Who has played Peter Pan on stage?

In a nod to the original play, and the pantomime tradition it derives from, the title role of Peter Pan in the musical has usually been played by a woman, including Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby , among others.

Why is Peter Pan played by a girl on stage?

Frohman reasoned that a man would be wrong for the part, and if they cast a boy, the other children “would have to be scaled down in proportion.” English law prohibited the use of minors under 14 on stage after 9 p.m. So a woman it was.

Who played Peter Pan on Broadway in the 1970s?

The actress best known for playing Peter Pan on stage was Cathy Rigby , who was a twenty-year-old retired gymnast when she was first cast as Peter in 1974.

Who played the best Peter Pan?

1. Bobby Driscoll , Peter Pan (1953) True, the Disney version deviates from its source material in a few major ways. But Driscoll's iconic performance truly embodies the spirit of Barrie's most famous creation.

Who plays older Peter Pan?

Robbie Kay is a British actor whose credits include Fugitive Pieces, Heroes Reborn, Pinocchio, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Peter Pan in the Once Upon a Time television series.

Who did Johnny Depp play in Peter Pan?

On the other hand, many of the film's qualities are too strong to falter, starting with another fascinating man-child performance by Johnny Depp as Barrie ."

Was Peter Pan originally a girl?

Traditionally, the character has been played on stage by a petite adult woman . In the original productions in the UK, Peter Pan's costume was a reddish tunic and dark green tights, such as that worn by Nina Boucicault in 1904. This costume is exhibited at Barrie's Birthplace.

Is Nana in Peter Pan a girl?

Nana is a St. Bernard who appears in Disney's 1953 animated feature film Peter Pan. She is the Darling family's nursemaid.

Who played Peter Pan in the 50s?

Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan, a co*cky and adventurous leader of the Lost Boys of Never Land, who never grows up.

Who was the very first Peter Pan?

The original stage production of Peter Pan took place at the Duke of York Theatre in London, on 27 December 1904. It starred Gerald du Maurier as Captain Hook (doubling up as Mr Darling) and Nina Boucicault as Peter.

What happened to the boy who played Peter Pan?

A post mortem examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by advanced atherosclerosis from his drug use. No identification was on the body, and photos shown around the neighborhood yielded no positive identification.

Who were the female Peter Pans on Broadway?

From 1904 and 1905, when Nina Boucicault played Peter in London and Maude Adams played him in New York, Broadway, London and New York have most always featured female Peter Pans, from Pauline Chase in 1906 to Betty Bronson in a 1924 silent film to Jean Arthur, Mary Martin, Mia Farrow, Cathy Rigby and Sandy Duncan.

Who played the most recent Peter Pan?

Alexander Molony plays Peter Pan.

Here's All the Actors Who Played Peter On Screen and On Stage (2024)

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As Peter Pan fans await “Peter Pan & Wendy,” Hollywood’s latest adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s beloved tale, it may make one wonder just how many times the fictional character’s story has been told. From Broadway plays to televised events to a Robin Williams-led and Stephen Spielberg-directed “Hook,” playing Peter Pan never gets old.

Peter Pan was created by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barries, who crafted the character from several inspirations, which included his personal aversion to adulthood, and a boy named Peter Llewelyn Davies, whom he befriended and later adopted after growing close to his family.

Peter Pan made his first appearance in Barrie’s 1902 novel “The Little White Bird.” The writer then adapted the flying boy’s story into a play titled “Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” in 1904. Peter Pan was then turned into a book in 1911, originally titled “Peter and Wendy,” but it was later popularized as “Peter Pan.”

Though it’s taken many shapes, “Peter Pan” keeps its narrative foundation, as the tale about a mischievous young boy who can fly, never grows up and spends his life going on adventures with the “Lost Boys” of Neverland. The role of Peter Pan has been traditionally played by women, with Nina Boucicault being the first person to ever portray him in 1904 on the theater stage. But as our 22-person list will show you, Hollywood can’t stay away from Neverland.

Here are all the actors who have had a major role as Peter Pan in chronological order.

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Betty Bronson — “Peter Pan” (1924)

During the silent movie era, J.M. Barrie handpicked actress Betty Bronson to play Peter Pan in a silent adaptation of “Peter Pan” and this was the first time the fictional character appeared in cinema. The film, “Peter Pan,” was released by Paramount Pictures on December 29, 1924.

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Jean Forbes-Robertson (1927)

In 1927, Jean Forbes-Robertson portrayed Peter Pan in the play Peter Pan, which she would continue to play annually during the Christmas season until 1935, and again from 1938 to 1939 in London.

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Jean Arthur — “Peter Pan” (1950)

As Bronson was the first to bring “Peter Pan” to film, Jean Arthur was the first to bring the character to Broadway. Arthur was nearly 50 years old when she took on the role for the play, which featured music and lyrics from Leonard Bernstein. The production, which opened on April 24, 1950, had 321 performances.

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Bobby Driscoll — “Peter Pan” (1953)

Bobby Driscoll may very well be the best-known Peter Pan. He was the animation model for the character and voiced the flying boy in Walt Disney’s animated film “Peter Pan,” which made its premiere on February 5, 1953.

See Also

Analysis of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan

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Blayne Weaver — “Return to Never Land” (2002)

Blayne Weaver became the new era’s voice of Peter Pan when he played the character in Disney’s next-generation sequel “Return to Neverland.” Today, his likeness will truly never leave the faraway place as it can be heard from Peter Pan characters and attractions in theme parks. “Return to Neverland” came out on February 10, 2002.

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Rick Sparks — “Neverland” (2003)

In an indie film version of Peter Pan, entitled “Neverland,” Rick Sparks plays a teenaged Peter Pan who leads his group of “lost boys” as they venture through a shut down amusem*nt park named Neverland. The film was directed by Damion Dietz and stands as a darker and more modern retelling of the film, featuring themes that highlight the natural fear of aging. It was released June 11, 2003.

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Jeremy Sumpter — “Peter Pan”(2003)

In 2003, writers P.J. Hogan and Michael Goldenberg adapted the story of “Peter Pan” in the live-action feature “Peter Pan.” Jeremy Sumpter, who is likely the first child to play the character in a live-action role, was cast in the film, which premiered December 13, 2003. During filming, Sumpter got older and grew so much in stature that the window Peter Pan flies out of had to be enlarged twice, according to film producer Lucy Fisher.

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Freddie Highmore — “Finding Neverland” (2004)

“Finding Neverland” is a semi-autobiographical film about a part of “Peter Pan” creator J.M Barrie’s life. The film stars Johnny Depp, who plays Barrie, alongside Freddie Highmore. Highmore plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the real-life inspiration behind Barrie’s fictional story character. The film came out on November 12, 2004.

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Kelly MacDonald — “Finding Neverland” (2004)

Another version of Peter Pan in “Finding Neverland” was portrayed by Kelly MacDonald in the film, which was a semi-autobiographical film about “Peter Pan” creator J.M. Barrie’s life. In the movie, MacDonald was an actress who was cast to play Peter in the play that’s featured in the film. “Finding Neverland” came out on November 12, 2004.

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Charlie Rowe — “Neverland” (2011)

On December 4, 2011, SyFy released a miniseries entitled “Neverland” that stood as a prequel for Peter Pan’s story. In the show, Peter Pan and his thieving friends are enlisted by Jimmy Hook to steal a magical orb that takes them to a fantasy world called Neverland. Charlie Rowe, who starred in “Red Band Society,” carries the Peter Pan role.

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Ben Whishaw — “Peter and Alice” (2013)

The play “Peter and Alice” told what-if story of Peter Llewelyn Davies and Alice Liddell Hargreaves meeting in 1932 London. Hargreaves was the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s Alice in his book “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” “Peter and Alice” made its debut on March 25, 2013.

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Robbie Kay — “Once Upon a Time” (2013)

ABC’s fairy-tale series brought together modern life and fantasy. The show premiered on October 23, 2011, and ran for seven seasons. Robbie Kay appears as a villainous Peter Pan in the episode called “Going Home” in the show’s third season.

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Kyle Walters — “The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy” (2014)

In the webseries “The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy,” Kyle Walters plays a nearly 30-year-old Peter who portrays the story of Pan through the made-up town of Neverland, Ohio. The series premiered in 2014 and ran for three seasons.

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Allison Williams — “Peter Pan Live!” (2014)

“M3GAN” star Allison Williams joined the list of actresses to be cast as Peter Pan for the stage when she took the role in NBC’s televised special “Peter Pan Live!” The event, which was executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, aired on December 4, 2014.

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Levi Miller — “Pan” (2015)

The most recent adaptation of Peter Pan’s story is the 2015 film “Pan,” starring Levi Miller. The film, which premiered on October 9, 2015 told the imagined story of Peter Pan’s early beginnings as an orphan in London.

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Alexander Molony — “Peter Pan & Wendy” (2023)

Like the many tales told before, Peter Pan and Wendy’s story will be refreshed once again in “Peter Pan & Wendy,” starring Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, and Ever Gabo Anderson as Wendy. Yara Shahidi was cast as Tinker Bell, making her the first Black person to carry the role. The film is set to come out April 28, 2023.

Here's All the Actors Who Played Peter On Screen and On Stage (2024)

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