Leslie Megahey Radio Plays
Leslie Megahey was a radio producer, director of television arts documentaries and a writer.
His Guardian obituary is here: OBIT
Leslie Megahey was born in Belfast on 22 Dec 1944 and educated at King Edward VI grammar school, Lichfield, where he performed with the dramatic society. Then he studied English at Pembroke College, Oxford, before joining the BBC as a general trainee in 1965. Within a year, he was a radio producer, first working on the comedy Fault on the Line with Beryl Reid and Patricia Hayes, then on a string of plays. In 1967 he moved to television. He died on 27 August 2022.
NOTES ON SOME OF THE RADIO WORK
AS RADIO PRODUCER
FAULT ON THE LINE… 1966
BBC Home Service Basic 22 April 1966. A radio comedy by Jennifer Phillips.
A PLAY FOR TUESDAY… 1967
BBC Home Service Basic Tuesday 8 August 1967. A Day in Bed by Andrew Davies with Ian Carmichael
"Dear Sir,
The radio set I purchased from you in March is defective in its reception. It only broadcasts insults directed at my own person.
Yours faithfully...."
MR. SYLVESTER… 1966
BBC Home Service Basic Afternoon Theatre Wednesday 18 May 1966. Nora Nicholson, Valentine Dyall and Eric Anderson in Mr. Sylvester. A comedy-thriller by Eric Parrott. The number of people affected by Mr. Sylvester's sinister little hobby is quite extraordinary ...... but when Miss Farley is out to beat a blackmailer she takes a leaf from the book of every TV detective in the business.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME… 1966
BBC Home Service Basic Afternoon Theatre Wednesday 30 November 1966.
By Gerry Jones, with Kenneth Griffith, June Tobin, Jean Anderson. ' We're all allowed one final silliness, Miss Bryant, before old age embraces us. This was my silliness, my once in a lifetime silliness - and now it's over.' Other parts played by members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company.
POINTS OF DEPARTURE… 1966
BBC Home Service Basic Friday 16 September 1966. A series of five plays based on unexpected moments in the lives of ordinary people. Play no. 5: The Hunt, by Leonard Green.
' I'm going right towards him... try the other way ... they can see in the dark and if I stand still they can smell me. I've had it...'
With Melvyn Hayes as Sam, Terry Scully as George, Henry Stamper as Reg.
' Where is Reg. by the way? I haven't seen him since I got out of the wood last night.'
Special effects by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
ESCAPE… 1966
The Light Programme Monday 4 July 1966. A new series of plays, each of which tells the story of an escape.
Cold Storage by Leslie Darbon with Harry Towb and Derek Nimmo. Both the Cops and the Robbers alike fall foul of Kelly, the world's worst nightwatchman. And the clock ticks its way towards an icy death. Music played by Alfie Khan.
ARCHIVE ON 4… 2016
BBC Radio 4 Saturday 6 August 2016. Tolkien: The Lost Recordings. Tolkien gave the interview for a BBC film in 1968, but only a tiny part of it was used in the broadcast programme. This film was directed by Leslie Megahey, then 23 years old and it was his first film. It was one of only a handful of recorded interviews Tolkien gave, and was also to be his last.
AS WRITER:
TALES OUT OF SCHOOL… 1966
BBC Home Service Basic Tuesday 20 December 1966. 2: Hello There, Patrick Fagin.
Produced by Archie Campbell.
PERSONAL COLUMN… 1967
Light Programme Monday 11 September 1967. For Auld Lang Syne. ' Two ordinary people or two dangerous spies? Two long-dead love affairs or one ready to be born? The world is just full of people telling stories.'
Produced by David Thompson.
JACK – A NIGHT ON THE TOWN… 1994
BBC Radio 4 FM; The Monday Play 12 December 1994. Starring Nicol Williamson.
John Barrymore (1882-1942) was one of the great acting Barrymores. Starting in vaudeville, he played in silent movies and the first talkies and as the great American Hamlet. He led a wild life, and his career was finally destroyed by alcoholism. Nicol Williamson returned to the West End earlier this year with this one-man show. Written by Nicol Williamson and Leslie Megahey. Producer David Benedictus.
Compiled by Alistair Wyper, Diversity website. Thanks, Alistair - Ed.
