The Mock Doctor, Part 1

Summary

Part one of a three-part Rediffusion production for ITV of Molière’s Le Médecin malgré lui, in English translation and given under the title The Mock Doctor. Produced for schools and aimed at children aged 14 and over.

Theatre play

Le Médecin malgré lui by Molière (bap. 1622-1673) [more information]

Play synopsis

A French comedy in which ‘Sganarelle makes life a living hell for his wife and family. He spends all their money on food and drink. As revenge for his sloppy existence, his wife, Martine, plays a trick on him. She hears three servants to a rich family say they need a doctor, and so she tells them that Sganarelle is the greatest doctor in the world. The servants insist to him that, as a famed doctor, he must accept a position with their employers (they beat him with sticks to persuade him), he accepts the lucrative position even though, as an alcoholic woodcutter, he has no idea what a doctor should know. He helps a rich man’s daughter who has "lost" her voice. Farcical comedy ensues, climaxing with Sganarelle almost being executed, before slipping out at the last minute. All ends well, and Sganarelle becomes a rich man and a respected "doctor" ' (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_M%C3%A9decin_malgr%C3%A9_lui).

Production history

First presented in 1666 at Théâtre du Palais-Royal. Lady Gregory’s version was performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in April 1906.

Date of transmission

Wednesday 13 March 1968

Time

2.31-2.56pm

Series

Schools

Channel

ITV

Production company

Rediffusion (1964-68)

Credits

Director

Charles Warren

Playwright

Molière (bap. 1622-1673)

Translator

A. R. Waller

Designer

Sylva Nadolny

Script Editor

Lester Clark

Cast

Patrick Bedford	Lucas
George Benson	Valère
Mary Miller	Martine
Roger Nott	M. Robert
Ken Wynne	Sganarelle

Additional details

Later transmissions

Part 1 repeated at 11.05am on Thursday 14 March 1968.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

17th-century setting; comedy; French drama; medical drama

Programme context tags

schools television programming

Print sources

Title

The Mock Doctor (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/932

Notes

File contains camera script, notes for TV Times billing and contracts.

Title

TV Times, 7 March 1968 (Magazine)

Linking notes

article, p. 9, with image; listing, p. 37

Associated programmes

The Mock Doctor, Part 2 (Rediffusion, 1968)
Le Médecin malgré lui by Molière (bap. 1622-1673)
ITV (Schools)

The Mock Doctor, Part 3 (Rediffusion, 1968)
Le Médecin malgré lui by Molière (bap. 1622-1673)
ITV (Schools)