User:Bertaut/sandbox6

Comedies

The Comedy of Errors

Direct adaptations

• The Comedy of Errors (7 December 1949; USA – NBC; 60mins)

Episode twelve of the third season of Kraft Television Theatre; broadcast live

Directed by Stanley Quinn

Starring Stewart Bradley (Antipholus of Syracuse), James Daly (Antipholus of Ephesus), Harry Townes (Dromio of Syracuse), Kurt Richards (Dromio of Ephesus)

• The Comedy of Errors (16 May 1954; England – BBC Television Service; 84mins)

Episode twenty of the fifth season of Sunday Night Theatre; an "operatic" production, with music by Julian Slade, specifically commissioned for the BBC.

Directed by Lionel Harris; written by Lionel Harris and Robert McNab

Starring Paul Hansard (Antipholus of Syracuse), David Peel (Antipholus of Ephesus), James Cairncross (Dromio of Syracuse/Dromio of Ephesus) and Joan Plowright (Adriana)

• The Comedy of Errors (21 May 1956; England – ITV; 90mins)

Episode thirty-five of the first season of ITV Play of the Week; live broadcast of a performance of the same production screened by the BBC two years previously, which had proved so popular that it was transferred onto the stage of the London Arts Theatre with the same director, although with a slightly different cast.

Directed by Lionel Harris; written by Lionel Harris and Robert McNab

Starring Frederick Jaeger (Antipholus of Syracuse), David Peel (Antipholus of Ephesus), Bernard Cribbins (Dromio of Syracuse/Dromio of Ephesus) and Patricia Routledge (Adriana)

• The Comedy of Errors (1 January 1964; England – BBC TV; 90mins)

Live broadcast of a commedia dell'arte-style production by the Royal Shakespeare Company from the Aldwych Theatre, which had originated at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1962 (the first time the play had been staged at the theatre since Theodore Komisarjevsky's 1938 production). The production proved so popular that it was still being revived as late as 1972.

Directed by Clifford Williams; directed for television by Peter Duguid

Starring Alec McCowen (Antipholus of Syracuse), Ian Richardson (Antipholus of Ephesus), Barry MacGregor (Dromio of Syracuse) and Clifford Rose (Dromio of Ephesus)

• The Comedy of Errors (13 January 1964; England – NET; 90mins)

Episode two of the first season of NET Playhouse; live broadcast of a performance of the same production screened by the BBC the previous week.

Directed by Clifford Williams; directed for television by Peter Duguid

Starring Alec McCowen (Antipholus of Syracuse), Ian Richardson (Antipholus of Ephesus), Barry MacGregor (Dromio of Syracuse) and Clifford Rose (Dromio of Ephesus)

• Komödie der Irrungen (19 April 1965; West Germany – ZDF; 98mins)

Made-for-TV movie shot in black-and-white

Directed by Hans Dieter Schwarze

Starring Claus Biederstaedt (Antipholus von Syrakus), Erik Schumann (Antipholus von Ephesus), Manfred Lichtenfeld (Dromio von Syrakus) and Klaus Schwarzkopf (Dromio von Ephesus)

• Komödie der Irrungen (22 November 1970; Austria – ORF eins; 60mins)

Live broadcast of a performance from the Schloss Porcia, staged as part of the Komödienspiele Porcia festival

Directed by Herbert Wochinz; directed for television by Georg Madeja

Starring Georg Trenkwitz (Antipholus von Syrakus/Antipholus von Ephesus), Peter Uray (Dromio von Syrakus/Dromio von Ephesus), Ingrid Appelt (Adriana) and Myriam Dreifuss (Luciana)

• Komediya oshibok (15 April 1978; Russia – Programme One; 85mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Vadim Gauzner

Starring Mikhail Kozakov (Antipholus of Syracuse/Antipholus of Ephesus), Mikhail Kononov (Dromio of Syracuse/Dromio of Ephesus), Olga Antonova (Adriana) and Natalya Danilova (Luciana)

• Tévedések Vígjátéka (26 July 1979; Hungary – MTV1; 96mins)

TV broadcast of a 1977 stage production from the Madách Theatre, Budapest

Directed by Kerényi Imre

The cast list for the film exists, but what roles the various cast members played is unknown

• The Comedy of Errors (24 December 1983; England – BBC 2; 108mins)

Episode three of the sixth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. This production used editing and special effects to have each set of twins played by the same actors. However, this aspect of the production was not especially well received by critics, who argued, much as Trevor Nunn had done when directing the play for the RSC in 1976, that not only was it confusing for the audience as to which character was which, but much of the comedy was lost when the characters look identical. The entire production takes place on a stylised set, the floor of which is a giant map of the region, shown in its entirety in the opening aerial shot.

Directed by James Cellan Jones

Starring Michael Kitchen (Antipholus of Syracuse/Antipholus of Ephesus), Roger Daltrey (Dromio of Syracuse/Dromio of Ephesus), Suzanne Bertish (Adriana) and Joanne Pearce (Luciana)

• The Comedy of Errors (29 May 1989; Canada – CBLT-DT; 80mins)

TV broadcast of a 1989 stage production from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. An abridged version of the play performed in a double bill with an abridged version of Titus Andronicus using the same cast (although the production of Titus wasn't screened)

Directed by Richard Monette; directed for television by Norman Campbell

Starring Geordie Johnson (Antipholus of Syracuse/Antipholus of Ephesus), Keith Dinicol (Dromio of Syracuse/Dromio of Ephesus), Goldie Semple (Adriana) and Lucy Peacock (Luciana)

Other adaptations

• The Comedy of Errors (18 April 1978; England – ITV; 150mins)

The second of a trio of television adaptations of currently running RSC stage productions directed by Trevor Nunn (the others were Antony & Cleopatra in 1974 and Macbeth in 1979). However, whilst both Antony and Cleopatra and Macbeth were reconceived as made-for-TV adaptations, The Comedy of Errors was simply filmed theatre (the final program featured material from several different performances recorded from 31 January to 5 February 1977). Indeed, the piece was explicitly conceived to foreground the nature of seeing a live production. At the beginning, the camera enters the theatre with the audience; during the production, there are frequent cutaways to the audience; and at the end, the camera leaves the theatre with the audience. The production itself was a modern dress musical with dance routines; the music was written by the RSC's in-house composer Guy Woolfenden, with lyrics by Nunn himself, and dance numbers choreographed by Gillian Lynne. The piece was played very much as an over-the-top farce. Duke Solinus (Brian Coburn), for example, was an exaggerated caricature of Chilean dictator General Pinochet, whilst Griffith Jones' Egeon was played as a complete moron, and the source of much comic mockery. Nunn purposely cast actors who didn't look alike to play the two sets of twins, as he felt the more a director tried to make the actors look like one another, the less impact the comedy had for the audience, with the play losing much of its "situational irony."

Directed by Trevor Nunn; directed for television by Philip Casson

Starring Roger Rees (Antipholus of Syracuse), Mike Gwilym (Antipholus of Ephesus), Michael Williams (Dromio of Syracuse) and Nickolas Grace (Dromio of Ephesus)

• The Boys from Syracuse (28 December 1986; Canada – CBLT-DT; 130mins)

TV broadcast of a 1986 stage production of George Abbott, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's 1938 musical, The Boys from Syracuse, based on The Comedy of Errors, from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario

Directed by John Neville; directed for television by Norman Campbell

Starring Geraint Wyn Davies (Antipholus of Syracuse), Colm Feore (Antipholus of Ephesus), Benedict Campbell (Dromio of Syracuse) and Keith Thomas (Dromio of Ephesus)

• The Comedy of Errors (24 June 1987; USA – PBS; 150mins)

Episode three of the twelfth season of Live from Lincoln Center; a vaudeville-style stage production from the Vivian Beaumont Theater, featuring acts from The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Avner the Eccentric (as a janitor and Dr. Pinch), drag queen Ethyl Eichelberger (as the Courtesan) and Karla Burns (as a Tina Turner obsessed Luce). The production had originated in 1983 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, when artistic director Gregory Mosher decided he wanted the company to put on a "real" play. Initially, they planned to do a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, but as famous comedians had already performed that play, Mosher decided against it, wanting instead to stage something that had never been done by a comedy troupe, and ultimately settling on The Comedy of Errors. The production uses some of Shakespeare's original dialogue (as well as dialogue from several of his other plays), and mixes in prose references to contemporary events (including Oliver North and the Iran–Contra affair, Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign, Vanna White and Gary Hart). At one point, Shakespeare himself (played by Timothy Daniel Furst) arrives on stage, silently complaining (via facial expression and gesticulation) about the liberties taken with his work. Then, during the intermission, a group of scholars and theatre critics gather on stage to have an academic discussion about the play, which literally breaks down into a brawl. The program notes for the production included a section on "Dating the play", which read "The play generally does not go out on dates," as well as an interview with "unlikely twins" Helen Hayes and Isaac Hayes.

Directed by Robert Woodruff; directed for television by Kirk Browning

Starring Paul David Magid (Antipholus of Syracuse), Howard Jay Patterson (Antipholus of Ephesus), Samuel Ross Williams (Dromio of Syracuse) and Randy Nelson (Dromio of Ephesus)

Love's Labour's Lost

Direct adaptations

• Love's Labour's Lost (6 June 1965; England – BBC 2; 110mins)

Recorded TV broadcast of a touring production from the Bristol Old Vic. Originally staged in 1964, the production moved to The Old Vic before then going on a British Council funded tour through Europe and the Middle East, visiting thirteen countries before returning to England and the Bristol Old Vic in 1965. The television production was made as part of the celebrations for Shakespeare's 400th birthday.

Directed by Val May; directed for television by Roger Jenkins

Starring Richard Pasco (Lord Berowne), Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Lady Rosaline), David Dodimead (King of Navarre) and Eithne Dunne (Princess of France)

• Liebe leidet mit Lust (10 June 1973; West Germany – ZDF; 117mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Oswald Döpke

Starring Klaus Schwarzkopf (Lord Birnkopf), Claudia Amm (Lady Rosalind), Volkert Kraeft (König von Navarra) and Christine Merthan (Prinzessin von Frankreich)

• Love's Labour's Lost (14 December 1975; England – BBC 2; 120mins)

Episode three of the eleventh season of Play of the Month; shot entirely on location in the gardens of Glyndebourne in Sussex

Directed by Basil Coleman

Starring Jeremy Brett (Lord Berowne), Sinéad Cusack (Lady Rosaline), Martin Shaw (King of Navarre) and Lorna Heilbron (Princess of France)

• Peines d'amour perdues (13 February 1982; France – France 3; 90mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Pierre Cavassilas

Starring Daniel Briquet (Seigneur Berowne), Frederique Pierson (Dame Rosalind), Philippe Lebas (Roi de Navarre) and Bénédicte Sire (Princesse de la France)

• Love's Labour's Lost (5 January 1985; England – BBC 2; 120mins)

Episode four of the seventh season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. Uniquely for the series, this episode was set in the 18th century. It was also one of only two productions in which replaced original Shakespearean dialogue with material from outside the play (the other was Jonathan Miller's Antony & Cleopatra). Here, in an invented scene set between Act 2 Scene 1 and Act 3, Scene 1, Berowne is shown drafting the poem to Rosaline, which will later be read by Nathaniel to Jacquenetta. The lines he speaks are taken from the fifth poem of the William Jaggard publication The Passionate Pilgrim; a variant of Berowne's final version of his own poem.

Directed by Elijah Moshinsky

Starring Mike Gwilym (Lord Berowne), Jenny Agutter (Lady Rosaline), Jonathan Kent (King of Navarre) and Maureen Lipman (Princess of France)

Other adaptations

• Männerschwüre, oder Verlorene Liebesmüh (15 December 1974; East Germany – DDR-F2; 105mins)

TV broadcast of a production of Mészöly Dezső's musical adaptation of the play, from the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden

Directed by Horst Ludwig; directed for television by Toni Stubhan

Starring Reinhold Stövesand (Lord Birnkopf), Maja-Rosewith Riemer (Lady Rosalind), Günter Weichert (König von Navarra) and Monika Hildebrand (Prinzessin von Frankreich)

The Taming of the Shrew

Direct adaptations

• The Taming of the Shrew (5 June 1950; USA – CBS; 60mins)

Episode thirty-nine of the second season of Westinghouse Studio One; broadcast live. A heavily edited modern-dress production in which several of Katherina's soliloquies are delivered in the form of voice-overs, whereas most of Petruchio's are delivered direct to camera. During her climatic speech, Katherina winks at the camera behind Petruchio's back, much as Mary Pickford did in the 1929 filmic adaptation.

Directed by Paul Nickell; written by Worthington Miner

Starring Lisa Kirk (Katherina), Charlton Heston (Petruchio) and Hiram Sherman (Baptista)

• The Taming of the Shrew (20 April 1952; England – BBC Television Service; 106mins)

Episode sixteen of the third season of Sunday Night Theatre; broadcast live

Directed by Desmond Davis

Starring Margaret Johnston (Katherina), Stanley Baker (Petruchio), Ernest Jay (Baptista) and Sheila Shand-Gibbs (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (18 March 1956; USA – NBC; 90mins)

Commedia dell'arte-style production for NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series; broadcast live. The initial script, written by Michael Hogan included the Induction, and kept Sly on stage for the entire production, which culminated with him 'taming' his own wife. This script, however, was heavily rewritten by William Nichols, who changed the tone to more of a commedia dell'arte style. The final version opens with Grumio addressing the camera directly, using lines from the Induction and inviting the audience to view the "antic players." Katherina and Petruchio first meet in a boxing ring, with their initial encounter, literally, turning into a boxing match. Although the Bianca subplot was almost completely eliminated, in the final scene, Bianca speaks the Widow's lines

Directed by George Schaefer

Starring Lilli Palmer (Katherina), Maurice Evans (Petruchio), Philip Bourneuf (Baptista) and Diane Cilento (Bianca)

• Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung (2 August 1962; West Germany – Das Erste; 110mins)

TV broadcast of a 1962 stage production from the Cuvilliés Theatre in Munich

Directed by Heinz Hilpert

Starring Elfriede Kuzmany (Katarina), Hans Dieter Zeidler (Petruchio), Hans Baur (Baptista) and Lis Verhoeven (Bianca)

• La mégère apprivoisée (27 December 1964; France – TF1; 120mins)

Made-for-TV movie; the first half of the film takes place in an intentionally artificial studio setting, whilst the second half takes place in real world locations, the director's intention being to show that Petruccio was bringing an element of realism to the cloistered life of Catarina.

Directed by Pierre Badel; written by Albert Vidalie

Starring Rosy Varte (Catarina), Bernard Noël (Petruccio), Lucien Baroux (Baptista) and Caroline Cellier (Bianca)

• Poskromienie złośnicy (12 April 1971; Poland – TVP1; 84mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Zygmunt Hübner

Starring Magdalena Zawadzka (Katherina), Tadeusz Łomnicki (Petruchio), Tadeusz Surowa (Baptista) and Anna Seniuk (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (25 January 1973; Australia – ABC Television; 110mins)

TV broadcast of a 1972 stage production from the Parade Theatre in Sydney, which relocated the play to a small town in New South Wales at the turn of the twentieth century. Here, Katherina is a feminist surrounded by men who aren't interested in her ideas, and Petruchio is a soldier back from the Boer War

Directed by Robin Lovejoy

Starring Carol MacReady (Katherina), John Bell (Petruchio), Ron Haddrick (Baptista) and Kirrily Nolan (Bianca)

• Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung (21 September 1974; West Germany – Das Erste; 110mins)

TV broadcast of a 1971 stage production from the Burgtheater in Vienna

Directed by Otto Schenk

Starring Christine Ostermayer (Katarina), Klaus Maria Brandauer (Petruchio), Heinz-Leo Fischer (Baptista) and Ilse Neubauer (Bianca)

• De getemde feeks (9 November 1975; Belgium – Eén; 90mins)

TV broadcast of a 1975 stage production from the Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg in Brussels

Directed by Senne Rouffaer; directed for television by Robert Lussac

Starring Chris Lomme (Katherina) and Rik Andries (Petruchio)

• The Taming of the Shrew (10 November 1976; USA – PBS; 102mins)

Videotaped broadcast of a commedia dell'arte-style production from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, first staged in 1973; screened as part of the Great Performances series

Directed by William Ball; directed for television by Kirk Browning

Starring Fredi Olster (Katherina), Marc Singer (Petruchio), William Paterson (Baptista) and Sandra Shotwell (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (23 October 1980; England – BBC 2; 128mins)

Episode three of the third season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. The production was partially based on Jonathan Miller's 1972 Chichester Festival stage production starring Joan Plowright and Anthony Hopkins.

Directed by Jonathan Miller

Starring Sarah Badel (Katherina), John Cleese (Petruchio), John Franklyn-Robbins (Baptista) and Susan Penhaligon (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (21 February 1982; Canada – CBLT-DT; 153mins)

TV broadcast of a 1981 stage production from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario; this production included the induction and kept Sly on-stage for the entire performance

Directed by Peter Dews; directed for television by Norman Campbell

Starring Sharry Flett (Katherina), Len Cariou (Petruchio), Barney O'Sullivan (Baptista) and Lynne Griffin (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (2 April 1989; Canada – CBLT-DT; 150mins)

TV broadcast of a 1989 stage production from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario; set in a 1950's Happy Days-style milieu

Directed by Richard Monette; directed for television by Norman Campbell

Starring Goldie Semple (Katherina), Colm Feore (Petruchio), Ron Hastings (Baptista) and Kim Horsman (Bianca)

• Poskromienie złośnicy (7 May 1990; Poland – TVP1; 104mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Michał Kwieciński

Starring Joanna Szczepkowska (Katherina), Janusz Gajos (Petruchio), Henryk Machalica (Baptista) and Agnieszka Pilaszewska (Bianca)

• De getemde feeks (6 June 1991; Netherlands – Nederland 1; 90mins)

Made-for-TV movie played as a parody of an Italian opera; based on a touring production first staged in 1986

Directed by Berend Boudewijn and Dirk Tanghe

Starring Gert Portael (Katherina), Wim Danckaert (Petruchio), André Roels (Baptista) and Karin Tanghe (Bianca)

• Poskromienie złośnicy (23 June 1993; Poland – TVP1; 114mins)

TV broadcast of a 1993 stage production from the National Theatre, Warsaw

Directed by Jerzy Stuhr; directed for television by Stanisław Zajączkowski

Starring Malgorzata Kochan (Katerina), Andrzej Gazdeczka (Petruchio), Andrzej Franczyk (Baptista) and Aldona Jankowska (Bianca)

• "The Taming of the Shrew" (9 November 1994; Russia/England – BBC 2; 26mins)

Episode two of the second season of Shakespeare: The Animated Tales; one of the very few adaptations of the play to feature the Induction

Directed by Aida Ziablikova, written by Leon Garfield

Starring Amanda Root (Katherina), Nigel Le Vaillant (Petruchio), Gerald James (Baptista) and Manon Edwards (Bianca)

Other adaptations

• Katharine and Petruchio (12 April 1939; England – BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Live broadcast; although many sources record this production under the title The Taming of the Shrew, it was broadcast as Katharine and Petruchio and was a made-for-TV adaptation of David Garrick's 1756 adaptation of Shrew, Catharine and Petruchio, not an adaptation of Shakespeare's text. Because of the confusion regarding the title, some sources list this as the first TV adaptation of Shrew, when the first actual TV adaptation of the Shakespeare text was Paul Nickell's 1950 adaptation for CBS' Westinghouse Studio One

Directed by Dallas Bower

Starring Margaretta Scott (Katharine), Austin Trevor (Petruchio), Ben Webster (Baptista) and Vera Lindsay (Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (13 March 1954; USA – NBC; 90mins)

Live broadcast of an operatic adaptation of the play aired as part of the NBC Television Opera Theatre

Directed by John Bloch; written by Vittorio Giannini and Dorothy Fee

Starring Susan Yager (Katherina), John Raitt (Petruchio), Leon Lishner (Baptista) and Sonia Stollin (Bianca)

• The Tamer Tamed (7 February 1956; England –BBC Television Service; 45mins)

Made-for-TV pseudo-sequel to The Taming of the Shrew, written in pseudo-blank verse and set one year after the play. Note that it is not based on The Woman's Prize, or The Tamer Tamed, John Fletcher's sequel to the original play

Directed by Anthony Pelissier; written by Elaine Morgan

Starring Judy Campbell (Katherina), Robert Urquhart (Petruchio), Aubrey Dexter (Baptista) and Annabel Maule (Bianca)

• Kiss Me Kate (20 November 1958; USA – NBC; 90mins)

Made-for-TV production for NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series of Cole Porter's 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, about a tempestuous ex-husband and wife staging a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. The production garnered much publicity at the time insofar as it starred Patricia Morison and Alfred Drake, the leads from the original Broadway production of the Porter musical. Broadcast live

Directed by George Schaefer

Starring Patricia Morison (Lilli Vanessi; i.e. Katherina), Alfred Drake (Fred Graham; Petruchio), Robinson Stone (Harry Trevor; Baptista) and Julie Wilson (Lois Lane; Bianca)

• Kiss Me Kate (20 April 1964; England – BBC 2; 85mins)

Made-for-TV production of Cole Porter's 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, about a tempestuous ex-husband and wife staging a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. The main selling point of the production was that it starred Patricia Morison, who appeared in the original Broadway production of the Porter musical, and Howard Keel, who appeared in the 1953 filmic adaptation.

Directed by David Askey

Starring Patricia Morison (Lilli Vanessi; i.e. Katherina), Howard Keel (Fred Graham; Petruchio), Bill Owen (Harry Trevor; Baptista) and Millicent Martin (Lois Lane; Bianca)

• Kiss Me Kate (25 March 1968; USA – ABC; 90mins)

Made-for-TV production of Cole Porter's 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, about a tempestuous ex-husband and wife staging a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew.

Directed by Paul Bogart

Starring Carol Lawrence (Lilli Vanessi; i.e. Katherina), Robert Goulet (Fred Graham; Petruchio), Russell Nype (Harry Trevor; Baptista) and Jessica Walter (Lois Lane; Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (22 November 1972; England/West Germany – BBC 2; 85mins)

Live performance of John Cranko's 1968 ballet adaptation of the play, with music by Kurt-Heinz Stolze; recorded at the Staatstheater Stuttgart

Directed by Herbert Junkers

Starring Marcia Haydée (Katherina), Richard Cragun (Petruchio), Gerd Praast (Baptista) and Birgit Keil (Bianca)

• Kiss Me Kate (4 October 1975; Netherlands – Nederland 1; 90mins)

Made-for-TV production of Cole Porter's 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, about a tempestuous ex-husband and wife staging a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew

Directed by Nico Knapper

Starring Willeke Alberti (Lilli Vanessi; i.e. Katherina), Coen Flink (Fred Graham; Petruchio), Ton Lensink (Harry Trevor; Baptista) and Hetty Verhoogt (Lois Lane; Bianca)

• Kiss Me, Petruchio (17 May 1979; England – BBC 2; 58mins)

Documentary presented by Joseph Papp about Wilford Leach's 1978 stage production of The Taming of the Shrew at the Delacorte Theater for the New York Shakespeare Festival

Directed by Christopher Dixon

Starring Meryl Streep (Katherina), Raúl Juliá (Petruchio), Max Gulak (Baptista), Deborah Rush (Bianca)

• Shakespeare Lives! (5 January 1983; England – Channel 4; 50mins)

A workshop documentary presented by Michael Bogdanov in front of a live audience at the National Theatre in London examining seven of Shakespeare's plays, beginning with The Taming of the Shrew. The main issue under discussion is whether the play debases women, or simply shows how women are debased. The workshop features two versions of Katherina's final speech, one in which she is completely subservient to Petruchio, and one in which she speaks ironically in an effort to make him see how foolish he is.

Directed by Mary McMurray

Starring Suzanne Bertish (Katherina) and Daniel Massey (Petruchio)

• "Atomic Shakespeare" (25 November 1986; USA – ABC; 44mins)

Episode seven of the third season of Moonlighting

Directed by Will Mackenzie; written by Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno and William 'Budd' Shakespeare

The episode recasts the show's main characters in a self-referential comedic parody of The Taming of the Shrew, which begins with a boy who is annoyed that he has to read The Shrew for his homework, rather than watching his favourite programme, Moonlighting itself. He goes to his room and begins reading, with the rest of the episode then taking place in his imagination as he imagines the members of the cast of Moonlighting in an adaptation of the play. Cybill Shepherd plays Katherina, Bruce Willis plays Petruchio.

• O Cravo e a Rosa (26 June 2000-10 March 2001; Brazil – Rede Globo; 221 episodes at 45 minutes each)

Soap opera which reworks the themes of the play in modern day Rio de Janeiro

Created by Walcyr Carrasco

Starring Adriana Esteves (Catarina Batista; i.e. Katherina), Eduardo Moscovis (Julião Petruchio; Petruchio), Luís Melo (Nicanor Batista; Baptista) and Leandra Leal (Bianca Batista; Bianca)

• Kiss Me, Kate (26 February 2003; USA – PBS; 147mins)

Videotaped broadcast of a production of Cole Porter's 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, from the Victoria Palace Theatre in London; screened as part of the Great Performances series

Directed by Michael Blakemore; directed for television by Chris Hunt

Starring Rachel York (Lilli Vanessi; i.e. Katherina), Brent Barrett (Fred Graham; Petruchio), Colin Farrell (Harry Trevor; Baptista) and Nancy Kathryn Anderson (Lois Lane; Bianca)

• The Taming of the Shrew (21 November 2005; England – BBC One; 90mins)

Episode three of the ShakespeaRe-Told series; relocates the play to a contemporary political milieu in modern day London, where Katherine is a fiery career politician who is told she must find a husband if she wants to have any hope of becoming Prime Minister

Directed by Dave Richards; written by Sally Wainwright

Starring Shirley Henderson (Katherine), Rufus Sewell (Petruchio), and Jaime Murray (Bianca)

• 10 Things I Hate About You (7 July 2009 - 24 May 2010; USA – ABC Family; 20 episodes at 22 minutes each)

Sitcom based on the 1999 film of the same name, which was itself a modern reworking of The Taming of the Shrew as a teen comedy

Created by Carter Covington

Starring Lindsey Shaw (Kate Stratford; i.e. Katherina), Ethan Peck (Patrick Verona; Petruchio), Larry Miller (Walter Stratford; Baptista) and Meaghan Martin (Bianca Stratford; Bianca)

Featured in

• "The Taming of the Shrew" (2 July 1950; USA – CBS; 60mins)

Episode six of the second season of Mr. I. Magination

Directed by Andrew McCullough; written by Paul Tripp

Mr. I. (Paul Tripp) is a train engineer who takes children in his train to Imagination Land where they live out fantasies. In this episode, Mr. I. takes Donny (Donny Harris) to fulfil his dream to be a Shakespearean actor while proving to him that Shakespeare wrote funny and entertaining plays by putting on an abbreviated version of The Taming of the Shrew.

• "Much Ado About Lanolin" (6 October 1990; USA – The Program Exchange; 28mins)

Episode seven of the third season of Garfield and Friends

Directed by Jeff Hall; written by Mark Evanier and Sharman DiVono

The characters of U.S. Acres attempt to put on a production of The Taming of the Shrew with the diva-like Lanolin the Sheep playing the role of Katherina.

• "Tame Me, I'm the Shrew" (21 January 2001; USA – UPN; 23mins)

Episode thirteen of the first season of One on One

Directed by Dana De Vally Piazza; written by Kenny Buford

When Breanna (Kyla Pratt) gets the leading part in a school performance of The Taming Of The Shrew, she finds Shakespeare's language difficult and out of date, and so decides to rewrite the play as a rap version. However, she allows her ego to get the better of her, and unconsciously attempts to take over the production from the director, who ultimately fires her, and hires her best friend for the role instead.

• "Shrew's the Boss" (16 March 2003; USA – E!; 30mins)

Episode three of the second season of The Anna Nicole Show

In this episode of the reality TV show, Anna Nicole Smith attends acting classes in Los Angeles, where she performs the first meeting between Katherina and Petruchio, alongside actor Danny Bonaduce

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Direct adaptations

• The Two Gentlemen of Verona (16 July 1952; England – BBC Television Service; 45mins)

Act 1 of the play screened live, from a special production at The Old Vic in London in front of an invited audience

Directed by Denis Carey

Starring John Neville (Valentine), Laurence Payne (Proteus), Pamela Ann (Julia) and Gudrun Ure (Sylvia)

• Zwei Herren aus Verona (22 March 1956; West Germany – Das Erste; 120mins)

Live broadcast of a performance from the Munich Kammerspiele

Directed by Hans Schalla; directed for television by Ernst Markwardt

Starring Rolf Schult (Valentine), Hannes Riesenberger (Proteus), Helga Siemers (Julia) and Isolde Chlapek (Silvia)

• Zwei Herren aus Verona (18 March 1964; West Germany – ZDF; 110mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Hans Dieter Schwarze

Starring Norbert Hansing (Valentine), Rolf Becker (Proteus), Katinka Hoffman (Julia) and Heidelinde Weis (Silvia)

• Die zwei Herren aus Verona (25 December 1966; West Germany – Das Erste; 90mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Harald Benesch

Starring Jürgen Kloth (Valentine), Lothar Berg (Proteus), Anne-Marie Lermon (Julia) and Carola Regnier (Silvia)

• Zwei aus Verona (8 December 1969; Austria – ORF eins; 90mins)

Live broadcast of a performance from the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna

Directed by Edwin Zbonek; directed for television by Wolfgang Lesowsky

Starring Klaus Maria Brandauer (Valentine), Albert Rueprecht (Proteus), Kitty Speiser (Julia) and Brigitte Neumeister (Silvia)

• The Two Gentlemen of Verona (27 December 1983; England – BBC 2; 137mins)

Episode four of the sixth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. Unusually for the series, this episode featured music from Shakespeare's own time, such as pieces from John Dowland, William Byrd, Thomas Campion, Anthony Holborne, John Johnson, Thomas Morley and Orazio Vecchi. The pieces were rearranged by Anthony Rooley and performed by The Consort of Musicke.

Directed by Don Taylor

Starring John Hudson (Valentine), Tyler Butterworth (Proteus), Tessa Peake-Jones (Julia), Joanne Pearce (Sylvia) and Paul Daneman (Duke of Milan)

• Dwaj Panowie z Werony (8 February 1995; Poland – TVP1; 85mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Roland Rowiński

Starring Marek Bukowski (Valentine), Rafal Krolikowski (Proteus), Edyta Jungowska (Sylvia) and Agnieszka Krukówna (Julia)

Featured in

• "The Two Gentlemen of Capeside" (18 October 2000; USA – The WB; 43mins)

Episode three of the fourth season of Dawson's Creek

Directed by Sandy Smolan; written by Chris Levinson

The episode depicts how Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Pacey (Joshua Jackson), formally best friends, have been driven apart over their love for the same woman, Jen (Michelle Williams). The play is referenced in the episode insofar as the characters are reading it for their English class.

Tragedies

Titus Andronicus

Direct adaptations

• Titus Andronicus (12 March 1970; Finland – Yle TV1; 128mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Jukka Sipilä

Starring Leo Lastumäki (Titus), Iris-Lilja Lassila (Tamora), Eugene Holman (Aaron) and Maija Leino (Lavinia)

• Titus Andronicus (27 April 1985; England – BBC Television Service; 168mins)

Episode five of the seventh season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. Because Titus was broadcast several months after the rest of the seventh season, it was rumoured that the BBC was worried about the violence in the play and that disagreements had arisen about censorship. This was inaccurate, however, with the delay caused by a BBC strike in 1984.

Directed by Jane Howell

Starring Trevor Peacock (Titus), Eileen Atkins (Tamora), Hugh Quarshie (Aaron) and Anna Calder-Marshall (Lavinia)

Other adaptations

• Anatomie Titus: Fall of Rome - Ein Shakespearekommentar (12 May 2004; Germany – ZDF Theaterkanal; 133mins)

TV broadcast of a 2003 stage production from the Munich Kammerspiele of Anatomie Titus: Fall of Rome. Ein Shakespearekommentar, Heiner Müller's 1983 adaptation of Titus Andronicus

Directed by Johan Simons; directed for television by Andreas Morell

Starring André Jung (Titus), Marion Breckwoldt (Tamora), Hans Kremer (Aaron) and Nina Zunzendorf (Lavinia)

Featured in

• "Scott Tenorman Must Die" (11 July 2001; USA – Comedy Central; 28mins)

Episode four of the fifth season of South Park

Directed by Eric Stough; written by Trey Parker

When Eric Cartman (Trey Parker) is swindled by Scott Tenorman (Toby Morton), Cartman tries various methods to get his money back, but Scott remains always one step ahead. He then decides to exact revenge on Scott. After numerous failed attempts, he hatches a plan which culminates in him having Scott's parents killed, the bodies of whom he then cooks in chili, which he feeds to Scott. He then gleefully reveals his deception as Scott finds his mother's finger in the chilli.

Histories

Edward III

Edward III has never been adapted for television

Richard II

Direct adaptations

• The Tragedy of King Richard II (29 October 1950; England – BBC Television Service; 145mins)

The first full-length made-for-TV production of any of Shakespeare's history plays; broadcast live

Directed by Royston Morley

Starring Alan Wheatley (King Richard), Clement McCallin (Henry Bolingbroke), Henry Oscar (John of Gaunt) and Brian Nissen (Duke of Aumerle)

• King Richard II (24 January 1954; USA – NBC; 119mins)

Made-for-TV production for NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series, based on a 1951 stage-production from the City Center of Music and Drama, which was itself a revival of a 1937 production from the St. James Theatre in New York, which also starred Maurice Evans (who had first played the role at The Old Vic in 1934), and which was credited with reviving the reputation of the play on the US stage. Although broadcast live, a kinescope recording was made. The elaborate production cost $750,000 and, unlike the stage production, which used a relatively simple setting, included huge intricate sets, elaborate props, special effects, live animals and a cast of over 50 non-speaking extras. The production controversially featured a scene based on Christopher Marlowe's Edward II, in which Henry IV pays Exton to murder Richard, whilst also completely removing the roles of the Duchesses of York and Gloucester and the Aumerle conspiracy subplot. A film project also exists, written by Evans and Margaret Webster (who had directed the 1937 production), set to be directed by Harry Horner, and produced by Evans and Filippo Del Giudice. The proposed film never got beyond the script stage, however, and it is unknown if the film represents an expansion of the already made TV production or if the TV production represents a reduction of the failed film project.

Directed by George Schaefer; directed for television by Albert McCleery

Starring Maurice Evans (King Richard), Kent Smith (Henry Bolingbroke), Frederick Worlock (John of Gaunt) and Morton DaCosta (Duke of Aumerle)

• The Life and Death of Richard II (15 January 1960; Australia – ABC Television; 90mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Raymond Menmuir

Starring Ric Hutton (King Richard), James Condon (Henry Bolingbroke), Leonard Teale (John of Gaunt) and Malcolm Billings (Duke of Aumerle)

• "The Hollow Crown" (28 April 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode one of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents the first three acts of Richard II, up to Richard's handing over of the crown to Bolingbroke.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring David William (King Richard), Tom Fleming (Henry Bolingbroke), Edgar Wreford (John of Gaunt) and John Greewood (Duke of Aumerle)

• "The Deposing of a King" (12 May 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode two of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents acts four and five of Richard II.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring David William (King Richard), Tom Fleming (Henry Bolingbroke), Edgar Wreford (John of Gaunt) and John Greewood (Duke of Aumerle)

• König Richard II (3 March 1968; West Germany – Das Erste; 140mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Franz Josef Wild

Starring Hannes Messemer (König Richard), Hartmut Reck (Heinrich Bolingbroke), Paul Verhoeven (Johann von Gaunt) and Lutz Hochstraate (Herzog von Aumerle)

• The Tragedy of King Richard II (30 July 1970; England – BBC 2; 125mins)

TV broadcast of a performance of the Prospect Theatre Company's successful 1969 touring stage production of Richard II and Edward II (the TV adaptation of which was screened the week prior to Richard II)

Directed by Richard Cottrell; directed for television by Toby Robertson

Starring Ian McKellen (King Richard), Timothy West (Henry Bolingbroke), Paul Hardwick (John of Gaunt) and Terence Wilton (Duke of Aumerle)

• König Richard II (8 January 1972; East Germany – DDR-F2; 104mins)

TV broadcast of a 1971 stage production from the Deutsches Nationaltheater and Staatskapelle Weimar

Directed by Fritz Bennewitz; directed for television by Margot Thyret

Starring Manfred Heine (König Richard), Lutz Riemann (Heinrich Bolingbroke), Victor Dräger (Johann von Gaunt) and Michael Christian (Herzog von Aumerle)

• II. Richárd (1975; Hungary – MTV1; 88mins)

Made-for-TV movie; before broadcast, director János Edelényi emigrated to Austria, leading to the film being banned; it was not shown until 1992

Directed by János Edelényi

Starring Tamás Jordán (Richárd Király), Sándor Lukács (Henry Bolingbroke), Básti Lajos (János a Gaunt) and Tibor Rácz (Herceg a Aumerle)

• King Richard the Second (10 December 1978; England – BBC 2; 158mins)

Episode two of the first season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. This episode was repeated on 12 December 1979 in the UK and on 19 March 1980 in the US, as a lead-in to the second season Henry IV/Henry V trilogy, which also featured actor Jon Finch as Henry IV, although the other returning roles (Northumberland and Hotspur) were recast.

Directed by David Giles

Starring Derek Jacobi (King Richard), Jon Finch (Henry Bolingbroke), John Gielgud (John of Gaunt) and Charles Keating (Duke of Aumerle)

• Richard Vtoroi (25 July 1992; Russia – Rossiya 1; 120mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Roman Fedotov and Yevgeni Zlobin

Starring Aleksandr Romantsov (Korol Richard), Nikolay Lavrov (Henry Bolingbroke) and Viktor Rostovtsev (Dzhon Gaunt)

• Richard II (22 March 1997; England – BBC 2; 130mins)

Made-for-TV restaging of a hugely successful, if somewhat controversial, 1995 stage production from the Royal National Theatre, featuring some of the same cast, and with the same director. The production garnered much attention at the time due to the casting of a female (Fiona Shaw) in the role of Richard. Shaw and director Deborah Warner defended the much criticised casting choice by arguing that Richard doesn't see himself as a man, but as a god, and is therefore without gender. As such, casting a woman in the role frees the audience from the "issue" of Richard's sexuality, whether hetero or homo. The production itself received luke-warm reviews, and Shaw's performance was equal parts savaged and praised. The play was a massive box-office hit, and the TV version scored extremely high ratings, although it has never been released on home video in any format.

Directed by Deborah Warner

Starring Fiona Shaw (King Richard), Richard Bremmer (Henry Bolingbroke), Graham Crowden (John of Gaunt) and Julian Rhind-Tutt (Duke of Aumerle)

• Richard II (2 May 2003; Germany – ZDF Theaterkanal; 159mins)

TV broadcast of a 2001 stage production by the Berliner Ensemble from the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm

Directed by Claus Peymann

Starring Michael Maertens (König Richard), Veit Schubert (Heinrich Bolingbroke), Martin Seifert (Johann von Gaunt) and Markus Meyer (Herzog von Aumerle)

• Richard II (7 September 2003; England – BBC Four; 210mins)

Live transmission from the Globe Theatre of an all male production of the play. Introduced by Andrew Marr, and hosted by Corin Redgrave, Zoë Wanamaker and Michael Wood. The digital interactive features of the presentation included a trivia and background subtitle track written by Matt Woolf, and both pre and post-show interviews with audience members.

Directed by Tim Carroll

Starring Mark Rylance (King Richard), Liam Brennan (Henry Bolingbroke), John McEnery (John of Gaunt) and Chu Omambala (Duke of Aumerle)

• Richard II (30 June 2012; England – BBC Two; 144mins)

Episode one of The Hollow Crown, a made-for-TV four-part adaption of the Henriad, conceived as part of a series of cultural programmes to coincide with the 2012 Summer Olympics

Directed by Rupert Goold

Starring Ben Whishaw (King Richard), Rory Kinnear (Henry Bolingbroke), Patrick Stewart (John of Gaunt) and Tom Hughes (Duke of Aumerle)

Other adaptations

• Conflict: Richard II (3 January 1969; England – ITV; 25mins)

An analysis of the play by way of viewing certain representative scenes; intended for children studying the play; presented by John Gielgud

Directed by George More O'Ferrall; written by Ivor Brown

Starring Richard Gale (King Richard), and Michael David (Henry Bolingbroke)

Featured in

• "The Arcata Promise" (22 September 1974; England – ITV; 100mins)

Directed by David Cunliffe; written by David Mercer

Made-for-TV drama screened as part of the ITV Sunday Night Drama series. Living in the small town of Arcata, California, successful British actor Theo Gunge (Anthony Hopkins) had promised his emotionally vulnerable girlfriend Laura (Kate Nelligan) that he would love her forever, and never knowingly hurt her. However, he broke his promise, and after years of physical and emotional abuse, Laura eventually left Theo, whose career soon collapsed. Now an alcoholic, consumed with self-loathing and regret, Theo remembers his days with Laura, and fondly recalls his most successful acting job - a celebrated stage production of Richard II. As Theo's alcoholism and desperation increases, and he slips into insanity, the boundaries between his own personality and that of Richard's begin to blur.

Henry VI, Part 1

Direct adaptations

• "The Red Rose and the White" (25 August 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode nine of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents a heavily abridged 1 Henry VI. As the only episode in the series which adapts an entire play, truncation is much more liberal than in the other fourteen episodes. The most obvious difference is the complete removal of Talbot, the ostensible protagonist of the play. The characters of Burgundy and Edmund Mortimer have also been removed, and dialogue is heavily cut from virtually every scene. All of the battle scenes from France have also been excised as the episode concentrates primarily on the deteriorating political situation in England.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Terry Scully (King Henry), John Ringham (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Eileen Atkins (Joan la Pucelle) and Mary Morris (Margaret of Anjou)

• Heinrich VI (26 March 1964; Austria - ORF eins; 173mins)

Made-for-TV movie which adapted all three parts of the Henry VI trilogy into one piece

Directed by Leopold Lindtberg

The cast list for the film exists, but what roles the various cast members played is unknown

• Henry VI (8 April 1965 - BBC TV; 165mins)

Episode one of The Wars of the Roses, a three-part videotaped broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1963/1964. The four plays were condensed into three; Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. Henry VI featured a much shortened version of 1 Henry VI and half of 2 Henry VI (up to the death of Cardinal Beaufort). Presented as more than simply filmed theatre, filming was done on the RSC stage, but not during actual performances, thus allowing cameras to get close to the actors, and cameramen with hand-held cameras to shoot battle scenes. Additionally, camera platforms were created around the theatre. In all, twelve cameras were used, allowing the final product to be edited more like a film than a piece of static filmed theatre. Filming was done following the 1964 run of the plays at Stratford-upon-Avon, and took place over an eight-week period, with fifty-two BBC staff working alongside eighty-four RSC staff to bring the project to fruition.

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Janet Suzman (Joan la Pucelle) and Clive Morton (Lord Talbot)

• "The Inheritance" (6 January 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode one of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents Acts 1, 2, 3 and Act 4, Scene 1 of 1 Henry VI (concluding with Henry choosing a red rose and inadvertently aligning himself with Somerset).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Janet Suzman (Joan la Pucelle) and Clive Morton (Lord Talbot)

• "Margaret of Anjou" (13 January 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode two of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 1 Henry VI Act 4, Scene 2 onwards (beginning with Talbot confronting the French general at Harfleur - Bordeaux in the play), and the first half of Act 1, Scene 1 of 2 Henry VI (concluding with Henry and Margaret leaving the court).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Janet Suzman (Joan la Pucelle) and Clive Morton (Lord Talbot)

• Heinrich VI: Der Krieg der Rosen 1 (29 June 1969; West Germany - ZDF; 130mins)

Videotaped broadcast of part one of a two-part adaptation of the Henry VI trilogy performed at the Stuttgart State Theatre in 1967, under the general title Der krieg der rosen

Directed by Peter Palitzsch

Starring Peter Roggisch (König Heinrich), Hans Mahnke (Humphrey, Herzog von Gloster), Rita Leska (Jeanne la Pucelle) and Traugott Buhre (Lord Talbot)

• The First Part of Henry the Sixt (2 January 1983 – BBC 2; 188mins)

Episode three of the fifth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. Inspired by the notion that the political intrigues behind the Wars of the Roses often seemed like playground squabbles, director Jane Howell and production designer Oliver Bayldon staged the four plays of the tetralogy on a single set resembling a children's adventure playground which decayed and became more and more dilapidated as social order became more fractious.

Directed by Jane Howell

Starring Peter Benson (King Henry), David Burke (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Brenda Blethyn (Joan la Pucelle) and Trevor Peacock (Lord Talbot)

Henry VI, Part 2

Direct adaptations

• "The Fall of a Protector" (8 September 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode ten of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents Acts 1, 2 and Act 3, Scene 1 of 2 Henry VI, ending with York's soliloquy regarding the fact that he now has troops at his disposal and his revelation of his plans to use Jack Cade to instigate a popular rebellion.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Terry Scully (King Henry), Mary Morris (Queen Margaret), John Ringham (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester) and Jack May (Richard, Duke of York)

• "The Rabble from Kent" (22 September 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode eleven of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents everything from Act 3, Scene 2 of 2 Henry VI onwards, opening with the murder of Humphrey of Gloucester.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Terry Scully (King Henry), Mary Morris (Queen Margaret), Esmond Knight (Jack Cade) and Jack May (Richard, Duke of York)

• Heinrich VI (26 March 1964; Austria - ORF eins; 173mins)

Made-for-TV movie which adapted all three parts of the Henry VI trilogy into one piece

Directed by Leopold Lindtberg

The cast list for the film exists, but what roles the various cast members played is unknown

• Henry VI (8 April 1965 - BBC TV; 165mins)

Episode one of The Wars of the Roses, a three-part videotaped broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1963/1964. The four plays were condensed into three; Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. Henry VI featured a much shortened version of 1 Henry VI and half of 2 Henry VI (up to the death of Cardinal Beaufort). Presented as more than simply filmed theatre, filming was done on the RSC stage, but not during actual performances, thus allowing cameras to get close to the actors, and cameramen with hand-held cameras to shoot battle scenes. Additionally, camera platforms were created around the theatre. In all, twelve cameras were used, allowing the final product to be edited more like a film than a piece of static filmed theatre. Filming was done following the 1964 run of the plays at Stratford-upon-Avon, and took place over an eight-week period, with fifty-two BBC staff working alongside eighty-four RSC staff to bring the project to fruition.

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester) and Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York)

• Edward IV (15 April 1965 - BBC TV; 175mins)

Episode two of The Wars of the Roses, a three-part videotaped broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1963/1964. The four plays were condensed into three; Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. Edward IV featured the second half of 2 Henry VI and a shortened version of 3 Henry VI. Presented as more than simply filmed theatre, filming was done on the RSC stage, but not during actual performances, thus allowing cameras to get close to the actors, and cameramen with hand-held cameras to shoot battle scenes. Additionally, camera platforms were created around the theatre. In all, twelve cameras were used, allowing the final product to be edited more like a film than a piece of static filmed theatre. Filming was done following the 1964 run of the plays at Stratford-upon-Avon, and took place over an eight-week period, with fifty-two BBC staff working alongside eighty-four RSC staff to bring the project to fruition.

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester) and Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York)

• "Margaret of Anjou" (13 January 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode two of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents Act 4, Scene 2 up to the end of 1 Henry VI, as well as the first half of Act 1, Scene 1 of 2 Henry VI (concluding with Henry and Margaret leaving the court).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Janet Suzman (Joan la Pucelle) and Clive Morton (Lord Talbot)

• "The Lord Protector" (20 January 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode three of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents the second half of Act 1, Scene 1 of 2 Henry VI (beginning with Humphrey unburdening his concerns to the court) and the rest of Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3, Scene 1 (concluding with York's soliloquy regarding the fact that he now has troops at his disposal and his revelation of his plans to use Jack Cade to instigate a popular rebellion).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Paul Hardwick (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester) and Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York)

• "The Council Board" (27 January 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode four of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 2 Henry VI from Act 3, Scene 2 to Act 4, Scene 8 (beginning with the aftermath of Humphrey of Gloucester's murder and concluding with Jack Cade's forces abandoning him).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Roy Dotrice (Jack Cade) and William Squire (Suffolk)

• "The Fearful King" (3 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode five of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 2 Henry VI from Act 4, Scene 9 onwards (beginning with Henry pardoning those who abandoned Jack Cade) and 3 Henry VI Act 1 and Act 2, Scene 1 (concluding with Warwick rallying Edward, Richard and George after the death of their father).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Roy Dotrice (Jack Cade) and Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York)

• Heinrich VI: Der Krieg der Rosen 1 (29 June 1969; West Germany - ZDF; 130mins)

Videotaped broadcast of part one of a two-part adaptation of the trilogy performed at the Stuttgart State Theatre in 1967, under the general title Der krieg der rosen

Directed by Peter Palitzsch

Starring Peter Roggisch (König Heinrich), Ingeborg Engelmann (Königin Margareta), Hans Mahnke (Humphrey, Herzog von Gloster) and Gerhard Just (Richard, Herzog von York)

• Eduard IV: Der Krieg der Rosen 2 (29 Septmber 1971; West Germany - ZDF; 130mins)

Videotaped broadcast of part two of a two-part adaptation of the trilogy performed at the Stuttgart State Theatre in 1967, under the general title Der krieg der rosen

Directed by Peter Palitzsch

Starring Peter Roggisch (König Heinrich), Ingeborg Engelmann (Königin Margareta), Gerhard Just (Richard, Herzog von York) and Berthold Toetzke (König Eduard)

• The Second Part of Henry the Sixt (9 January 1983; England – BBC 2; 203mins)

Episode four of the fifth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. This episode was filmed on the same set as The First Part of Henry the Sixt. However, production designer Oliver Bayldon altered the set so it would appear that the paint work was flaking and peeling, and the set falling into a state of disrepair, as England descended into an ever increasing state of chaos.

Directed by Jane Howell

Starring Peter Benson (King Henry), Julia Foster (Queen Margaret), David Burke (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester) and Bernard Hill (Richard, Duke of York)

Henry VI, Part 3

Direct adaptations

• "The Morning's War" (6 October 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode twelve of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents Acts 1, 2 and Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2 of 3 Henry VI, concluding with Richard's soliloquy wherein he vows to attain the crown.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Terry Scully (King Henry), Mary Morris (Queen Margaret), Frank Windsor (Earl of Warwick) and Jack May (Richard, Duke of York)

• "The Sun in Splendour" (20 October 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode thirteen of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents everything from Act 3, Scene 3 onwards, opening with Margaret's visit to Lewis XI in France.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Terry Scully (King Henry), Mary Morris (Queen Margaret), Frank Windsor (Earl of Warwick) and Paul Daneman (Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester)

• Heinrich VI (26 March 1964; Austria - ORF eins; 173mins)

Made-for-TV movie which adapted all three parts of the Henry VI trilogy into one piece

Directed by Leopold Lindtberg

The cast list for the film exists, but what roles the various cast members played is unknown

• Edward IV (15 April 1965 - BBC TV; 165mins)

Episode two of The Wars of the Roses, a three-part videotaped broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1963/1964. The four plays were condensed into three; Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. Edward IV featured the second half of 2 Henry VI and a shortened version of 3 Henry VI. Presented as more than simply filmed theatre, filming was done on the RSC stage, but not during actual performances, thus allowing cameras to get close to the actors, and cameramen with hand-held cameras to shoot battle scenes. Additionally, camera platforms were created around the theatre. In all, twelve cameras were used, allowing the final product to be edited more like a film than a piece of static filmed theatre. Filming was done following the 1964 run of the plays at Stratford-upon-Avon, and took place over an eight-week period, with fifty-two BBC staff working alongside eighty-four RSC staff to bring the project to fruition.

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Brewster Mason (Earl of Warwick) and Roy Dotrice (King Edward)

• "The Fearful King" (3 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode five of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 2 Henry VI from Act 4, Scene 9 onwards (beginning with Henry pardoning those who abandoned Jack Cade) and 3 Henry VI Act 1 and Act 2, Scene 1 (concluding with Warwick rallying Edward, Richard and George after the death of their father).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Roy Dotrice (Jack Cade) and Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York)

• "The Kingmaker" (10 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode six of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 3 Henry VI from Act 2, Scene 2 to Act 3, Scene 3 (beginning with the arrival of the House of Lancaster to York and concluding with Warwick's avowal to remove Edward from the throne and restore Henry).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Brewster Mason (Earl of Warwick) and Roy Dotrice (King Edward)

• "Edward of York" (17 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode seven of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 3 Henry VI from Act 3, Scene 4 to Act 5, Scene 5 (beginning with George abandoning Edward in protest at his marriage to Lady Grey and concluding with the death of Prince Edward and the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Tewkesbury).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Brewster Mason (Earl of Warwick) and Roy Dotrice (King Edward)

• "The Prophetess" (24 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode eight of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 3 Henry VI from Act 5, Scene 6 onwards (beginning with Richard murdering Henry) and Richard III Act 1, Scenes 1, 2 and 3 (concluding with Richard sending two murderers to kill George).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes and Robin Midgley

Starring David Warner (King Henry), Peggy Ashcroft (Queen Margaret), Roy Dotrice (King Edward) and Ian Holm (Richard Plantagenet)

• Eduard IV: Der Krieg der Rosen 2 (29 September 1971; West Germany - ZDF; 130mins)

Videotaped broadcast of part two of a two-part adaptation of the trilogy performed at the Stuttgart State Theatre in 1967, under the general title Der krieg der rosen

Directed by Peter Palitzsch

Starring Peter Roggisch (König Heinrich), Ingeborg Engelmann (Königin Margareta), Ulrich Matschoss (Graf von Warwick) and Berthold Toetzke (König Eduard)

• The Third Part of Henry the Sixt (16 January 1983; England – BBC 2; 203mins)

Episode five of the fifth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. This episode was filmed on the same set as The First Part of Henry the Sixt and The Second Part of Henry the Sixt. However, production designer Oliver Bayldon altered the set so it would appear to be completely falling apart, as England descended into an even worse state of chaos.

Directed by Jane Howell

Starring Peter Benson (King Henry), Julia Foster (Queen Margaret), Mark Wing-Davey (Earl of Warwick) and Brian Protheroe (King Edward)

Featured in

• "Dead Shepherd" (13 June 1978; England – ITV; 60mins)

Directed by Peter Wood; written by John Mortimer

Episode one of Will Shakespeare, a six-part (heavily fictionalised) biopic of Shakespeare (Tim Curry). This episode focuses on Shakespeare's apprenticeship to Christopher Marlowe (Ian McShane), during which time he writes the Henry VI trilogy. Specifically focused upon is Act 2, Scene 5; the scene of the son killing his father and the father killing his son.

Richard III

Direct adaptations

• Scenes from Shakespeare's Richard III (9 April 1937; England – BBC Television Service; 10mins)

Made-for-TV production of the wooing scene from Act 1, Scene 2 of Richard III; broadcast live as part of the inaugural series of BBC Shakespearean TV adaptations

Directed by Stephen Thomas

Starring Ernest Milton (King Richard) and Beatrix Lehm (Lady Anne)

• Richard III (30 July 1950; USA – NBC; 60mins)

Episode two of the first season of Masterpiece Playhouse; broadcast live; a one hour truncation of the entire play

Directed by Albert McCleery

Starring William Windom (King Richard), Douglass Watson (Duke of Buckingham), Blanche Yurka (Queen Elizabeth) and Rita Colton (Lady Anne)

• "The Dangerous Brother" (3 November 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 60mins)

Episode fourteen of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents Acts 1, 2 and Act 3, Scene 1 of Richard III, concluding with Richard promising Buckingham the Dukedom of Hereford.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Paul Daneman (Richard of Gloucester), Edgar Wreford (Duke of Buckingham), Jane Wenham (Queen Elizabeth) and Jill Dixon (Lady Anne)

• "The Boar Hunt" (17 November 1960; England - BBC Television Service; 75mins)

Episode fifteen of An Age of Kings, a made-for-TV fifteen-part adaption of the eight sequential history plays. This episode presents everything from Act 3, Scene 2 onwards, beginning with Stanley's messenger visiting Hastings.

Directed by Michael Hayes; adapted by Eric Crozier

Starring Paul Daneman (King Richard), Edgar Wreford (Duke of Buckingham), Jane Wenham (Queen Elizabeth) and Jill Dixon (Lady Anne)

• König Richard III (7 and 9 April 1964; West Germany - Das Erste; 180mins)

A two-part made-for-TV movie.

Directed by Fritz Umgelter

Starring Wolfgang Kieling (König Richard), Gerhard Just (Herzog von Buckingham), Gisela Uhlen (Königin Elisabeth) and Gisela Stein (Lady Anna)

• Richard III (22 April 1965 - BBC TV; 165mins)

Episode three of The Wars of the Roses, a three-part videotaped broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1963/1964. The four plays were condensed into three; Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. Presented as more than simply filmed theatre, filming was done on the RSC stage, but not during actual performances, thus allowing cameras to get close to the actors, and cameramen with hand-held cameras to shoot battle scenes. Additionally, camera platforms were created around the theatre. In all, twelve cameras were used, allowing the final product to be edited more like a film than a piece of static filmed theatre. Filming was done following the 1964 run of the plays at Stratford-upon-Avon, and took place over an eight-week period, with fifty-two BBC staff working alongside eighty-four RSC staff to bring the project to fruition.

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring Ian Holm (King Richard), William Squire (Duke of Buckingham), Susan Engel (Queen Elizabeth) and Janet Suzman (Lady Anne)

• "The Prophetess" (24 February 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode eight of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents 3 Henry VI from Act 5, Scene 6 onwards (beginning with Richard murdering Henry) and Richard III Act 1, Scenes 1, 2 and 3 (concluding with Richard sending two murderers to kill George).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring Ian Holm (Richard of Gloucester), William Squire (Duke of Buckingham), Susan Engel (Queen Elizabeth) and Janet Suzman (Lady Anne)

• "Richard of Gloucester" (3 March 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode nine of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents Richard III from Act 1, Scene 4 to Act 3, Scene 4 (beginning with the murder of George and concluding with the arrest of Hastings).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring Ian Holm (Richard of Gloucester), William Squire (Duke of Buckingham), Susan Engel (Queen Elizabeth) and Charles Kay (Clarence)

• "Richard the King" (10 March 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode ten of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents Richard III from Act 3, Scene 5 to Act 5, Scene 1 (beginning with the Lord Mayor arriving to implore Richard to become King and concluding with the death of Buckingham).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Robin Midgley and Michael Hayes

Starring Ian Holm (King Richard), William Squire (Duke of Buckingham), Susan Engel (Queen Elizabeth) and Janet Suzman (Lady Anne)

• "Henry Tudor" (17 March 1966 - BBC TV; 50mins)

Episode eleven of an eleven part re-edit of the Barton/Hall Wars of the Roses trilogy. This episode presents Richard III from Act 5, Scene 2 onwards (beginning with the arrival of Richmond in England).

Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall; directed for television by Michael Hayes

Starring Ian Holm (King Richard), Eric Porter (Richmond), Charles Thomas (Sir William Catesby) and John Hussey (Earl of Derby)

• III. Richard (15 August 1973; Hungary - MTV1; 95mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by György Fehér

Starring Péter Haumann (King Richard), Zoltán Latinovits (Duke of Buckingham), Rita Békés (Queen Elisabeth) and Ildikó Bánsági (Lady Anne)

• Der leben und tod König Richard III (3 January 1976; East Germany - DFF; 212mins)

TV broadcast of a 1972 stage production from the Deutsches Theater in Berlin; heavily influenced by Brechtian theatrical practice, the production saw Richard often leave the stage and wander amongst the audience, delivering his soliloquies in a chatty nonchalant manner.

Directed by Manfred Wekwerth; directed for television by Ingrid Fausak

Starring Hilmar Thate (König Richard), Jürgen Hentsch (Herzog von Buckingham), Inge Keller (Königin Elisabeth) and Jutta Wachowiak (Lady Anne)

• Riccardo III (da Shakespeare) secondo Carmelo Bene (7 December 1981; Italy - Rete 1; 76mins)

Made-for-TV movie based on a heavily truncated 1977 avant-garde stage production from the Teatro Quirino in Rome which focused almost entirely on the female roles in the play.

Directed by Carmelo Bene

Starring Carmelo Bene (Poi Riccardo), Maria Grazia Grassini (Regina Elisabetta) and Susanna Javicoli (Lady Anna)

• The Tragedy of Richard III (23 January 1983; England – BBC 2; 239mins)

Episode six of the fifth season of the BBC Television Shakespeare. This episode was filmed on the same set as the three Henry VI plays. However, production designer Oliver Bayldon altered the set so it would appear to be a ruin, as England reached its lowest point of chaos. Somewhat controversially, the episode ends with Margaret sitting atop a pyramid of corpses cradling Richard's dead body and laughing manically.

Directed by Jane Howell

Starring Ron Cook (King Richard), Michael Byrne (Duke of Buckingham), Rowena Cooper (Queen Elizabeth) and Zoë Wanamaker (Lady Anne)

• Ricardo III (26 June 1984; Spain - La 2; 135mins)

Made-for-TV movie

Directed by Manuel Aguado

Starring Eusebio Lázaro (Rei Ricardo) and Marina Saura (Lady Anne)

• Ryszard III (11 December 1989; Poland - TVP1; 157mins)

TV broadcast of a June stage production from the National Theatre, Warsaw which was specifically conceived as a commentary on the country's first democratic elections since World War II, which were held during the play's theatrical run.

Directed by Feliks Falk; directed for television by Stanisław Zajączkowski

Starring Andrzej Seweryn (Król Ryszard), Wojciech Wysocki (Książę Buckingham), Anna Polony (Królowa Elizabeth) and Jolanta Piętek-Górecka (Lady Anne)

• "King Richard III" (2 November 1994; Russia/England – BBC 2; 26mins)

Episode one of the second season of Shakespeare: The Animated Tales; uses a narrator in fill in the narrative gaps created by truncation.

Directed by Natalya Orlova; written by Leon Garfield

Starring Antony Sher (King Richard), Tom Wilkinson (Duke of Buckingham), Sorcha Cusack (Queen Elizabeth) and Suzanne Burden (Lady Anne)

• Richard III (17 May 2003; Germany - 3sat; 148mins)

TV broadcast of a 2002 stage production from the Schauspielhaus Zürich

Directed by Stefan Pucher

Starring Robert Hunger-Bühler (König Richard), Jean Pierre Cornu (Herzog von Buckingham), Olivia Grigolli (Königin Elisabeth) and Jule Böwe (Lady Anne)

• Rihard III (4 October 2005; Slovenia - TV Slovenija 1; 89mins)

TV broadcast of a 2005 stage production from the Slovene National Theatre, Ljubljana

Directed by Eduard Miler; directed for television by Igor Prah

Starring Peter Boštjančič (Kralj Rihard), Ales Valic (Vojvoda Buckinghamski), Damjana Cerne (Kraljica Elizabeth) and Pia Zemljič (Lady Anne)

Other adaptations

• Shakespeare Lives! (2 and 9 February 1983; England – Channel 4; 50mins)

A workshop documentary presented by Michael Bogdanov in front of a live audience at the Camden Roundhouse in London examining seven of Shakespeare's plays, including Richard III. The main issue under discussion is the question of whether the play was merely the story of one man's villainy or a study of power politics in general. The examination of Richard III was broadcast over two episodes.

Directed by Mary McMurray

Starring Bill Wallis (King Richard), Daniel Massey (Duke of Buckingham) and Yvonne Bryceland (Queen Elizabeth)

• "The Foretelling" (15 June 1983; England – BBC 1; 33mins)

First episode of the first season of comedy series Blackadder, which posits a secret history that Richard (a kindly and benevolent ruler) was victorious at the Battle of Bosworth Field, only to be unintentionally killed after the battle when he is mistaken for a horse thief. The episode parodies Shakespeare's Richard III (as well as King Lear and Macbeth), and mangles Shakespeare's dialogue for comic effect; "Now is the summer of our sweet content made o'ercast winter by these Tudor clouds"). Peter Cook's portrayal of Richard specifically serves as a spoof of and contrast to Laurence Olivier's portrayal in the 1955 film. The episode includes the credit "additional dialogue by William Shakespeare."

Directed by Martin Shardlow; written by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis

Starring Peter Cook (King Richard)

Featured in

• The Music of Lennon and McCartney (16 December 1965; England – ITV; 60mins)

Directed by Philip Casson

TV special featuring the music of The Beatles. Part of the show features Peter Sellers reciting the lyrics to "A Hard Day's Night" in the style of Laurence Olivier from the 1955 film adaptation of Richard III. At the end of the recitation, Sellers shouts out "Can I do all this yet cannot get a hit?"

• "Who Killed the Princes in the Tower?" (3 June 1976; England – BBC 1; 50mins)

Directed by Michael Simpson; written by John Lloyd

Episode two of Second Verdict, a six-part series of fictional documentaries in which unsolved crimes from the past are reopened and reinvestigated by two modern day fictional detectives; Chief Superintendent Barlow (Stratford Johns) and Chief Superintendent Watt (Frank Windsor). This episode involves an investigation into the murder of the Princes in the Tower, and features several references to and quotations from Shakespeare's play. The episode concludes that there is not enough evidence to say categorically whether or not Richard was responsible for the murders, with Watt believing he was and Barlow believing he was not, that it was actually Buckingham who had them killed.

• "Alms for Oblivion" (13 June 1978; England – ITV; 60mins)

Directed by Mark Cullingham; written by John Mortimer

Episode two of Will Shakespeare, a six-part (heavily fictionalised) biopic of Shakespeare (Tim Curry). This episode revolves around the writing and premiere of Richard III, which is nearly prevented when theatre seamstress Mistress Rice (Irene Sunters) dies of the plague after completing the construction of Richard's hump. As this would mean closure of the theatre on health grounds, Shakespeare and his fellow actors smuggle the body out of the theatre and dispose of it. However, her son (Ron Cook) finds out, and, to buy his silence, they offer him a major role in the play. He is none-too-happy when he finds out the role is that of Lady Anne.

• "Marooned" (21 November 1989; England – BBC 2; 30mins)

Episode two of the third season of Red Dwarf

Directed by Ed Bye; written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor

Comedy about the four survivors of the massive mining spaceship Red Dwarf. In this episode, after the scouting vessel Starbug crash lands on an icy planet, Dave Lister (Craig Charles) begins to burn the contents of the ship in an effort to stay warm. However, when he burns The Complete Works of Shakespeare, the hologram Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) begins to complain, horrified at the idea that Lister could burn such words as the "unforgettable" speech from Richard III beginning with "Now." Rimmer then decides to quote the speech, but immediately runs into trouble remembering it; "Now...That's all I can remember. You know! That famous speech from Richard III. Now...something something something something."

• "Takeaway" (6 March 1990; England – Channel 4; 30mins)

Episode two of the first season of Nightingales

Directed by Tony Dow; written by Paul Makin

Sitcom about two night security men (Robert Lindsay and David Threlfall). In this episode, they decide they are going to kill their boss (James Ellis), and discuss doing so by quoting sections of dialogue from Act 1, Scene 4 of Richard III; the murder of George.