Abstract: A printing and displaying apparatus for printing characters on a heat-sensitive recording medium and, at the same time, providing a visual display of printed characters to permit visual observation of the state of printing. The apparatus comprises a transparent platen having a surface area larger than the area of one frame of the recording medium which is brought into engagement at its heat-sensitive surface with the associated surface of the platen, and a thermal printing head making printing engagement with the non-heat-sensitive surface of the recording medium. The thermal printing head is carried by a carriage which is mounted on supporting means supporting the carriage so as to be movable in both the row direction and the column direction. This supporting means is controlled by drive means and drive control means so that the printing head can be moved to any desired position within the extent of one frame of the recording medium.