Sir Johnson Forbes-Robertson and Dame Sybil Thorndike

Synopsis

Radio broadcast. Dramatic critic James Agate reviews Forbes-Robertson’s and Thorndike’s career on the English stage. The talk is illustrated with extracts from recordings featuring Forbes-Robertson as Hamlet and Thorndike as Lady Macbeth.

Series

Stars in Their Courses

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

15 Apr 1933 at 09:20 (Channel: BBC National Programme)

Duration

25 mins

Availability

No copy extant

Credits

Writer

William Shakespeare

Contributor

James Agate

Cast

Johnston Forbes-Robertson	Hamlet
Sybil Thorndike	Lady Macbeth

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

Hamlet; Macbeth; Othello

Keywords

actors; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Forbes-Robertson, Johnston; Thorndike, Sybil (1882-1976)

Notes

Notes

Broadcast on the Daventry National Programme.

General

Stars in their Courses consisted of a series of talks devised by dramatic critic James Agate (1877-1947) in 1933, in which he talked about the achievements of famous theatrical actors and actresses in London. The programme would be rounded off with actors’ performances of short scenes from their past successes by way of illustration. These performances would either be recorded live or played from gramophone records.

History

Second in the series.

Reviews

Source: Radio Times, The Times, BBC Archive
James Agate writes about his conception of the series in ‘Actors, Past and Present’, Radio Times, 31 March 1933, p. 798.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)