Raymond Raikes

Raymond Raikes died on October 2nd. 1998, aged 88. Born in September, 1910, he became interested in theatre, and was much encouraged by his father, who, in 1925, built a small private theatre in the family home in Upper Norwood. Raymond read English at Oxford and, in the early 1930s, became a professional actor. When "resting", he produced plays at the Upper Norwood house.

In 1939, Alvar Lidell told Raikes of a competition to select announcers for the forthcoming BBC Forces Programme. This was won jointly by Raymond (whose BBC career started on 22 April, 1940) and one Franklin Engelmann.

He resumed his BBC career after WW2 service in December, 1946. In his element as a Producer of drama, joining the Daily Serial Unit, starting with 'The Robinson Family' and transferring to 'Dick Barton, Special Agent', for which he discovered a method of playing music and sound effects into the studio so that the actors could react to the sound without waiting for a cue light.

He graduated to Wednesday and Saturday Matinées ands then to his first Saturday Night Theatre, with his own adaptation of "The Light of Heart" by Emlyn Williams (broadcast on 20 March, 1948 - R.B.). His knowledge of French led to his first production for The Third Programme of "The Master of Santiago" by Henri de Montherlant, and he also produced 'Eurydice' by Jean Anouilh, which was that writer's first play to be heard on radio.

Many of Raikes's productions were for The National Theatre Of The Air. This was one of his own ideas, and opened with his production of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera". In 1956, he suggested and planned a series entitled "The First Stage", which covered English drama from its very beginnings up to (bit not including) Shakespeare, a 13-part series, followed by another - "British Drama, 1600-1642". He won the Prix Italia in 1965 with his stereo production of "The Foundling" by Peter Gurney and the RAI Italiana Prize for an abridgement of "The Anger of Achilles" by Robert Graves. This resulted in his being asked to produce, in stereo, "The Man Born To Be King" by Dorothy L. Sayers.

Raymond Raikes retired in 1975, when it was considered that, over 30 years, he had contributed more to the country's education in drama than anyone else.

R.B. 1998, with most of the information taken from "The Stage"

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SOME OF RAYMOND RAIKES' PLAYS



The Ringer....1973
By Edgar Wallace, adapted and produced by Raymond Raikes. R4 9 Jun 73.
Narrator/Pianist........................................David Davis
Det. Insp. Wemburya..................................Alexander John
Det. Insp. Bliss...................................Geoffrey Collins
Col. Walford/Watchman/Laugher........................Peter Williams
Samuel Hackitt..........................................Bill Fraser
Maurice Meister.......................................Alan Wheatley
Mary Lenley.............................................Kate Binchy
Dr. Lomond..............................................Fraser Kerr
Cora Ann Milton........................................Sandra Clark
John Lenley............................................John Forrest
Phone Operator/Woman's Voice...........................Julie Hallam
Stn. Sgt. Carter......................................Vernon Joyner
Det. Sgt. Brown/Driver.................................Robin Browne
D.C. Field..............................................John Samson
PC Atkins..............................................Nigel Graham

SIR GAWAINE AND THE GREEN KNIGHT....1972
Dec 72; for full write-up see Gil Swain's page: click on Gawaine.


Amphitryon 2....1972

A Roman Comedy by Plautus (c. 255 - 184 BC). Translated by Patric Dickinson. 14 Jan 1972. Music by Thomas Eastwood.

Norman Shelley and Howard Marion Crawford as the Two Amphitryons;
Jupiter Norman Shelley Mercury Allan McClelland, Sessia, Amphitryon's servant Geoffrey Matthews, Alcmena, Amphitryon's wife Valerie Hanson, Amphitryon Howard Marion Crawford, Bromnia, Alcmena's maid Penelope Lee. A section of the New Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Harry Newstone,
Producer Raymond Raikes.


"The Daring Dexters"....1947

Introduced in the Light Programme on Monday 2 June, 1947 (incidentally in the middle of one of the fiercest early summer heatwaves on record) as a summer fill-in for "Dick Barton", written by Geoffrey Webb, produced by Raymond Raikes. The adventures of a family of circus trapeze artists, featuring Granville Eves, James Viccars, Olive Kirby, Franklyn Bellamy, Charles Lamb and John Sharpe, among others. The signature tune was "London Playhouse", composed by Sidney Torch and played by Torch and The New Century Orchestra on Francis Day & Hunter 78 rpm record no. FDH.008.