The brainchild of Ely Landau, The American Film Theater's productions were originally presented as a subscription series in select movie theatres. The Trio salute kicks off with AFT's production of "A Delicate Balance" on Jan. 17 at 9 PM ET. Based on Edward Albee's 1966 play, the film stars Katharine Hepburn and Paul Scofield under the direction of Tony Richardson. Also among the cast are Joseph Cotton, Betsy Blair, Lee Remick and Kate Reid. "Three Sisters" will follow on Jan. 24. This production of Chekhov's classic tale of Olga, Irina and Masha boasts direction by Sir Laurence Olivier and a cast that includes Alan Bates, Derek Jacobi, Jeanne Watts and Louise Parnell. Ionesco's "Rhinoceros" — featuring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder and Karen Black — is scheduled for Jan. 31. Tom O'Horgan directs.

Other titles in the upcoming series include "The Iceman Cometh" (Lee Marvin, Jeff Bridges, Frederick March), "Galileo" (Topol, Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale, Sir John Gielgud, Tom Conti), "The Maids" (Glenda Jackson, Susannah York), "The Homecoming" (Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, Michael Jayston, Vivien Merchant, Terence Rigby, Paul Rogers), "In Celebration" (Bill Owen, Constance Chapman, Alan Bates), "Luther" (Stacy Keach, Patrick Magee, Hugh Griffith, Judi Dench, Robert Stephens), "Butley" (Alan Bates, Jessica Tandy), "The Man in the Glass Booth" (Maximilian Schell, Lois Nettleton, Luther Adler, Lawrence Pressman), "Philadelphia: Here I Come" (Siobhan McKenna, Donal McCann, Des Cave) and two musical entries: "Lost in the Stars" and "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris."

For more information about the Trio network and its salute to the American Film Theater, visit www.triotv.com.