The BBC Television Shakespeare (1978)

The BBC Television Shakespeare

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

The BBC Television Shakespeare

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Michael Byrne
Michael Byrne
as
Peter Benson
Peter Benson
as
Robert Lindsay
Robert Lindsay
as
Anthony Pedley
Anthony Pedley
as
Michael Hordern
Michael Hordern
as Capulet
Trevor Peacock
Trevor Peacock
as
Bernard Hill
Bernard Hill
as
Charles Gray
Charles Gray
as Duke of York
Julia Foster
Julia Foster
as
Ron Cook
Ron Cook
as
Mark Wing-Davey
Mark Wing-Davey
as
Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom
as
Jon Finch
Jon Finch
as Henry Bolingbroke
Frank Middlemass
Frank Middlemass
as
Brenda Bruce
Brenda Bruce
as
Vernon Dobtcheff
Vernon Dobtcheff
as Apothecary
Mike Gwilym
Mike Gwilym
as
Tenniel Evans
Tenniel Evans
as
Gordon Gostelow
Gordon Gostelow
as
Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
as
David Gwillim
David Gwillim
as
Annette Crosbie
Annette Crosbie
as
Arthur Hewlett
Arthur Hewlett
as
Norman Rodway
Norman Rodway
as
Ian Charleson
Ian Charleson
as
Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle
as
Esmond Knight
Esmond Knight
as Old Capulet
David Neal
David Neal
as
John Benfield
John Benfield
as
Paul Jesson
Paul Jesson
as
Alec McCowen
Alec McCowen
as
Bruce Purchase
Bruce Purchase
as
Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach
as
Wendy Hiller
Wendy Hiller
as Duchess of York
Emrys James
Emrys James
as
Pippa Guard
Pippa Guard
as
Frank Williams
Frank Williams
as
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Blethyn
as
Anna Calder-Marshall
Anna Calder-Marshall
as
John Barron
John Barron
as
Clive Swift
Clive Swift
as
Patrick Allen
Patrick Allen
as
James Bolam
James Bolam
as
Clifford Rose
Clifford Rose
as Bishop of Carlisle
Derek Farr
Derek Farr
as
Patsy Smart
Patsy Smart
as
Jeremy Kemp
Jeremy Kemp
as
John Franklyn-Robbins
John Franklyn-Robbins
as
Joanna McCallum
Joanna McCallum
as
Jane Lapotaire
Jane Lapotaire
as
David Burke
David Burke
as
Jeffrey Holland
Jeffrey Holland
as Duke of Surrey
John Wells
John Wells
as
Geoffrey Burridge
Geoffrey Burridge
as
Hugh Quarshie
Hugh Quarshie
as
John Woodnutt
John Woodnutt
as
Darien Angadi
Darien Angadi
as
Anton Lesser
Anton Lesser
as
Geoffrey Chater
Geoffrey Chater
as
Valentine Dyall
Valentine Dyall
as
Anthony Quayle
Anthony Quayle
as
Graham Crowden
Graham Crowden
as
Celia Johnson
Celia Johnson
as Nurse
Julian Glover
Julian Glover
as
Michele Dotrice
Michele Dotrice
as
John Burgess
John Burgess
as
Elizabeth Spriggs
Elizabeth Spriggs
as
Penelope Wilton
Penelope Wilton
as
Geoffrey Lumsden
Geoffrey Lumsden
as
John Bird
John Bird
as
Nicholas Gecks
Nicholas Gecks
as
Noel Johnson
Noel Johnson
as
Tim Wylton
Tim Wylton
as
Jeremy Dimmick
Jeremy Dimmick
as
Michael Kitchen
Michael Kitchen
as
Tony Steedman
Tony Steedman
as
Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim Pigott-Smith
as
Richard Pasco
Richard Pasco
as
Kevin Stoney
Kevin Stoney
as
Mary Morris
Mary Morris
as Duchess of Gloucester
John Paul
John Paul
as Montague
Harry Waters, Jr.
Harry Waters, Jr.
as
Howard Goorney
Howard Goorney
as
John Sterland
John Sterland
as
Robert Brown
Robert Brown
as
Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
as King Richard II
John Gielgud
John Gielgud
as John of Gaunt as Chorus
John Nettleton
John Nettleton
as
Richard Owens
Richard Owens
as Thomas Mowbray
Rob Edwards
Rob Edwards
as
Ian Puleston-Davies
Ian Puleston-Davies
as
Christopher Strauli
Christopher Strauli
as Claudio as Benvolio
Christopher Blake
Christopher Blake
as
Nicholas Young
Nicholas Young
as
Frank Thornton
Frank Thornton
as
Judy Davis
Judy Davis
as
Kate Nelligan
Kate Nelligan
as
David Rintoul
David Rintoul
as
Nicky Henson
Nicky Henson
as
Phyllida Law
Phyllida Law
as
Edward Hardwicke
Edward Hardwicke
as
Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
as
Tony Church
Tony Church
as
Edward Petherbridge
Edward Petherbridge
as
David Daker
David Daker
as
Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce
as
Frances Cuka
Frances Cuka
as
Eamon Boland
Eamon Boland
as
Alan David
Alan David
as Solanio
Colin McCormack
Colin McCormack
as
Jonathan Scott-Taylor
Jonathan Scott-Taylor
as
Oliver Cotton
Oliver Cotton
as
Keith Drinkel
Keith Drinkel
as
David Dixon
David Dixon
as
Don Estelle
Don Estelle
as
Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman
as Tybalt
John Thaw
John Thaw
as
Barbara Rhoades
Barbara Rhoades
as
Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales
as
Andrew Burt
Andrew Burt
as
Kenneth Colley
Kenneth Colley
as
Nickolas Grace
Nickolas Grace
as
Joe Gladwin
Joe Gladwin
as
Kenneth Haigh
Kenneth Haigh
as
Alan Howard
Alan Howard
as
James Cossins
James Cossins
as
Maurice Roëves
Maurice Roëves
as
Robert Eddison
Robert Eddison
as
John Grillo
John Grillo
as
Tessa Peake-Jones
Tessa Peake-Jones
as
Brian Glover
Brian Glover
as
John Fortune
John Fortune
as
Lee Montague
Lee Montague
as
Eileen Atkins
Eileen Atkins
as
David Kelly
David Kelly
as
Christopher Guard
Christopher Guard
as
Nigel Terry
Nigel Terry
as
John Stride
John Stride
as
Jacqueline Hill
Jacqueline Hill
as Lady Capulet
Ian Barritt
Ian Barritt
as
Eileen Way
Eileen Way
as
Anna Quayle
Anna Quayle
as
David Prowse
David Prowse
as
Jonathan Hyde
Jonathan Hyde
as
John Clegg
John Clegg
as
Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
as
Ralph Michael
Ralph Michael
as
Diana Dors
Diana Dors
as
Susan Penhaligon
Susan Penhaligon
as
Benjamin Whitrow
Benjamin Whitrow
as
Tony Doyle
Tony Doyle
as
John Savident
John Savident
as Friar John
Lynn Farleigh
Lynn Farleigh
as
Clive Dunn
Clive Dunn
as
Lalla Ward
Lalla Ward
as
Enn Reitel
Enn Reitel
as
John Castle
John Castle
as
Thorley Walters
Thorley Walters
as
Paul Brooke
Paul Brooke
as
Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
as
Patrick Ryecart
Patrick Ryecart
as Romeo
Adrienne Corri
Adrienne Corri
as
Cyril Cusack
Cyril Cusack
as
Tony Haygarth
Tony Haygarth
as
Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
as
Colin Blakely
Colin Blakely
as
Gavin Richards
Gavin Richards
as
Mark Dignam
Mark Dignam
as
Andrew Sachs
Andrew Sachs
as
Angus Lennie
Angus Lennie
as
Timothy West
Timothy West
as
Kenneth Cranham
Kenneth Cranham
as
Edward Hibbert
Edward Hibbert
as
Charles Keating
Charles Keating
as Duke of Aumerle
John Welsh
John Welsh
as
Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
as
Sinéad Cusack
Sinéad Cusack
as
Cyril Luckham
Cyril Luckham
as
Amanda Redman
Amanda Redman
as
Trevor Baxter
Trevor Baxter
as
Jonathan Cecil
Jonathan Cecil
as
John McEnery
John McEnery
as
Ingrid Pitt
Ingrid Pitt
as
Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson
as
Patricia Hayes
Patricia Hayes
as
Richard Easton
Richard Easton
as
David Waller
David Waller
as
Ann Pennington
Ann Pennington
as
Douglas Wilmer
Douglas Wilmer
as
Michael Robbins
Michael Robbins
as
Cherie Lunghi
Cherie Lunghi
as
Frank Barrie
Frank Barrie
as
Jeremy Bulloch
Jeremy Bulloch
as Henry Percy
Maureen Lipman
Maureen Lipman
as
Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
as
Zoë Wanamaker
Zoë Wanamaker
as
John Bailey
John Bailey
as
David Buck
David Buck
as
Joss Ackland
Joss Ackland
as
Warren Clarke
Warren Clarke
as
Virginia McKenna
Virginia McKenna
as
Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Stevenson
as
Robert Stephens
Robert Stephens
as
Angharad Rees
Angharad Rees
as
Richard Johnson
Richard Johnson
as
Richard O'Callaghan
Richard O'Callaghan
as
Damien Thomas
Damien Thomas
as Bagot
Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell
as
Paul Daneman
Paul Daneman
as
Phil Daniels
Phil Daniels
as
Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter
as
Petra Markham
Petra Markham
as
Anthony Andrews
Anthony Andrews
as Mercutio
Ralph Brown
Ralph Brown
as
Robert Gwilym
Robert Gwilym
as
Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
as
Jacqueline Pearce
Jacqueline Pearce
as
John Nettles
John Nettles
as
Margaret Tyzack
Margaret Tyzack
as
John Woodvine
John Woodvine
as
Timothy Bateson
Timothy Bateson
as
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
as
John Cleese
John Cleese
as
Jack May
Jack May
as
Robert Hardy
Robert Hardy
as
Dominic Jephcott
Dominic Jephcott
as
Deddie Davies
Deddie Davies
as
William Simons
William Simons
as
Bryan Marshall
Bryan Marshall
as
Laurence Naismith
Laurence Naismith
as Prince Escalus
Ronnie Stevens
Ronnie Stevens
as
Leon Lissek
Leon Lissek
as
Richard Morant
Richard Morant
as
Peter McEnery
Peter McEnery
as
Peter Whitbread
Peter Whitbread
as
Charles Lloyd Pack
Charles Lloyd Pack
as
Christopher Ellison
Christopher Ellison
as
Sarah Badel
Sarah Badel
as
Peter Jeffrey
Peter Jeffrey
as
Declan Mulholland
Declan Mulholland
as
Charles Kay
Charles Kay
as
David Warner
David Warner
as
Joan Hickson
Joan Hickson
as
Peter Vaughan
Peter Vaughan
as
Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Palmer
as
Christopher Ettridge
Christopher Ettridge
as
Seymour Green
Seymour Green
as
James Hazeldine
James Hazeldine
as
Ronald Forfar
Ronald Forfar
as
John Moulder-Brown
John Moulder-Brown
as
Suzanne Burden
Suzanne Burden
as
Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones
as
John Abineri
John Abineri
as
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
as
Peter Salmon
Peter Salmon
as
Clive Francis
Clive Francis
as
John Abbott
John Abbott
as
Richard Wordsworth
Richard Wordsworth
as
Barbara Kellerman
Barbara Kellerman
as
Ian Hogg
Ian Hogg
as
Joolia Cappleman
Joolia Cappleman
as
Danny Webb
Danny Webb
as
Susan Jameson
Susan Jameson
as
Eric Porter
Eric Porter
as
Robin Sachs
Robin Sachs
as Busby
Michael Elphick
Michael Elphick
as
Donald Sumpter
Donald Sumpter
as
Keith Michell
Keith Michell
as
David Robb
David Robb
as
John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies
as
Marius Goring
Marius Goring
as
Andrew MacLachlan
Andrew MacLachlan
as
Ronald Pickup
Ronald Pickup
as
Nigel Davenport
Nigel Davenport
as
Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
as
Katharine Levy
Katharine Levy
as
Estelle Kohler
Estelle Kohler
as
Michael Bryant
Michael Bryant
as
David Lloyd Meredith
David Lloyd Meredith
as
Arnold Diamond
Arnold Diamond
as
Brian Deacon
Brian Deacon
as
Jill Baker
Jill Baker
as
Jenny Laird
Jenny Laird
as
Alun Armstrong
Alun Armstrong
as
George Howe
George Howe
as
Paul Henry
Paul Henry
as Peter
Sylvia Coleridge
Sylvia Coleridge
as
Michael Pennington
Michael Pennington
as
Marc Zuber
Marc Zuber
as
Stuart Fell
Stuart Fell
as
Ellis Jones
Ellis Jones
as
Victoria Plucknett
Victoria Plucknett
as
Brian Stirner
Brian Stirner
as
Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths
as
Robert Morris
Robert Morris
as
Jack McKenzie
Jack McKenzie
as
Geoffrey Beevers
Geoffrey Beevers
as
Nigel Lambert
Nigel Lambert
as
Danny Schiller
Danny Schiller
as Musician
Rebecca Saire
Rebecca Saire
as Juliet
Mohammad Shamsi
Mohammad Shamsi
as
Neil McCarthy
Neil McCarthy
as
Simon Chandler
Simon Chandler
as
Jimmy Gardner
Jimmy Gardner
as
Felicity Kendal
Felicity Kendal
as
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly
as
Yolande Palfrey
Yolande Palfrey
as Juliet
Joseph O'Conor
Joseph O'Conor
as Friar Lawrence
Christopher Northey
Christopher Northey
as Paris
Roger Davidson
Roger Davidson
as Balthasar
Zulema Dene
Zulema Dene
as Lady Montague
David Swift
David Swift
as Duke of Northumberland
Jonathan Adams
Jonathan Adams
as
Janet Maw
Janet Maw
as Queen
Alan Dalton
Alan Dalton
as Green
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Seasons

Season 1

Season 1

Season 2

Season 2

Season 3

Season 3

Season 4

Season 4

Season 5

Season 5

Season 6

Season 6

Season 7

Season 7

Episodes season 1

  • 1x1

    Romeo and juliet

  • 1x2

    King richard the second

  • 1x3

    As you like it

  • 1x4

    Julius caesar

  • 1x5

    Measure for measure

  • 1x6

    King henry the eighth

  • 1x7

    King henry the fourth, part i

  • 1x8

    King henry the fourth, part ii

  • 1x9

    King henry the fifth

  • 1x10

    Twelfth night, or, what you will

  • 1x11

    The tempest

  • 1x12

    Hamlet, prince of denmark

  • 1x13

    The taming of the shrew

  • 1x14

    The merchant of venice

  • 1x15

    All's well that ends well

  • 1x16

    The winter's tale

  • 1x17

    Timon of athens

  • 1x18

    Antony and cleopatra

  • 1x19

    Othello

  • 1x20

    Troilus and cressida

  • 1x21

    A midsummer night's dream

  • 1x22

    King lear

  • 1x23

    The merry wives of windsor

  • 1x24

    King henry the sixth, part i

  • 1x25

    King henry the sixth, part ii

  • 1x26

    King henry the sixth, part iii

  • 1x27

    The tragedy of king richard the third

  • 1x28

    Cymbeline

  • 1x29

    Macbeth

  • 1x30

    The comedy of errors

  • 1x31

    The two gentlemen of verona

  • 1x32

    The tragedy of coriolanus

  • 1x33

    The life and death of king john

  • 1x34

    Pericles, prince of tyre

  • 1x35

    Much ado about nothing

  • 1x36

    Love's labour's lost

  • 1x37

    Titus andronicus

Episodes season 2

  • 2x1

    Henry iv, part one

  • 2x2

    Henry iv, part two

  • 2x3

    King henry the fifth

  • 2x4

    Twelfth night

  • 2x5

    The tempest

  • 2x6

    Hamlet

Episodes season 3

  • 3x1

    The taming of the shrew

  • 3x2

    The merchant of venice

  • 3x3

    All's well that ends well

  • 3x4

    The winter's tale

  • 3x5

    Timon of athens

  • 3x6

    Antony and cleopatra

Episodes season 4

  • 4x1

    Othello

  • 4x2

    Troilus and cressida

  • 4x3

    A midsummer night's dream

Episodes season 5

  • 5x1

    King lear

  • 5x2

    Cymbeline

  • 5x3

    The merry wives of windsor

  • 5x4

    Henry vi, part one

  • 5x5

    Henry vi, part two

  • 5x6

    Henry vi, part three

  • 5x7

    The tragedy of richard iii

Episodes season 6

  • 6x1

    Macbeth

  • 6x2

    The comedy of errors

  • 6x3

    The two gentlemen of verona

  • 6x4

    Coriolanus

  • 6x5

    Pericles, prince of tyre

Episodes season 7

  • 7x1

    King john

  • 7x2

    Much ado about nothing

  • 7x3

    Love's labour's lost

  • 7x4

    Titus andronicus

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