Bleak House (1985 TV serial)
Encyclopedia
Bleak House was the second adaptation by the BBC
of the Charles Dickens
novel of the same name
. The novel was adapted by Arthur Hopcraft
.
It ran for eight episodes and starred Diana Rigg
as Lady Dedlock, with Denholm Elliott
in the role of John Jarndyce. In the United States the series ran under the Masterpiece Theatre
series umbrella.
A notable plot omission in this version is the story of Caddy Jellyby and the Turveydrop family.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
of the Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
novel of the same name
Bleak House
Bleak House is the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853. It is held to be one of Dickens's finest novels, containing one of the most vast, complex and engaging arrays of minor characters and sub-plots in his entire canon...
. The novel was adapted by Arthur Hopcraft
Arthur Hopcraft
Arthur Hopcraft was an English scriptwriter, well known for his TV plays such as The Nearly Man, and for his small-screen adaptations such as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Hard Times, Bleak House, and Rebecca...
.
It ran for eight episodes and starred Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
as Lady Dedlock, with Denholm Elliott
Denholm Elliott
Denholm Mitchell Elliott, CBE was an English film, television and theatre actor with over 120 film and television credits...
in the role of John Jarndyce. In the United States the series ran under the Masterpiece Theatre
Masterpiece Theatre
Masterpiece is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service on January 10, 1971, making it America's longest-running weekly prime time drama series. The series has presented numerous acclaimed British productions...
series umbrella.
A notable plot omission in this version is the story of Caddy Jellyby and the Turveydrop family.
Cast
- Suzanne BurdenSuzanne BurdenSuzanne Burden is a British actress.A graduate of RADA, she has appeared on television, and occasionally in films, since the early 1980s. Her best known television work is probably as Esther Summerson in Bleak House...
- Esther Summerson - Philip FranksPhilip FranksPhilip Franks is an English actor and director best known for his roles as tax inspector Cedric "Charley" Charlton in the British sitcom The Darling Buds of May, and Sgt. Raymond Craddock on Heartbeat. He has also made guest appearances in Absolutely Fabulous, Pie in the Sky, Midsomer Murders and...
- Richard Carstone - Denholm ElliottDenholm ElliottDenholm Mitchell Elliott, CBE was an English film, television and theatre actor with over 120 film and television credits...
- John Jarndyce - Lucy Hornak - Ada Clare
- T. P. McKennaT. P. McKennaThomas Patrick McKenna , known professionally as T. P. McKenna, was an Irish actor who worked on stage, in film and television in Ireland and the UK from the 1950s.- Film and television :...
- Harold Skimpole - Chris Pitt - Jo
- Robin BaileyRobin BaileyRobin Bailey was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.Although often chosen for upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Judge Graves in Thames Television's Rumpole Of The Bailey, Bailey is perhaps most fondly remembered for his portrayal of Uncle Mort in I Didn't Know...
- Sir Leicester Dedlock - Diana RiggDiana RiggDame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
- Lady Dedlock - Sylvia ColeridgeSylvia ColeridgeSylvia Coleridge was a British stage, radio and television actress.-Career:Her acting credits include: Out of the Unknown, The Avengers, Paul Temple, The Lotus Eaters, Ace of Wands, The Tomorrow People, Z Cars, Public Eye, Sutherland's Law, Dixon of Dock Green, The Onedin Line, Doctor Who Sylvia...
- Miss Flite - Graham CrowdenGraham CrowdenClement Graham Crowden was a Scottish actor. He was best known for his many appearances in television comedy dramas and films, often playing eccentric 'offbeat' scientist, teacher and doctor characters.-Early life:...
- Lord Chancellor - Peter VaughanPeter VaughanPeter Vaughan is an English character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. He has worked extensively on the stage, becoming known for roles such as police inspectors, Soviet agents and similar parts...
- Tulkinghorn - Bernard HeptonBernard HeptonBernard Hepton is a British actor of stage, film and television.Hepton is known as a particularly versatile character actor. He trained at Bradford Civic Theatre school under Esme Church along with actors such as Robert Stephens...
- Krook - Jonathan Moore - William Guppy
- Frank WindsorFrank WindsorFrank Windsor is an English actor, mainly on television.He attended Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall. He began his career on radio and made an appearance in a 1953 film of Henry V...
- Gridley - Brian DeaconBrian DeaconBrian Deacon is a British actor. Born in Oxford, he trained at the Oxford Youth Theatre. He appeared with his brother Eric Deacon in the Peter Greenaway film, A Zed & Two Noughts , as Heumac in The Feathered Serpent and as Frank Miles in the TV series Lillie in 1978.He has been married twice:...
- Allan Woodcourt - Robert UrquhartRobert Urquhart (actor)Robert Urquhart was a Scottish character actor who mainly worked in British television during his career.He was born in Ullapool, Scotland on 16 October 1921, educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh and made his stage debut in 1947...
- Laurence Boythorn - Sam KellySam KellySam Kelly is an English actor who has appeared in television, radio and theatre.-Career:He has had roles in British sitcoms such as Porridge as Bunny Warren, Allo 'Allo! as Captain Hans Geering leaving after series three, On the Up as Dennis Waterman's chauffeur and We'll Think of Something as Les...
- Mr. Snagsby - Dave King - Sergeant George
- Pamela Merrick - Hortense
- Ian HoggIan Hogg (actor)Ian Hogg is a British actor.- Early life :He is the son of a doctor and was educated at Durham School, Durham University and the Central School of Speech and Drama...
- Inspector Bucket - Charlie DrakeCharlie DrakeCharlie Drake was an English comedian, actor, writer and singer.With his small stature , curly red hair and liking for slapstick he was a popular comedian with children in his early years, becoming nationally-known for his "Hello, my darlings" catchphrase...
- Smallweed - Donald SumpterDonald SumpterDonald Sumpter is a British actor. He has appeared in film and television since the mid 1960s.-Life and work:One of his early television appearances was the 1968 Doctor Who serial The Wheel in Space with Patrick Troughton as the Doctor. He appeared in Doctor Who again in the 1972 serial The Sea...
- 'Nemo' - Gabrielle DayeGabrielle DayeGabrielle Daye was a British television actress, notable for her role as Mrs. Pring on Bless Me Father...
- Mrs. Rouncewell - Harry Jones - Phil Squod
- Colin JeavonsColin JeavonsColin Jeavons is a Welsh television actor.-Career:Jeavons is best known as Inspector Lestrade in the Granada television serials The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, or the part of the undertaker, Shadrack, in the television situation comedy written by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall from...
- Vholes - Cathy MurphyCathy MurphyCathy Murphy is a British actress who studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She played the role of Lorna in 1991, a love interest of Mark Fowler in soap opera EastEnders. In 2005 she returned to play the recurring role of Trisha Taylor. She had earlier played the ongoing role of Cheryl...
- Housemaid - Arthur HewlettArthur HewlettArthur Hewlett was a British actor.He is best remembered for his roles on television, including Quatermass and the Pit, Police Surgeon, The Avengers, The Saint, No Hiding Place, The Baron, The Troubleshooters, Menace, Follyfoot, The Changes, Blake's 7, Doctor Who Arthur Hewlett (12 March 1907...
- Waggoner - Anne ReidAnne ReidAnne Reid, MBE is a BAFTA Award-nominated English film and television actress from Newcastle upon Tyne, best known for her roles as Valerie Tatlock in Coronation Street and Jean in dinnerladies....
- Mrs. Bagnet - Anthony Roye - Kenge
- George SewellGeorge SewellGeorge Sewell was an English actor.-Early life and early career:The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist; Sewell left school at age 14 and worked briefly in the printing trade before switching to building work, specifically the repair of bomb-damaged houses...
- Ironmaster Rouncewell - Guy Standeven - Bagnet
- Stella Tanner - Mrs. Chadband
- Malcolm TerrisMalcolm TerrisMalcolm Terris is a British actor.He had a lengthy career in a large number of television programmes. Possibly his best known role was in When the Boat Comes In, a popular 1970s series, where he played the part of Matt Headley...
- Reverend Chadband - Paul VenablesPaul VenablesPaul Venables is a British actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre.Venables grew up in Devon and then trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His break through role was as Jamie Callender in the BBC TV series May to December...
- Wat Rouncewell - John Oliver - Felix Pardiggle