.WG ON THE BBC, 1947-2017. A doubtless incomplete listing of BBC television nd rdio brodcsts feturing either WG himself or his work. (A) TELEVISION (T1) BBC Two's Midnight Movie from 23.20 on Sturdy 25 December 1971 Christms Dy tret for film fns ws the UK network premiere of MARNIE (1964) strring Sen Connery nd Tippi Hedren (below). Mrgret Edgr is beutiful, clever nd n expert thief. Her crimes nd her htred of men re the result of deep-rooted neurosis which welthy publisher Mrk Rutlnd is determined to unrvel. Discovering her criminl ctivities, he forces her into loveless mrrige nd sets bout investigting her mysterious pst. The results re even more terrifying thn they both imgine. Screenply by Jy Presson Allen, bsed on the 1961 novel by WINSTON GRAHAM. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. The film ws screened on BBC One or Two thrice in the seventies, thrice in the eighties nd four times in the nineties tht's ten showings in ll.
(T2) On Sturdy 13 Jnury 1973 from 23.20, BBC Two's Midnight Movie ws NIGHT WITHOUT STARS (1951) strring Dvid Frrr (below) nd Ndi Gry with Murice Teync, June Clyde, Gilles Quént nd Gérrd Lndry. The film ws reprised on BBC One from 14.20 on Fridy 15 June 1990. A BBC: Nerly blinded, Giles Gordon derives fresh hope from the girl he meets in the South of Frnce nd determines to solve the sinister mystery tht soon divides them. Leonrd Mltin: Adequte mystery with prtilly blind lwyer Frrr becoming involved with Gry, nd murder. **½ Hlliwell's Film Guide: A blind lwyer solves the deth of tritor. Enervted romntic melodrm. WG (in Memoirs):... fter I hd gone [brod] Tony Pelissier hd decided he didn't like my screenply nd hd rewritten it s he thought best... The whole film... turned out disster. Screenply by WINSTON GRAHAM from his own novel. Director: Anthony Pelissier.
(T3) On BBC One from Sundy 5 October 1975 to Sundy 18 Jnury 1976, in sixteen weekly episodes ired from 19.25 to 20.15: POLDARK (BBC in ssocition with London Film Productions Ltd, Series One) A romntic seril set in Cornwll of the 1780s, bsed on THE FIRST FOUR POLDARK NOVELS of WG, with Robin Ellis s Ross nd Anghrd Rees s Demelz. From fighting in the Americn Wr of Independence, Ross Poldrk returns home to Cornwll to inherit house, lnd, nd two idle copper mines. He returns lso to Elizbeth the girl he is to mrry. But Ross hd been reported ded nd others hve lid clim to the house, the mines, even to Elizbeth!Ross nd Demelz! Writers: Jck Pulmn (prts 1-4), Pul Wheeler (5-8), Peter Drper (9-12) nd Jck Russell (13-16). Script editor Simon Msters. Directors: Christopher Brry (1-4), Pul Annett (5-8 nd 13-16) nd Kenneth Ives (9-12). The series ws repeted on BBC One t 19.15 from Mondy 3 Jnury to Mondy 25 April 1977 nd gin on BBC Two t 16.35 in two eight-prt hlves from Mondy 26 October to Mondy 14 December 1987, then from Mondy 11 Jnury to Mondy 29 Februry 1988. The first episode only ws ired on BBC Four t 19.10 on Sundy 17 Februry 2008.
(T4) Strring Dvid Hemmings nd Smnth Eggr (below), with Emlyn Willims, Phyllis Clvert, Ferdy Myne nd Frncesc Annis, THE WALKING STICK (1970) mde its UK network debut on BBC One from 21.25 on Mondy 8 Mrch 1976, with second screening from 22.50 on Fridy 25 September 1981. Deborh Dinton, vluer of ntiques for firm of uctioneers, hs wlked with stick since contrcting polio s child. Self-conscious bout her hndicp, she t first rejects the dvnces of Leigh Hrtley, young pinter. But Leigh is persistent nd soon frgile, uncertin reltionship develops between them. Screenply by George Bluestone, bsed on WINSTON GRAHAM's 1967 novel. Director: Eric Till. (NOTE: 1947 film TAKE MY LIFE, co-scripted by WG, ws brodcst on number of independent regionl TV sttions in the period 1977-1982, nd probbly more recently lso. Similrly, 1957's FORTUNE IS A WOMAN, bsed on his 1952 novel, ppered on commercil TV in the period 1967-1972, but neither hs fetured on the BBC. 1962's CARNIVAL OF CRIME seems to hve been ignored by ll.)
(T5) On BBC One from Sundy 11 September to Sundy 4 December 1977 in thirteen weekly episodes ired from 19.15 to 20.10: POLDARK (BBC in ssocition with London Film Productions Ltd, Series Two) Bsed on THE FIFTH TO SEVENTH POLDARK NOVELS of Winston Grhm, with Robin Ellis, Anghrd Rees, Jill Townsend, Rlph Btes nd Judy Geeson. Trenwith hs been burned to the ground. Seven months lter Ross returns from the wr to find George nd Elizbeth Wrleggn hve tken over Penrice nd with it Gret Aunt Agth Poldrk. The feud between George nd Ross is rekindled... Jill Townsend nd Rlph Btes s Elizbeth nd George Writers: Alexnder Bron (prts 1-5), John Wiles (6-9) nd Mrtin Worth (10-13). Directors: Philip Dudley (1-5 nd 10-13) nd Roger Jenkins (6-9). It is worth noting tht the first series of Poldrk, designedly written s "romp" but from which WG distnced himself, ws eventully brodcst three times by the BBC, wheres the second rther less exubernt series, in the production of which WG ws quite closely involved, ws never repeted even once.
(T6) On BBC One t 19.00 on Mondy 1 Februry 1988: WOGAN Cht show host Terry Wogn's guests included WINSTON GRAHAM nd Robin Ellis (below, right), ppering together pprently to give boost to udience numbers for the first series of Poldrk then nering the end of its second nd lst repet run, iring on Mondys t 16.35 ( strnge slot choice) on BBC Two. WG: In the second series there ws gret sort of pressure by vrious people on the set, ctors nd others, tht I should tke prt, do Hitchcock on it, you see, so they put me in s yeomn frmer greeting clergymn s he cme into church, you see, nd wht I hd to sy ws "Mornin', Zur!" nd I did it very well, I thought I don't think even Robin or Olivier could hve done better with the shortness of the script. But when it cme out, I wsn't in it.
(T7) On BBC Four from 20.00 to 20.30 on Sundy 17 Februry 2008, with repets the next dy t 19.30 nd on Tuesdy 9 June 2009 t 22.00: THE CULT OF SUNDAY NIGHT, episode 3 (of 8): POLDARK How the drm becme success, despite behind-the-scenes rows nd Winston Grhm's refusl to llow the BBC to crete their own storylines. Though there is no rchivl udio or video footge of WG here, the progrmme, which comprises clips from episodes intercut with insightful contributions from prticipting ctors, writers, directors nd viewers, is both entertining nd very informtive regrding the production of the two BBC mid-70s series. "He would hve liked to cncel the thing, but he couldn't," Christopher Brry sid of WG's response to reding Jck Pulmn's scripts. We lern tht Robin Ellis ws considered for the prt of Ross only fter Leigh Lwson, Timothy Dlton nd In McShne hd ll declined, while, in contrst, Norm Streder wrote to producer Morris Brry sking to be uditioned for Verity nd lnded the prt just like tht. Rlph Btes "George" is declred "former Hmmer horror str". We discover, too, why the distinct Cornish ccent essyed by Dr Enys in erly episodes vnishes bruptly nd completely mid-series; lso why ctor Richrd Mornt chose not to reprise the prt in S2 (with his replcement's first line: "I'm not the sme mn who went wy!"). Mornt nonetheless considered the production " highpoint of TV drm" view, (T8) to (T10) below notwithstnding, surely shred by mny.
(T8) On BBC One t 20.00 from Sundy 8 Mrch to Sundy 26 April 2015: POLDARK (Mmmoth Screen, Series One) Eight 60 minute episodes dpted by Debbie Horsfield (below, right) from THE FIRST TWO POLDARK NOVELS, strring Aidn Turner s Ross, Elenor Tomlinson s Demelz, Jck Frthing (below, left) s George, Heid Reed s Elizbeth nd Kyle Soller s Frncis. Directors: Ed Bzlgette (1-4) nd Willim McGregor (5-8). (T9) On BBC One t 20.00 from Sundy 4 September to Sundy 6 November 2016: POLDARK (Mmmoth Screen, Series Two) This time, ten 60 minute episodes, presenting THE THIRD AND FOURTH POLDARK NOVELS, gin dpted for the screen by Debbie Horsfield. Directors: Will Sinclir (1-4), Chrles Plmer (5-8) nd Richrd Senior (9-10). (T10) On BBC One t 20.00 from Sundy 11 June to Sundy 6 August 2017: POLDARK (Mmmoth Screen, Series Three) Another nine 60 minute instlments from the pen of Debbie Horsfield, this time dpting ALL OF THE FIFTH AND PART OF THE SIXTH POLDARK NOVELS (i.e. The Blck Moon nd The Four Swns). Directors: Joss Agnew (1-2 nd 6-9) nd Stephen Woolfenden (3-5). Series Four, bsed on THE REMAINDER OF THE FOUR SWANS PLUS ALL OF POL- DARK #7 (The Angry Tide) will ir in 2018.
(B) RADIO Wht ws the BBC Home Service becme BBC Rdio 4 (herefter R4) in 1967. At the sme time, the Light Progrmme becme BBC Rdio 2 (R2). Lunched in 2002, digitl sttion BBC 7 ws renmed BBC Rdio 7 in 2008 nd then BBC Rdio 4 Extr in 2011. (R1) On Tuesdy 15 July 1947 t 16.40, Stories Old nd New on the Home Service presented THE CORNISH FARM red by Ronld Simpson. (R2) A drmtistion by Denzil Roberts in six 30 minute episodes of THE LITTLE WALLS ired on the Light Progrmme weekly t 20.00 from Thursdy 4 October to Thursdy 8 November 1956. With Godfrey Kenton, Grizeld Hervey, Anne Cullen nd Jck My. Other prts by Gldys Spencer, Trevor Mrtin nd Morris Sweden. Produced by Normn Wright. Episodes titles: (1) Deth in Amsterdm, (2) The Clue in Cpri, (3) The Recognition, (4) Leonie Explins, (5) Buckinghm is Explined, (6) The Reckoning (R3) At 11.00 on Thursdy 25 My 1961 the Home Service presented The Art Of Suspense, n "enquiry into modern-dy thrillers nd their uthors". Compiled nd nrrted by Dougls Muggeridge, the progrmme fetured contributions from Gerrd Firlie, WINSTON GRAHAM, Murice Edelmn MP, Geoffrey Household, Dennis Whetley nd Willim Hggrd. A "Generl Overses Service recording" of the progrmme ws mde, copy of which is held by the British Librry. (R4) At 15.00 on Mondy 18 My 1964 the Home Service's Afternoon Thetre presenttion ws TAKE MY LIFE "by Winston Grhm nd Vlerie Tylor" (indicting, presumbly, n dpttion by Trumn Reeves of film script rther thn novel). With John Bentley nd Olive Gregg. I never told you I ws sint. I never deceived you in the lest. You mrried me with your eyes open. Other cst: Sydney Fleming nd Kenneth Hyde. Pinist: Frederick Stone. Producer: Grhm Guld.
(R5) R4's Sturdy Night Thetre t 20.30 on 13 Mrch 1971, with 15.00 repet two dys lter, ws 90 minute drmtistion of THE TUMBLED HOUSE freely dpted from WG's 1959 novel by Vl Gielgud. With Gry Wtson. To libel the ded is not in itself n offence known to our lw. Producer: Betty Dvies (R6) On weekdys from Tuesdy 1 to Mondy 14 June 1971, R2's Womn's Hour, strting t 14.00, included Brry Foster reding successive instlments of WG's 1952 novel FORTUNE IS A WOMAN bridged in ten prts by Pt McLoughlin. (NOTE: Womn's Hour trnsferred from R2 to R4 in 1973) (R7) Brodcst t 23.00-23.15 on weekdy evenings from Mondy 10 to Fridy 28 Jnury 1972, R4's Book t Bedtime ws THE WALKING STICK bridged in fifteen instlments by Pul Humphreys nd red by Ysnne Churchmn. Deborh Dinton is 26 nd hs been crippled since her childhood. Very gently, she flls in love. At first ll is beutiful but slowly her love leds her into plying prt in very dngerous gme. Producer: Jmes Gllgher (R8) R2's Morning Story on Mondy 24 April 1972 t 11.02 ws THE OLD BOYS red by Henry Stmper (R9) Introduced by Judith Chlmers, R4's Weekend Womn's Hour t 15.00 on Sturdy 7 April 1973 included reding by John Bryning of WG's THE BASKET CHAIR bridged for rdio by Hild Schroder. (R10) At 20.15 on Wednesdy 29 My 1974 (repeted the following dy t 15.05) R4's Midweek Thetre presenttion, produced by John Theochris, ws THE JAP- ANESE GIRL by Geoffrey Mtthews, bsed on short story by Winston Grhm. I do not wnt 35,000, Jck. I only wnt you. If you leve me... go to prison... I shll hve ll the money. I will be so frightened.
(R11) R4's Sturdy Night Thetre presenttion t 20.30 on 20 September 1975 ws 90 minute drmtistion of WG's 1961 novel MARNIE dpted for rdio by John Kirkmorris with Julie Hllm in the title role, Michel Spice s Mrk nd Christopher Bidmed s Terry. Hitchcock turned Winston Grhm's nti-heroine into n Americn for his well-known film, but in Grhm's originl novel the girl is English young, pretty, clculting nd confused, lir nd thief. She is lso chllenge nd confusion to the mn she mrries. A Producer: Richrd Wortley (R12) Abridged for rdio by Evngeline Bnks nd red by Simon Lck, WOMAN IN THE MIRROR (WG's then most recent novel) ws presented on R4's Story Time t 16.35 ech weekdy from Mondy 6 to Fridy 17 October 1975. Episode titles: (1) Arrivl t Morb House, (2) Sense of Fer, (3) Reflections From The Pst, (4) Night Encounter, (5) A Fce in the Mirror, (6) Portrit of Mrion, (7) Divided Loylties, (8) Not known, (9) Funerl Pyre, (10) The Horrible Truth Producer: Dvid Spenser (NOTE: the bove reding begn just one dy fter the trnsmission of the opening episode of the first series of BBC One's Poldrk.) (R13) On weekdys from Mondy 31 Jnury to Mondy 14 Februry 1977, R4's Womn's Hour, strting t 14.00, included Simon Prebble reding successive instlments of Slly Skrimshire's eleven-prt bridgement of WG's 1950 novel NIGHT WITHOUT STARS A Blinded from wr wound, Giles Gordon is not in the mood to celebrte pece. He retrets to the South of Frnce There, depressed nd resentful he meets Alix Delisse. Unknown to him, she too is csulty of the wr. A Editor: Wyn Knowles
(R14) On weekdy evenings from Mondy 18 July to Fridy 5 August 1977 t 23.00, R4's Book t Bedtime ws MARNIE bridged for rdio in fifteen prts by Jnet Hitchmn nd red by Ysnne Churchmn. Twenty-three-yer-old Mrnie Elmer strts new life with the fmily firm of Rutlnds s Mry Tylor, widow. She ttrcts the ttention of the firm's two young directors but her own interest seems to be in the wge pckets. Producer: Jenyth Worsley (R15) At 18.15 on Sturdy 26 November 1977 (with the progrmme repeted in shortened form on Tuesdy 29 November t 12.27), WINSTON GRAHAM becme the 1,412th cstwy to pper on Roy Plomley's Desert Islnd Discs. Q: Mr. Grhm, how do you view the ide of spell on desert islnd? A: With certin mount of trepidtion, becuse I hve never been ble to look fter myself very well. I've got hnds which I use ll the time for writing, becuse I write in longhnd, but they're not much use, I would hve thought, for building bot or constructing house or shed nd I've never cooked much for myself ll my life. Producer: Derek Drescher (R16) On 22 December 1977, BBC correspondent Ted Hrrison interviewed WINSTON GRAHAM t his Buxted home. A fourteen minute edit of their cht ws brodcst on R4's Profile t 22.30 on either 9 or 16 Jnury 1978 (with ech progrmme repeted in revised form the following morning t 11.35). To meet Mr. Grhm is to meet shy but immcultely courteous English gentlemn. I visited him t his country home nd sked him whether t the ge of eighteen when he hd first begun writing he hd intended writing to be his creer? I don't think I thought of it s creer. I don't think I thought it ws unusul. I think it ws instinctive for me to wnt to write nd I just
strted writing... I didn't hve ny encourgement from my fmily, nd my mother, who hd smll privte income, bsolutely tiny by tody's stndrds, hd the enormous nd mrvellous fith in her son which mny mothers misguidedly do hve in their sons, tht I might mke writer, nd she hd tht sort of fith. I don't think it ws encourgement from ny other member of my fmily. (R17) On weekdys from Thursdy 8 to Fridy 23 My 1980, Womn's Hour, on R4 from 14.02, included successive instlments of WG's 1957 novel GREEK FIRE bridged in twelve prts by Pt McLoughlin nd red by John Bennett. Greece in the mid-50s is politicl powder keg. An election is due nd left nd right juggle for power. Gene Vnbrugh, Americn by birth, but Greek by descent nd inclintion, is determined to expose politicl dventurer. (R18) On weekdys from Thursdy 1 to Fridy 16 September 1983, Womn's Hour, strting t 14.00, included successive instlments of WG's prize-winning 1955 novel THE LITTLE WALLS bridged here in twelve prts by Jck Singleton nd red by Dvid McAlister. When the rcheologist Grevil Turner pprently commits suicide, his brother Philip refuses to believe It nd sets out to prove otherwise. (R19) On R4's Bookshelf, brodcst on Thursdy 26 Februry 1987 from 16.05, repeted on Sundy 1 Mrch t 20.00 nd produced by Helen Fry, presenter Susn Hill tlks to novelist WINSTON GRAHAM bout the origins of the Poldrks, the girl behind Mrnie nd the bckground to his new novel The Green Flsh. SH: There is... something twisted inside tht interests you. One of the things tht I found prticulrly interesting in recent yers hs been the telling of story in the first person. It gve me gret joy once or twice to depict the first person in such wy tht she or he grdully gives wy his or her chrcter to the reder indvertently, s it were, nd tht's the wy I like to do it.
(R20) On The John Dunn Show of Thursdy 27 June 1991, which ired from 17.00 to 19.00 on R2, one of Dunn's guests ws WINSTON GRAHAM. JD: Wht did you think of the television versions [of Poldrk]? Well, I wsn't plesed with the erlier stges, but I mde lot of noise, which didn't mke me very populr, but the second series I ws grnted sort of specil sttus, s it were, nd obviously no uthor hs the right to dictte but t lest he hs right to be consulted, nd I ws consulted nd I worked with them ll through nd my own feeling is tht the second series ws considerbly better thn the first. (R21) On R4, from 14.30 on Sturdy 2 November 1991, with repet brodcst two dys lter t 14.00, THE LITTLE WALLS. Winston Grhm's novel is the first in n occsionl series of drmtistions of Gold nd Silver Dgger Awrd-winning crime novels. Philip hs returned to Europe from Americ fter his brother ppered to commit suicide in Amsterdm. His serch for the truth tkes him from Englnd to Hollnd nd Itly. With Eric Allen, Ronld Herdmn, Siriol Jenkins, Cssie McFrlne, Neil Roberts, Dvid Sinclir, Mtthew Sim nd Auriol Smith. Drmtised by Juliet Ace nd directed by Ned Chillet (R22) On R4's Open Book on Sundy 9 June 2002 t 16.00 with repet four dys lter t the sme time, host Chrlie Lee-Potter tlks to WINSTON GRAHAM s Bell Poldrk, the finl novel of the perennilly populr Poldrk sg, ppers on the bookshelves. This is the third time [fter Wrleggn in 1953 nd The Twisted Sword in 1990] it hs been positively the lst Poldrk. Well, this is positively the lst becuse I shlln't live to write nother. [WG pssed wy, ged 95, little over yer lter]
(R23) (see previous pge) On R4 t 14.30 on Sturdy 27 August 2011, 60 minute rdio drmtistion by Shun McKenn of WG's 1961 novel MARNIE with the title role tken by Jde Willims nd other credits s shown. Repeted on R4 t 21.00 on Fridy 17 August 2012 nd on R4 Extr t 10.00 on Mondy 9 Mrch 2015. NOTE: On rdio, The Little Wlls (1955) nd Mrnie (1961) hve both been drmtised twice nd presented in multi-prt redings once, though, in other medi (film, thetre, even oper), Mrnie hs proved much the more verstile property. (R24) On R4 Extr from Mondy 24 to Fridy 28 Mrch 2014, with repet of the series from Mondy 5 to Fridy 9 September 2016, WG short story per dy: five in ll, nmely (A) THE OLD BOYS, (B) AT THE CHALET LARTREC, (C) THE CORNISH FARM, (D) ROSS AND DEMELZA nd (E) MEETING DEMELZA Produced by The Wters Prtnership, ech fifteen minute recording ws brodcst three times, t 11.00, 21.00 nd 04.00 the next morning. Nichols Frrell red "The Old Boys" nd "The Cornish Frm" nd Ewn Biley red "At The Chlet Lrtrec", "Ross nd Demelz" nd "Meeting Demelz". (A), (B) nd (C) re ll in The Jpnese Girl nd other stories (Collins, 1971), (D) comprises Book Three, Chpter Two of Ross Poldrk (Wrd, Lock, 1945) nd (E) ws first published in Scryf, Volume One (Giss 'On Books, 2003). * * * * * A finl NOTE on WG's voice: WG my be seen tlking on T6 (fter Wogn's introduction, WG nd Ellis re on screen for little over eight minutes) nd my be herd tlking on R3, R15, R16, R19, R20 nd R22 i.e. in the '60s, '70s (twice), '80s (twice), 90s nd '00s. Additionlly, he tlks for little over two minutes on clip of videotpe originlly ired on independent TV chnnel TSW in 1983 nd viewble (t the time of writing) vi the BFI website (for trnscript, see pdf file "TSW 1983").