House of Lies

Summary

1960 Associated-Rediffusion production for ITV of Howard Lockhart’s Scottish play House of Lies.

Theatre play

House of Lies by Howard Lockhart [more information]

Play synopsis

Set in Scotland in 1857, the play concerns the trial of Madeleine Hamilton Smith for the charge of wilful murder of a Frenchman Emile with whom she had had a love affair. She is acquitted of the charge but it is never revealed how Emile met his death.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 19 April 1960

Channel

ITV

Production company

Associated-Rediffusion (1955-1964)

Credits

Director

Cyril Coke

Playwright

Howard Lockhart

Adapted for Television by

Robert Urquhart

Set Designer

Michael Yates

Cast

Alexander Archdale	Prosecuting Counsel
Petronella Byrnes	Bessie
Andrew Crawford	Mr Minnoch
Graham Curnow	Jack
Trader Faulkner	Emile
Margaret Gordon	Christina
Stevenson Lang	Judge
John Phillips	Mr Smith
John Rae	Defence Counsel
Robert Sansom	Clerk of the Court
Dodie [Dorothy Gladys] Smith (1896-1990)	Mrs Smith
Zena Walker	Madeleine

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

court-room drama; murder; Scotland, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Dashing Effect on Small Screen: House of Lies (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Times, 20 April 1960, p. 16

Title

House of Lies (Archive file)

Archive

BFI Reuben Library [more information]

Address

BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road
South Bank
London
SE1 8XT
UK

Email

Use the contact form at http://www.bfi.org.uk/form/contact-bfi-library

Website

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education-research/bfi-reuben-library/visiting-bfi-reuben-library

Access

The BFI Library is open from 10.30am to 7.00pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Access to special collections material is by appointment.

Reference

Special Collections, Associated-Rediffusion Television papers, file reference ART/631

Notes

File contains a booklet on the production, camera script, Programme as Telecast document, contracts concerning overseas rights, etc.