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King Lear (1953 film)

{{Short description|1953 live television adaptation by Peter Brook}}

{{Infobox television

| image = King-Lear-1953.jpg

| image_alt =

| caption =

| genre = Tragedy

| creator =

| based_on = King Lear

| writer = {{ubl|William Shakespeare (play)|Peter Brook (adaptation)}}

| screenplay =

| story =

| director = Andrew McCullough

| starring = Orson Welles

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer = Virgil Thomson

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_episodes =

| producer =

| editor =

| cinematography =

| runtime = 73 minutes

| company =

| budget =

| network = CBS

| first_aired = {{Start date|1953|10|18|df=yes}}

| last_aired =

}}

King Lear is a 1953 live television adaptation of the Shakespeare play staged by Peter Brook and starring Orson Welles.{{sfn|BUFVC: King Lear|n.d.}} Preserved on kinescope, it aired October 18, 1953, as part of the CBS television series Omnibus, hosted by Alistair Cooke. The cast includes Micheál Mac Liammóir and Alan Badel.{{sfn|Ax|2010}}

Production

A heavily abridged version of the play,{{sfn|PBS|2009}} this production condensed the play by eliminating the characters of Edgar and Edmund.{{sfn|Crosby|1953}} To compensate for their absence, the role of Oswald is expanded to take Edmund's part in the play's climax, and "Poor Tom" is included not as a disguised Edgar but as an actual madman.{{sfn|Howard|2005|p=125}}

Welles returned to America to star in this presentation. He was guarded by IRS agents, prohibited to leave his hotel room when not at the studio, prevented from making any purchases, and the entire sum (less expenses) he earned went to his tax bill. Welles returned to England after the broadcast.

Cast

Home media

  • 2010 E1 Entertainment, Region 1 DVD, February 9, 2010 {{ISBN|978-1-4172-3287-1}}{{sfn|wellesnet.com|2010}}

References

{{Reflist|20em}}

Sources

{{Refbegin|30em}}

  • {{cite web

|title = TV on DVD 2/16/10 – King Lear, Barnaby Jones and Lincoln Heights

|last = Ax

|first = Sean

|website = seanax.com

|date = 15 February 2010

|access-date = 7 January 2018

|url = http://www.seanax.com/2010/02/15/tv-on-dvd-02-16-10-king-lear-barnaby-jones-and-lincoln-heights/

}}

  • {{cite web

|title = King Lear (1953)

|author =

|website = British Universities Film and Video Council

|date = n.d.

|access-date = 7 January 2018

|url = http://bufvc.ac.uk/shakespeare/index.php/title/av37195

|ref = {{harvid|BUFVC: King Lear|n.d.}}

}}

  • {{cite news

|title = Orson Welles as King Lear on TV is Impressive

|last = Crosby

|first = John

|website = New York Herald Tribune

|date = 22 October 1953

|access-date = 7 January 2018

|url = http://www.wellesnet.com/orson-welles-is-enourmosly-impressive-in-the-peter-brook-production-of-shakespeares-king-lear-now-out-on-dvd/

|via = wellesnet.com

}}

  • {{cite book

|chapter = When Peter Met Orson: The 1953 CBS King Lear

|last = Howard

|first = Tony

|pages = 124–137

|title = Shakespeare, The Movie: Popularizing the Plays on Film, TV and Video

|editor1-last = Boose

|editor1-first = Lynda E.

|editor2-last = Burt

|editor2-first = Richard

|publisher = Routledge

|year = 2005

|isbn = 9781134707539

}}

  • {{cite web

|title = King Lear Films

|author =

|website = PBS, Great Performances

|date = 19 March 2009

|access-date = 7 January 2018

|url = http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/king-lear-king-lear-films/563/

|ref = {{harvid|PBS|2009}}

}}

  • {{cite web

|title = ORSON WELLES is "enourmosly impressive" in the Peter Brook production of Shakespeare's KING LEAR now out on DVD

|author =

|website = wellesnet.com

|date = 11 February 2010

|access-date = 7 January 2018

|url = http://www.wellesnet.com/orson-welles-is-enourmosly-impressive-in-the-peter-brook-production-of-shakespeares-king-lear-now-out-on-dvd/

|ref = {{harvid|wellesnet.com|2010}}

}}

{{Refend}}

External links

  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqBQa2UjSoA Omnibus: King Lear] at YouTube
  • {{IMDb title|id=0045960|title=King Lear}}

{{King Lear}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:CBS films

Category:Films based on King Lear

Category:American live television shows

Category:Television shows based on King Lear

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