User reviews

This 1955 Producers' Showcase version of the musical Peter Pan with Mary Martin has the benefit of showcasing most of the original Broadway cast, including Kathleen Nolan as Wendy, who was more natural an actress than the girl they hired for the 1960 color televised play. It's a shame that most people won't sit through anything black and white anymore because in many respects this earlier production - which doesn't even show up in the IMDb listings when you put "Peter Pan" into the search engine! - is superior to the cutesier color version most people have watched. I obtained the original on disc and then did work on it to make it look and sound better digitally. Now when I put the 1960 color version on it looks garish in comparison. I suspect Mary Martin herself no doubt preferred this original 1955 b/w Producers' Showcase televised version.

As an added plus the disc I got also showed the original commercials and opening promo. How far away the 1950's seem now - such an innocent time compared to today. I miss it.

I received a DVD of this episode from Producer's Showcase, and it was quite entertaining.

Peter Pan was played by Mary Martin of course, and along with Captain Hook, Mr. and Mrs. Darling and Tiger Lily reprised the same roles up until the TV production in 1960.

With the Darling children, it reminded me of the Cathy Rigby version, just for the fact that they were played by actual children and not grown-ups who were trying to pull it off.

The film itself reminded me of something out of '50s TV, specifically The Fred Waring Show (excerpt found on Alice in Wonderland DVD) Along with the Disney cartoon, the musical is quite entertaining and magical, and this is a great movie to add to your Peter Pan collection, if you have one.

Finally I discovered what I thought I remembered as a four year old. After seeing the 1960 color version on VHS, I kept saying I remembered seeing it in black and white 2 times before. Now the IMDb has helped me to know the truth, that it was broadcast twice (2 productions) in black and white in 2 successful years, 1955 & 56. These are the ones I remember best as a four year old. I didn't realize the 56 broadcast was not the same as the 55. In 1960, I was 9 and the color production just didn't do it for me. The black and white version was wonderful with just as much awe and wonder impact as the high tech films of today, even without any computer effects. You had to have been there! Please comment if you had a similar reaction to the b&w version.

When I was a kid, I watch this movie on TV. I really enjoy it. This movie was really a play. Because it was a play, this movie did not have too many special effects (actors flew with wires and Tinkerbell was a light).

Many years later (mid-late 1980's), this movie was once again broadcast on TV. I taped it and showed it to my sons. My youngest one really like it also. He saw it so many times, the tape broke. Goes to prove, you don't need special effects to make a good family movie.

I remember seeing this as a child in 1955 and being completely fascinated by it. The flying sequences in it made me absolutely certain that humans could fly. I went on a ques to find fairy dust the next day so that i might join Peter and his cohorts in the air. I wish that I could see it now.

I use a video of the 1960 TV broadcast to teach middle school students the elements of drama and production. It was a lot of fun showing them the turning point. It was also the best example of a Broadway musical available to me to teach the form.

They had fun trying to catch the minor miscues ("Wendy" missing her mark when she landed in Neverland for example.) Others thought there was something wrong with the sound at the beginning of the Second Act and Sondra Lee as Tigerlily first enters the screen. It took some explaining that sometimes silence is used as an effect in a stage production.

When I was little, this wonderful tale was all I had on tv. My parents learned the songs, I learned them, and all my friend did, just because I had this movie on constantly. I learned the dance of the indians and much of the lines. If the fact that a three or four year old learned all this, doesnt tell you enough about this film, you dont deserve to be around a VCR or DVD. Now I try to force this movie on my little sister. I give this heart-warming happy film, a 10/10 and this is probably the only film I will ever give a PERFECT rating!

This is the production that set me dreaming of the stage and of flying. I heartily recommend that ALL CHILDREN see this particular production (along with The Wizard of Oz), and have Tender Shepherd and Distant Melody sung to them as lullabies. The BEST of all productions of this show.