Matinee Theatre was a anthology series is an that aired on NBC during the Golden
Age of Television, from October 31, 1955 to June 27, 1958. The series consisted
of five different stage plays per week live, airing around noon in order to promote
color TV, which had just been developed, to the American housewife.

Dark Shadows was a gothic soap that originally aired weekdays on the ABC
television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. It was unprecedented
in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it
began.The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins,
played by Jonathan Frid (above) appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows
also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks,
time travel, and a parallel universe. Now regarded as somewhat of a camp
classic, it continues to enjoy an intense cult following.

Peter Lorre became a popular featured player in Hollywood crime films and
mysteries, notably alongside Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet, and
as the star of the successful Mr. Moto detective series.

The Millionaire is a TV drama anthology series that aired on CBS from
January 19, 1955 to June 8, 1960, originally sponsored by Colgate-
Palmolive.The show centered around the stories of unknown people who
were given, seemingly out of nowhere, one million dollars from a benefactor
who with one exception, insisted they never know him. Marvin Miller (above)
starred as Michael Anthony and veteran character actor Paul Frees (below)
was the voice of John Beresford Tipton.
 

Voice artist Paul Frees

Mr. Anthony presenting another check for a million dollars

With Hugh Marlowe (below) in the title role, Ellery Queen was introduced in
The Adventures of Ellery Queen on CBS Radio on June 18, 1939. Between
1939-1948, the show was broadcast alternately on CBS, NBC and ABC. The
premise was that a mystery would be dramatized but then interrupted when a
panel of celebrities would attempt to solve the mystery. The Gulf Oil Company
was the first commercial sponsor of the show.

Hugh Marlowe with Marian Shockley who played the
character Nikki Porter.

Bromo-Seltzer sponsored the first NBC run
of The Adventures of Ellery Queen

RARE  "ELLERY QUEEN CLUB MEMBER" BUTTON.