Masterpiece Theatre

Masterpiece Theatre is a drama television series that features film adaptations of famous novels and biographies of classic, mystery and contemporary writers.

Fast Facts

1. First aired: January 10, 1971
2. Network: PBS
3. Gillian Anderson will be the first of three new host starting in 2008
4. Previously hosted by Alistair Cooke and Russell Baker
5. Also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre or Mobil Masterpiece Theatre.
6. Awards: Emmy Award in 1975, Governor's Award in 1991 and Peabody Award in 2001
7. America's longest running television prime time drama¹

IMDb Quote

""Masterpiece Theatre" is now in its fourth decade, a rare achievement for any kind of TV show anywhere. Its 2002-2003 season is being started off with a new production of "The Forsyte Saga," which looks most promising. Still, the series faces an uncertain future in a TV landscape far changed from 1971. Viewers can find high quality programs on innumerable cable and satellite channels, videos, and DVD's and PBS recently logged the worst ratings in its history, prompting its president to openly speculate about the network's viability and even its reason for existence. My advice is to enjoy "Masterpiece Theatre" while you still can."—IMDb²

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