Toad of Toad Hall

Summary: 1949 BBC live production of a version of A. A. Milne’s play Toad of Toad Hall, drawn from Kenneth Grahame’s novel, transmitted on Christmas Day.
Theatre play: Toad of Toad Hall by A. A. Milne (1882-1956) [more information]
Play synopsis: Milne based Toad of Toad Hall on Kenneth Grahame’s novel for children The Wind in the Willows.
Production history: Premiered in December 1929 at the Lyric Theatre, London.
Date of transmission: Sunday 25 December 1949
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
Channel: BBC Television
Production company: BBC

Producer

Michael Barry

Playwright

A. A. Milne (1882-1956)

Adapted for Television by

Original Book by

Music

Conductor

Sets / Settings

Barry Learoyd ('Settings and illustrations by’)

Dances Arranged by

Viola Merrett

Répétiteur

Alan [or Allan] Bixter

Cast

David Askey	Alfred, the Horse
Jill Balcon	Storyteller
Barbara Birkinshaw	Duck
Nina Camlett
Musetta Fonnereau	Second Field Mouse
James Hayter	Toad
Dearie Higgs
Norma Hughes
Sam Kydd	Weasel / Ferret / Stoat / Welsh Rabbit
Heather Lee	Marigold
Humphrey Lestocq	Chief Weasel
Marne Maitland	Weasel / Ferret / Stoat / Gaoler
Kenneth More	Mr Badger
Jack Newmark	Mole
Michael Nightingale	Policeman
Andrew Osborn	Water Rat
Joyce Owen	Turkey
Paddy Russell
Harry Secombe	Judge
Catherine Summerton	First Field Mouse
Audrey Swift
Madoline Thomas	Mother
Patrick Troughton	Weasel / Ferret / Stoat
Pamela Welsh
Victor Woolf	Alfred, the Horse

Origination: Live from studio
Vision original: Monochrome
Later transmissions: Presented again under the title ‘For the Children’ at 3.00pm on Monday 2 January 1950.
Extant status: No archival copy is known to exist.
Play tags: adaptation of novel; children’s drama
Programme context tags: children’s television

Title: Radio Times, 23 December 1949 (Magazine)
Linking notes: listing, p. 46; article p. 45, including photograph from a previous broadcast of the play

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