When Alcoa transferred its dramatic efforts from Sunday (The Alcoa Hour) to Monday nights on 7 October 1957, several major changes were made.
A rotating company of five stars was introduced, and the format was reduced from a full hour live to half an hour on film.
The rotating stars were David Niven, Robert Ryan, Jane Powell, Jack Lemmon and Charles Boyer.
Though the quality remained high, the show had a less spectacular air. Many of the presentations were dramas, with titles such as On Edge, Circumstantial, In The Dark and Ten Miles To Doomsday.
There were occasional light comedies as well.
In 1958, the rotating stars were dropped and the programme became a true anthology once again, featuring such varied talents as Janet Blair, John Cassavetes, Jack Carson, Cliff Robertson, Agnes Moorhead, Walter Slezak and Gary Merrill, among others.
Throughout its run, Alcoa Theatre was seen on alternate weeks.
During its first four months, it alternated with Goodyear Theatre under the umbrella title, A Turn Of Fate.
