High Places
176. Black Chiffon
177. Class of '58
178. Marriage by the Millions
179. Backfire
180. The Bishop Misbehaves
181. Remittance
182. Beg, Borrow or Steal
183. Summer Pavilion
184. The Feast
185. A Full, Rich Life
186. The Reverberator
187. Woman at the Window
188. Another Sky
189. Letter of Introduction
190. Home at Seven
191. The Cypress Tree
192. Belong to Me
193. Pygmalion Jones
194. Gretel
195. Some Man Will Want You
196. The Fall of the House of Usher
197. Cupid Rode a Horse
198. The Old Payola
199. The Perfect Alibi
Season 2
No description available.
1. The House Off Fifth Avenue
2. Yankee Doodler
3. The Pink Hippopotamus
4. September Tide
5. Are You Listening?
6. Ladies' Maid Bell
7. 100 Red Convertibles
8. The Ivy Curtain
9. The Gramercy Ghost
10. Lovers
11. Reach for the Stars
12. I Like It Here
13. A Question of Balance
14. The Marriage Royal
15. Mad Money
16. A Letter from Johnny Brock
17. Uncle Harry
18. At Mrs. Leland's
19. The House Next Door
20. Alumni Reunion
21. Sound of Fear
22. Late Date
23. Pride and Prejudice
24. Pearls of Sheba
25. The Stamp Caddy
26. The Egotist
27. The Family Man
28. Sight Unseen
29. The Eye of the Storm
30. The Man in the Seven League Boots
31. The Woman Across the Hall
32. And Then There Were Three
33. Shake the Stars Down
34. Horse Power
35. Without Sanction
36. The Outing
37. Thank You, Edmondo
38. The Tell-Tale Heart
39. Strangers on a Honeymoon
40. A Dram of Poison
41. The Shining Hour
42. Love, Marriage and Five Thousand Dollars
43. Step Into Darkness
44. Candle in the Dark
45. Savrola
46. Table Set at Night
47. Madame de Treymes
48. The People vs. John Tarr
49. The Location of Roycemore College
50. Dracula
51. Julie
52. The Empty Nest
53. Spare Your Pity
54. The Last Leaf
55. Therese
56. Julie
57. Refugee
58. Jenny Kissed Me
59. Miracle at Carville
60. The Upper Hand
61. Love is a Locksmith
62. Captain Brassbound's Conversion
63. The Wisp End
64. Prominent Citizens
65. Head of the Family
66. Password
67. Late Love
68. Eugenie Grandet
69. Cold Christmas
70. Little Women
71. For Sweetheart, Wife or Mother
72. Smilin' Through
73. Strong Medicine
74. Everything's Relative
75. Miss Morissa
76. The Scandalous Priest
77. Dark Victory
78. The Lonely Look
79. The Sudden Truth
80. The Man in the Half-Moon
81. The Hex
82. If This Be Error
83. On the Trail of the Kingsfield
84. Here We Are
85. Arms and the Man
86. Home is the Hunted
87. Madam Ada
88. Night Train
89. This Language
90. The 13th Crypt
91. Mr. Pirn Passes By
92. Anything for a Laugh
93. Realms of Gold
94. Deacon of Oak Ridge
95. Accent on Youth
96. Three Kids
97. Frankenstein
98. The Most Dangerous Man
99. One
100. The Importance of Being Earnest
101. The Brat's House
102. Mr. Todd
103. A Case of Pure Fiction
104. The Master Builder
105. The Others
106. The Remarkable Mr. Jerome
107. Bobbie
108. The Hickory Limb
109. The Bridge
110. The Serpent's Tooth
111. Voyage to Mandok
112. The Day Before the Wedding
113. Queen of Spades
114. Shadow and Substance
115. You Touched Me
116. The Hemlock Cup
117. Papa's Wife
118. The Prizewinner
119. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
120. Yesterday's Magic
121. Tongue of Silver
122. Peaceable Kingdom
123. The 19th Hole
124. Wedding in the Family
125. The Ways of Courage
126. Journey Into Darkness
127. Barricade at the Big Black
128. The Vicarious Years
129. The First Year
130. End of the Rope
131. We Won't Be Any Trouble
132. The Daughter of Mata Hari
133. Talk You of Killing
134. The Pursuit of Happiness
135. Wuthering Heights [restaged]
136. Long Distance
137. The Point of Cleaning
138. The Sport
139. The Flashing Stream
140. Thread That Runs So True
141. Jamie Picks a Wife
142. Blind Man's Bluff
143. The Story of Joseph
144. Pushover
145. Ashes in the Wind
146. A Hat, a Coat, a Glove
147. The Professional
148. Guardians of the Temple
149. The Short Safari of B'wana Ben
150. Church on Monday
151. The Gioconda Smile
152. Show of Strength
153. Make Believe Affair
154. Hymn to the Dedicated
155. Thursday's Child
156. Big-Hearted Herbert
157. The Embattled Maiden
158. The Middle-Aged Freshman
159. Best Friend in Town
160. Jane Eyre
161. Starmaster
162. Aftermath
163. Guest at the Embassy
164. Second-Hand Lover
165. The Avenging of Anne Leete
166. The Lonesome Husband
167. Puzzle in the Stars
168. The Gwendolyn Harleth Story
169. The Girls Named Almaya
170. The Dream That Was Fixed
171. A Growing Wonder
172. Bachelor Father
173. The Golden Door
174. Rain in the Morning
175. Eye of the Storm
176. Rich Man, Poor Man
177. The Party Dress
178. White-Headed Boy
179. Liza
180. Pigeons and People
181. Things Hoped For
182. Mr. Wendigo
183. Stopover
184. A Light in the Sky
185. The Charmer
186. The Brief Candle
187. Too Much Johnson
188. Money in the Bank
189. Trouble Traine
190. The Last Voyage
191. The Price of Scandal
192. But When She Was Bad
193. The Fable of Harry
194. Portrait in Mini
195. The Cask of Amontillado
196. The Richest Man in the World
197. The Last Hour
198. The First Captain
199. Shuttered Hearts
200. One for All
201. Call It a Day
202. Ann Veronica
203. Boys Will Be Men
204. The Forbidden Search
205. The Fawn with Crooked Teeth
206. The Rose Bush
207. Finley's Fan Club
208. Laugh a Little Tear
209. The Invisible Man
210. Where Angels Fear
211. First Love
212. The Last Survivors
213. Time for Action
214. Haven's End
215. Heed the Falling Sparrow
216. The President's Child Bride
217. Now or Never
218. Awakening
219. Angel Face
220. The Star Sapphire
221. Women Have Ways
222. Jewel Boy
223. Molly Morgan
224. Woman Alone
225. Among Strangers
226. The Adjustable Mr. Willing
227. Freedom Comes Later
228. In the Fog
229. Son of 37 Fathers
230. Hand Me Down
231. Emma
232. Personal Equation
233. Night Cry
234. The Mysterious Disappearance
235. The Impersonal Touch
236. The Story of Sarah
237. The Waiting Swan
238. One Mummy Too Many
239. Hearthstones
240. The Reluctant Heiress
Season 3
No description available.
1. Father Come Home
2. Villa of the Angels
3. A Tone of Time
4. Almost Any Man Will Do
5. Sing for Me
6. Run for the Money
7. Lest We Forget
8. The Glass Hill
9. Out of the Frying Pan
10. The Last Stop
11. The Weak and the Strong
12. Nine-Finger Jack
13. Elementals
14. Plummer in Paradise
15. Something About a Dollar
16. Return in Winter
17. Grandmama and Grandfather
18. Aesop and Rhodope
19. All Over the World
20. The Ransom of Sigmund Freud
21. Iris
22. Remember Me Kindly
23. The Embassy House
24. Witness to Murder
25. The Johnson House
26. Cadenza
27. Green Shores
28. A Question of Balance
29. Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent
30. The Conversation Tables
31. Out of My Darkness
32. The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
33. The Broom and the Groom
34. A Cloud for Jeni
35. The Consul
36. The Old Friend
37. Give Me a Wand
38. The Sure Thing
39. Dark of the Moon
40. The Giver and the Gift
41. No Time for Comedy
42. Gentleman of Fortune
43. The Gentleman Caller
44. Tender Leaves
45. In 25 Words or Less
46. Sara Crewe
47. Amahl and the Night Visitors
48. The Little Minister
49. Daughter of Kings
50. The Survival Kit
51. The House with the Golden Street
52. The Europeans
53. The Collected Letters of Mr. Sage
54. Two-Picture Deal
55. The Great Obstacle Courtship
56. A Chance to Die
57. Home on the Range
58. The Makropoulos Secret
59. More Than a Man
60. Something Stolen, Something New
61. Thunderbolt
62. Daisy Mayne
63. The Man Who Wanted to Hate
64. The Golden Fleecing
65. Forever and Ever
66. Decision
67. Solider's Boy
68. The Man with Pointed Toes
69. Love Out of Town
70. Cave-In
71. The Iceman
72. The Long, Long Laugh
73. Man Without a Country
74. The Odd Ones
75. Monsieur Beaucaire
76. Life Upon the Wicked Stage
77. Without Fear or Favor
78. The Third Person
79. Eden End
80. The 10th Muse
81. Goodbye on Thursday
82. Heart's Desire
83. Marriage of Convenience
84. The Suicide Club
85. The 65th Floor
86. The Hickory Heart
87. The Devil's Violin
88. Wednesday's Child
89. Vigilante
90. The Prophet Hosea
91. Mrs. Moonlight
92. With Love We Live
93. You and I
94. Career Angel
95. Contingent Fire
96. Anxious Night
97. On Approval
98. Dandy Dick
99. Hush, Mahala, Hush
100. O'Rourke's House
101. The Alleyway
102. The Vagabond
103. The Silver Spider
104. Design for Glory
105. The Inspector General
106. The Two Mrs. Carrolls
107. The Velvet Glove
108. Death Takes a Holiday
109. Man of the House
110. A Case of Fear
111. Walk in the Sky
112. The Canterville Ghost
113. Found Money
114. Washington Whispers Money
115. A Boy Grows Up
116. Phony Venus
117. Some Blessed People
118. The Quiet Street
119. The Quest of Quesnay
120. Angel Street
121. The Cause
122. Much Ado About Nothing, Part 1
123. Much Ado About Nothing, Part 2
124. Day of Discoveries
125. The Young and the Fair
126. The Riddle of Mary Murray
127. Button Button
128. The End of the Season
129. Look Out for John Tucker
130. The Road to Recovery
131. The Nightbird's Crying
132. The Story of Marcia Gordon
133. Town in Turmoil
134. Washington Square
135. Course for Collision