Alice

1946 - United Kingdom

Very early BBC TV outing for Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy produced by George More O'Ferrall and transmitted live from Alexander Palace as a Christmas treat on 21 December 1946. Subtitled 'Some of her Adventures in Wonderland' this 40 minute broadcast was adapted by English novelist and playwright Clemence Dane (the pseudonym of Winifred Ashton) and shown twice (performed live) before disappearing into the ether forever.

15 year-old Vivian Pickles (who went on to have a distinguished career and, at the time of writing is 87 years-old and living in London) played Alice and supporting cast included Erik Chitty (as White Rabbit), twenty years before he appeared as 'Smithy' in Please Sir! and a young Miriam Karlin (as Cook) some years before she starred as the stroppy shop steward who became something of a national institution in The Rag Trade.

Published on November 27th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus (source BBC Genome) for Television Heaven.

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Play and Single Dramas

Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)

July 21st, 2021

Lauded by drama critics as a masterpiece of the modern stage, Mourning Becomes Electra with themes of murder, adultery, incestuous love and revenge, was the first substantial success of post-war television drama

The Girl in the Picture (1964)

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The second in the series of three plays by Allan Prior, all set along Blackpool's Golden Mile, featured television débutée Nicola Pagett and future Doctor Who companion Peter Purves

The Search Party (1951)

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Another 'lost' BBC play from the early days of television. In this uproarious satire, an unhinged anarchist settles in a small Irish community, setting off a series of increasingly ridiculous events.

A Roof Over Our Mouths (1967)

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Most people are quite happy talking about life, but try to avoid living it. They need home and security so they can sit in comfort and talk about life-a roof over their mouths.

Blue Remembered Hills (1979)

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Dennis Potter's extraordinary and groundbreaking drama concerns a group of seven-year-olds playing in the Forest of Dean one summer afternoon in 1943 - the most striking feature of the play is that all the children are played by adult actors

The Education of Corporal Halliday (1967)

December 12th, 2019

Corporal Halliday wants to buy his way out of the army but he is not allowed to until he has served six years. Corporal Halliday has only served three.

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