The BBC Television Shakespeare
2h 47min

Drama

Comedy

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

Episodes

Cast

1. Romeo & Juliet

2h 48min

3rd Dec 1978

Patrick Ryecart and Rebecca Saire play the star crossed lovers in one of Shakespeare's best-loved plays.

2. Richard II

2h 37min

10th Dec 1978

Derek Jacobi is King Richard II in the second of the BBC's new productions of Shakespeare.

3. As You Like It

2h 30min

17th Dec 1978

Classic comedy by William Shakespeare about the travails of lovers Rosalind and Orlando, who become entangled in a beguiling game of love, lust and mistaken identity.

4. Julius Caesar

2h 41min

11th Feb 1979

Shakespeare's great political thriller tells the story of the conspiracy against Caesar, his assassination and the defeat of his conspirators.

5. Measure For Measure

2h 25min

18th Feb 1979

Shakespeare's classic comedy occasionally veers into more troublesome territory, as the characters face dark and ambiguous moral choices.

6. The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight

2h 45min

25th Feb 1979

Classic play by William Shakespeare starring John Stride, Timothy West, Ronald Pickup, and Claire Bloom.

7. Episode 7

8. Episode 8

9. Episode 9

10. Episode 10

11. Episode 11

12. Episode 12

13. Episode 13

14. Episode 14

15. Episode 15

16. Episode 16

17. Episode 17

18. Episode 18

19. Episode 19

20. Episode 20

21. Episode 21

22. Episode 22

23. Episode 23

24. Episode 24

25. Episode 25

26. Episode 26

27. Episode 27

28. Episode 28

29. Episode 29

30. Episode 30

31. Episode 31

32. Episode 32

33. Episode 33

34. Episode 34

35. Episode 35

36. Episode 36

The BBC Television Shakespeare2h 47min