British Universities Film & Video Council

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Wars of the Roses, The: King Henry VI, Part 3

Alternative title
King Henry VI, Part 3
Synopsis
Radio version of the play adapted and produced by Peter Watts and broadcast as part of a sequence of Shakespeare’s histories. With Donald Wolfit as Richard and Sonia Dresdel as Margaret of Anjou. The fanfares are composed by John Hotchkis.
Series
Wars of the Roses, The
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Radio
Recording date
30 Oct 1952
Transmission details
4 Nov 1952 at 20:20 (Channel: BBC Third Programme)
Duration
120 mins
Availability
Unknown

Credits

Producer
Peter Watts
Writer
William Shakespeare
Editor
John Dover Wilson
Music
John Hotchkis
Adaptor for Radio
Peter Watts
Cast
Valentine DyallKing Henry VI
Sonia DresdelQueen Margaret
John GreenwoodEdward, Prince of Wales
Dennis ArundellEarl of Warwick
Donald WolfitRichard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III
Alexander GaugeFather that killed his son
Brian HayesGeorge, Edward’s brother, later Duke of Clarence
Garard Green 
Hugh ManningSir John Montgomery
Jack LiveseyDuke of Exeter
Joan HartLady Elizabeth Gray
John Cazabon 
John ForrestSon that killed his father
John GlenEdward, Earl of March, later Edward IV
Malcolm HayesLord Clifford
Marjorie WestburyEdmund, Earl of Rutland
Michael GwynnKing Louis
Molly RankinLady Bona
Patrick Troughton 
Paul HardwickEarl of Northumberland
Richard HurndallRaphael Holinshed, the historian
Stephen JackRichard Plantagenet, Duke of York
Tom ClarksonEarl of Oxford
Wyndham Milligan 

Additional Details

Production type
Documentary/Educational/News
Plays
Henry VI part 3
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
A BBC recording.
Rehearsals: 26/10/1952-30/10/1952
General
The ‘Wars of the Roses’ broadcasting sequence does not open with Henry VI, 1 because the play, according to Dover Wilson, is a "patchwork in which Shakespeare collaborated with inferior dramatists" ('Shakespeare’s Chronicles of the War of the Roses’, Radio Times, 24 October 1952, p. 7).
History
Part of a sequence of history plays broadcast under the title ‘The Wars of the Roses’ from 31/10/1952- 6/11/1952 on BBC Third Programme (see separate entries for each episode).
Textual information
A written transcript of the production is held at the Birmingham Central Library as part of their Shakespeare Collection.
Reviews
In ‘The Wars of the Roses’ (Radio Times, 31 October 1952, p.11), producer Peter Watts explains how the plays are linked and airs some of the problems they present when produced as a sequence.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Record Stats

This record has been viewed 733 times.