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Matinee Theater(TV show/series, 1955-1958)

1h per episode | Genre: Drama

Scripted Reality in 3 seasons with 574 episodes

Matinee TheaterRating: 1.7/5 (with 2 votes)
Matinee Theater is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from October 31, 1955, to June 27, 1958. Its name is often seen as Matinee Theatre. The series, which ran daily from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, was usually broadcast live and most of the time in color. Its live dramas were presented with minimal sets and costumes. It was the first daily hour-long dramatic series on television. When it was broadcast, Matinee Theater was the most heavily promoted regularly scheduled daytime program on U.S. television. Along with NBC's Home, the show was part of the network's effort to "provide quality 'adult' entertainment" in daytime programming. In its second season, the program had an audience of 7 million daily viewers. The series ended in 1958 due to its high budget; much higher than any other daytime program in television. In 1956, the program's budget was "about $73,000" to produce five episodes per week. A few of the later episodes were preserved on color film for later rerun syndication under different titles. The scripts of the series' episodes are archived at the University of California, Los Angeles. Several episodes are preserved at the UCLA Film & Television Archive, The Paley Center, and the Library of Congress. ()
Poster of Matinee Theater

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About Matinee Theater

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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Matinee Theater Seasons and Episodes

10/15/1957Season 3 - 135 episodes
#1 | 10/15/1957Father Come Home
In a small town, enraged townsfolk refuse to believe the tale of a stranger. He claims that the man they believe committed a murder was miles away at the time of the killing.
#2 | 10/16/1957Villa of the Angels
Frank Wilson is bringing his boss home for dinner and is anxious to make a good impression. He asks his wife Jane to try not to be so shy and tells her she must learn to be more decisive. During the day a strange young man comes to the house posing as a magazine salesman. Jane feels that this a good opportunity to practice being forceful.- Tv Guide
#3 | 10/17/1957A Tone of Time
A successful career woman falls ill and discovers someone has been administering small doses of poison to her every day. - Tv Guide
#4 | 10/18/1957Almost Any Man Will Do
After years of carrying the responsibilities of two jobs, Mitchell Dayton has a nervous breakdown. He moves his family to Florida where he takes a job in a gas station. One afternoon he is knocked unconscious, and when he awakens he is hundreds of miles away from home with no money, no identification, and suffers from amnesia. - Tv Guide
#5 | 10/21/1957Sing for Me
Gomer, a beautiful young girl is blamed by townspeople for the suicide of one of their men. They are about to kill her when Hosea saves her life. The young prophet falls in love with Gomer, grateful to Hosea, promises to become his wife. - Tv Guide
#6 | 10/22/1957Run for the Money
Recently promoted, a young man is offered help in learning his new duties. The offer comes from a young-lady collegue, whose real motive is to break up his marriage.
#7 | 10/23/1957Lest We Forget
#8 | 10/24/1957The Glass Hill
Marcia Miller has inherited her successful mother's talent for fashion designing. But Marcia has decided she doesn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps. - Tv Guide
#9 | 10/25/1957Out of the Frying Pan
Pretty Martha Radway is vigorously campaigning with members of the League of Women Voters for a new school in their town.
#10 | 10/28/1957The Last Stop
Dr. Austin Sloper had always hoped that his daughter Catherine would grow into as charming and brilliant as woman as her mother had been. But Catherine grew up to be a very ordinary woman. - Tv Guide
#11 | 10/29/1957The Weak and the Strong
The year is 1962, and it is known that Russia is planning a full-scale nuclear attack against the U. S and Canada. In a desperate last-minute effort to avert war, the president makes plans to fly to Russia to meet directly with the Russian leaders. - Tv Guide
#12 | 10/30/1957Nine-Finger Jack
#13 | 10/31/1957Elementals
#14 | 11/01/1957Plummer in Paradise
#15 | 11/04/1957Something About a Dollar
#16 | 11/07/1957Return in Winter
#17 | 11/08/1957Grandmama and Grandfather
#18 | 11/11/1957Aesop and Rhodope
#19 | 11/12/1957All Over the World
#20 | 11/13/1957The Ransom of Sigmund Freud
#21 | 11/14/1957Iris
#22 | 11/15/1957Remember Me Kindly
#23 | 11/18/1957The Embassy House
#24 | 11/19/1957Witness to Murder
#25 | 11/20/1957The Johnson House
#26 | 11/25/1957Cadenza
#27 | 11/26/1957Green Shores
#28 | 11/27/1957A Question of Balance
#29 | 11/29/1957Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent
#30 | 12/02/1957The Conversation Tables
#31 | 12/03/1957Out of My Darkness
#32 | 12/04/1957The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
#33 | 12/05/1957The Broom and the Groom
#34 | 12/06/1957A Cloud for Jeni
#35 | 12/09/1957The Consul
#36 | 12/10/1957The Old Friend
#37 | 12/10/1957Give Me a Wand
#38 | 12/11/1957The Sure Thing
#39 | 12/12/1957Dark of the Moon
#40 | 12/13/1957The Giver and the Gift
#41 | 12/16/1957No Time for Comedy
#42 | 12/17/1957Gentleman of Fortune
#43 | 12/18/1957The Gentleman Caller
#44 | 12/19/1957Tender Leaves
#45 | 12/20/1957In 25 Words or Less
#46 | 12/23/1957Sara Crewe
#47 | 12/24/1957Amahl and the Night Visitors
#48 | 12/25/1957The Little Minister
#49 | 12/31/1957Daughter of Kings
#50 | 01/02/1958The Survival Kit
#51 | 01/03/1958The House with the Golden Street
#52 | 01/06/1958The Europeans
#53 | 01/07/1958The Collected Letters of Mr. Sage
#54 | 01/08/1958Two-Picture Deal
#55 | 01/09/1958The Great Obstacle Courtship
#56 | 01/10/1958A Chance to Die
#57 | 01/13/1958Home on the Range
#58 | 01/14/1958The Makropoulos Secret
#59 | 01/15/1958More Than a Man
#60 | 01/16/1958Something Stolen, Something New
#61 | 01/17/1958Thunderbolt
#62 | 01/20/1958Daisy Mayne
#63 | 01/21/1958The Man Who Wanted to Hate
#64 | 01/22/1958The Golden Fleecing
#65 | 01/23/1958Forever and Ever
#66 | 01/24/1958Decision
#67 | 01/27/1958Solider's Boy
#68 | 01/28/1958The Man with Pointed Toes
#69 | 01/31/1958Love Out of Town
#70 | 02/03/1958Cave-In
#71 | 02/04/1958The Iceman
#72 | 02/05/1958The Long, Long Laugh
#73 | 02/06/1958Man Without a Country
#74 | 02/07/1958The Odd Ones
#75 | 02/11/1958Monsieur Beaucaire
#76 | 02/12/1958Life Upon the Wicked Stage
#77 | 02/13/1958Without Fear or Favor
#78 | 02/14/1958The Third Person
#79 | 02/17/1958Eden End
#80 | 02/18/1958The 10th Muse
#81 | 02/20/1958Goodbye on Thursday
#82 | 02/21/1958Heart's Desire
#83 | 02/24/1958Marriage of Convenience
#84 | 02/25/1958The Suicide Club
#85 | 02/26/1958The 65th Floor
#86 | 02/27/1958The Hickory Heart
#87 | 02/28/1958The Devil's Violin
#88 | 03/04/1958Wednesday's Child
#89 | 03/05/1958Vigilante
#90 | 03/07/1958The Prophet Hosea
#91 | 03/10/1958Mrs. Moonlight
#92 | 03/11/1958With Love We Live
#93 | 03/12/1958You and I
#94 | 03/13/1958Career Angel
#95 | 03/14/1958Contingent Fire
#96 | 03/18/1958Anxious Night
#97 | 03/19/1958On Approval
#98 | 03/20/1958Dandy Dick
#99 | 03/21/1958Hush, Mahala, Hush
#100 | 03/25/1958O'Rourke's House
#101 | 03/26/1958The Alleyway
#102 | 03/27/1958The Vagabond
#103 | 03/28/1958The Silver Spider
#104 | 04/01/1958Design for Glory
#105 | 04/02/1958The Inspector General
#106 | 04/03/1958The Two Mrs. Carrolls
#107 | 04/04/1958The Velvet Glove
#108 | 04/08/1958Death Takes a Holiday
#109 | 04/09/1958Man of the House
#110 | 04/10/1958A Case of Fear
#111 | 04/11/1958Walk in the Sky
#112 | 04/15/1958The Canterville Ghost
#113 | 04/17/1958Found Money
#114 | 04/18/1958Washington Whispers Money
#115 | 04/22/1958A Boy Grows Up
#116 | 04/23/1958Phony Venus
#117 | 04/24/1958Some Blessed People
#118 | 04/25/1958The Quiet Street
#119 | 05/07/1958The Quest of Quesnay
#120 | 05/09/1958Angel Street
#121 | 05/12/1958The Cause
#122 | 05/20/1958Much Ado About Nothing, Part 1
#123 | 05/21/1958Much Ado About Nothing, Part 2
#124 | 05/22/1958Day of Discoveries
#125 | 05/23/1958The Young and the Fair
#126 | 05/27/1958The Riddle of Mary Murray
#127 | 05/29/1958Button Button
#128 | 06/03/1958The End of the Season
#129 | 06/04/1958Look Out for John Tucker
#130 | 06/05/1958The Road to Recovery
#131 | 06/06/1958The Nightbird's Crying
#132 | 06/10/1958The Story of Marcia Gordon
#133 | 06/11/1958Town in Turmoil
#134 | 06/12/1958Washington Square
#135 | 06/13/1958Course for Collision
08/27/1956Season 2 - 240 episodes
10/31/1955Season 1 - 199 episodes

Additional Information

Production country: United States of America (USA)
Made by: NBC
Original language: English (EN)
Spoken languages: English (EN)
Translated into 2 languages: English (EN), Russian (RU)
Status: Ended
First episode released on: 10/31/1955
Last episode released on: 06/13/1958
Keywords: anthology
Color: Black & White (B/W)

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WatchPlayStream ID: SHOWS:4535, Added: 05/12/2018, Last updated: 04/09/2024