A Sparrow in Fleet Street

Summary

1959 BBC Television production of the musical A Sparrow in Fleet Street by Charlie Chester.

Theatre play

A Sparrow in Fleet Street by Charlie Chester [more information]

Play synopsis

A musical, telling the story of Pinky Wright, a cheerful Cockney newspaper seller whose pitch in Fleet Street gives him ideas about becoming a reporter.

Production history

The 1959 BBC production is described as a ‘new British musical’ and it is indeed ‘adapted for television’ (Radio Times, 27 March 1959, p. 13). No information about its prior staging has yet come to light, however.

Date of transmission

Monday 30 March 1959

Time

8.45pm (90 mins)

Series

Musical Playhouse

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Dennis Main Wilson

Film Cameraman

Charles Parnell

Adapted for Television by

Maurice Harrison

Adapted for Television by

Sidney Nelson

Book by

Charlie Chester

Composer

Frank Davison

Composer

Ken Morris

Lyrics

Charlie Chester

Orchestrations by

Eric Robinson

Choral Settings by

Ray Terry

Designer

George Djurkovic

Film Editor

Pamela Bosworth

Choreographer

Deirdre Vivian

Cast

Terence Alexander	Johnny
Max Bacon	Bookmaker
Michael Balfour	Jackson
Janet Ball	Miss Graves
Freddie Bamberger	Night Club Manager
John Blyth	News Editor
Cecil Brock	Mcarty
John Cabot	Race Course Official
Charlie Chester	Pinky Wright
Leon Cortez	Gent’s Outfitter
Eric Dodson	Mr Dandy
Clive Dunn	A Small Spiv; A Small Waiter
Tudor Evans	The Editor
Kim Grant	A Reporter / Detective
Richard Greenford	A Copy Boy
Henry Kay	Tipster
Roger Maxwell	Lord Selsby
George Mitchell
Rosemary Squires	Penny
Fred Stone	Head Waiter
Jimmy Sutherland	Jockey

Additional details

Play tags

journalism / the press / newspapers; musical

Print sources

Title

Peter Black’s Teleview (Newspaper review)

Author/creator

Peter Black (Reviewer)

Reference

Daily Mail, 31 March 1959, p. 10

Title

Radio Times, 27 March 1959 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and photograph on p. 13