King Lear (1953) (TV)

Director:

Andrew McCullough

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Release Date:

18 October 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on Shakespeare's play: King Lear of Britain has decided to divide his kingdom into three parts...

Plot Keywords:

King | Tragedy | Shakespeare's King Lear | Based On Play | Character Name In Title

Cast

Orson Welles	...	King Lear
Natasha Parry	...	Cordelia
Arnold Moss	...	Duke of Albany
Bramwell Fletcher	...	Earl of Kent
David J. Stewart	...	Oswald
Margaret Phillips	...	Regan
Beatrice Straight	...	Goneril
Alan Badel	...	Fool
Micheál MacLiammóir	...	Poor Tom (as Micheal MacLiammoir)
Frederick Worlock	...	Earl of Gloucester (as Frederic Worlock)
Scott Forbes	...	Duke of Cornwall
Wesley Addy	...	King of France
Fred Sadoff	...	Duke of Burgundy
Lloyd Bochner	...	First Gentleman
Chris Gampel	...	First Servant
LeRoi Operti	...	Doctor
Alistair Cooke	...	Himself - Host
Peter Brook	...	Himself - Director

Directed by
Andrew McCullough		(series director)

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)

Produced by
Paul Feigay	....	associate producer
Fred Rickey	....	producer

Original Music by
Virgil Thomson

Cinematography by
Andrew McCullough

Production Design by
Henry May

Set Decoration by
Gene Callahan

Music Department
Virgil Thomson	....	conductor

Other crew
Peter Brook	....	stage director
Georges Wakhévitch	....	art advisor

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Omnibus Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1953) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• E1 Entertainment Distribution (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport International Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the storm scene, Lear's mustache comes lose and flaps in the wind. Orson Welles turns his back at one point in a failed attempt to stick it back on firmly.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Prodigal Sons (2008)

Awesome Orson

I'm astonished firstly that this cleverly shortened 'King Lear' was presented LIVE on TV more than 50 years ago, and secondly that the occasion was recorded and can be seen on video. Of course, the sets and costumes are pretty rudimentary, but the storm and shelter scenes are imaginative and there's nothing wrong with the acting. Orson Welles, despite his false nose and enormous beard, is a splendid Lear, who starts well and gets better and better - the more regal as he learns humility - and becomes very moving. Alan Badel is a marvellous Fool, Micheal MacLiammoir a fine Poor Tom (divorced from Edgar, absent in this version)and the Goneril, Regan, Albany, Kent and Gloucester are all very fine. Oswald takes over the character of Edmund to surprisingly good effect. Welles was a great Macbeth, a magnificent Othello and, on this showing, a classic Lear. Let's be grateful for his mighty talent.