The Life of Galileo

Summary: 1964 BBC production of The Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht.
Theatre play: Life of Galileo [Leben des Galilei] by Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) [more information]
Play synopsis: 'The plot of the play concerns the latter period of the life of Galileo Galilei, the great Italian natural philosopher, who was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church for the promulgation of his scientific discoveries [...]. The play embraces such themes as the conflict between dogmatism and scientific evidence, as well as interrogating the values of constancy in the face of oppression.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Galileo.
Production history: 'The first version of the play was written between 1938 and 1939; the second (or ‘American’) version was written between 1945-1947, in collaboration with Charles Laughton. The play received its first theatrical production (in German) at the Zurich Schauspielhaus, opening on 9 September 1943. [...] The second version (in English) opened at the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles on 30 July 1947.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Galileo.
Date of transmission: Wednesday 29 April 1964
Time: 9.25-10.35pm and 10.45-11.30pm
Series: Festival
Channel: BBC1
Production company: BBC

Director

Charles Jarrott

Producer

Peter Luke

Playwright

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)

Adapted for Television by

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Cast

Patrick Barr	Cardinal Barberini
Reginald Barratt	Mathematician
Andre Boulay	Second Secretary
Rosalie Crutchley	Mrs Sarti
Vernon Dobtcheff	Philosopher
Paul Endersby	The Doge / Christopher Clavius
John Gatrell	Lord Chamberlain
John Gay	First Secretary
Simon Gough	Second Monk
Michael Graham	Infuriated Scholar / Informer
Ewan Hooper	Federzoni
James Kerry	Andrea, the Man
Ronald Lacey	Little Monk
Marne Maitland	Cardinal Inquisitor
Fergus McClelland	Andrea
Leo McKern	Galileo
Monica Merlin	Elderly Lady
Anthony Morton	Priull
Michael Peake	Senator
Darryl Read	Prince Cosimo de Medici
George Roubicek	Ludovico
Malcolm Russell	Old Cardinal
Jonathan Scott	Attendant Monk
Sheila Shand-Gibbs	Virginia
John Southworth	Scholar / Town Crier
Peter Stephens	Fat Prelate
Martin Sterndale	Matti
Nigel Stock	Narrator / Sagredo / Cardinal Bellarmin / Pamphleteer / Peasant
Roy Wilson	First Monk / Official

Play tags: 17th-century setting; Christianity; German drama; Italy, as theme or setting; Roman Catholicism; science

Title: The Life of Galileo (BBC, 1964)
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