Carissima

Summary: 1959 BBC Television production of Carissima, a play with music by Eric Maschwitz. This was Ginger Rogers’ first live appearance on British television.
Theatre play: Carissima by Eric Maschwitz [more information]
Play synopsis: A play with music play written by Eric Maschwitz, from a story by Armin Robinson. This comedy tells the story of a beautiful American businesswoman, a manufacturer of cosmetics, who pays a visit to Venice in pursuit of a singing star for her television programme at home. In Venice Lisa Marvin falls in and out of love. The play’s many settings range from a New York office, to a piazza in Venice, a night club, airport Italian broadcasting studio and the stage of a Broadway theatre.
Production history: Ran at the Palace Theatre, London for almost 500 performances, c. 1948.
Date of transmission: Monday 18 May 1959
Time: 8.30pm (90 mins)
Series: Musical Playhouse
Channel: BBC Television
Production company: BBC

Producer

Francis Essex

Playwright

Eric Maschwitz

Composer

Frank Cordell ('incidental music scored by’)

Composer

Hans May

Orchestra Directed by

David McCallum (leader of the Concert Orchestra)

Orchestra Directed by

Eric Robinson

Musician

Frank Horrox (solo pianist)

Designer

Guy Sheppard

Movement

Eleanor Fazan ('crowd scenes staged by’)

Cast

Origination: Live from studio
Play tags: America, as theme or setting; Italy, as theme or setting; musical; television, as theme; theatre or acting, as theme

Title: Ghost-Hunters’ Quiet Conviction: Force of the Unrehearsed (Newspaper review)
Author/creator: Isabel Quigly (Reviewer)
Reference: The Manchester Guardian, 22 May 1959, p. 7

Title: Tanner’s Worth of Tune: Rediscovering the Post-War British Musical (Book)
Author/creator: Adrian Wright (Author)
Reference: Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2010
Linking notes: brief mention on p. 5

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