Original 1955 & 1956 PETER PAN Starring Mary Martin Makes Blu-Ray Debut Today

Two classic theatrical telecasts make their Blu-ray debut!

The original 1955 and 1956 live TV telecasts of the premiere Broadway production of family favorite musical PETER PAN starring Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard come to Blu-ray for the very first time today, August 25.

The official description of the new PETER PAN Blu-ray is as follows: "This Collector's Edition Blu-ray includes the historic 1956 telecast as well as the 1955 telecast featuring the same stars!

Available for the first time on home video! The historic live 1956 telecast of Mary Martin as PETER PAN, generally considered the definitive performance of this beloved musical. Only nine days after the initial Broadway run had ended, the cast and crew (under the supervision of Director Jerome Robbins) assembled in the large Brooklyn studios of NBC to perform the show live for television. Describing the enormous success of that telecast, Cyril Ritchard (Captain Hook) noted "...it was not just a TV performance, it was a stage production brought to the cameras." A year later, in preparation for the second PETER PAN live telecast, essentially the same cast reunited for several performances at the Ambassador Theater in New York City for invited audiences of children. This gave the 1956 telecast the same fresh theatrical quality as the first. The New York Times hailed the second telecast as "Thrilling!... The production had that electrifying excitement of theatre at its most finished and, above all, that contagious espirit that joins player and audience in a sublime escape from reality." The stellar cast also includes Kathy Nolan as Wendy, Sondra Lee as Tiger Lily, and Heller Halliday (Mary Martin's daughter) as Liza. The unforgettable songs - including "Never Never Land," "I've Gotta Crow," and "I Won't Grow Up" - were written by Mark "Moose" Charlap and Carolyn Leigh, and Jule Styne and Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

Cast: Mary Martin, Cyril Ritchard, Kathy Nolan, Sondra Lee
Writers: Mark Charlap and Carolyn Leigh, and Jule Styne and Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Collector's Edition Special Features:

• Includes the complete 1955 telecast in addition to the 1956 feature presentation
• Reminiscences by Heller Halliday ("Liza" in PETER PAN and daughter of Mary Martin and Richard Halliday)
• 1955 NBC "Telesales Promo" for the first telecast.

Black and White, approximately 235 minutes (includes bonus features)."

More information on the PETER PAN Blu-ray is available at the official site here.