Wednesday play query

[John S Miller]

I've recently studied the very good synopsis' of 'Wednesday play' on 'Action TV'. The only problem is you can't study the titles at a glance, and it's not fully clear which entries exist.

Can someone help with a guide?

Also I wondered if the plays were partially archived by individual producers requests as different plays in the series were handled by several producers. Were they archived on film, or were the holdings related to a sales return find?

[Andrew Martin]

These are the existing episodes as listed on Infax. There's no clear reason for what was retained - not every one made as a film recording was kept, for example, as many of the early ones were (including Dennis Potter's first tv play "The Confidence Course"). One or two (literally) of these entries are for incomplete copies of programmes or even small clips - the vast majority are complete. At least one is a BBC Enterprises copy rather than the original tx material (most are the latter) - "The July Plot" for example was found in Belgium a year or two ago.

THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A CRACK IN THE ICE.......... 28/10/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:IN CAMERA................... 04/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG BREAKER............. 18/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MR DOUGLAS.................. 25/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE JULY PLOT............... 09/12/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:FABLE....................... 27/01/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ASHES TO ASHES.............. 10/02/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:HORROR OF DARKNESS.......... 10/03/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A LITTLE TEMPTATION......... 17/03/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THREE CLEAR SUNDAYS......... 07/04/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE INTERIOR DECORATOR...... 14/04/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:AND DID THOSE FEET?......... 02/06/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MAN WITHOUT PAPERS...... 09/06/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ALICE....................... 13/10/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:UP THE JUNCTION............. 03/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE TRIAL AND TORTURE O .... 10/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE END OF ARTHUR'S MARRIAGE 17/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:TOMORROW,JUST YOU WAIT...... 24/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BOND.................... 01/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:STAND UP,NIGEL BARTON....... 08/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:VOTE,VOTE,VOTE FOR NIGE .... 15/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BONE YARD............... 05/01/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CALF LOVE................... 26/01/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SILENT SONG................. 02/02/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WHO'S A GOOD BOY THEN? I AM. 09/02/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MACREADY'S GALA............. 02/03/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:PITY ABOUT THE ABBEY........ R 06/04/66 (NB this was originally shown in a series called "Londoners")
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG MAN COUGHED AND DIED 13/04/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE SNOW BALL............... 20/04/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE RETREAT................. 11/05/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:TODDLER ON THE RUN.......... 25/05/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WAY OFF BEAT................ 08/06/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:COCK,HEN AND COURTING PIT... 22/06/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:HERO OF OUR TIME............ 28/09/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM...... 02/11/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CATHY COME HOME............. 16/11/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MAYFLY AND THE FROG..... 21/12/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE LUMP.................... 01/02/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:IN TWO MINDS................ 01/03/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DOLLAR.. 08/03/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:DRUMS ALONG THE AVON........ 24/05/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE PROFILE OF A GENTLEMAN.. 22/11/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:LIGHT BLUE.................. 03/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:LET'S MURDER VIVALDI........ 10/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE GOLDEN VISION........... 17/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE GORGE................... 04/09/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A BEAST WITH TWO BACKS...... 20/11/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ON THE EVE OF PUBLICATION... 27/11/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG FLAME............... 19/02/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SON OF MAN.................. 16/04/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE LAST TRAIN THROUGH .... 01/10/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MARK II WIFE............ 15/10/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:DOUBLE BILL:THE COMPART .... 26/11/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE VORTEX.................. 10/12/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SEASON OF THE WITCH......... 07/01/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE HUNTING OF LIONEL CRANE. 21/01/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MAD JACK.................... 04/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:NATHAN AND TABILETH......... c 11/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BOY WHO WANTED PEACE.... 25/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE CELLAR AND THE ALMO .... 04/03/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:NO TRAMS TO LIME STREET..... 18/03/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SOVEREIGN'S COMPANY......... 22/04/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:EMMA'S TIME................. 13/05/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CHARIOT OF FIRE............. 20/05/70

[yorkshire]

By the way, can anyone tell me why BBC infax is currently offline & when it will be back. It's been offline for AGES now!

[Andrew Martin]

As I understand it, it was made available as a pilot, to see what problems would arise - these are being dealt with and the system will be available again in due course - sorry, I can't be more precise than that.

[Peter Chadwick]

Andrew, I've said it before, and I make no apologies for saying it again : you are, indeed, The Man.

[John S Miller]

andrewmartin said:

These are the existing episodes as listed on Infax. There's no clear reason for what was retained - not every one made as a film recording was kept, for example, as many of the early ones were (including Dennis Potter's first tv play "The Confidence Course"). One or two (literally) of these entries are for incomplete copies of programmes or even small clips - the vast majority are complete. At least one is a BBC Enterprises copy rather than the original tx material (most are the latter) - "The July Plot" for example was found in Belgium a year or two ago.

THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A CRACK IN THE ICE.......... 28/10/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:IN CAMERA................... 04/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG BREAKER............. 18/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MR DOUGLAS.................. 25/11/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE JULY PLOT............... 09/12/64
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:FABLE....................... 27/01/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ASHES TO ASHES.............. 10/02/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:HORROR OF DARKNESS.......... 10/03/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A LITTLE TEMPTATION......... 17/03/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THREE CLEAR SUNDAYS......... 07/04/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE INTERIOR DECORATOR...... 14/04/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:AND DID THOSE FEET?......... 02/06/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MAN WITHOUT PAPERS...... 09/06/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ALICE....................... 13/10/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:UP THE JUNCTION............. 03/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE TRIAL AND TORTURE O .... 10/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE END OF ARTHUR'S MARRIAGE 17/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:TOMORROW,JUST YOU WAIT...... 24/11/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BOND.................... 01/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:STAND UP,NIGEL BARTON....... 08/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:VOTE,VOTE,VOTE FOR NIGE .... 15/12/65
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BONE YARD............... 05/01/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CALF LOVE................... 26/01/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SILENT SONG................. 02/02/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WHO'S A GOOD BOY THEN? I AM. 09/02/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MACREADY'S GALA............. 02/03/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:PITY ABOUT THE ABBEY........ R 06/04/66 (NB this was originally shown in a series called "Londoners")
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG MAN COUGHED AND DIED 13/04/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE SNOW BALL............... 20/04/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE RETREAT................. 11/05/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:TODDLER ON THE RUN.......... 25/05/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WAY OFF BEAT................ 08/06/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:COCK,HEN AND COURTING PIT... 22/06/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:HERO OF OUR TIME............ 28/09/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM...... 02/11/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CATHY COME HOME............. 16/11/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MAYFLY AND THE FROG..... 21/12/66
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE LUMP.................... 01/02/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:IN TWO MINDS................ 01/03/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DOLLAR.. 08/03/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:DRUMS ALONG THE AVON........ 24/05/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE PROFILE OF A GENTLEMAN.. 22/11/67
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:LIGHT BLUE.................. 03/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:LET'S MURDER VIVALDI........ 10/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE GOLDEN VISION........... 17/04/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE GORGE................... 04/09/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:A BEAST WITH TWO BACKS...... 20/11/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:ON THE EVE OF PUBLICATION... 27/11/68
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BIG FLAME............... 19/02/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SON OF MAN.................. 16/04/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE LAST TRAIN THROUGH .... 01/10/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE MARK II WIFE............ 15/10/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:DOUBLE BILL:THE COMPART .... 26/11/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE VORTEX.................. 10/12/69
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SEASON OF THE WITCH......... 07/01/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE HUNTING OF LIONEL CRANE. 21/01/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:MAD JACK.................... 04/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:NATHAN AND TABILETH......... c 11/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE BOY WHO WANTED PEACE.... 25/02/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:THE CELLAR AND THE ALMO .... 04/03/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:NO TRAMS TO LIME STREET..... 18/03/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:SOVEREIGN'S COMPANY......... 22/04/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:EMMA'S TIME................. 13/05/70
THE WEDNESDAY PLAY:CHARIOT OF FIRE............. 20/05/70

Thanks for this Andrew, it makes it much clearer. At least we know there is an existing 'early' version of Alun Owens 'No trams to Lime St' for reference.

[A Pedant]

That list has quite a few differences to the one published in the 97 Kal guides - some good, some bad (shame Wine of India didn't turn up at the back of a cupboard ).

Here's the Kal 97 list, for anyone who wants to make amendments (no note means Kal says nothing exists), beyond the update on The July Plot:

Big Breaker
Tap on the Shoulder (listed as 16mm t/r)
Interior Decorator
Man Without Papers
The Bond
The Coming Out Party (listed as 16mm t/r)
A Man on Her Back (listed as 35mm t/r)
The Portsmouth Defence (listed as 35mm t/r)
The Connoisseur (listed as 35mm t/r)
Cock, Hen and Courting Pit
A Hero of Our Time
In Two Minds (16mm film)
Another Day Another Dollar
Drums Along the Avon (16mm t/r)
Death of a Private (35mm t/t)
An Officer of the Court (16mm t/r)
House of Character (35mm t/r)
Light Blue
Mrs Lawrence Will Look After Me (16mm t/r)
Sling Your Hook (16mm t/r)
Boy Who Wanted Peace
No Trams to Lime St.

Profile of a Gentleman is listed as being one of the plays where only clips survive. I suppose the differences all average out, although some plays might be labelled under other strands (I know In Camera was originally planned as a Festival broadcast)?

[John S Miller]

Yes, noting also 'the man with the papers' was found and previewed a couple of years back at 'missing believed wiped'. I assume it was from a repeat copy as the 'wednesday play' prefix was missing and I had no idea it was from an umbrella series. It seemed initially unremarkable, bar street footage of London, but when the soundtrack had original songs on it by none than Bob Dylan I realised the collectors value.

Studying the archive holdings this is a pretty good archive of the programme. It even includes surprisingly the Ronald Lacey oddity 'whos a good boy then - I am' quoted on this forum some time back, which is pleasing.

One of the 'Wednesday plays' I'm sure was wiped is 'Hello good evening and welcome' 1969 featuring Robert Hardy. I believe 'Wine of India' Nigel Kneale was a Theatre 625 production.

What of the VT holdings. Am I right in saying 'Horror of darkness' and 'lets murder Vivaldi' are held on VT?

[bert untoward]

not 100% but neverless a good cast list here

uk.imdb.com/title/tt0058853/epcast

[Andrew Martin]

johnsmiller said:

Yes, noting also 'the man with the papers' was found and previewed a couple of years back at 'missing believed wiped'. I assume it was from a repeat copy as the 'wednesday play' prefix was missing and I had no idea it was from an umbrella series. It seemed initially unremarkable, bar street footage of London, but when the soundtrack had original songs on it by none than Bob Dylan I realised the collectors value.

Studying the archive holdings this is a pretty good archive of the programme. It even includes surprisingly the Ronald Lacey oddity 'whos a good boy then - I am' quoted on this forum some time back, which is pleasing.

One of the 'Wednesday plays' I'm sure was wiped is 'Hello good evening and welcome' 1969 featuring Robert Hardy. I believe 'Wine of India' Nigel Kneale was a Theatre 625 production.

What of the VT holdings. Am I right in saying 'Horror of darkness' and 'lets murder Vivaldi' are held on VT?

"Horror of Darkness" was made and is held on 35mm film recording. "Let's Murder Vivaldi" was made on b/w VT and is still held in that format (albeit dubbed to D3 - the 2" tape is a the NFA).

[John S Miller]

andrewmartin said:

johnsmiller said:

Yes, noting also 'the man with the papers' was found and previewed a couple of years back at 'missing believed wiped'. I assume it was from a repeat copy as the 'wednesday play' prefix was missing and I had no idea it was from an umbrella series. It seemed initially unremarkable, bar street footage of London, but when the soundtrack had original songs on it by none than Bob Dylan I realised the collectors value.

Studying the archive holdings this is a pretty good archive of the programme. It even includes surprisingly the Ronald Lacey oddity 'whos a good boy then - I am' quoted on this forum some time back, which is pleasing.

One of the 'Wednesday plays' I'm sure was wiped is 'Hello good evening and welcome' 1969 featuring Robert Hardy. I believe 'Wine of India' Nigel Kneale was a Theatre 625 production.

What of the VT holdings. Am I right in saying 'Horror of darkness' and 'lets murder Vivaldi' are held on VT?

"Horror of Darkness" was made and is held on 35mm film recording. "Let's Murder Vivaldi" was made on b/w VT and is still held in that format (albeit dubbed to D3 - the 2" tape is a the NFA).

andrewmartin said:

johnsmiller said:

Yes, noting also 'the man with the papers' was found and previewed a couple of years back at 'missing believed wiped'. I assume it was from a repeat copy as the 'wednesday play' prefix was missing and I had no idea it was from an umbrella series. It seemed initially unremarkable, bar street footage of London, but when the soundtrack had original songs on it by none than Bob Dylan I realised the collectors value.

Studying the archive holdings this is a pretty good archive of the programme. It even includes surprisingly the Ronald Lacey oddity 'whos a good boy then - I am' quoted on this forum some time back, which is pleasing.

One of the 'Wednesday plays' I'm sure was wiped is 'Hello good evening and welcome' 1969 featuring Robert Hardy. I believe 'Wine of India' Nigel Kneale was a Theatre 625 production.

What of the VT holdings. Am I right in saying 'Horror of darkness' and 'lets murder Vivaldi' are held on VT?

"Horror of Darkness" was made and is held on 35mm film recording. "Let's Murder Vivaldi" was made on b/w VT and is still held in that format (albeit dubbed to D3 - the 2" tape is a the NFA).

Thanks Andrew. I not 'wine of india' is actually a (missing) entry to the series. I couldn't find the original David Mercer play (also lost); the 1966 film 'Morgan a suitable case for tratment' was based on.

Was this a thetre 625.

On the archive point I not a few big prestige productions i.e. 'Potchi poi' are missing, though the standard of Wednesday play was generally high anyway. It backs up the random nature of the holdings.

[bert untoward]

A suitable case for treatment

uk.imdb.com/title/tt0398347/

long before theatre 625

[Andrew Martin]

johnsmiller said:

andrewmartin said:

"Horror of Darkness" was made and is held on 35mm film recording. "Let's Murder Vivaldi" was made on b/w VT and is still held in that format (albeit dubbed to D3 - the 2" tape is a the NFA).

andrewmartin said:

"Horror of Darkness" was made and is held on 35mm film recording. "Let's Murder Vivaldi" was made on b/w VT and is still held in that format (albeit dubbed to D3 - the 2" tape is a the NFA).

Thanks Andrew. I not 'wine of india' is actually a (missing) entry to the series. I couldn't find the original David Mercer play (also lost); the 1966 film 'Morgan a suitable case for tratment' was based on.

Was this a thetre 625.

On the archive point I not a few big prestige productions i.e. 'Potchi poi' are missing, though the standard of Wednesday play was generally high anyway. It backs up the random nature of the holdings.

"A Suitable Case for Treatment" wasn't part of a plays strand, it was a stand-alone production transmitted 21/10/62. Although it doesn't exist, a trailer for it does, which gives a brief glimpse of the style.

"Pitchi Poi" does also exist (it's a French production in fact, that the BBC did a dubbed soundtrack to, but this version is retained by the archive) - it didn't go out as a "Wednesday Play", just as an edition of "The Largest Theatre in the World" - some editions of that strand did go out as part of "Wed Play", this one didn't.

[John S Miller]

andrewmartin said:

johnsmiller said:

Thanks Andrew. I not 'wine of india' is actually a (missing) entry to the series. I couldn't find the original David Mercer play (also lost); the 1966 film 'Morgan a suitable case for tratment' was based on.

Was this a thetre 625.

On the archive point I not a few big prestige productions i.e. 'Potchi poi' are missing, though the standard of Wednesday play was generally high anyway. It backs up the random nature of the holdings.

"A Suitable Case for Treatment" wasn't part of a plays strand, it was a stand-alone production transmitted 21/10/62. Although it doesn't exist, a trailer for it does, which gives a brief glimpse of the style.

"Pitchi Poi" does also exist (it's a French production in fact, that the BBC did a dubbed soundtrack to, but this version is retained by the archive) - it didn't go out as a "Wednesday Play", just as an edition of "The Largest Theatre in the World" - some editions of that strand did go out as part of "Wed Play", this one didn't.

On this topic, does this also mean other 'wednesday play' entries from other strands therefore may exist ? Examples I have in mind are 'photo finish', a BBC2 play from 1968; the various plays from 'Londoners'; and the early 'Pale horse, pale rider' which according to related details was a bought in production from the CBC ?

Of those which - don't - exist, Dennis potters work is most highly qouted. I also noticed though there were a few war time dramatisations which look very strong.

'The Playground' is I admit really of specialist interest to me as it apparently contained footage of one of those - now lost - thirty foot long super - slides; found in parks such as one near us in South London circa 1967 - 68.

[Andrew Martin]

Anything that went out in another strand originally would be logged under its original series, it might have its repeat logged with the 'version title' of "Wednesday Play" but not necessarily. "Pity About the Abbey" is the only episode of "Londoners" that survives, and it is in the "Wed Play" version. The BBC doesn't have "Pale Horse, Pale Rider" but CBC may do...