The Wednesday Play

The Wednesday Play is an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic adaptations of fiction (and occasionally stage plays) also featured. The series gained a reputation for presenting contemporary social dramas, and for bringing issues to the attention of a mass audience that would not otherwise have been discussed on screen.

Some of British television drama's most influential, and controversial, plays were shown in this slot, including Up the Junction and Cathy Come Home. The earliest television plays of Dennis Potter were featured in this slot.

History

Origins and early series

The series was suggested to the BBC's Head of Drama, Sydney Newman, by the corporation's director of television Kenneth Adam after his cancellation of the two previous series of single plays.<ref name="Wake">Oliver Wake, "Wednesday Play, The (1964–70)", BFI Screenonline.</ref> Newman had been persuaded to join the BBC following the success of the similar programme Armchair Theatre, which he had produced while Head of Drama at ABC Weekend TV from 1958 to 1962. Armchair Theatre had tackled many difficult and socially relevant subjects in the then-popular 'kitchen sink' style, and still managed to gain a mass audience on the ITV network, and Newman wanted a programme that would be able to tackle similar issues with a broad appeal. Newman also wanted to get away from the BBC's reputation of producing safe and unchallenging drama programmes, to produce something with more bite and vigour, what Newman called "agitational contemporaneity".<ref name="Wake"/>

The Wednesday Play succeeded in meeting this aim, and the BBC quickly developed the practice of stockpiling six or seven Wednesday Plays in case there were problems with individual works.<ref>Madeleine Macmurraugh-Kavanagh, "The BBC and the Birth of the Wednesday Play 1962-66" in Janet Thumim Small Screens, Big Ideas: Television in the 1950s, London: I.B. Tauris, 2000, pp. 149–64, 159.</ref> One production, The War Game (1965), was withdrawn from broadcast by a nervous BBC under pressure from the government, while John Hopkins' Fable (20 January 1965),<ref name="Duguid">Mark Duguid "Fable (1965)", BFI Screenonline.</ref> an inversion of South Africa's Apartheid system, was delayed for several weeks over fears that it would incite racial tensions.<ref name="Duguid"/>

Intended as a vehicle for new writers, several careers began thanks to the series. Television programmes had a much shorter lead time in this era, and Dennis Potter's first four accepted television plays were shown during the course of 1965. The two Nigel Barton plays (8<ref>Sergio Angelini, "Stand Up, Nigel Barton (1965)", BFI screenonline</ref> and 15 December 1965)<ref>Sergio Angelini, "Vote, Vote, Vote, for Nigel Barton (1965)", BFI screenonline</ref> first brought him to widespread public attention and the slightly earlier Alice (13 October 1965),<ref>John R. Cook, Dennis Potter: a life on screen, Manchester: Manchester University Press, p. 333, n.3:5.</ref> about Lewis Carroll's relationship with Alice Liddell, developed themes to which Potter would return.

In the first half of 1966 a series of 26 Wednesday Plays were produced by Peter Luke, the playwright, and story edited by David Benedictus. Highlights included The Snow Ball (20 April 1966),<ref name="Shubik1">Irene Shubik, Play for Today: the evolution of television drama, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000 [1975], p. 46</ref> adapted from the novel by Brigid Brophy, Toddler on the Run adapted by Shena Mackay from her novella and directed by James MacTaggart, (25 May 1966),<ref name="Shubik1"/> Cock Hen and Courting Pit (renamed A Tour of the Old Floorboards, 22 June 1966)<ref name="Shubik1"/> by David Halliwell and two plays by Frank O'Connor (which Hugh Leonard adapted)<ref name="MMK&SL">Madeleine MacMurragh-Kavanagh and Stephen Lacey "Who Framed Theatre?: The 'Moment of Change' in British TV Drama" in New Theatre Quarterly, No.57, February 1999, p. 69.</ref> virtually without dialogue<ref name="MMK&SL"/> and which, renamed Silent Song, won The Prix Italia award<ref>Adam Benedick and Sydney Newman, Obituary: Peter Luke, The Independent, 26 January 1995.</ref> in 1967 for 'original dramatic programmes' jointly with a French programme.<ref>"Winners 1949-2010" Template:Webarchive, Prix Italia official website.</ref> The other O'Connor/Leonard work was The Retreat (11 May 1966).<ref name="Shubik1"/> These two plays starred Milo O'Shea and Jack MacGowran. Cathy Come Home by Nell Dunn and Jeremy Sandford was offered to the Luke/Benedictus team who passed it on to Tony Garnett.

Tony Garnett and Ken Loach

Garnett was quickly seen as someone capable of delivering plays which would gain much publicity for the BBC and its Drama department.<ref name="Lacey1">Stephen Lacey, Tony Garnett, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 56.</ref> He had the enthusiastic support of Newman, his immediate superior, who lobbied for increased funding to allow for more location shooting on film rather than shooting productions in the multi-camera electronic television studio, a practice which was felt to impair realism, the preferred mode.<ref name="Lacey1"/>

Director Ken Loach made ten plays in all for The Wednesday Play series.<ref>Jacob Leigh, The Cinema of Ken Loach: Art in the Service of the People, London: Wallflower Press, 2002, p. 195.</ref> Two of them are among the best remembered of the entire run: an adaptation of Nell Dunn's Up the Junction (3 November 1965),<ref>Ros Cranston, "Up the Junction (1965)", BFI Screenonline.</ref> and the saga of a homeless young couple and their battle to prevent their children being taken into local authority care: Cathy Come Home (16 November 1966).<ref>Mark Duguid, "Cathy Come Home (1966)", BFI screenonline</ref> The latter began Loach's 13-year collaboration with Tony Garnett as his producer, although Garnett had been closely involved with Up the Junction as well.<ref>Jason Deans and Maggie Brown, "Up the Junction's Tony Garnett reveals mother's backstreet abortion death", The Guardian, 28 April 2013.</ref>

Plays like Up the Junction though were controversial among more conservative viewers. The 'Clean-Up TV' campaigner Mary Whitehouse accused the BBC of portraying "promiscuity as normal" in Up the Junction<ref name="Hayward">Anthony Hayward "Cathy come home", The Independent, 3 November 2006.</ref> and The Wednesday Play as featuring "Dirt, Doubt and Disbelief".<ref>Asa Briggs, The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Volume 5, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 519.</ref> The writer on television Anthony Hayward quoted Garnett in 2006: "Mary Whitehouse was on the prowl, which was an added frisson, but it was actually very good free publicity and helped the ratings."<ref name="Hayward"/> The "drama documentary" approach was criticised by television professionals who thought it was dishonest. In a Sunday Telegraph article published before its first repeat transmission Grace Wyndham Goldie complained that Cathy Come Home "deliberately blurs the distinction between fact and fiction ... [viewers] have a right to know whether what they are being offered is real or invented."<ref name="Lacey2">Quoted by Stephen Lacey, Tony Garnett, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 57.</ref> Loach has admitted that "[w]e were very anxious for our plays not to be considered dramas but as continuations of the news" which preceded The Wednesday Play's slot.<ref>Graham Fuller, Loach on Loach, London: Faber, 1998, p. 15, cited in Samantha Lay, British Social Realism: From Documentary to Brit-Grit, London: Wallflower Press, 2002, p. 21.</ref>

Later series

The last three years of the strand were predominantly produced by Irene Shubik and Graeme MacDonald; by this time the BBC Drama head Sydney Newman had left the BBC. Highlights from this period include several plays by David Mercer such as In Two Minds (1 March 1967)<ref>Janet Moat, "In Two Minds (1967)", BFI Screenonline</ref> and Let's Murder Vivaldi (10 April 1968)<ref>Janet Moat, "Let's Murder Vivaldi (1968)", BFI Screenonline.</ref> and Potter's Son of Man (16 April 1969),<ref>Sergio Angelini, "Son of Man (1969)", BFI Screenonline.</ref> a modern interpretation of the story of Jesus.

Suffering from declining audience figures, the run of The Wednesday Play ended in 1970 when the day of transmission changed, and the series morphed into Play for Today.

Reputation and availability

It is regarded as one of the most influential and successful programmes to be produced in Britain during the 1960s and is still frequently referenced and discussed. In a 2000 poll of industry professionals conducted by the British Film Institute to find the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th century, two Wednesday Plays made the list: The War Game was placed twenty-seventh, and Cathy Come Home was voted the second greatest British television programme of the century.

Some examples of The Wednesday Play, such as The War Game (which was not screened by the BBC for 20 years) and Cathy Come Home (1966), a television play exploring the theme of housing and homelessness, were, according to filmmaker Roger Graef, "a giant wakeup call for the whole nation,"<ref>Roger Graef, "Out of the box", The Guardian, 15 February 2006.</ref> and some of the Potter plays, surfaced on VHS and DVD; the Potter play, Alice was a bonus feature of a Region 1 DVD in 2010 of Jonathan Miller's surrealist version of Alice in Wonderland. The Ken Loach material has resurfaced in a Ken Loach at the BBC set, and the two plays directed by Alan Clarke in the Alan Clarke at the BBC set. However, as with much British television of this era, many episodes are lost, leaving 79 surviving in the archives (along with 3 with some surviving sequences) out of 182 transmitted.

Productions

This table is based on records in the BBC Genome archive of the Radio Times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Titles billed as The Wednesday Play (or The Wednesday Play presenting: ...) in the Radio Times listings for their first or a subsequent transmission are included, plus an additional two for the reasons given in the notes. Repeats of the individual productions are excluded, as are some additional repeats from Theatre 625 shown in the Wednesday Play slot during 1968–69 but not billed as such in the Radio Times. All episodes were broadcast on BBC1, with the introduction of colour from November 1969.

The archival status has been ascertained for almost all productions based on the BFI National Archive<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and TV Brain<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> online databases. Most of the extant versions are in the form of 16mm or 35mm black & white telerecordings (prints or negatives), or in a few cases original film versions where that was the original medium used for production. Some of the later plays exist in videotape formats.

Original air Date	Title	Author(s)	Producer	Director	Performers	Notes	Archive status
Template:Dts	A Crack in the Ice	A story by Nikolai Leskov. Dramatised by Ronald Eyre.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Bill Fraser James Maxwell Derek Newark Michael Hordern Jack May Conrad Monk John Bay Peter Madden Richard Hurndall Eric Richard	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 4 June 1965.	Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	In Camera	by Jean-Paul Sartre. Adapted for television and directed by Philip Saville.		Template:Sortname	Harold Pinter Jane Arden Katherine Woodville Jonathan Hansen Andre Boulay David de Keyser	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 11 June 1965.
Template:Dts	Pale Horse, Pale Rider	Katherine Anne Porter	Template:Sortname		Joan Hackett Keir Dullea John Drainie Ruth Springford Deborah Turnbull Arch McDonell	A filmed production by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first broadcast by CBC under Festival, 23 October 1963.	Unknown
Template:Dts	The Big Breaker	Alun Richards	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Rupert Davies Nigel Stock Daphne Slater Edward Evans		Yes (16mm print)
Template:Dts	Mr. Douglas	John Prebble		Template:Sortname	Michael Goodliffe Jean Anderson Laurence Hardy Claire Nielson Gary Bond Margo Croan	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 30 July 1965.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Malatesta	by Henry de Montherlant. translated by Jonathan Griffin. adapted by Rosemary Hill.		Template:Sortname	Patrick Wymark Jessica Dunning Cyril Shaps John Glyn-Jones John Hollis Edward Burnham Blake Butler Dallas Cavell Jack Melford Reginald Jessup David Grey Judy Geeson David March	Adapted from the play. Repeated under Encore on BBC2 28 May 1965.	missing
Template:Dts	The July Plot	by Roger Manvell. Based on the book by Roger Manvell and Heinrich Fraenkel.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	John Carson Charles Lloyd-Pack Peter Copley Joseph Fürst Cyril Luckham John Lee John Paul John Abineri Graham Leaman Jeffry Wickham		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	First Love	From the story by Ivan Turgenev.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Heather Sears Richard Monette	Produced and directed for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first broadcast by CBC under Festival, 22 January 1964.	Unknown
Template:Dts	Tap on the Shoulder	by James O'Connor	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Lee Montague Richard Shaw Griffith Davies George Tovey Tony Selby Tom Bowman Noel Johnson Michael Mulcaster Lucy Griffiths Michael Collins Michael Goldie Tony Caunter	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 17 September 1965.	Yes (16mm (BFI) or 35mm tr (TVBrain)?)
Template:Dts	Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word…	Simon Raven		Template:Sortname	Michael Hordern Alec John McCowen Phillips Derek Francis James Maxwell Agnes Lauchlan Leonard Maguire Gerald Cross Felix Felton Colin Jeavons Christopher Benjamin Frank Williams Steven Berkoff		missing
Template:Dts	The Navigators	Julia Jones		Template:Sortname	George Baker Kathleen Byron Patience Collier Terence Woodfield	Shown instead of the originally scheduled Fable due to the latter's postponement, so not listed in the Radio Times but listed as a Wednesday Play in the BFI database.
Template:Dts	Fable	John Hopkins		Template:Sortname	Thomas Baptiste Barbara Assoon Ronald Lacey Eileen Atkins Keith Barron Rudolph Walker Carmen Munroe Frank Singuineau	Postponed from 20 January 1965.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Dan, Dan, the Charity Man	Hugh Whitemore		Template:Sortname	Barry Foster Ernest Clark Philip Locke Dora Reisser Antony Carrick Arthur Mullard Michael Barrington Michael Brennan	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 1 October 1965.	missing
Template:Dts	Ashes to Ashes	Marc Brandel		Template:Sortname	Toby Robins Scott Forbes Oscar Quitak Tony Steedman		Yes (16mm tr)
Template:Dts	Wear a Very Big Hat	Eric Coltart		Template:Sortname	Neville Smith Sheila Fearn William Holmes Johnny Clive Malcolm Taylor Alan Lake Royston Tickner William Gaunt James Hall Ken Jones David Jackson	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 24 September 1965.	missing
Template:Dts	The Confidence Course	Dennis Potter		Template:Sortname	Dennis Price Stanley Baxter Neil McCarthy Yootha Joyce Gilly Flower Jack Le White
Template:Dts	Campaign for One	Marielaine Douglas and Anthony Church		Template:Sortname	Barry Foster Jeremy Kemp David Bauer Jerry Stovin Robert Arden Thomasine Heiner George Roubicek David Garth	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 3 September 1965.
Template:Dts	Horror of Darkness	John Hopkins		Template:Sortname	Alfred Lynch Nicol Williamson Glenda Jackson		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	A Little Temptation	Thomas Clarke		Template:Sortname	Barbara Jefford Denholm Elliott Caroline Mortimer Michael Barrington Cheryl Molineaux	Recorded in BBC Scotland's Glasgow studios
Template:Dts	Moving On	Bill Mellen		Template:Sortname	Peter Jeffrey David Collings Godfrey Quigley Jack Watson Eric Thompson Kenneth Thornett Tony Wall James Appleby David Brewster Peter Diamond		missing
Template:Dts	Cat's Cradle	Hugo Charteris		Template:Sortname	Leo Genn Barbara Murray Rachel Thomas Billy Russell Sheila Dunn	Recorded in BBC Scotland's Glasgow studios
Template:Dts	3 Clear Sundays	James O'Connor		Template:Sortname	Tony Selby Rita Webb Glynn Edwards George Sewell Kim Peacock Finuala O'Shannon Will Stampe Alec Ross Eric Mason Griffith Davies Ken Jones Harry Littlewood Michael Goldie George Tovey Jack Cunningham Haydn Jones Jack Melford Reg Lever Ben Howard Leslie Bates David J. Grahame Desmond Cullum-Jones James Appleby	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 16 July 1965.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Interior Decorator	Jack Russell		Template:Sortname	Barry Foster Jane Arden
Template:Dts	Auto-Stop	Alan Seymour		Template:Sortname	David Hemmings Delphi Lawrence Kevin Stoney Janice Dinnen Katherine Schofield Jonathan Burn Gertan Klauber
Template:Dts	The Good Shoemaker and the Poor Fish Peddler	Jean Benedetti		Template:Sortname	John Barrie Robert Ayres Cec Linder Bill Nagy John Bailey Robert Arden	Based on the lives of Sacco and Vanzetti.	missing
Template:Dts	Cemented with Love	Sam Thompson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Harold Goldblatt Elizabeth Begley Anton Rodgers J. G. Devlin Denys Hawthorne Paddy Joyce	Postponed from December 1964. Shown in The Wednesday Play slot and listed as such in the BFI database, although apparently not billed as such in the Radio Times, according to the BBC Genome database.
Template:Dts	A Knight in Tarnished Armour	Alan Sharp	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Paul Young Paul Curran Hamish Wilson Brian Cox Henry Stamper
Template:Dts	For the West	Michael Hastings		Template:Sortname	John Castle Julian Glover Freddie Jones Edwin Richfield Roy Stewart Nigel Stock John Stratton Zena Walker Gordon Gostelow Declan Mulholland
Template:Dts	And Did Those Feet?	David Mercer		Template:Sortname	David Markham Willoughby Goddard Patrick Troughton Sylvia Kay Jo Rowbottom Victor Lucas Anna Wing Jack May Kristopher Kum Donald Morley		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Man Without Papers	Troy Kennedy Martin		Template:Sortname	Benito Carruthers Geraldine McEwan James Maxwell Charles Victor Ingrid Hafner John Woodnutt Tom Bowman Ian Fleming		partial
Template:Dts	The Pistol	A novel by James Jones. Adapted for television by Troy Kennedy Martin and Roger Smith.		Template:Sortname	Clive Endersby John Brandon Hal Galili Walter Sparrow Steven Berkoff Callen Angelo Robert Arden	Repeated under Encore on BBC2 10 September 1965.	Yes (35mm tr?) Incomplete prints - com-opt audio on studio sequences only, film sequences are mute, no music or effects.
Template:Dts	Women in Crisis: With Love and Tears	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Katharine Blake Nigel Green Alan Baulch Margot Robinson Margaret Ward Margaret Denyer Michael Brennan Peter Thornton	Repeat of 27 September 1964 Theatre 625 production, substituting the advertised Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton due to the latter's late postponement.<ref>The Programmes as Broadcast record held by the BBC Written Archives Centre reports "21:33 The Wednesday Play – Women in Crisis: With Love and Tears (repeat of telerecording 35/6T/23437 first transmitted in BBC2 at 20.05.10 on 27.09.1964). Produced by Cedric Messina."</ref>	Yes (16mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Seven O'Clock Crunch	David Stone		Template:Sortname	Nigel Stock Peter Jeffrey Zena Walker Jan Waters Trevor Baxter June Brown		missing
Template:Dts	Alice	Dennis Potter		Template:Sortname	George Baker Rosalie Crutchley David Langton Deborah Watling John Bailey Tony Anholt		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Girl Who Loved Robots	Peter Everett		Template:Sortname	Dudley Foster Isobel Black Norman Rodway Michael Guest David Dodimead John Bryans Geoffrey Hinsliff Kevin Stoney Howard Charlton		missing
Template:Dts	A Designing Woman	Julia Jones		Template:Sortname	Reginald Marsh Rhoda Lewis John Collin
Template:Dts	Up the Junction	Nell Dunn		Template:Sortname	Carol White Geraldine Sherman Vickery Turner Tony Selby Michael Standing Ray Barron Rita Webb Hilda Barry Jessie Robins Sheila Grant George Sewell Frank Jarvis George Tovey Ben Howard James Haswell Will Stampe Gilly Fraser Anna Wing Reg Cranfield James Appleby	Based on the book. Repeated also 14 July 1993 on BBC2.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne	Alan Seymour		Template:Sortname	Jack Hawkins Ian McKellen Faith Brook Mary Hinton Meredith Edwards Robert James Morris Perry Richard Coe Alan Mason Rex Robinson Milton Johns Bill Lyons Kenneth Benda Penelope Lee		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The End of Arthur's Marriage	Christopher Logue and Stanley Myers		Template:Sortname	Ken Jones Maureen Ampleford Edward de Souza Fanny Carby Toni Palmer Lucy Griffiths Nicholas Courtney Neville Smith
Template:Dts	Tomorrow, Just You Wait	Fred Watson		Template:Sortname	James Chase Janina Faye Amelia Bayntun Tony Selby Charles Lamb Joss Ackland Judy Parfitt Gábor Baraker
Template:Dts	The Bond	Dawn Pavitt and Terry Wale		Template:Sortname	Hannah Gordon Barry Lowe Nancie Jackson Campbell Singer Joan Young William Marlowe Annette Crosbie Angus MacKay George Selway Geoffrey Cheshire Ian Frost John Flint Peter Forbes-Robertson Kenton Moore
Template:Dts	Stand Up, Nigel Barton	Dennis Potter		Template:Sortname	Keith Barron Jack Woolgar Katherine Parr Janet Henfrey Johnnie Wade Godfrey James Llewellyn Rees Brian Badcoe Peter Madden Alan Lake Ian Fairbairn Michael Davis Sheila Dunn	Repeated 11 August 1987 on BBC1, and also 12 June 2004 and 31 January 2005 on BBC4.
Template:Dts	Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton			Template:Sortname	Keith Barron Valerie Gearon John Bailey Cyril Luckham Donald Hewlett Betty Bowden Aimée Delamain	Postponed from 23 June 1965. Repeated 18 August 1987 on BBC1, and also 15 June 2004 and 31 January 2005 on BBC4.
Template:Dts	The Coming Out Party	James O'Connor		Template:Sortname	Toni Palmer George Sewell Dennis Golding Will Stampe Alec Ross Griffith Davies George Tovey Aubrey Richards Fanny Carby Ray Barron Frank Jarvis Patrick O'Connell		Yes (16mm (BFI) or 35mm tr (TVBrain)?)
Template:Dts	The Boneyard	Clive Exton	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Nigel Davenport Neil McCarthy Michael Robbins John Le Mesurier	Originally scheduled for 30 September 1964 (as The Bone Yard, without Wednesday Play billing) but postponed.	missing
Template:Dts	A Man on Her Back	by Peter Luke. From a novel by William Sansom.		Template:Sortname	Norman Rodway Valerie Gearon Barrie Ingham Jo Rowbottom Milo Sperber Hana Maria Pravda Douglas Ditta John Baker		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	Rodney, Our Intrepid Hero	Brian Finch		Template:Sortname	Graham Crowden Danny Green Jim Norton Jacqueline Ellis Kristopher Kum Derek Ware Alf Joint Lucy Griffiths		missing
Template:Dts	Calf Love	Philip Purser. From a novel by Vernon Bartlett.		Template:Sortname	Simon Ward Warren Mitchell Madeleine Christie Isobel Black Deborah Watling Eileen Way Nigel Lambert Lisa Daniely		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Silent Song	Frank O'Connor and Hugh Leonard		Template:Sortname	Tony Selby Leo McCabe Milo O'Shea Jack MacGowran		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Who's a Good Boy Then? I am	Richard Harris		Template:Sortname	Thora Hird Ron Moody Ronald Lacey
Template:Dts	A Game - Like - Only a Game	John Hopkins		Template:Sortname	Susan Richards Alethea Charlton Stanley Meadows Shelagh Fraser Geoffrey Hibbert David Webb Peter Ducrow Jack Wild		missing
Template:Dts	Why Aren't You Famous?	Ernie Gebler		Template:Sortname	Alan Dobie Fionnula Flanagan Martin Benson John Forgeham		missing
Template:Dts	Macready's Gala	Hugh Whitemore		Template:Sortname	Richard Pearson John Le Mesurier Barbara Couper Jane Eccles Donald Eccles		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	A Walk in the Sea	James Hanley		Template:Sortname	Mora Nicholson Kenneth Griffith Marius Goring Peter Hawkins Howard Lang Harry Littlewood Keith Pyott		missing
Template:Dts	Boy in the Smoke	Patrick Galvin		Template:Sortname	Sean Caffrey Ray Mort John Sharp Tony Steedman John Barrard Frank Jarvis Paddy Joyce Allan Mitchell	Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 13 May 1965.
Template:Dts	Barlowe of the Car Park	Paul Ableman		Template:Sortname	Jack Woolgar Annabel Maule Betty Romaine Annette Robertson Donald Hewlett Michael Robbins
Template:Dts	The Portsmouth Defence	Nemone Lethbridge		Template:Sortname	Emrys James Fanny Carby Deborah Cranston Maureen Ampleford Michael Coles Jerome Willis Yootha Joyce Roy Evans Clifton Jones John Woodnutt John Garvin		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	Pity about the Abbey	John Betjeman and Stewart Farrar		Template:Sortname	Henry McGee John Harvey Suzanne Mockler Derek Francis Pamela Ann Davy	Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 29 July 1965.
Template:Dts	The Big Man Coughed and Died	Brian Wright		Template:Sortname	George Baker Eileen Atkins John Sharp Diana Coupland Nicholas Smith Harry Towb Philip Anthony Martin Friend
Template:Dts	The Snow Ball	Brigid Brophy Dramatised by Ursula Gray.		Template:Sortname	Patrick Allen Katharine Blake Clare Kelly Trisha Noble
Template:Dts	A Cheery Soul	Patrick White Adapted by Jonquil Antony		Template:Sortname	Hazel Hughes Aubrey Richards Lucy Griffiths May Warden Jack Bligh	Adapted from the play.	missing
Template:Dts	The Connoisseur	Hugo Charteris		Template:Sortname	Derek Francis Rosalie Crutchley Michael Goodliffe Richard O'Sullivan Ian Ogilvy Rosalie Westwater Stephen Whittaker		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Retreat	Hugh Leonard		Template:Sortname	Gerry Sullivan Harry Webster Juno Tobin Gerry Duggan David Kelly
Template:Dts	Ape and Essence	Aldous Huxley Dramatised by John Finch.		Template:Sortname	Alec McCowen Robert Eddison Derek Sydney Petra Markham Sydney Bromley Yvonne Antrobus	Adapted from the novel.	missing
Template:Dts	Toddler on the Run	From the novel by Shena Mackay.		Template:Sortname	Ian Trigger Anneke Wills Jerome Willis Iain Cuthbertson Renu Setna Mona Bruce Michael Robbins		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Executioner	Robert Muller		Template:Sortname	Rosalie Crutchley Sandor Elès Elizabeth Bell David Garfield Meier Tzelniker Eileen Way Steven Scott David de Keyser		missing
Template:Dts	Way Off Beat	David Turner	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Brenda Bruce Sydney Tafler Helen Fraser Gordon Reid Stephanie Bidmead Jimmy Hanley Noel Johnson		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	A Soiree at Bossom's Hotel	Simon Raven	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Fabia Drake Raymond Huntley Sarah Lawson Wallas Eaton Sally Bazeley Roddy Maude-Roxby Barbara Couper Clive Morton Henry McGee Jeremy Young		missing
Template:Dts	Cock, Hen, and Courting Pit	David Halliwell	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Nicola Pagett Maurice Roëves June Murphy Clifford Cox		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Photo Finish	Peter Ustinov	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Paul Rogers Robert Brown James Maxwell Simon Prebble Peter Ashmore Barbara Couper Daphne Slater Meg Wynn Owen Alice Montego Priscilla Morgan Michael Bates	Repeat; first shown as a Thursday Theatre on BBC2 28 January 1965.	missing
Template:Dts	A Hero of Our Time	Ian Dallas. Based on the novel by Mihail Lermontov.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Alan Bates Mary Miller Terence De Marney Jeremy Young Donald Sumpter Brigit Forsyth Michael Mulcaster	Adapted from the novel.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Frighteners	Daniel Farson		Template:Sortname	Tom Adams Griffith Davies Ben Howard George Sewell Frank Jarvis June Murphy Peter Ducrow John Harvey	Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 8 July 1965.	missing
Template:Dts	A Piece of Resistance	Terence Dudley	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Lally Bowers William Kendall Frederick Jaeger James Villiers Gerald Cross Michael Craze Gábor Baraker	Repeat of 26 December 1965 Theatre 625 on BBC2.
Template:Dts	Where the Buffalo Roam	Dennis Potter	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Hywel Bennett Megs Jenkins Glyn Aubrey Houston Richards Richard Davies	Repeated also 25 August 1976 on BBC2 and 21 July 1993 on BBC2.	Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Head Waiter	John Mortimer		Template:Sortname	Donald Pleasence Peter Madden Pauline Letts Alexandra Bastedo		missing
Template:Dts	Cathy Come Home	Jeremy Sandford	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Carol White Ray Brooks Barry Jackson Geoffrey Palmer Barry Jackson John Baddeley Paddy Joyce Lennard Pearce Will Stampe Lila Kaye	Repeated also 11 August 1976 on BBC2, 23 December 2001 on BBC Choice, 5 June 2003 on BBC4, 11 June 2003 on BBC4, 26 November 2006 on BBC4.	Yes (original negative)
Template:Dts	The Private Tutor	Christopher Williams	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Ian McShane Marty Cruickshank Patricia Garwood Alan Tucker Christopher Wray		missing
Template:Dts	A Pyre for Private James	Simon Raven	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Basil Henson Percy Herbert Dudley Sutton David Conville Grant Taylor John Bailey William Fox Basil Dignam Nick Tate John Garvin
Template:Dts	A Tale of Two Wives	Marc Brandel		Template:Sortname	Dinsdale Landen Peter Jeffrey Amanda Barrie Suzanna Leigh
Template:Dts	Little Master Mind	Nemone Lethbridge	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	George Sewell John Porter Davison Michael Robbins Robert Russell Jerome Willis Yootha Joyce John Woodnutt Roy Evans Charles Morgan John Garvin Lila Kaye		missing
Template:Dts	The Mayfly and the Frog	Jack Russell	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	John Gielgud Isa Miranda David Stoll Felicity Kendal Timothy Bateson	Repeated 10 July 1968 under Playbill.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Person to Person	Joan Henry		Template:Sortname	Elizabeth Sellars Robin Bailey Michael Standing Michael Wennink		missing
Template:Dts	The Order	Fritz Hochwälder. Translated by Patrick Alexander.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	John Neville Catherine Lacey George Coulouris Laurence Hardy George Murcell Clive Morton John Woodvine Jerold Wells James Cairncross Yvonne Antrobus Michael Pennington	A Wednesday Play production for The Largest Theatre in the World project of the EBU.	missing
Template:Dts	Everyone's Rich Except Us	Thomas Clarke	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Alfred Lynch Jennifer Jayne Richard Vernon Vic Wise Wallas Eaton David Hutcheson Llewellyn Rees Howard Charlton Leonard Grahame Patsy Smart James Ottaway
Template:Dts	The Lump	Jim Allen	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Leslie Sands Joby Blanshard James Caffrey Frank Gatliff Ken Jones Paddy Joyce Neville Smith		Yes (16mm print)
Template:Dts	Who's Going to Take Me On?	Andrew Davies	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Richard O'Sullivan Garfield Morgan George Moon Trisha Mortimer Ann Holloway Derek Seaton Clifford Cox		missing
Template:Dts	Death of a Teddy Bear	Simon Gray		Template:Sortname	Brenda Bruce Hywel Bennett Rachel Kempson Kenneth J. Warren John Bailey	Repeated 17 July 1968 under Playbill.
Template:Dts	Days in the Trees	Marguerite Duras Translated by Sonia Orwell. adapted by Jeremy Brooks.		Template:Sortname	Peggy Ashcroft George Baker Frances Cuka Brian Badcoe Dallas Adams Roger Brierley Noel Collins Patricia Maynard	A Wednesday Play presentation. Original Royal Shakespeare Company stage production directed by: John Schlesinger.	missing
Template:Dts	In Two Minds	David Mercer	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Anna Cropper George A. Cooper Neville Smith Malcolm Taylor Patrick Barr	Repeated also 16 August 1977 on BBC2, 22 November 1980 on BBC2, and 21 July 1988.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Another Day, Another Dollar	Michael Standing	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Victor Maddern Tony Selby Michael Standing Reg Lye Garfield Morgan Eric Flynn Harry Landis		partial
Template:Dts	Public Inquiry	Raymond Williams		Template:Sortname	Charles Williams Edward Evans Clive Graham Roderick Jones Richard Davies Michael Elwyn		missing
Template:Dts	A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant	Thomas Murphy		Template:Sortname	T. P. McKenna Elizabeth Begley Fionnula Flanagan Dermot Tuohy Denis McCarthy David Kelly
Template:Dts	A Breach in the Wall	Ray Lawler		Template:Sortname	Robert Harris Barry Justice John Phillips Rosemary Leach Jennifer Daniel John Bryans Donald Morley	Repeated 31 July 1968 under Playbill.
Template:Dts	The Voices in the Park	Leon Griffiths	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Kenneth Haigh George Sewell Brian Oulton Paddy Joyce Will Stampe Wendy Richard Alec Ross Sonnie Willis Eric Mason
Template:Dts	Dismissal Leading to Lustfulness	Thomas Whyte	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Peter Copley Petra Davies Fiona Duncan Carl Jaffe John Moffatt Ronald Radd Jane Wenham
Template:Dts	A Brilliant Future Behind Him	Thomas Clarke		Template:Sortname	David Buck John Phillips Isobel Black James Bree Patricia Garwood Robert Harris Guy Middleton Ann Tirard Stephen Jack Philip Latham Richard Carpenter Frank Gatliff Yvonne Antrobus Barry Humphries		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Message for Posterity	Dennis Potter		Template:Sortname	Patrick Magee Joseph O'Conor Geoffrey Chater Donald Hewlett Peter Welch John Golightly		missing
Template:Dts	A Way with the Ladies	Simon Gray. Based on the novel A Helping Hand by Celia Dale.		Template:Sortname	Bill Fraser Barbara Couper Amy Dalby
Template:Dts	The Playground	Hunter Davies		Template:Sortname	John Ronane Ann Lynn Wendy Gifford Roy Purcell Jim McManus
Template:Dts	Drums Along the Avon	Charles Wood	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Leonard Rossiter Valerie Newman Maureen O'Reilly Salmaan Peer Derek Ware		Yes (16mm print)
Template:Dts	Sleeping Dog	Simon Gray	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Marius Goring Rachel Kempson Johnny Sekka		missing
Template:Dts	Wanted: Single Gentleman…	James Broom Lynne	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Peter Jeffrey John Stratton Alan Rowe Eileen Atkins
Template:Dts	A Black Candle for Mrs Gogarty	Edward Boyd	Template:Sortname		Duncan MacRae John Grieve Phil McCall Peggy Marshall	From BBC Scotland
Template:Dts	The Devil a Monk Would Be	Template:Sortname Based on a story by Alphonse Daudet.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Max Adrian Tony Selby Elizabeth Begley Derek Francis Bernard Archard Roger Hammond John Sharp
Template:Dts	Fall of the Goat	Fay Weldon	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Joss Ackland Patricia Lawrence John Stratton Christine Hargreaves Sheila Burrell Joan Sanderson Arthur Hewlett
Template:Dts	The Profile of a Gentleman	Jimmy O'Connor		Template:Sortname	Lee Montague George Sewell Ken Jones Paddy Joyce Richard Shaw Eric Mason Michael Goldie		partial
Template:Dts	Dial Rudolph Valentino One One	Ewart Alexander		Template:Sortname	Keith Barron Roy Dotrice Nerys Hughes Alan Lake John Rees Richard Davies Edward Burnham		missing
Template:Dts	Kippers and Curtains	Vickery Turner	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies Angela Baddeley John Glyn-Jones Paul Angelis Stephen Hubay
Template:Dts	Death of a Private	Robert Muller Based on Georg Büchner's Woyzeck.	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Dudley Sutton Liam Redmond John Nettleton Geraldine Sherman Harry Fowler Ralph Watson Godfrey James Jack Bligh		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	An Officer of the Court	Nemone Lethbridge	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Tommy Godfrey Yootha Joyce Bryan Pringle Ronald Radd Glynn Edwards Alec Ross Mona Bruce Desmond Cullum-Jones Frank Jarvis Erik Chitty Bill Burridge Joby Blanshard Steve Peters		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Fat of the Land	Jack Russell	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Joan Greenwood Willoughby Goddard Roy Holder Hazel Hughes Peter Jones Helen Fraser Russell Hunter Yvonne Antrobus		missing
Template:Dts	Toggle	Ian Roberts		Template:Sortname	Alan Badel Moray Watson Daphne Heard Ray Armstrong
Template:Dts	House of Character	David Rudkin	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Alfred Lynch Shelagh Fraser John Collin Rex Garner Elroy Josephs Brian Badcoe Sylvia Coleridge		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	Jamie, on a Flying Visit	Michael Frayn	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Anton Rodgers Caroline Mortimer Dinsdale Landen Felicity Gibson Norman Mitchell Reg Whitehead Jane Enshawe John Scott Martin	Repeated 7 August 1968 under Playbill.	missing
Template:Dts	Monsieur Barnett	Jean Anouilh	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michael Redgrave Miriam Karlin Harold Lang
Template:Dts	The Drummer and the Bloke	Rhys Adrian	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Peter Sallis Peter Vaughan Donal Donnelly Michael Robbins John Dearth
Template:Dts	Rebel in the Grave	Marc Brandel	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Grégoire Aslan Michael York
Template:Dts	Coincidence	Piers Paul Read	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Clive Revill Caroline Blakiston Donald Douglas Emrys James John Franklyn-Robbins John Savident Llewellyn Rees Bella Emberg Roger Avon Michael Sheard Desmond Cullum-Jones Michael Mulcaster
Template:Dts	Light Blue	Gerald Vaughan-Hughes		Template:Sortname	Calvin Lockhart Maureen O'Brien Robert Gillespie
Template:Dts	Let's Murder Vivaldi	David Mercer		Template:Sortname	Denholm Elliott Gwen Watford Glenda Jackson David Sumner	Repeated also 7 July 1988.	Yes
Template:Dts	The Golden Vision	Neville Smith and Gordon Honeycombe	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Ken Jones Bill Dean Neville Smith Joey Kaye		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	The Man Behind You	Jeremy Scott	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michael Bryant Tony Steedman Alan Tucker Stephen Whittaker		missing
Template:Dts	Infidelity Took Place	John Mortimer		Template:Sortname	Judy Cornwell Paul Daneman John Nettleton Patrick Newell
Template:Dts	Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It	Tony Parker		Template:Sortname	Mary Miller Ray Smith Barry Jackson James Appleby Ray Barron Pauline Collins Griffith Davies Gilly Fraser Sheila Grant Ben Howard Frank Jarvis Eric Mason Royston Tickner		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	Spoiled	Simon Gray	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michael Craig Elizabeth Shepherd Simon Ward Mark Rose		missing
Template:Dts	The Gorge	Peter Nichols	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Billy Hamon Constance Chapman Reg Lye Neil Wilson John Woodnutt David Webb	Repeated also 8 September 1976 on BBC2, 28 July 1993 on BBC2.	Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	A Night with Mrs. Da Tanka	William Trevor	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Jean Kent Geoffrey Bayldon Arthur Lowe Peter Bathurst Daphne Heard John Savident Reginald Barratt Christopher Burgess Barry Andrews		missing
Template:Dts	Charlie	Alun Owen		Template:Sortname	Barrie Ingham Julian Glover Mary Chester
Template:Dts	Anyone for Tennis?	J. B. Priestley	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Clifford Evans Rachel Kempson Joseph O'Conor Ernest Clark Michael Pennington Angharad Rees
Template:Dts	Mooney and his Caravans	Peter Terson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	John Alderton Diana Bishop Dave Prowse Jerry Holmes
Template:Dts	The Lower Largo Sequence	Edward Boyd	Template:Sortname		Patrick Allen Isobel Black	From BBC Scotland
Template:Dts	Hello, Good Evening, and Welcome	Hugh Whitemore	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Robert Hardy Michael Robbins James Marcus Roshan Seth George Roubicek Ralph Bates Dallas Cavell
Template:Dts	A Bit of Crucifixion, Father	Julia Jones		Template:Sortname	Walter Fitzgerald Valerie White Margery Mason Alan Lake P.G. Stephens
Template:Dts	Nothing will be the Same Again	James Hanley	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Patrick Magee Bernard Lee Gwen Cherrell Tessa Wyatt
Template:Dts	A Beast with Two Backs	Dennis Potter	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Patrick Barr Denis Carey Christian Rodska Basil Henson Madeleine Newbury Geraldine Newman Llewellyn Rees		Yes (16mm print)
Template:Dts	On the Eve of Publication	David Mercer		Template:Sortname	Leo McKern Thorley Walters Michele Dotrice Kay Dotrice	Repeated also 6 December 1980 on BBC2, on 30 June 1988, and on 19&20-10-2002 on BBC4.	Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	The Fabulous Frump	James Gibbins	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Sheila Steafel Peter Butterworth Donald Churchill Patsy Rowlands Richard Stilgoe		missing
Template:Dts	Smoke Screen	Fay Weldon	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Lally Bowers Stephanie Bidmead Gemma Jones Edwin Richfield Jonathan Newth Ian Lavender Geoffrey Cheshire
Template:Dts	Dr. Aitkinson's Daughter	Hugo Charteris		Template:Sortname	Raymond Huntley Peter Barkworth Fanny Rowe Jennifer Hilary Sylvia Coleridge David Langton Helen Lindsay Neil Wilson Reginald Barratt
Template:Dts	The Apprentices	Peter Terson		Template:Sortname	James Gibson Barrie Rutter Allan Swift Paula Wilcox Russell Dixon Gareth Thomas Loftus Burton Peter Turner	The National Youth Theatre production of The Apprentices
Template:Dts	Birthday	Michael Frayn		Template:Sortname	Rosemary Leach Angela Pleasence Clive Swift Georgina Ward Roshan Seth Tariq Yunus
Template:Dts	The Big Flame	Jim Allen	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Norman Rossington Godfrey Quigley Ken Jones Griffith Davies Neville Smith Michael Lynch Paddy Joyce		Yes (35mm tr?)
Template:Dts	A Serpent in Putney	Fred Watson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Tony Britton Angela Browne Frances White John Alderton Barry Stanton		missing
Template:Dts	Bam! Pow! Zapp!	Nigel Kneale		Template:Sortname	Clive Revill Pauline Delany Robert Powell Jeremy Ranchev Robert James
Template:Dts	Sling Your Hook	Roy Minton	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michael Bates Joe Gladwin Kenneth Cranham Barry Jackson Warren Clarke Patrick O'Connell Jo Rowbottom George Layton Johnnie Wade Norman Jones Neville Smith Colin Spaull Andrew McCulloch Derek Keller		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	A Child and A Half	Owen Holder	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Geoffrey Bayldon Caroline Mortimer Dinsdale Landen Rhoda Lewis		missing
Template:Dts	Son of Man	Dennis Potter		Template:Sortname	Colin Blakely Robert Hardy Bernard Hepton Brian Blessed Edward Hardwicke Godfrey Quigley Gawn Grainger Godfrey James Eric Mason Hugh Futcher Edmund Bailey David Cannon Roy Stewart	Repeated also 28 July 1987, and 23 January 2005 on BBC4.	Yes
Template:Dts	The Exiles	Errol John	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Errol John Esther Anderson Michael Griffiths Lelia Goldoni Donald Douglas Ann Tirard Hugh Morton Robin Scott		missing
Template:Dts	Blodwen, Home from Rachel's Marriage	David Rudkin	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Ann Beach Gilbert Wynne Megs Jenkins William Squire Declan Mulholland Eamonn Boyce Clive Merrison Clare Jenkins Heather Emmanuel		missing
Template:Dts	The Parachute	David Mercer	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Alan Badel Jill Bennett John Osborne Isabel Dean Esmond Knight Drewe Henley Barry Jackson John J. Carney Norman Jones Royston Farrell Stephen Whittaker	Repeat of Play of the Month 21 January 1968. Repeated also 1 September 1976 on BBC2 and 29 November 1980 on BBC2, on 23 June 1988.	Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	Pitchi Poi	François Billetdoux English version by Peter Meyer	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Georges Rouquier David Spenser Simon Lack Hana Maria Pravda	Repeat; originally shown as part of The Largest Theatre in the World project of the EBU, 1 November 1967.	Yes
Template:Dts	The Last Train through the Harecastle Tunnel	Peter Terson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Richard O'Callaghan John Le Mesurier Paul Brooke Robert Hartley Angela Pleasence John Owens Jonathan Burn Bill Lyons Griffith Davies John Scott Martin Eileen Way Claire Davenport Shelagh Fraser		Yes (35mm tr)
Template:Dts	Patterson O.K.	Ray Jenkins	Template:Sortname		Andrew Robertson Roddy McMillan Callum Mill Virginia Stark	from BBC Scotland	missing
Template:Dts	The Mark-Two Wife	William Trevor	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Faith Brook Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies Joanna Lumley Henry Gilbert Roger Hammond Alethea Charlton Philip Madoc Lillias Walker		Yes
Template:Dts	Close the Coalhouse Door	Alan Plater from a story by Sid Chaplin	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Dudley Foster Alan Browning Colin Baker Bryan Pringle John Woodvine Ralph Watson Kevin Stoney James Garbutt		missing
Template:Dts	The Sad Decline of Arthur Maybury	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Roland Culver Lally Bowers Valerie White John Ringham John Savident Sheila Grant Harry Littlewood Sylvia Coleridge Paul Greenhalgh Peter Stenson		missing
Template:Dts	All Out for Kangaroo Valley	Noel Robinson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Sandra Gleeson Mark Edwards Jennifer Young Kerry Francis Peter Arne Peter Collier Donald Pickering Eileen Way		missing
Template:Dts	Happy	Alan Gosling	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Malcolm McDowell Richard Vernon Brenda Bruce Leslie Sands Pauline Collins Frank Mills David Ashford		missing
Template:Dts	There Is Also Tomorrow	Hugo Charteris	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Glyn Houston Jean Harvey Ann Penfold David Burke Neville Smith John Nettleton Kenneth Farrington Alec Ross	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 24 June 1971.	missing
Template:Dts	Double Bill	Johnny Speight	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Marty Feldman Eileen Atkins Joby Blanshard Diane Aubrey Donald Gee	Colour. Comprises The Compartment and Playmates. Playmates was repeated as a Play for Today 8 April 1971.	Yes (16mm b&w print)
Template:Dts	Blood of the Lamb	Leon Whiteson	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Frank Finlay Nicola Pagett T.P. McKenna Anthony Corlan Donald Morley Trevor Martin	Colour	missing
Template:Dts	The Vortex	Noël Coward	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Margaret Leighton Alan Melville Patrick Barr Jennifer Daniel Barry Justice Richard Warwick Felicity Gibson Nancie Jackson David McKail	Colour. Adapted from the play.	Yes
Template:Dts	It Wasn't Me	James Hanley	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Frances Cuka Ronald Lacey Derek Francis Milton Johns	Colour	missing
Template:Dts	The Season of the Witch	Template:Sortname and Johnny Byrne	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Julie Driscoll Paul Nicholas Robert Powell Maurice Quick Fanny Carby Glynn Edwards Tony Caunter	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 22 April 1971.	Yes
Template:Dts	Mille Miglia	Athol Fugard	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michael Bryant Ronald Lacey Guy Deghy George Roubicek Douglas Ditta	Colour. Repeat of 5 August 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2.	Yes
Template:Dts	The Hunting of Lionel Crane	Roy Minton	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Robert Powell Michael Robbins Geoffrey Hughes Walter Sparrow John Rees Reg Lye	Colour
Template:Dts	Rest in Peace Uncle Fred	Alan Plater	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Susan Jameson Corin Redgrave Jack Watson Jo Rowbottom	Colour	missing
Template:Dts	Mad Jack	Tom Clarke		Template:Sortname	Michael Jayston Michael Pennington Clive Swift David Wood Donald Sumpter Ann Beach	Colour. Winner of the first prize and the silver Dore Catholic Prize at the 1971 Monte Carlo International Television Festival. Repeated as a Play for Today 18 March 1971.	Yes
Template:Dts	Nathan and Tabileth	Template:Sortname	Gerald Savory, David Koning	Template:Sortname	Albert van Dalsum Nell Knoop	Colour (almost entirely in brown and white, with one colour scene). A BBC/NCRV co-production, shot as a silent film then re-dubbed into both English and Dutch.
Template:Dts	The Italian Table	William Trevor	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Leonard Rossiter Isabel Dean Moira Redmond Ronald Hines	Repeated as a Play for Today 17 June 1971.	missing
Template:Dts	The Boy Who Wanted Peace	George Friel	Template:Sortname		Laurance Ruddick Roddy McMillan Joseph Brady Irene Sunters	From BBC Scotland	Yes
Template:Dts	The Cellar and the Almond Tree	David Mercer	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Celia Johnson Peter Vaughan Sydney Tafler Patsy Byrne Bernard Kay Jon Rollason Godfrey James Valentino Musetti	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 10 June 1971, on BBC2 13 December 1980 and on BBC1 14 July 1988.	Yes
Template:Dts	The Year of the Sex Olympics	Nigel Kneale	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Leonard Rossiter Suzanne Neve Tony Vogel Vickery Turner Brian Cox George Murcell Martin Potter Patricia Maynard Derek Fowlds Wolfe Morris	Colour. Repeat of 29 July 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. Repeated again 22 May 2003.	Yes (16mm b&w print)
Template:Dts	No Trams to Lime Street	Alun Owen	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Rosemary Nicols Glyn Owen Anthony May Paul Greenwood Elian Wyn Artro Morris Julia Hand Gerard Hely George Giles	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 11 March 1971.
Template:Dts	To See How Far It Is: 1: Murphy's Law	Alan Plater	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Norman Rodway Nigel Davenport Philip Bond John Bryans Donald Gee Rhoda Lewis Arthur Cox Arnold Ridley	Colour. Repeat of 1 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2.
Template:Dts	To See How Far It Is: 2: The Curse of the Donkins			Template:Sortname	Nigel Davenport Norman Rodway Stephanie Bidmead Fiona Walker John Bryans Jill Melford Patricia Maynard Tony Blackburn Judith Chalmers Stephen Jack	Colour. Repeat of 8 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2.
Template:Dts	To See How Far It Is: 3: To See How Far It Is			Template:Sortname	Nigel Davenport Norman Rodway Geoffrey Bayldon Peter Stephens	Colour. Repeat of 15 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2.
Template:Dts	Wine of India	Nigel Kneale	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Annette Crosbie Brian Blessed John Standing Rosemary Nicols Catherine Lacey Ian Ogilvy Reg Whitehead	Colour	missing
Template:Dts	Sovereign's Company	Don Shaw	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Roland Culver Gareth Forwood James Cosmo David Rowlands Raymond Adamson Norman Mitchell Moray Watson John Nettleton	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 15 April 1971.	Yes
Template:Dts	Party Games	Hugh Whitemore	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Frederick Jaeger Eileen Atkins Derek Smith John Nettleton Nancie Jackson Roger Mutton Paul Angelis Ray Armstrong Roy Pearce Joby Blanshard	Colour. Repeat of 11 March 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2.	missing
Template:Dts	Emma's Time	David Mercer	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Michele Dotrice Andrew Keir Robert Kelvin Peter Vaughan Ian Holm John Sharp Kay Dotrice	Colour	Yes
Template:Dts	Chariot of Fire	Tony Parker	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Rosemary Leach Jimmy Gardner Charles Tingwell Stephen Yardley George Selway Frank Mills Michael Turner	Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 1 July 1971.
Template:Dts	Wind versus Polygamy	Obi Egbuna	Template:Sortname	Template:Sortname	Earl Cameron Gordon Jackson Charles Hyatt Clifton Jones Rudolph Walker Elroy Josephs	Colour. Repeat of 15 July 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. Repeated also 1 April 1971 as a Play for Today.	missing

The Wednesday Play on DVD

• Alice (written by Dennis Potter; directed by Gareth Davies), as an extra on the DVD of Jonathan Miller's 1966 Alice in Wonderland
• Cathy Come Home (written by Jeremy Sandford; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• The End of Arthur's Marriage (written by Christopher Logue; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• In Two Minds (written by David Mercer; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• The Nigel Barton Plays: Stand Up, Nigel Barton and Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton (written by Dennis Potter; directed by Gareth Davies)
• The Big Flame (written by Jim Allen; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• The War Game (written and directed by Peter Watkins)
• 3 Clear Sundays (written by James O'Connor; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• Up the Junction (written by Nell Dunn; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• The Golden Vision (written by Neville Smith and Gordon Honeycombe; directed by Kenneth Loach)
• The Vortex (written by Noël Coward; directed by Philip Dudley), in the Noël Coward Collection, BBCDVD2566
• The Year of the Sex Olympics (written by Nigel Kneale, directed by Michael Elliott), DVD released by the BFI
• The Last Train through the Harecastle Tunnel (written by Peter Terson, directed by Alan Clarke), in the 'Alan Clarke at the BBC' box set from the BFI.
• Sovereign's Company (written by Don Shaw, directed by Alan Clarke), in the 'Alan Clarke at the BBC' box set from the BFI.

See also

• Armchair Theatre
• ITV Playhouse
• Play for Today
• Play for Tomorrow
• Screen One
• Screen Two
• Theatre 625
• Thirty-Minute Theatre
• Thursday Theatre

Further reading

• Evans, Jeff. The Penguin TV Companion (1st edn). London: Penguin Books. 2001. Template:ISBN.
• Vahimagi, Tise. British Television: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford: Oxford University Press / British Film Institute. 1994. Template:ISBN.

External links

• The Wednesday Play site with history and individual episodes listed
• Encyclopedia of Television
• TV Cream website
• Template:BBC programme
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0058853

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