Fall of the House of Usher

Edgar Allan Poe's most famous tale of terror unfolds on live television with stellar performances from Tom Tryon and Marshall Thompson in this, the 198th episode of "NBC Matinee Theater," first broadcast in 1956. This ambitious series aired five plays a week, all shot in color to promote an amazing new invention, color TV. Between 1955 to 1958, over 600 episodes were produced, mostly live, with such tight budgets, that the directors often had to decorate their own sets.

In 1958, two years after this remarkable live performance in "The Fall Of The House of Usher," handsome leading man Tom Tryon rose to fame as "Texas" John Slaughter in the popular Disney television series. Sci-Fi buffs remember him for I Married A Monster From Outer Space (1958) but his greatest role was starring in the 1963 Otto Preminger blockbuster, The Cardinal. He quit acting in 1969 and followed his dream, writing horror novels, three of which became best sellers and were eventually produced as movies, most notably The Other (1971).

Journeyman actor Marshall Thompson was no stranger to the horror genre with appearances in 1958's It! The Terror From Beyond Space and Fiend Without A Face as well as First Man Into Space the following year. His busy career continued in television with, most notably, his starring roles in the series "World Of Giants" and "Daktari."