This is not really a "Live" recording. This was not filmed in front of an audience. This is however taped on a soundstage and it is a first class production.Mary Martin plays "Peter Pan". She the originator of the musical adaption so all other versions will always be compared to Mary Martin! Even more modern television version may have bigger budgets that pale next to this version. The story is about the Darling family who get whisked away to Never Never Land. Where you don't have to grow up. There is no school but lots of danger including the pirate "Captain Hook" who is out to get Peter Pan at any cost!The other television adaptations had "Ashlie Williams" and "Cathy Rigby". "Cathy Rigby" version is the better version. The "Ashley Williams" version did not have actors "acting" is had actors "mugging". Christopher Walkin was wasted in that because he came across wasted.About this productionIn 1954, Fred Coe, production manager for NBC in New York, began work on Producers' Showcase, a 90-minute anthology series that aired every fourth Monday for three seasons. One aim of the series was to broadcast expensive color spectaculars to promote the new color television system developed by NBC's parent company RCA.On March 7, 1955, NBC presented Peter Pan live as part of Producers' Showcase (with nearly all of the show's original cast) as the first full-length Broadway production on color TV. The show attracted a then-record audience of 65-million viewers, the highest ever up to that time for a single television program. Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard had already won Tony Awards for their stage performances, and Martin won an Emmy Award for the television production. It was so well received that the musical was restaged live for television (again on Producers' Showcase) on January 9, 1956. Both of these broadcasts were produced live and in color, but only black-and-white kinescope recordings survive.Peter Pan was restaged on December 8, 1960, this time in a 100-minute version rather than 90 minutes (not counting the commercials), and with a slightly different cast because the original children had outgrown their roles. Producers' Showcase had long since gone off the air, so the 1960 production was intended as a "stand alone" special instead of an episode of an anthology series. Act II was split into two acts, for a total of five acts instead of three, to allow for more commercial breaks. This version was videotaped in color at NBC's Brooklyn studio. Martin was also starring in Broadway's The Sound of Music at the time. The production was directed for television by Vincent J. Donehue, who received a Director's Guild Award for it. Peter Foy re-created the signature flying sequences he had staged for the 1954 Broadway production and the two Producers' Showcase broadcasts. This 1960 version was rebroadcast in 1963, 1966 and 1973. The video tape of that production was restored and rebroadcast by NBC on March 24, 1989, then again on March 31, 1991, after which it went to the Disney Channel, where it was shown several times more. Beginning in 1989, the program was slightly cut to make room for more commercial time. Eliminated completely was a dance that Liza (the Darling family maid) and the animals of Neverland perform to an orchestral version of Never Never Land. Also eliminated was Mary Martin's curtain speech at the end thanking NBC for making the program possible, which, in the 1960, 1963, and 1966 telecasts led directly into the closing credits. Gone also was the intertitle bearing the credit Peter Pan: Act III, but not the other intertitle credits, so that the show seemed to be performed in three acts, just as in the stage version.

This and the Cathy Rigby versions are fantastic in their own way, they are both such fun to watch and have a real sense of magic. With personal preference, I'm leaning towards Rigby's for the better flying sequences, being a little more polished, the continuous energy and being a little closer to the book. That is not to knock off Martin's in any way, it has great nostalgic value, the accents are more natural-sounding(pretty much the only real criticism with the Rigby version was how overdone some of the accents were) and does a marginally better job of bringing out the inner child within you. The ending is a little better done here too, it's genuinely heart-rending. The costumes and sets here are beautiful and colourful. The music is lively, charming and hugely memorable, Never Never Land and the poignant Distant Melody being the one that stood out the most(Mysterious Lady was a little pointless but so much fun to watch), and the scoring is lush in orchestration and rich in sound. The script is filled with snappy lines, it's often hilarious especially with Hook and Smee- and with Tiger Lily's priceless "Famous Indian proverb, when in doubt RUUNNNNNNN!"- and it seemed like everybody in the cast thought so, while the choreography is full of energy(like the Rigby version especially with the Pirates and the Indians) and the whole storytelling has a light-hearted charm. The Lost Boys are immensely likable, no sense of nerves at all, the Indians and Tiger Lily are characterful and magnetic dancers and the Pirates are a genuinely rollicking lot. Maureen Bailey is charming and spunky as Wendy, her voice is pleasant and strong if a little too mature-sounding at times. Nana is adorable and this version has one of the cutest Michaels, John is spirited and the narration is wonderfully sincere. Cyril Ritchard and particularly Mary Martin are what you'll remember most about this Peter Pan. Ritchard is both funny and menacing, the funniest parts at their best are hilarious though it's not a performance that is played-for-laughs, there are times like in the capture of the children where Hook is quite dangerous. He also plays Mr Darling, a tradition is for Captain Hook and Mr Darling to be played by the same actor, and he is very convincing at being uptight As Peter, Martin is just wonderful, Cathy Rigby may be more boyish and more athletic but the energy and likability levels between the two actresses are equal. But Martin just edges out Rigby in the singing department(though I still adore Rigby's voice), Martin's voice is just beautiful to listen to but she also brings lilt and emotion to her singing that Rigby doesn't quite do as effectively. Never Never Land is moving, gorgeously sung and not just one of the highlights of the production but also a standout of any individual rendition from any musical seen recently. All in all, a wonderful classic that is more than a nostalgic childhood favourite. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Hey Kids!?!...... Even at 60 now, I find this classic TV musical a MUST see!?! It's "TIMELESS," as Barbra would say. If you've NEVER seen it, rent or buy it for the inner child of vous!!! - You KNOW, as a print journalist of 35+ yrs. in la mainstream & gay media (on both coasts), ESPECIALLY 17 with "Billboard Magazine" in L.A., Vegas & the Bflo./Rochester, N.Y. markets, I'm just SAD there's no trailer-to-watch OR music-to-hear!?! Legendary Broadway composer Jerome Robbins?!? You CAN'T get-ANY-better!!! ... Great songs like: "Neverland," "Lullaby" & "I'll Never Grow Up!" Hope YOU haven't. MOIS-never-WILL. "2nd * to the right & straight on 'til morning!" SEE YA THERE!?!

This thread has some confusing information in it. I think I can add some information.The 1955 version of Peter Pan was done live from NY and then redone the following year. That version was preserved on Kinescope, but not videotape.In 1960, NBC re-staged the production and videotaped it in their wonderful old Brooklyn studios - by the way, I believe that The Cosby Show in the '80s was produced at the same NBC Brooklyn Studios.The 1960 production was videotaped and rebroadcast a number of times, and may be available on VHS now.As the 4-year old son of an NBC publicity flack, I had the wonderful privilege of attending the taping of the show and I have a magnificent b&w photograph of me, in a gray flannel suit - in gray shorts no less - with Mary Martin in full costume.It is one of the treasures of my childhood and Peter Pan has always been a favorite of mine.By the way, there is/was a cast recording of Peter Pan - I want to say that it was on RCA Victor records, since of course, RCA owned NBC. But I have always been under the impression that is was of the Broadway play. This thread implies that the show never made it to Broadway, so I am not sure. However, I am certain that there was a record - vinyl, 33 1/3, long play, etc."I know a place where dreams are born...."Eric