The Wars of the Roses (1965– )

A filmed theatre production of four of Shakespeare's historical plays condensed down into a trilogy.

Stars:

David Warner, Peggy Ashcroft, Anthony Boden

Cast

Series cast summary:
David Warner	...	King Henry VI (3 episodes, 1965)
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Queen Margaret (3 episodes, 1965)
Anthony Boden	...	3rd Messenger (3 episodes, 1965)
Philip Brack	...	Somerset (3 episodes, 1965)
Murray Brown	...	2nd Messenger (3 episodes, 1965)
Donald Burton	...	Exeter (3 episodes, 1965)
Jessica Claridge		(3 episodes, 1965)
Elisabeth Croft		(3 episodes, 1965)
David Ellison	...	1st Messenger (3 episodes, 1965)
Carl Forgione		(3 episodes, 1965)
James Garrett		(3 episodes, 1965)
David Hargreaves	...	Norfolk (3 episodes, 1965)
Marshall Jones	...	1st Citizen (3 episodes, 1965)
Roger Jones	...	2nd Citizen (3 episodes, 1965)
Charles Kay	...	Clarence (3 episodes, 1965)
James Laurenson	...	Messenger to the Council (3 episodes, 1965)
Stanley Lebor	...	1st Citizen (3 episodes, 1965)
David Lyn		(3 episodes, 1965)
John Malcolm		(3 episodes, 1965)
Fergus McClelland	...	Prince Edward (3 episodes, 1965)
Rhys McConnochie	...	Vernon (3 episodes, 1965)
Lee Menzies	...	Richmond (3 episodes, 1965)
Derek Oldfield		(3 episodes, 1965)
Michael Pennington		(3 episodes, 1965)
David Quilter		(3 episodes, 1965)
David Rowlands	...	3rd Watch (3 episodes, 1965)
William Squire	...	Buckingham (3 episodes, 1965)
Hugh Sullivan	...	Burgundy (3 episodes, 1965)
Madoline Thomas	...	Duchess of York (3 episodes, 1965)
Alan Tucker	...	Prince Edward (3 episodes, 1965)
Ted Valentine	...	Lieutenant to the Tower (3 episodes, 1965)
Chris Williams		(3 episodes, 1965)
Ian Holm	...	King Richard III (2 episodes, 1965)
Donald Sinden	...	Plantagenet (2 episodes, 1965)
Katherine Barker	...	Princess Elizabeth (2 episodes, 1965)
Bruce Condell	...	Un-named parts (2 episodes, 1965)
John Corvin	...	Lord Clifford (2 episodes, 1965)
Jeffery Dench	...	2nd Keeper (2 episodes, 1965)
Roy Dotrice	...	King Edward IV (2 episodes, 1965)
William Dysart	...	1st Murderer (2 episodes, 1965)
Susan Engel	...	Lady Elizabeth Grey (2 episodes, 1965)
Peter Forbes-Robertson	...	Lawyer (2 episodes, 1965)
Peter Gale	...	John Talbot (2 episodes, 1965)
Peter Geddis	...	Alençon (2 episodes, 1965)
Guy Gordon	...	Lancastrian messenger (2 episodes, 1965)
Sheila Grant	...	Simpcox's wife (2 episodes, 1965)
Terence Greenidge	...	2nd Citizen (2 episodes, 1965)
Stephen Hancock	...	Bassett (2 episodes, 1965)
John Hussey	...	Derby (2 episodes, 1965)
Maurice Jones	...	Oxford (2 episodes, 1965)
Donald Layne-Smith	...	Lord Say (2 episodes, 1965)
Andrew Lodge	...	Messenger to the council (2 episodes, 1965)
Paul Martin	...	Richard (2 episodes, 1965)
Brewster Mason	...	Warwick (2 episodes, 1965)
Gavin Morrison	...	1st Lancastrian soldier (2 episodes, 1965)
David Morton	...	Messenger from Lord Derby (2 episodes, 1965)
John Normington	...	Bedford (2 episodes, 1965)
Colette O'Neil	...	Eleanor (2 episodes, 1965)
Michael Sarson		(2 episodes, 1965)
Deborah Stanford		(2 episodes, 1965)
Janet Suzman	...	Joan la Pucelle (2 episodes, 1965)
Charles Thomas	...	Catesby (2 episodes, 1965)
David Waller	...	A father that has killed his son (2 episodes, 1965)
Derek Waring	...	Rivers (2 episodes, 1965)
Malcolm Webster	...	Alexander Iden (2 episodes, 1965)
Tim Wylton	...	1st Keeper (2 episodes, 1965)

Storyline

Chronicle of the dysfunctional Plantagenet family from the accession of the young Henry to the death of Richard,last of the Plantagenets. The vacillations of the priestly Henry lead to ungentlemanly behaviour, civil war, treason, murder, regicide, fratricide, and the relentless pursuit of power so characteristic of the Renaissance.

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Plot Keywords:

stage | reference to william shakespeare | tv mini series

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1965 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Royal Shakespeare Company

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of The Third Part of King Henry VI (1983)

User Reviews

Unforgettable performances in Peter Hall's "War of the Roses" cycle.

David Warner and Dame Peggy Ashcroft are mesmerising as, respectively, King Henry VI, and his wife Margaret of Anjou, the She-Wolf of France in Peter Hall's legendary production of Shakespeare's cycle of plays about The Wars of the Roses.

Warner gives a performance that is indescribably sad as the saintly, depressed and mad king, (Shakespeare puts pearls of poetry into the mouth of a man who was effectively an imbecile) and equally, if not more memorable, is Ashcroft's depiction of the way Margaret descends from a figure of courage and steadfastness, into a monster of vengeance and terrifying cruelty. The brilliant decision of Ashcroft to give her Margaret a stutter adds tremendous poignancy to the character.

I haven't seen this monumental production of the complete Wars of the Roses cycle for many years ... it still haunts my memory, and I would give anything to see it again.