The Great Adventure

Summary

1947 BBC live studio production of Arnold Bennett’s drama The Great Adventure.

Theatre play

The Great Adventure by Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) [more information]

Play synopsis

A world-famous painter assumes the identity of his valet upon his death during their visit to England. He is able to lead an inconspicuous married life with a widow from Putney.

Production history

The play The Great Adventure (1913) is adapted from his novel Buried Alive (1908); it had a long runs and has been revived (source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/60985/Arnold-Bennett). Quite a bit more about its afterlife at http://earnoldbennett.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/theatrical-adventures.html.

Date of transmission

Thursday 11 December 1947

Time

8.30-10.00pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Jan Bussell

Playwright

Arnold Bennett (1867-1931)

Cast

Iris Baker	Janet Cannot
Maurice Bannister	Ebag, a Picture Dealer
Frank Birch	Father Looe
Finlay Currie	Texel, an American Millionaire
Richard Goolden	Dr Pascoe
Kendrick Huxham	Albert Shawn / Servant
Stanley Lawson	Edward Horning, Doctor’s Assistant
Kynaston Reeves	Lord Leonard Alcar
Alan Reid	Peter Horning, a Journalist
Harold Scott	Ilam Carve
Rupert Siddons	Cyrus Carve
Millicent Wolf	Honoria Looe

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presnted again at 3.00pm on Friday 12 December 1947.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

art world; comedy

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 5 December 1947 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 32; brief article, p. 30