AllMovie

On March 31,1957, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein produced a live, made-for-television version of Cinderella, the classic rags-to-riches story of a young woman oppressed by her wicked step-family. Aired on CBS in what was widely believed to be the network's answer to NBC's Peter Pan, Cinderella starred Julie Andrews in the title role of Cinderella, John Cypher as the Prince, and Edith Adams as the Fairy Godmother. Though the musical was specifically written to showcase Andrews' famous vocal talents, all performances were well-received. Over 107 million television viewers tuned into this live adaptation of Cinderella, giving it the largest audience of the time. Another television version of the classic fairy tale was made in 1997 and featured actress Whoopi Goldberg, as well as musicians Whitney Houston and Brandy.