The Guinea Pig

Summary

Granada Television production for ITV of The Guinea Pig by Warren Chetham-Strode.

Theatre play

The Guinea Pig by Warren Chetham-Strode (1896-1974) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The "guinea pig" is 14-year-old Jack Read [...], a tobacconist’s son given a scholarship to an exclusive public school’ (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guinea_Pig_%28film%29). The action takes place between 1944 and 1947.

Production history

The work premiered at the Criterion Theatre, London. The play was soon adapted into a 1948 film starring Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim.

Date of transmission

Wednesday 30 October 1957

Time

8.30-10.00pm

Series

Play of the Week

Channel

ITV

Production company

Granada Television (1956-)

Credits

Director

Cliff Owen

Playwright

Warren Chetham-Strode (1896-1974)

Adapted for Television by

Giles Cooper (1918-1966)

Cast

George Baker	Lorraine
Peter Bayliss	Stringer
Olga Dickie	Miss Craddock
Ann Firbank	Lynne
Michael Hordern	Hartley
James Kenney	Read
Barbara Ogilvie	Mrs Read
Wensley Pithey	Mr Read
Anthony Rea	Grimmett
Nora Swinburne	Mrs Hartley

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

class issues / differences; schools, as theme or setting; wartime, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Plays for the Millions: The First 75. A Cross Index of Granada TV Play Productions (Book)

Reference

Published by Granada TV Network, 1960

Title

TV Times, 25 October 1957 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 31