1986 Radio Plays
Billy Bunter's Christmas Party ....1986
By "Frank Richards" (Charles Hamilton),R4,13.12.86/1900,Hugh Thomas/Erica Eirian.
A fun romp through Bunter country. 90m. A shame they didn't do more of these.
Recording sent by David Rand, Australia; thanks David.
THE TIME MABEL BECAME AN ANCHORITE....1986
By Janette Walkinshaw, 4 Nov 86. It's not the first time that a peaceful Glaswegian housing estate has been surprised by Mabel - but this looks a bit different. With Crawford Logan, Irene Hanlon, Eileen Nicholas, james Goode, Andrew branch, Avril Clark, John Forrest, Marcus Bell, Stuart Organ, Richard Durden, Tim Reynolds, Suzie Brann, Deborah Makepeace. (Recording sent by Janette - many thanks)
BETWEEN THE GATES....1986
By Hugh Stoddard, 18 Oct 86, SNT, based on the novel by George Lee. 90m. Nicholas Farrell, Edward de Souza. Historical; follows the fortunes of the chancellor and advisor to the Emperor Frederick.
MARGE....1986
By David Parker. With Sally Eldridge, Denis Lill. 27 Sep 86. A pushy businessman, self-
employed, who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing,
not even his wife. She decides to do something useful with her life, so she
applies for a job at the local H.E. College, dealing with "manpower services"
(remember them?) and a class of disadvantaged youngsters who can't
get proper jobs. Interesting, thought-provoking play. recording sent by
Clive Lever; thanks Clive)
All My Sons....1986
by Arthur Miller.
With Harry Towb, Constance Cummings, Garrick Hagon and Beth Porter.
Produced by Martin Jenkins.
First broadcast R4/WS 14-Sep-1986.
Joe Keller...............................................Harry Towb
Kate Keller......................................Constance Cummings
Chris Keller..........................................Garrick Hagon
Ann Deever..............................................Beth Porter
Frank Lubey...........................................Brian Hewlett
Dr. Jim Bayliss.........................................John Church
Sue Bayliss.............................................Carole Boyd
Lydia Lubey.........................................Maggie McCarthy
Bert..................................................Adrian Meyers
George Deever.........................................Tom Hunsinger
Not the sort of play to which one listens for fun. Intense family drama about morals.
THE WELL OF LIFE....1986
By Peter Tegel. 8 Sep 86, Monday Play. The Nazis wanted to breed a master race. The 'Well of Life' was one place where it might have happened. 70m.
CAST:
The Director ... Edward De Souza,
Max ... Steve Hodson,
Children ... Danny Kodicek, Rusty Livingstone, Deborah Makepeace, Clio Tegel, Susan Sheridan, Bernadette Windsor.
Old man ... Garard Green,
Old women ... Joan Matheson, Katherine Parr,
Brown mothers ... Avril Clark, Natasha Pyne,
Racial assessors ... George Parsons, Gordon Reid.
Directed by Richard Wortley.
..............from Wikipedia:
Lebensborn (Spring of Life, in antiquated German) was a Nazi programme set up by SS leader Heinrich Himmler in 1935 that provided maternity homes and financial assistance to the wives of SS members and to unmarried mothers, and also ran orphanages and relocation programmes for children. (GL)
AFTER THE FUNERAL....1986
18 Aug 86; by Peter Barnes. R3, Barnes' People, series 3 no. 1. A black comedy in which Sean Connery, Donald Pleasence and John Hurt play three pimps, lamenting the passing of the First Lady of Brotheldom. Connery plays flesh-ace Harry, a man respected throughout British vice. This is his radio debut, and he flew in from Spain to do the recording. Pleasence travelled from France; Hurt from Chiswick. The producer was Ian Cotterell. 20m. Recording sent by Hans Kieft, Australia; many thanks.
CONFLICT OF DOVES....1986
26 Jul 86. Dramatisation of the events and racial tensions surrounding the Berlin Olympics. By David Buck. Produced by Martin Jenkins. Excellent cast; good dramatisation and story; Leni Riefenstahl the film maker appears as a character in the play. 90m. Monday Play. (recording sent by John Bulow-Osborne)
-
In 1936 Hitler and his staff planned a propaganda coup at the Berlin Olympics. Avery Brundage had helped keep the Americans on board and Hitler counted on a display of Aryan superiority that would be captured on film with consummate artistry by Leni Riefenstahl with a soundtrack by Richard Strauss. The reality proved somewhat different when art, politics and sport came together in the Olympiastadion.
Cast:
Adolf Hitler ........ John Castle,
Leni Riefenstahl ........ Cheryl Campbell ,
Joseph Goebbels ........ Nigel Anthony,
Avery Brundage ........ Don Fellows,
Richard Strauss ........ Michael Gough,
Rudolf Hess ........ Brian Hewlett,
Reinhard Heydrich ...... Stuart Organ,
Julius Streicher ...... John Hollis,
Carl Diem ....... David Buck,
von Tschammer und Osten .... Bernard Brown,
Werner March ....... Manning Wilson,
Willi ....... Tim Reynolds,
Max ....... Jonathan Tafler,
Catering expert ...... Peter Howell,
Anatole/Statistician ...... Andrew Branch.
Producer: Martin Jenkins.
WHAT A SAGA....1986
R4, thirty minute theatre, 1 Jul 86. 11am. By Diana Souhami.
With her dilapidated home falling around her, June Bloom pauses to think: she hasn't had it easy and has come to a crossroad in her saga of married life. She is a fat, 44-year-old woman working at a dead-end job. Her husband, Lewis, lives in the potting shed and can't be described as 'normal' while her 16-year-old daughter, Margery, is pregnant with twins. Margery is not married to nor interested in the 'father', Rick, nor is he interested in her. All around her are only interested in their own problems and expect June to take care of everything else, but it can be too much as June is reaching the end of her tether...
With Prunella Scales [June Bloom], Deborah Makepeace [Margery Bloom, June's 16-year-old Daughter], Kate Williams [Mrs. Gotley, June's Next Door Neighbour], Peter Woodthorpe [Lewis Bloom, June's Husband], and Peter Howell [Mr. Withers, June's Boss]. Directed by Clive Brill.
Re-broadcast on Wednesday 2nd July 1986 @ 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 17th July 1988 @ 2:30 p.m. (....Jim)
TUMBLEDOWN DICK....1986
By Peter Buckman. Monday Play. 2 Jun 86. With Robert Lang as Richard Cromwell, Margaret Rawlings as Mrs Noble, Liza Flanagan as Margaret, John Levitt as Mr Doubleday, Geoffrey Collins as Captain Rolt, Timothy Bateson as Dr Watts, and Jonathan Scott as Deagle.
Dear Octopus ....1986
By Dodie Smith,R4,3.5.86/1900,Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies/Robert Harris.
WHERE ARE YOU, WALLY?....1986
R4, 17 May 86. By Barry Wasserman. When Albert asbsconds with money left in his minicab by a passenger, Det. Sgt. Hardie leads the pursuit. Over the radio late at night, pursuer and fugitive develop a surprising kinship. With Bill Paterson, Alfred Molina and Shaun Prendergast.
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen ....1986
By Alan Garner,R4,5.4.86/1900,Robin Bailey/Andrea Murphy/Mark Kingston. Good children's mystery story.
THE BACK OF THE TIGER....1986
SNT; 15th Mar 86; 8.30pm. Adapted by Jack Gerson from his 1984 novel. On 23rd November 1963, in an empty bar in downtown Dallas, freelance journalist Alec McBride sits alone as a nation mourns the loss of their murdered President the previous day. It was the end for John F. Kennedy, but for Alec it was the beginning - a beginning with no ending. His solitude is punctured by the arrival of a tall stranger with a secret that he cannot keep, a secret that for the next sixteen years leads him across America to the summit of world power in Washington D.C. to tell his story to the House Assassinations Committee - the truth behind President Kennedy's assassination. But there are those who do not want him to tell his story....
With Martin Cochran [Alec McBride], Bob Sherman [Marinker, Managing Editor], Gaye Baynes [Sonia Sandrup], Ed Bishop ['Bunker' Hayward], Bruce Boa [Clyde Ansen, an Old Chicago Reporter], Stuart Milligan [Billy Sandrup, Sonia's Brother], Gary Waldhorn [John Roselli], Nancy Gair [Dorrie (Dorothy) Macklen née Ansen, Clyde's Daughter], Tom Hunsinger ['Hy' Skyler, a Dallas Crime Reporter], Don Fellows [Stanley (Sidney) Dorfman, President of Trans-Texacan Oil], and Paul Maxwell [Senator Newbury]. Other parts played by members of the cast. Directed by Peter King. Re-broadcast on Monday 22 Nov 93, 2:00 p.m. (30th Anniversary of Kennedy's Assassination). Note: The first name of the President of Trans-Texacan Oil, Stanley Dorfman (14:22 into play) changes to Sidney 53:50 into the play.........(notes by Jim)
FOR KING AND COUNTRY....1986
BBC WS Play of the Week 21.01.1986. Written by John Wilson. With David Threlfall and David Timson. Adapted for radio by Geoffrey Siegel. BBC World Service Drama production, directed by Gordon House.
DATES NK
NEVER COME BACK....1986
By John Mair. .....Strangely, I was not too happy with this on first hearing and almost wiped it. I am so glad I kept it. Colin Douglas is excellent as the Chairman of "The Organisation" - deep Northern gravelly voice with a suitable whine when uncovered and threatened. The hero, played by Gareth Armstrong, is laconically and edgily good. Of course, the truth is that this story has not got a hero. Published in 1942, this is an example of an early "anti-hero". Julian Symons, quoted in 'Radio Times' in November, 1986, refers to this story (republished with his support by Oxford Publications in 1986) as being remarkable "because it introduces the first anti-hero in Crime Fiction, the cynical smart-alec, Desmond Thane". The producer was Gerry Jones. ............. - Donald Campbell.
A photograph of Lindsey Mowatt....1986
By Ellen Dryden. A rather claustrophobic, unsettling
play about an au pair who works with a difficult couple
who have been married for many years. With Angela
Pleasance, Alan Rowe, Isobel Dean.
MRS. MORGENSTERN'S BAD BARGAINS....1986
By David Bean. Thirty ruffians are to be marched across
Portugal to the British front lines during the Peninsula War. The 16-year
old in charge has the confidence of ignorance. His sergeant is
more realistic. But they attract a follower - whose quality is
surprising and unpredictable.
Cast: Sandra Clark as Biddy Morgenstern, Christian
Rodska as Sergeant Wainwright; also stars Nicholas Fry, Stephen Boxer,
Paul Elsam, Shaun Prendergast (as "Jimmy Nezz", aka Jiminez);
directed by Tony Cliff; BBC Manchester. Two separate recordings sent by D.Brownstein from Israel and David Carvin from England;
many thanks.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Most of the above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
