Mary Martin FLEW on live TV in '55 — no safety net, all nerve.
This musical version of the tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up aired live on television on March 7, 1955. It was so popular that it was restaged the following year, and again four years later.
Acting
Mary Martin's athletic, gender-swapped Pan became iconic.
Practical Effects
Real wire-work stunts broadcast live to 65 million viewers.
Direction
Jerome Robbins' choreography surviving the TV medium.
Director
Jerome Robbins
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 1955 broadcast drew the largest audience in TV history at that time — roughly 65 million viewers, or nearly 40% of the US population.
Mary Martin's flying harness malfunctioned during early performances, nearly crashing her into the orchestra pit — she kept singing.
US
