The Wednesday Play#The Parachute
{{Short description|British TV drama anthology (1964–1970)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Cathycomehome.JPG
| caption = Cathy Come Home (1966)
| country = United Kingdom
| genre = Drama, Anthology, television plays, social realism, kitchen sink realism
| network = BBC 1
| language = English
| first_aired = {{start date|1964|10|28|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1970|5|27|df=y}}
| creator = Sydney Newman
| related = Play for Today
}}
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.Oliver Wake, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/454700/ "Wednesday Play, The (1964–70)"], BFI Screenonline. 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".
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.Madeleine Macmurraugh-Kavanagh, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RxBJC2U5oRoC&pg=PA149 "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. 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),Mark Duguid [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/476259/ "Fable (1965)"], BFI Screenonline. an inversion of South Africa's Apartheid system, was delayed for several weeks over fears that it would incite racial tensions.
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 (8Sergio Angelini, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/810533/index.html "Stand Up, Nigel Barton (1965)"], BFI screenonline and 15 December 1965)Sergio Angelini, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1041034/ "Vote, Vote, Vote, for Nigel Barton (1965)"], BFI screenonline first brought him to widespread public attention and the slightly earlier Alice (13 October 1965),John R. Cook, Dennis Potter: a life on screen, Manchester: Manchester University Press, p. 333, n.3:5. 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),Irene Shubik, Play for Today: the evolution of television drama, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000 [1975], p. 46 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), Cock Hen and Courting Pit (renamed A Tour of the Old Floorboards, 22 June 1966) by David Halliwell and two plays by Frank O'Connor (which Hugh Leonard adapted)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. virtually without dialogue and which, renamed Silent Song, won The Prix Italia awardAdam Benedick and Sydney Newman, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/peter-luke--obituaries-1569776.html Obituary: Peter Luke], The Independent, 26 January 1995. in 1967 for 'original dramatic programmes' jointly with a French programme.[http://www.prixitalia.rai.it/2010/pdf/WINNERS_1949-2010.pdf "Winners 1949-2010"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022124024/http://www.prixitalia.rai.it/2010/pdf/WINNERS_1949-2010.pdf |date=22 October 2013}}, Prix Italia official website. The other O'Connor/Leonard work was The Retreat (11 May 1966). 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.Stephen Lacey, Tony Garnett, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 56. 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.
Director Ken Loach made ten plays in all for The Wednesday Play series.Jacob Leigh, The Cinema of Ken Loach: Art in the Service of the People, London: Wallflower Press, 2002, p. 195. Two of them are among the best remembered of the entire run: an adaptation of Nell Dunn's Up the Junction (3 November 1965),Ros Cranston, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/440997/ "Up the Junction (1965)"], BFI Screenonline. 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).Mark Duguid, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/438481/ "Cathy Come Home (1966)"], BFI screenonline 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.Jason Deans and Maggie Brown, [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/28/tony-garnett-mother-backstreet-abortion-death "Up the Junction's Tony Garnett reveals mother's backstreet abortion death"], The Guardian, 28 April 2013.
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 JunctionAnthony Hayward [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/cathy-come-home-422630.html "Cathy come home"], The Independent, 3 November 2006. and The Wednesday Play as featuring "Dirt, Doubt and Disbelief".Asa Briggs, The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Volume 5, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 519. 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." 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."Quoted by Stephen Lacey, Tony Garnett, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 57. 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
=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)Janet Moat, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/557285/ "In Two Minds (1967)"], BFI Screenonline and Let's Murder Vivaldi (10 April 1968)Janet Moat, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/539459/ "Let's Murder Vivaldi (1968)"], BFI Screenonline. and Potter's Son of Man (16 April 1969),Sergio Angelini, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1056162/ "Son of Man (1969)"], BFI Screenonline. 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,"Roger Graef, [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/feb/15/homelessness.communities "Out of the box"], The Guardian, 15 February 2006. 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.{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/|title=BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}} 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{{Cite web|url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/|title=Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute|website=collections-search.bfi.org.uk}} and TV Brain{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvbrain.info/|title=TVBrain | Kaleidoscope | Lost shows | TV Archive | TV History|website=www.tvbrain.info}} 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.
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Original Air Date
! Title ! Author(s) ! Producer ! Director ! Performers ! class="unsortable" | Notes ! Archive status |
|---|
| id="A Crack in the Ice"
| {{dts|28 October 1964}} | data-sort-value="Crack in the Ice, A"|A Crack in the Ice | A story by Nikolai Leskov. Dramatised by Ronald Eyre. | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Ronald|Eyre}} | Bill Fraser | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 4 June 1965. | rowspan="2" | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="In Camera"
| {{dts|4 November 1964}} | by Jean-Paul Sartre. Adapted for television and directed by Philip Saville. | {{sortname|Philip|Saville}} | Harold Pinter | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 11 June 1965. |
| id="Pale Horse, Pale Rider"
| {{dts|11 November 1964}} | Pale Horse, Pale Rider | {{sortname|Eric|Till|nolink=1}} | | Joan Hackett | A filmed production by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first broadcast by CBC under Festival, 23 October 1963. | Unknown |
| id="The Big Breaker"
| {{dts|18 November 1964}} | data-sort-value="Big Breaker, The"|The Big Breaker | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Charles|Jarrott}} | Rupert Davies | | Yes (16mm print) |
| id="Mr. Douglas"
| {{dts|25 November 1964}} | Mr. Douglas | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Michael Goodliffe | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 30 July 1965. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Malatesta"
| {{dts|2 December 1964}} | Malatesta | by Henry de Montherlant. translated by Jonathan Griffin. adapted by Rosemary Hill. | {{sortname|Christopher|Morahan}} | Patrick Wymark | Adapted from the play. Repeated under Encore on BBC2 28 May 1965. | missing |
| id="The July Plot"
| {{dts|9 December 1964}} | data-sort-value="July Plot, The"|The July Plot | by Roger Manvell. Based on the book by Roger Manvell and Heinrich Fraenkel. | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Rudolph|Cartier}} | John Carson | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="First Love"
| {{dts|16 December 1964}} | First Love | From the story by Ivan Turgenev. | {{sortname|Mario|Prizek|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Mario|Prizek|nolink=1}} | Heather Sears | Produced and directed for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first broadcast by CBC under Festival, 22 January 1964. | Unknown |
| id="Tap on the Shoulder"
| {{dts|6 January 1965}} | Tap on the Shoulder | by James O'Connor | rowspan="17" | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Lee Montague | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 17 September 1965. | Yes (16mm (BFI) or 35mm tr (TVBrain)?) |
| id="Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word…"
| {{dts|13 January 1965}} | Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word… | {{sortname|Stuart|Burge}} | Michael Hordern | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="The Navigators"
| {{dts|20 January 1965}} | data-sort-value="Navigators, The"|The Navigators | {{sortname|Vivian|Matalon}} | George Baker | 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. |
| id="Fable"
| {{dts|27 January 1965}} | Fable | {{sortname|Christopher|Morahan}} | Thomas Baptiste | Postponed from 20 January 1965. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Dan, Dan, the Charity Man"
| {{dts|3 February 1965}} | Dan, Dan, the Charity Man | {{sortname|Don|Taylor|dab=English director and playwright}} | Barry Foster | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 1 October 1965. | missing |
| id="Ashes to Ashes"
| {{dts|10 February 1965}} | Ashes to Ashes | Marc Brandel | {{sortname|Alan|Cooke|nolink=1}} | Toby Robins | | Yes (16mm tr) |
| id="Wear a Very Big Hat"
| {{dts|17 February 1965}} | Wear a Very Big Hat | Eric Coltart | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Neville Smith | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 24 September 1965. | rowspan="3" | missing |
| id="The Confidence Course"
| {{dts|24 February 1965}} | data-sort-value="Confidence Course, The"|The Confidence Course | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Dennis Price | |
| id="Campaign for One"
| {{dts|3 March 1965}} | Campaign for One | Marielaine Douglas and Anthony Church | {{sortname|Moira|Armstrong}} | Barry Foster | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 3 September 1965. |
| id="Horror of Darkness"
| {{dts|10 March 1965}} | Horror of Darkness | {{sortname|Anthony|Page}} | Alfred Lynch | | rowspan="2" | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="A Little Temptation"
| {{dts|17 March 1965}} | data-sort-value="Little Temptation, A"|A Little Temptation | {{sortname|Peter|Duguid|nolink=1}} | Barbara Jefford | Recorded in BBC Scotland's Glasgow studios |
| id="Moving On"
| {{dts|24 March 1965}} | Moving On | Bill Mellen | {{sortname|Brian|Parker|nolink=1}} | Peter Jeffrey | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Cat's Cradle"
| {{dts|31 March 1965}} | Cat's Cradle | {{sortname|Henric|Hirsch}} | Leo Genn | Recorded in BBC Scotland's Glasgow studios |
| id="3 Clear Sundays"
| {{dts|7 April 1965}} | 3 Clear Sundays | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Tony Selby | Repeated under Encore on BBC2 16 July 1965. | rowspan="3" | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Interior Decorator"
| {{dts|14 April 1965}} | data-sort-value="Interior Decorator, The"|The Interior Decorator | Jack Russell | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | |
| id="Auto-Stop"
| {{dts|21 April 1965}} | Auto-Stop | {{sortname|Brian|Parker|nolink=1}} | David Hemmings | |
| id="The Good Shoemaker and the Poor Fish Peddler"
| {{dts|28 April 1965}} | data-sort-value="Good Shoemaker and the Poor Fish Peddler, The"|The Good Shoemaker and the Poor Fish Peddler | Jean Benedetti | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | John Barrie | Based on the lives of Sacco and Vanzetti. | rowspan="4" | missing |
| id="Cemented with Love"
| {{dts|5 May 1965}} | Cemented with Love | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Michael|Leeston-Smith}} | Harold Goldblatt | 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. |
| id="A Knight in Tarnished Armour"
| {{dts|12 May 1965}} | data-sort-value="Knight in Tarnished Armour, A"|A Knight in Tarnished Armour | rowspan="5" | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | Paul Young | |
| id="For the West"
| {{dts|26 May 1965}} | For the West | {{sortname|Toby|Robertson}} | John Castle | |
| id="And Did Those Feet?"
| {{dts|2 June 1965}} | And Did Those Feet? | {{sortname|Don|Taylor|dab=English director and playwright}} | David Markham | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="The Man Without Papers"
| {{dts|9 June 1965}} | data-sort-value="Man Without Papers, The"|The Man Without Papers | {{sortname|Peter|Duguid|nolink=1}} | Benito Carruthers | | partial |
| id="The Pistol"
| {{dts|16 June 1965}} | data-sort-value="Pistol, The"|The Pistol | A novel by James Jones. Adapted for television by Troy Kennedy Martin and Roger Smith. | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | Clive Endersby | 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. |
| id="With Love and Tears"
| {{dts|23 June 1965}} | Women in Crisis: | {{sortname|Colin|Morris|dab=playwright}} | rowspan="13" | {{sortname|Cedric|Messina}} | {{sortname|William|Slater|nolink=1}} | Katharine Blake | Repeat of 27 September 1964 Theatre 625 production, substituting the advertised Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton due to the latter's late postponement.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." | Yes (16mm tr) |
| id="The Seven O'Clock Crunch"
| {{dts|30 June 1965}} | data-sort-value="Seven O'Clock Crunch, The"|The Seven O'Clock Crunch | David Stone | {{sortname|Toby|Robertson}} | Nigel Stock | | missing |
| id="Alice"
| {{dts|13 October 1965}} | Alice | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | George Baker | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="The Girl Who Loved Robots"
| {{dts|20 October 1965}} | data-sort-value="Girl Who Loved Robots, The"|The Girl Who Loved Robots | {{sortname|Brian|Parker|nolink=1}} | Dudley Foster | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="A Designing Woman"
| {{dts|27 October 1965}} | data-sort-value="Designing Woman, A"|A Designing Woman | {{sortname|Brian|Parker|nolink=1}} | Reginald Marsh | |
| id="Up the Junction"
| {{dts|3 November 1965}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Carol White | Based on the book. Repeated also 14 July 1993 on BBC2. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne"
| {{dts|10 November 1965}} | data-sort-value="Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne, The"|The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne | {{sortname|Peter|Duguid|nolink=1}} | Jack Hawkins | | rowspan="6" | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The End of Arthur's Marriage"
| {{dts|17 November 1965}} | data-sort-value="End of Arthur's Marriage, The"|The End of Arthur's Marriage | Christopher Logue and Stanley Myers | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Ken Jones | |
| id="Tomorrow, Just You Wait"
| {{dts|24 November 1965}} | Tomorrow, Just You Wait | Fred Watson | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | James Chase | |
| id="The Bond"
| {{dts|1 December 1965}} | data-sort-value="Bond, The"|The Bond | Dawn Pavitt and Terry Wale | {{sortname|Mary|Ridge}} | Hannah Gordon | |
| id="Stand Up, Nigel Barton"
| {{dts|8 December 1965}} | rowspan="2" | Dennis Potter | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Keith Barron | Repeated 11 August 1987 on BBC1, and also 12 June 2004 and 31 January 2005 on BBC4. |
| id="Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton"
| {{dts|15 December 1965}} | Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Keith Barron | Postponed from 23 June 1965. Repeated 18 August 1987 on BBC1, and also 15 June 2004 and 31 January 2005 on BBC4. |
| id="The Coming Out Party"
| {{dts|22 December 1965}} | data-sort-value="Coming Out Party, The"|The Coming Out Party | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Toni Palmer | | Yes (16mm (BFI) or 35mm tr (TVBrain)?) |
| id="The Boneyard"
| {{dts|5 January 1966}} | data-sort-value="Boneyard, The"|The Boneyard | rowspan="22" | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | Nigel Davenport | Originally scheduled for 30 September 1964 (as The Bone Yard, without Wednesday Play billing) but postponed. | missing |
| id="A Man on Her Back"
| {{dts|12 January 1966}} | data-sort-value="Man on Her Back, A"|A Man on Her Back | by Peter Luke. From a novel by William Sansom. | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Norman Rodway | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="Rodney, Our Intrepid Hero"
| {{dts|19 January 1966}} | Rodney, Our Intrepid Hero | Brian Finch | {{sortname|Michael|Simpson|nolink=1}} | Graham Crowden | | missing |
| id="Calf Love"
| {{dts|26 January 1966}} | Calf Love | Philip Purser. From a novel by Vernon Bartlett. | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Simon Ward | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Silent Song"
| {{dts|2 February 1966}} | Silent Song | Frank O'Connor and Hugh Leonard | {{sortname|Charles|Jarrott}} | Tony Selby | | rowspan="2" | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Who's a Good Boy Then? I am"
| {{dts|9 February 1966}} | Who's a Good Boy Then? I am | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | Thora Hird | |
| id="A Game - Like - Only a Game"
| {{dts|16 February 1966}} | data-sort-value="Game - Like - Only a Game, A"|A Game - Like - Only a Game | {{sortname|Christopher|Morahan}} | Susan Richards | | missing |
| id="Why Aren't You Famous?"
| {{dts|23 February 1966}} | Why Aren't You Famous? | {{sortname|Peter|Sasdy}} | Alan Dobie | | missing |
| id="Macready's Gala"
| {{dts|2 March 1966}} | Macready's Gala | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Richard Pearson | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="A Walk in the Sea"
| {{dts|9 March 1966}} | data-sort-value="Walk in the Sea, A"|A Walk in the Sea | {{sortname|Geoffrey|Nethercott|nolink=1}} | Mora Nicholson | | rowspan="3" | missing |
| id="Boy in the Smoke"
| {{dts|16 March 1966}} | Boy in the Smoke | {{sortname|William|Slater|nolink=1}} | Sean Caffrey | Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 13 May 1965. |
| id="Barlowe of the Car Park"
| {{dts|23 March 1966}} | Barlowe of the Car Park | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Jack Woolgar | |
| id="The Portsmouth Defence"
| {{dts|30 March 1966}} | data-sort-value="Portsmouth Defence, The"|The Portsmouth Defence | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | Emrys James | | rowspan="4" | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="Pity about the Abbey"
| {{dts|6 April 1966}} | John Betjeman and Stewart Farrar | {{sortname|Ian|Curteis}} | Henry McGee | Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 29 July 1965. |
| id="The Big Man Coughed and Died"
| {{dts|13 April 1966}} | data-sort-value="Big Man Coughed and Died, The"|The Big Man Coughed and Died | Brian Wright | {{sortname|Peter|Duguid|nolink=1}} | George Baker | |
| id="The Snow Ball"
| {{dts|20 April 1966}} | data-sort-value="Snow Ball, The"|The Snow Ball Dramatised by Ursula Gray. | {{sortname|Charles|Jarrott}} | Patrick Allen | |
| id="A Cheery Soul"
| {{dts|27 April 1966}} | data-sort-value="Cheery Soul, A"|A Cheery Soul Adapted by Jonquil Antony | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Hazel Hughes | Adapted from the play. | missing |
| id="The Connoisseur"
| {{dts|4 May 1966}} | data-sort-value="Connoisseur, The"|The Connoisseur | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Derek Francis | | rowspan="2" | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="The Retreat"
| {{dts|11 May 1966}} | data-sort-value="Retreat, The"|The Retreat | {{sortname|Charles|Jarrott}} | Gerry Sullivan | |
| id="Ape and Essence"
| {{dts|18 May 1966}} | Ape and Essence Dramatised by John Finch. | {{sortname|David|Benedictus}} | Alec McCowen | Adapted from the novel. | missing |
| id="Toddler on the Run"
| {{dts|25 May 1966}} | Toddler on the Run | From the novel by Shena Mackay. | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | Ian Trigger | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Executioner"
| {{dts|1 June 1966}} | data-sort-value="Executioner, The"|The Executioner | {{sortname|Michael|Hayes|dab=director}} | Rosalie Crutchley | | missing |
| id="Way Off Beat"
| {{dts|8 June 1966}} | Way Off Beat | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | {{sortname|Toby|Robertson}} | Brenda Bruce | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="A Soiree at Bossom's Hotel"
| {{dts|15 June 1966}} | data-sort-value="Soiree at Bossom's Hotel, A"|A Soiree at Bossom's Hotel | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Fabia Drake | | missing |
| id="Cock, Hen, and Courting Pit"
| {{dts|22 June 1966}} | Cock, Hen, and Courting Pit | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Charles|Jarrott}} | Nicola Pagett | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Photo Finish"
| {{dts|21 September 1966}} | Photo Finish | {{sortname|Bernard|Hepton}} | {{sortname|Naomi|Capon}} | Paul Rogers | Repeat; first shown as a Thursday Theatre on BBC2 28 January 1965. | missing |
| id="A Hero of Our Time"
| {{dts|28 September 1966}} | data-sort-value="Hero of Our Time, A"|A Hero of Our Time | Ian Dallas. Based on the novel by Mihail Lermontov. | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} | {{sortname|Henric|Hirsch|nolink=1}} | Alan Bates | Adapted from the novel. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Frighteners"
| {{dts|12 October 1966}} | data-sort-value="Frighteners, The"|The Frighteners | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Tom Adams | Repeat; first shown in the series Londoners on BBC2 8 July 1965. | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="A Piece of Resistance"
| {{dts|19 October 1966}} | data-sort-value="Piece of Resistance, A"|A Piece of Resistance | {{sortname|Cedric|Messina}} | {{sortname|Geoffrey|Nethercott|nolink=1}} | Lally Bowers | Repeat of 26 December 1965 Theatre 625 on BBC2. |
| id="Where the Buffalo Roam"
| {{dts|2 November 1966}} | Where the Buffalo Roam | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Hywel Bennett | Repeated also 25 August 1976 on BBC2 and 21 July 1993 on BBC2. | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="The Head Waiter"
| {{dts|9 November 1966}} | data-sort-value="Head Waiter, The"|The Head Waiter | {{sortname|Rex|Tucker}} | Donald Pleasence | | missing |
| id="Cathy Come Home"
| {{dts|16 November 1966}} | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Carol White | 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) |
| id="The Private Tutor"
| {{dts|23 November 1966}} | data-sort-value="Private Tutor, The"|The Private Tutor | Christopher Williams | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Alan|Gibson|dab=director}} | Ian McShane | | rowspan="3" | missing |
| id="A Pyre for Private James"
| {{dts|30 November 1966}} | data-sort-value="Pyre for Private James, A"|A Pyre for Private James | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Basil Henson | |
| id="A Tale of Two Wives"
| {{dts|7 December 1966}} | data-sort-value="Tale of Two Wives, A"|A Tale of Two Wives | Marc Brandel | {{sortname|Peter|Duguid|nolink=1}} | Dinsdale Landen | |
| id="Little Master Mind"
| {{dts|14 December 1966}} | Little Master Mind | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | George Sewell | | missing |
| id="The Mayfly and the Frog"
| {{dts|21 December 1966}} | data-sort-value="Mayfly and the Frog, The"|The Mayfly and the Frog | Jack Russell | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Robin|Midgley}} | John Gielgud | Repeated 10 July 1968 under Playbill. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Person to Person"
| {{dts|4 January 1967}} | Person to Person | {{sortname|Raymond|Menmuir}} | Elizabeth Sellars | | missing |
| id="The Order"
| {{dts|18 January 1967}} | data-sort-value="Order, The"|The Order Translated by Patrick Alexander. | {{sortname|Cedric|Messina}} | {{sortname|Basil|Coleman}} | John Neville | A Wednesday Play production for The Largest Theatre in the World project of the EBU. | rowspan="2" |missing |
| id="Everyone's Rich Except Us"
| {{dts|25 January 1967}} | Everyone's Rich Except Us | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Brian|Parker|nolink=1}} | Alfred Lynch | |
| id="The Lump"
| {{dts|1 February 1967}} | data-sort-value="Lump, The"|The Lump | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Jack|Gold}} | Leslie Sands | | Yes (16mm print) |
| id="Who's Going to Take Me On?"
| {{dts|8 February 1967}} | Who's Going to Take Me On? | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|John|Glenister}} | Richard O'Sullivan | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Death of a Teddy Bear"
| {{dts|15 February 1967}} | Death of a Teddy Bear | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Brenda Bruce | Repeated 17 July 1968 under Playbill. |
| id="Days in the Trees"
| {{dts|22 February 1967}} | Days in the Trees Translated by Sonia Orwell. adapted by Jeremy Brooks. | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Peggy Ashcroft | A Wednesday Play presentation. Original Royal Shakespeare Company stage production directed by: John Schlesinger. | missing |
| id="In Two Minds"
| {{dts|1 March 1967}} | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Anna Cropper | Repeated also 16 August 1977 on BBC2, 22 November 1980 on BBC2, and 21 July 1988. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Another Day, Another Dollar"
| {{dts|8 March 1967}} | Another Day, Another Dollar | rowspan="4" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Raymond|Menmuir}} | Victor Maddern | | partial |
| id="Public Inquiry"
| {{dts|15 March 1967}} | Public Inquiry | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Charles Williams | | rowspan="5" | missing |
| id="A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant"
| {{dts|22 March 1967}} | data-sort-value="Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant, A"|A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | T. P. McKenna | |
| id="A Breach in the Wall"
| {{dts|29 March 1967}} | data-sort-value="Breach in the Wall, A"|A Breach in the Wall | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Robert Harris | Repeated 31 July 1968 under Playbill. |
| id="The Voices in the Park"
| {{dts|5 April 1967}} | data-sort-value="Voices in the Park, The"|The Voices in the Park | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|John|MacKenzie|John Mackenzie (film director)}} | Kenneth Haigh | |
| id="Dismissal Leading to Lustfulness"
| {{dts|12 April 1967}} | Dismissal Leading to Lustfulness | Thomas Whyte | rowspan="5" | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Rex|Tucker}} | Peter Copley | |
| id="A Brilliant Future Behind Him"
| {{dts|19 April 1967}} | data-sort-value="Brilliant Future Behind Him, A"|A Brilliant Future Behind Him | {{sortname|Robert|Fleming|nolink=1}} | David Buck | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Message for Posterity"
| {{dts|3 May 1967}} | Message for Posterity | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Patrick Magee | | rowspan="3" | missing |
| id="A Way with the Ladies"
| {{dts|10 May 1967}} | data-sort-value="Way with the Ladies, A"|A Way with the Ladies | Simon Gray. Based on the novel A Helping Hand by Celia Dale. | {{sortname|John|Glenister}} | Bill Fraser | |
| id="The Playground"
| {{dts|17 May 1967}} | data-sort-value="Playground, The"|The Playground | {{sortname|John|Robins|nolink=1}} | John Ronane | |
| id="Drums Along the Avon"
| {{dts|24 May 1967}} | Drums Along the Avon | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | Leonard Rossiter | | Yes (16mm print) |
| id="Sleeping Dog"
| {{dts|11 October 1967}} | Sleeping Dog | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Marius Goring | | rowspan="5" | missing |
| id="Wanted: Single Gentleman…"
| {{dts|18 October 1967}} | Wanted: Single Gentleman… | James Broom Lynne | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | Peter Jeffrey | |
| id="A Black Candle for Mrs Gogarty"
| {{dts|25 October 1967}} | data-sort-value="Black Candle for Mrs Gogarty, A"|A Black Candle for Mrs Gogarty | {{sortname|Pharic|MacLaren|nolink=1}} | | Duncan MacRae | From BBC Scotland |
| id="The Devil a Monk Would Be"
| {{dts|8 November 1967}} | data-sort-value="Devil a Monk Would Be, The"|The Devil a Monk Would Be | {{sortname|Peter|Luke}} Based on a story by Alphonse Daudet. | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Max Adrian | |
| id="Fall of the Goat"
| {{dts|15 November 1967}} | Fall of the Goat | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Joss Ackland | |
| id="The Profile of a Gentleman"
| {{dts|22 November 1967}} | data-sort-value="Profile of a Gentleman, The"|The Profile of a Gentleman | {{sortname|John|MacKenzie|John Mackenzie (film director)}} | Lee Montague | | partial |
| id="Dial Rudolph Valentino One One"
| {{dts|29 November 1967}} | Dial Rudolph Valentino One One | Ewart Alexander | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Keith Barron | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Kippers and Curtains"
| {{dts|6 December 1967}} | Kippers and Curtains | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Alan|Gibson|dab=director}} | Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies | |
| id="Death of a Private"
| {{dts|13 December 1967}} | Death of a Private Based on Georg Büchner's Woyzeck. | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | Dudley Sutton | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="An Officer of the Court"
| {{dts|20 December 1967}} | data-sort-value="Officer of the Court, An"|An Officer of the Court | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|James|MacTaggart}} | Tommy Godfrey | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Fat of the Land"
| {{dts|27 December 1967}} | data-sort-value="Fat of the Land, The"|The Fat of the Land | Jack Russell | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Toby|Robertson}} | Joan Greenwood | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Toggle"
| {{dts|3 January 1968}} | Toggle | Ian Roberts | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Alan Badel | |
| id="House of Character"
| {{dts|10 January 1968}} | House of Character | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Alan|Cooke|nolink=1}} | Alfred Lynch | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="Jamie, on a Flying Visit"
| {{dts|17 January 1968}} | Jamie, on a Flying Visit | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Claude|Whatham}} | Anton Rodgers | Repeated 7 August 1968 under Playbill. | rowspan="6" | missing |
| id="Monsieur Barnett"
| {{dts|24 January 1968}} | Monsieur Barnett | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Donald|McWhinnie}} | Michael Redgrave | |
| id="The Drummer and the Bloke"
| {{dts|31 January 1968}} | data-sort-value="Drummer and the Bloke, The"|The Drummer and the Bloke | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Herbert|Wise}} | Peter Sallis | |
| id="Rebel in the Grave"
| {{dts|7 February 1968}} | Rebel in the Grave | Marc Brandel | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Raymond|Menmuir}} | |
| id="Coincidence"
| {{dts|21 February 1968}} | Coincidence | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Moira|Armstrong}} | Clive Revill | |
| id="Light Blue"
| {{dts|3 April 1968}} | Light Blue | Gerald Vaughan-Hughes | {{sortname|Alan|Cooke|nolink=1}} | Calvin Lockhart | |
| id="Let's Murder Vivaldi"
| {{dts|10 April 1968}} | Let's Murder Vivaldi | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Denholm Elliott | Repeated also 7 July 1988. | Yes |
| id="The Golden Vision"
| {{dts|17 April 1968}} | data-sort-value="Golden Vision, The"|The Golden Vision | Neville Smith and Gordon Honeycombe | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Ken Jones | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="The Man Behind You"
| {{dts|1 May 1968}} | data-sort-value="Man Behind You, The"|The Man Behind You | Jeremy Scott | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Moira|Armstrong}} | Michael Bryant | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Infidelity Took Place"
| {{dts|8 May 1968}} | Infidelity Took Place | {{sortname|Michael|Hayes|dab=director}} | Judy Cornwell | |
| id="Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It"
| {{dts|21 August 1968}} | Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It | {{sortname|John|MacKenzie|John Mackenzie (film director)}} | Mary Miller | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="Spoiled"
| {{dts|28 August 1968}} | Spoiled | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Waris|Hussein}} | Michael Craig | | missing |
| id="The Gorge"
| {{dts|4 September 1968}} | data-sort-value="Gorge, The"|The Gorge | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Christopher|Morahan}} | Billy Hamon | Repeated also 8 September 1976 on BBC2, 28 July 1993 on BBC2. | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="A Night with Mrs. Da Tanka"
| {{dts|11 September 1968}} | data-sort-value="Night with Mrs. Da Tanka, A"|A Night with Mrs. Da Tanka | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | Jean Kent | | rowspan="8" | missing |
| id="Charlie"
| {{dts|18 September 1968}} | Charlie | {{sortname|Michael|Hayes|dab=director}} | Barrie Ingham | |
| id="Anyone for Tennis?"
| {{dts|25 September 1968}} | Anyone for Tennis? | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Claude|Whatham}} | Clifford Evans | |
| id="Mooney and his Caravans"
| {{dts|2 October 1968}} | Mooney and his Caravans | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | John Alderton | |
| id="The Lower Largo Sequence"
| {{dts|9 October 1968}} | data-sort-value="Lower Largo Sequence, The"|The Lower Largo Sequence | {{sortname|Pharic|MacLaren|nolink=1}} | | Patrick Allen | From BBC Scotland |
| id="Hello, Good Evening, and Welcome"
| {{dts|16 October 1968}} | Hello, Good Evening, and Welcome | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Claude|Whatham}} | Robert Hardy | |
| id="A Bit of Crucifixion, Father"
| {{dts|30 October 1968}} | data-sort-value="Bit of Crucifixion, Father, A"|A Bit of Crucifixion, Father | {{sortname|Geoffrey|Nethercott|nolink=1}} | Walter Fitzgerald | |
| id="Nothing will be the Same Again"
| {{dts|6 November 1968}} | Nothing will be the Same Again | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Peter|Hammond|dab=actor}} | Patrick Magee | |
| id="A Beast with Two Backs"
| {{dts|20 November 1968}} | data-sort-value="Beast with Two Backs, A"|A Beast with Two Backs | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Lionel|Harris|nolink=1}} | Patrick Barr | | Yes (16mm print) |
| id="On the Eve of Publication"
| {{dts|27 November 1968}} | On the Eve of Publication | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Leo McKern | Repeated also 6 December 1980 on BBC2, on 30 June 1988, and on 19&20-10-2002 on BBC4. | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="The Fabulous Frump"
| {{dts|8 January 1969}} | data-sort-value="Fabulous Frump, The"|The Fabulous Frump | James Gibbins | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Peter|Hammond|dab=actor}} | Sheila Steafel | | rowspan="5" | missing |
| id="Smoke Screen"
| {{dts|15 January 1969}} | Smoke Screen | rowspan="4" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Donald|McWhinnie}} | Lally Bowers | |
| id="Dr. Aitkinson's Daughter"
| {{dts|22 January 1969}} | Dr. Aitkinson's Daughter | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Raymond Huntley | |
| id="The Apprentices"
| {{dts|29 January 1969}} | data-sort-value="Apprentices, The"|The Apprentices | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | James Gibson | The National Youth Theatre production of The Apprentices |
| id="Birthday"
| {{dts|12 February 1969}} | Birthday | {{sortname|Claude|Whatham}} | Rosemary Leach | |
| id="The Big Flame"
| {{dts|19 February 1969}} | data-sort-value="Big Flame, The"|The Big Flame | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Kenneth|Loach|Ken Loach}} | Norman Rossington | | Yes (35mm tr?) |
| id="A Serpent in Putney"
| {{dts|26 February 1969}} | data-sort-value="Serpent in Putney, A"|A Serpent in Putney | Fred Watson | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Geoffrey|Nethercott|nolink=1}} | Tony Britton | | rowspan="2" | missing |
| id="Bam! Pow! Zapp!"
| {{dts|5 March 1969}} | Bam! Pow! Zapp! | {{sortname|William|Slater|nolink=1}} | Clive Revill | |
| id="Sling Your Hook"
| {{dts|2 April 1969}} | Sling Your Hook | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Michael|Tuchner}} | Michael Bates | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="A Child and A Half"
| {{dts|9 April 1969}} | data-sort-value="Child and A Half, A"|A Child and A Half | Owen Holder | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Geoffrey Bayldon | | missing |
| id="Son of Man"
| {{dts|16 April 1969}} | {{sortname|Gareth|Davies|dab=director}} | Colin Blakely | Repeated also 28 July 1987, and 23 January 2005 on BBC4. | Yes |
| id="The Exiles"
| {{dts|23 April 1969}} | data-sort-value="Exiles, The"|The Exiles | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Herbert|Wise}} | Errol John | | missing |
| id="Blodwen, Home from Rachel's Marriage"
| {{dts|30 April 1969}} | Blodwen, Home from Rachel's Marriage | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Alan|Cooke|nolink=1}} | Ann Beach | | missing |
| id="The Parachute"
| {{dts|6 August 1969}} | data-sort-value="Parachute, The"|The Parachute | {{sortname|Tony|Garnett}} | {{sortname|Anthony|Page}} | Alan Badel | 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) |
| id="Pitchi Poi"
| {{dts|24 September 1969}} | Pitchi Poi English version by Peter Meyer | {{sortname|Michael|Bakewell}} | {{sortname|Roderick|Graham|nolink=1}} | Georges Rouquier | Repeat; originally shown as part of The Largest Theatre in the World project of the EBU, 1 November 1967. | Yes |
| id="The Last Train through the Harecastle Tunnel"
| {{dts|1 October 1969}} | data-sort-value="Last Train through the Harecastle Tunnel, The"|The Last Train through the Harecastle Tunnel | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Alan|Clarke}} | Richard O'Callaghan | | Yes (35mm tr) |
| id="Patterson O.K."
| {{dts|8 October 1969}} | Patterson O.K. | Ray Jenkins | {{sortname|Pharic|MacLaren|nolink=1}} | | Andrew Robertson | from BBC Scotland | missing |
| id="The Mark-Two Wife"
| {{dts|15 October 1969}} | data-sort-value="Mark-Two Wife, The"|The Mark-Two Wife | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Philip|Saville}} | Faith Brook | | Yes |
| id="Close the Coalhouse Door"
| {{dts|22 October 1969}} | Close the Coalhouse Door from a story by Sid Chaplin | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Bill|Hays|dab=director}} | Dudley Foster | | missing |
| id="The Sad Decline of Arthur Maybury"
| {{dts|29 October 1969}} | data-sort-value="Sad Decline of Arthur Maybury, The"|The Sad Decline of Arthur Maybury | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|John|Gorrie|dab=director}} | Roland Culver | | missing |
| id="All Out for Kangaroo Valley"
| {{dts|5 November 1969}} | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Bill|Bain|dab=director}} | Sandra Gleeson | | missing |
| id="Happy"
| {{dts|12 November 1969}} | Happy | Alan Gosling | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Marc|Miller|nolink=1}} | Malcolm McDowell | | missing |
| id="There Is Also Tomorrow"
| {{dts|19 November 1969}} | There Is Also Tomorrow | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|John|MacKenzie|John Mackenzie (film director)}} | Glyn Houston | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 24 June 1971. | missing |
| id="Double Bill"
| {{dts|26 November 1969}} | Double Bill | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|David|Myerscough-Jones}} | Marty Feldman | Colour. Comprises The Compartment and Playmates. Playmates was repeated as a Play for Today 8 April 1971. | Yes (16mm b&w print) |
| id="Blood of the Lamb"
| {{dts|3 December 1969}} | Blood of the Lamb | Leon Whiteson | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Frank Finlay | Colour | missing |
| id="The Vortex"
| {{dts|10 December 1969}} | data-sort-value="Vortex, The"|The Vortex | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Philip|Dudley|nolink=1}} | Margaret Leighton | Colour. Adapted from the play. | Yes |
| id="It Wasn't Me"
| {{dts|17 December 1969}} | It Wasn't Me | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | Frances Cuka | Colour | missing |
| id="The Season of the Witch"
| {{dts|7 January 1970}} | data-sort-value="Season of the Witch, The"|The Season of the Witch | {{sortname|Desmond|McCarthy|nolink=1}} and Johnny Byrne | {{sortname|Anne|Head|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Desmond|McCarthy|nolink=1}} | Julie Driscoll | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 22 April 1971. | Yes |
| id="Mille Miglia"
| {{dts|14 January 1970}} | Mille Miglia | {{sortname|Ronald|Travers|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Robin|Midgley}} | Michael Bryant | Colour. Repeat of 5 August 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. | rowspan="2" | Yes |
| id="The Hunting of Lionel Crane"
| {{dts|21 January 1970}} | data-sort-value="Hunting of Lionel Crane, The"|The Hunting of Lionel Crane | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Michael|Tuchner}} | Robert Powell | Colour |
| id="Rest in Peace Uncle Fred"
| {{dts|28 January 1970}} | Rest in Peace Uncle Fred | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Michael|Hayes|dab=director}} | Susan Jameson | Colour | missing |
| id="Mad Jack"
| {{dts|4 February 1970}} | Mad Jack | {{sortname|Jack|Gold}} | Michael Jayston | 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. | rowspan="2" | Yes |
| id="Nathan and Tabileth"
| {{dts|11 February 1970}} | Nathan and Tabileth | {{sortname|Barry|Bermange|nolink=1}} | data-sort-value="Savory, Gerald"|Gerald Savory, David Koning | {{sortname|Barry|Bermange|nolink=1}} | Albert van Dalsum | 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. |
| id="The Italian Table"
| {{dts|18 February 1970}} | data-sort-value=Italian Table, The|The Italian Table | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Herbert|Wise}} | Leonard Rossiter | Repeated as a Play for Today 17 June 1971. | missing |
| id="The Boy Who Wanted Peace"
| {{dts|25 February 1970}} | data-sort-value="Boy Who Wanted Peace, The"|The Boy Who Wanted Peace | {{sortname|Pharic|MacLaren|nolink=1}} | | Laurance Ruddick | From BBC Scotland | Yes |
| id="The Cellar and the Almond Tree"
| {{dts|4 March 1970}} | data-sort-value="Cellar and the Almond Tree, The"|The Cellar and the Almond Tree | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Celia Johnson | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 10 June 1971, on BBC2 13 December 1980 and on BBC1 14 July 1988. | Yes |
| id="The Year of the Sex Olympics"
| {{dts|11 March 1970}} | data-sort-value="Year of the Sex Olympics, The"|The Year of the Sex Olympics | {{sortname|Ronald|Travers|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Michael|Elliott|dab=director}} | Leonard Rossiter | Colour. Repeat of 29 July 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. Repeated again 22 May 2003. | rowspan="5" | Yes (16mm b&w print) |
| id="No Trams to Lime Street"
| {{dts|18 March 1970}} | No Trams to Lime Street | {{sortname|Harry|Moore|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Piers|Haggard}} | Rosemary Nicols | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 11 March 1971. |
| id="To See How Far It Is: 1: Murphy's Law"
| {{dts|25 March 1970}} | To See How Far It Is: 1: Murphy's Law |rowspan=3|Alan Plater |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Michael|Bakewell}} | {{sortname|Roderick|Graham|nolink=1}} | Norman Rodway | Colour. Repeat of 1 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. |
| id="To See How Far It Is: 2: The Curse of the Donkins"
| {{dts|1 April 1970}} | To See How Far It Is: 2: The Curse of the Donkins | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Nigel Davenport | Colour. Repeat of 8 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. |
| id="To See How Far It Is: 3: To See How Far It Is"
| {{dts|8 April 1970}} | To See How Far It Is: 3: To See How Far It Is | {{sortname|Naomi|Capon}} | Nigel Davenport | Colour. Repeat of 15 January 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. |
| id="Wine of India"
| {{dts|15 April 1970}} | Wine of India | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Gilchrist|Calder|nolink=1}} | Annette Crosbie | Colour | missing |
| id="Sovereign's Company"
| {{dts|22 April 1970}} | Sovereign's Company | Don Shaw | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|Alan|Clarke}} | Roland Culver | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 15 April 1971. | Yes |
| id="Party Games"
| {{dts|29 April 1970}} | Party Games | {{sortname|Michael|Bakewell}} | {{sortname|Roderick|Graham|nolink=1}} | Frederick Jaeger | Colour. Repeat of 11 March 1968 Theatre 625 on BBC2. | missing |
| id="Emma's Time"
| {{dts|13 May 1970}} | Emma's Time | {{sortname|Graeme|McDonald|Graeme MacDonald}} | {{sortname|Alan|Bridges}} | Michele Dotrice | Colour | rowspan="2" | Yes |
| id="Chariot of Fire"
| {{dts|20 May 1970}} | Chariot of Fire | {{sortname|Irene|Shubik}} | {{sortname|James|Ferman}} | Rosemary Leach | Colour. Repeated as a Play for Today 1 July 1971. |
| id="Wind versus Polygamy"
| {{dts|27 May 1970}} | Wind versus Polygamy | {{sortname|Michael|Bakewell}} | {{sortname|Naomi|Capon}} | Earl Cameron | 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
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- Evans, Jeff. The Penguin TV Companion (1st edn). London: Penguin Books. 2001. {{ISBN|0-14-051467-8}}.
- Vahimagi, Tise. British Television: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford: Oxford University Press / British Film Institute. 1994. {{ISBN|0-19-818336-4}}.
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20210919115712/https://www.startrader.co.uk/wed_index.htm The Wednesday Play] site with history and individual episodes listed
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20181212093629/https://museum.tv/eotv/wednesdaypla.htm Encyclopedia of Television]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718075448/http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?cat=2693 TV Cream website]
- {{BBC programme}}
- {{IMDb title|id=0058853}}
{{Wednesday Play}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wednesday Play}}
Category:1964 British television series debuts
Category:1970 British television series endings
Category:1960s British drama television series
Category:1970s British drama television series
Category:1960s British anthology television series
Category:1970s British anthology television series
Category:BBC television dramas
Category:Black-and-white British television shows
Category:British English-language television shows
Category:BBC anthology television shows