White Secrets

Summary

1938 BBC Television studio production of White Secrets, R. W. Earp’s play of polar exploration, previously staged at the Fortune Theatre. Although the billing does not feature this information, the cast and theatre producer are those of a production of the play that opened at the Fortune Theatre on 10 June 1938 and reviewed by The Times the following day ('Fortune Theatre: White Secrets’, The Times, 11 June 1938, p. 10).

Theatre play

White Secrets by R. W. Earp [more information]

Play synopsis

A story set in an Antarctic base in which the sole surviving member of a three-man survey expedition is accused of having murdered one of the men who accompanied him. Although the man is innocent, to avoid a scandal and protect the expedition, he walks out into a blizzard and dies.

Production history

Presented at the Fortune Theatre, London, in June 1938.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 5 July 1938

Time

3.00-4.15pm (75 mins)

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Television Production by

George More O’Ferrall (1907-1982)

Theatre Producer

Maurice Browne

Playwright

R. W. Earp

Cast

D. A. Clarke-Smith
Alexander Field
David Hawthorne	Barton
Colin Keith-Johnston	Otterleigh
John Laurie	MacDonald
Barrie Livesey
Peter Osborn
Arthur Young	Stornaway

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

Antarctic, as theme or setting; exploration

Print sources

Title

Broadcasting: Sport, Variety and Plays (Newspaper listing)

Reference

The Times, 25 June 1938, p. 17

Title

Radio Times, 1 July 1938 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and picture, p. 15