65 million Americans watched the 1955 "Peter Pan" musical on NBC

 

On a spring Monday evening in 1955, 65 million Americans watched the wonders of  Never Land, and the adventures of Mary Martin as Peter Pan with the three Darling children. Thoug it was done in full color, only 15,000 color sets were functional across the nation.

Peter Pan, a musical version of Barrie's play, was the first big Broadway production to terminate its run with a one-night stand on television. For the Producers' Showcase presentation, its five stage sets and maze of flying gear were carted off to NBC's stadium-size color studio in Brooklyn. There, unlike the stage arrangement, all the sets were in place all the time and the cast of 46 moved through them like shoppers through a ring of department stores. 

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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection

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