Welcome to a new Musical Theatre Monday! This month, we’re convening a week early to celebrate the 65th anniversary of NBC-TV’s December 8, 1960 broadcast of Peter Pan, starring the divine Mary Martin, recreating her role in the 1954 Broadway production, which boasted a great score by Moose Charlap, Jule Styne, Carolyn Leigh, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
This was the third full-scale TV production of the 1954 musical, featuring both Martin and her original Captain Hook, Cyril Ritchard, with the previous two versions having aired in 1955 and 1956 respectively. Those were both performed live and preserved on kinescope, while this 1960 recreation was prerecorded on color videotape — ideal conditions for rebroadcasting and, later, home video release. This helped make the 1960 Peter Pan a staple for several generations of American kids, and a tradition carried on by Cathy Rigby in her own 2000 TV production — and later by Allison Williams in NBC’s 2014 holiday presentation. Of course, nobody comes close to Mary Martin — the original Peter in this most joyous take on the classic story.
Fortunately, all three of Martin’s performances are commercially available today, including the repeated and therefore best-remembered 1960 color production. But one thing that’s never been released is their soundtracks. So, for subscribers who comment below to alert me of their private, non-commercial interest, I’m offering audio rips of Martin’s three Peter Pan telecasts, along with tracks of all the songs from the nostalgic version that was first run 65 years ago tonight — the start of a wonderful memory for so many people always young at heart.
Come back next month for another musical gem! And stay tuned tomorrow for more Big Bang!
I am interested in hearing the music again, just for my own enjoyment and not for any other reason, including commercial reasons. I was born in 1945, saw Mary Martin in South Pacific before she left the cast and would love to hear her again.
Hi, John! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your preserveoldbroadway address!
I am interested in this soundtrack. I watched & taped the Peter Pan NBC rebroadcast on Mar. 24, 1989, and I’ve since transferred that to DVD.
Hi, Jon! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your yahoo address!
I can’t believe you have soundtracks! I saw all three productions. As a kid growing up in San Francisco I would haunt the channel 4 station and got to see live TV performances from the East Coast. What a gift for nostalgia!
Hi, Greg! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your gmail address!
Wonderful, count me in :)
Hi, Mat! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your richter-fr address!
Hi Jackson
Always love Peter Pan..So please send me access to the sound tracks with Mary Martin.
Thank you.j
Hi, Donna! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your CS address!
I’m interested in hearing these. Thanks!
Hi, Eric! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your roadrunner address!
This was always considered a classic in my house! I’d love to add the audio recordings to my collection. Thank you.
Hi, Nat! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your yahoo address!
Hi Jackson. I would love to hear the Peter Pan audios. Thank you!
Hi, Kal! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your gmail address!