The Death of Bessie Smith

Summary: 1965 Granada Television production for ITV of The Death of Bessie Smith by Edward Albee.
Theatre play: The Death of Bessie Smith by Edward Albee (1928-) [more information]
Play synopsis: 'The play is based around a series of conversations. Conversations between Bernie and his friend Jack, between Jack and an off-stage Bessie, and between black and white staff of a "Whites-only" hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on the day [in 1937] the famous blues singer, Bessie Smith died in a car wreck.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Bessie_Smith.
Production history: 'The play premiered in West Berlin at the Schlosspark Theatre, Berlin, Germany on April 21, 1960. It premiered Off-Broadway at the York Playhouse on March 1, 1961, in a double bill with Albee’s The American Dream.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Bessie_Smith.
Date of transmission: Monday 28 June 1965
Time: 9.40-10.50pm
Channel: ITV
Production company: Granada Television (1956-)

Director

Julian Amyes

Playwright

Edward Albee (1928-)

Designer

Roy Stonehouse

Cast

Play tags: America, as theme or setting; American drama; music, as theme; race relations

Title: The Death of Bessie Smith (ITV, 1965)
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Title: From Edward Albee to Tennessee Williams: American Drama on the British Small Screen (Blog article)
Author/creator: Amanda Wrigley (Author)
Reference: http://screenplaystv.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/american-drama, published 20 June 2014

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British Universities Film & Video Council