The BBC Television Shakespeare
7.9
Season 2
163 min
S2 · E3 · Dec 23, 1979
The Life of Henry the Fift Episode 3
214 min
S2 · E6 · Feb 27, 1980
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Episode 6
2 episodes in Season 2
Some details come from TheTVDB.
The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.
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Cast
110 people
Jon Finch
King Henry the Fourth / Henry Bolingbroke
Known for
Frenzy
Macbeth
David Gwillim
Henry, Prince of Wales / King Henry the Fifth
Known for
The Island at the Top of the World
Down
Patrick Ryecart
Romeo
Known for
The Crown
The Escape Artist
Rebecca Saire
Juliet
Also in
Quatermass
A.D.
Celia Johnson
Nurse
Known for
Brief Encounter
This Happy Breed
Joseph O'Conor
Friar Laurence
Known for
Oliver!
Gorgo
Laurence Naismith
Prince Escalus
Known for
The Persuaders!
Jason and the Argonauts
Anthony Andrews
Mercutio
Known for
The English Game
Brideshead Revisited
Alan Rickman
Tybalt
Known for
Die Hard
Love Actually
Jacqueline Hill
Lady Capulet
Known for
Doctor Who
Christopher Strauli
Benvolio
Also in
Only When I Laugh
Fortunes of War
John Gielgud
Chorus / John of Gaunt
Known for
The Elephant Man
Gandhi
Cedric Messina Creator · Jane Howell Director Jonathan Miller Director
Total runtime 104h 39m · Episode length 161 min · Country United Kingdom
Show info
Premiered
December 3, 1978
Final episode
April 27, 1985
Status
Ended
Network
BBC Two
Country
United Kingdom
Type
Scripted
Episode length
161 min
Total runtime
104h 39m
Original language
English
Production
BBC
Production
Time-Life Television Productions
Production
United Kingdom
Produced in
Languages
Spoken on screen
English
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Some details come from TheTVDB.