1961 Radio Plays
FOR ELISE....1961
By Kenneth Bird. A play rooted in the Second World War, but taking place many years later. An atrocity takes place in a concentration camp, and a survivor, with some co-conspirators, finds a way of evening the score. 19 Aug 61, Home Service. With Sebastian Shaw, Ernst Ullman.John Wise, Felix Felton, Irene Prador, Peter Wilde; directed by Hugh Stewart.
The Intervener
By Donald Wilson,Home,21.10.1961, Stephen Murray/Monica Grey
Man With A Background Of Flames
By Richard Johns,Home,23.9.1961, Frank Partington/Grizelda Hervey
Doctor Jo
By Joan Morgan,Home,16.9.1961, Freda Jackson/Laidman Browne/Gladys Young
A Picture Of Autumn
By N.C. Hunter,Home,9.9.1961, Sybil Thorndike/Lewis Casson
Daughters In Law
By Henry Cecil,Home,2.9.1961, Cecil Parker/Naunton Wayne
Sweet Sorrow
By Ronald Barnes,Home,12.8.1961, Ruth Dunning/Hamilton Dyce/Mary O'Farrell
. In spite of some rather old-fashioned acting, this story of love, intrigue
and murder has its moments.
SOMEONE TO TALK TO....1961
By John Hynam, 5 Aug 61. Saturday Matinee. A widower advertises for a housekeeper, against the wishes of his daughter, who wants to inherit his money. Valerie Scarden, Wilfred Pickles, Joyce Adcock, James Mellor, Ella Atkinson. Producer Alfred Bradley. This is a superb production. The performances of Pickles as the wise old man (actually he's only in his late 50s) and Valeria Scarden as the objectionable daughter are noteworthy.
The Hound Of The Baskervilles
....1961
By Arthur Conan Doyle,Home,5.8.1961, Carleton Hobbs/Norman Shelley
BREAK FOR COMMERCIALS....1961
8 Jul 61, Saturday Night Theatre. 75m. Home Service. By Gyles Adams. A popular actress has married an unknown portrait painter, and given up her career on stage. The painter is still largely unknown, but he makes a living. Social story. Adapted for radio by Cynthia Pughe. With Brenda Bruce, Hugh Sinclair, Sheila Grant, Dorthy Holmes-Gore, Phoebe Kershaw, Hugh Dickson. Director - nk.
The Storm
By H.L.V. Fletcher,Home,6.5.1961, Mary Wimbush/Oscar Quitak. Old -
fashioned thriller. Appalling weather; snowed in ... who is
the murderer?
THE FIRST TRAIN HOME....1961
3.6.1961. By Ronnie Balls. With Frank Wolsey, Ronnie Balls, Gordon Kerry, Alan Devereux.
Recording sent by George Balls, grandson of Ronnie Balls, who also played the part of the Skipper in the radio play - one of the fishermen who took part in "D-Day".
George writes: My grandfather was an owner/skipper of a herring drifter in Great Yarmouth. He was also a researcher, raconteur, and author of books and articles about fishing. He was awarded the MBE for his work in 1950. He also took part in the Radio Ballard “Singing The Fishing”:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/genres/folk/aod.shtml?radio2/r2_singingthefishing#
Ronnie died in 1966.
THE DEVOTED COMPANION....1961
By Rex Batten. Saturday Matinee, Home Service 27 May 61; 1410 WS.
THE CRIPPLED TANKER....1961
By D. A. Rayner. SNT, Home Service, Sat 1 Apr 1961, 8.30pm.
This rousing World War II tale is set in February 1943. H.M.S. destroyer 'Hecate' is pulled out of convoy escort duty to tow the crippled (and abandoned) Greek tanker 'Antioch' 500 miles across the North Atlantic from the spot where she had been attacked by a German wolfpack to the safety of a British port. The 'Antioch', at 15,000 tons, had been the largest ship in her convoy and her cargo of four million gallons of high-octane petroleum (enough to send 2,000 Wellington bombers to Berlin and back) is of vital importance to Britain's wartime economy.
Initially angered by their rather inglorious assignment, the warship's officers and crew slowly begin to take pride in their towing assignment as they try and fend off a German U-boat and a succession of Luftwaffe warplanes after the 'Antioch' and 'Hecate' are spotted by a German reconnaissance airplane....
Adapted by Kenneth Langmaid from D. A. Rayner's 1960 novel, "The Crippled Tanker".
Hugh Dickson ............................... Lieutenant Craven
Godfrey Kenton ............................ Captain Morgan, Senior Officer of 40th Escort Group
David Enders ................................ Commander Ransom
Brewster Mason ........................... Commander Morrell of H.M.S. destroyer, 'Hecate'
William Eedle ................................ Lieutenant-Commander Bill Wheeler of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Nigel Anthony ............................... Lieutenant Masters, Pilot on H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Michael Turner .............................. Lieutenant King of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Eric Woodburn ............................. Surgeon Lieutenant Macmillan of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Haydn Jones ................................. Signalman of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Keith Buckley ............................... Kirby, Commander Morrell's Servant
Antony Viccars ............................. Seaman Pengelley of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Jon Rollason .................................. Torpedoman Simpson of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Rodney Bewes .............................. Seaman Anders of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Derek Blomfield ............................ Mr. Hart, Engine Room Rating on H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Tom Watson ................................. Mr. Gray (Gunner) of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
Keith Williams ............................... Signalman White of H.M.S. 'Hecate'
John G. Heller ............................... German Pilot
Frederick Schrecker ...................... U-Boat Captain
Rolf Lefebvre ................................ U-Boat Navigator
Hugh Manning ............................... German Admiral
Carl Duering .................................. Herr Spichern
Rudolf Offenbach .......................... Chief-of-Staff
Other parts were played by members of the cast. Produced by Archie Campbell. Note: According to the “Radio Times”, Ransom was played by Ralph Hallett, so there must have been a last-minute cast change as the end credits list David Enders in that role.
The Truth Game
By Ivor Novello/Mollie Greenhalgh,Home,25.3.1961, Ivor Novello/Vanessa Lee/Ivy St. Helier. Rather strange domestic play.
THE ADMINISTRATOR....1961
By Louis MacNeice. Jerry is an atomic scientist. He faces a common dilemna - if he is to get on in his profession, the career structure demands that he spends an increasing amount of time on administration, and less on science. It also requires him to become an agent of the misdirection of atomic energy for harmful uses. His indecision becomes acute when a new management position becomes available, which his wife wants him to accept.
DUNE ROLLER....1961
By Julian May, Home Service, 26 Jan 61.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
