On this date in Maine history: Dec. 11
By Joseph Owen
World premiere of Peyton Place in Camden on Dec. 11, 1957.
Courier Gazette photo
Dec. 11, 1957: The iconic film “Peyton Place,” whose title entered the English language as a synonym for a community full of tawdry secrets, holds its premiere in Camden, where much of it was filmed.
The Camden Theater hosts a capacity crowd of 610, including celebrities chased by searchlights, for two showings of the movie, which is based on the best-selling novel by New Hampshire native Grace Metalious.
Husband-and-wife actors Gary Merrill and Bette Davis, who do not appear in the movie but who are both Maine residents, introduce the celebrities, including Camden doughnut queen Ellen Cooper.