The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells
Encyclopedia
The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells is a four-hour miniseries conceived by Nick Willing
and released in 2001 by the Hallmark Channel
. It is based on a number of short stories
by H. G. Wells
, and in some territories was titled The Scientist.
" and "The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper
." The second episode adapts "The Crystal Egg
" and "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes," and the third, "The Truth About Pyecraft
" and "The Stolen Bacillus". Each episode is written as if it were a "real" incident that Wells investigated with his girlfriend, Jane Robbins, and served as an inspiration for the stories.
The London Underground
scenes from Brownlow's Newspaper were shot at the disused Aldwych tube station
.
set in 1946, near the end of Wells' life, when he is interviewed by members of a military research institute interested in his past exploits.
In 1893, Jane is shown to be a student, with Wells initially one of her two potential suitors, the other being a member of the College staff. Wells is portrayed as a single man, a journalist and aspiring fiction writer, who is not scientifically trained. Eventually their friendship becomes more intimate, and they move in together, despite the social conventions of the day.
, gaining a second-class zoology degree in 1887, but failing the final geology examination. He then taught science in schools in Wrexham
and London whilst studying to re-take both subjects, gaining first class Honours in Zoology and second class in Geology in 1890. He then secured a teaching post at the University Correspondence College, and in 1891 married his cousin, Isabel Mary Wells. Wells began writing to supplement his teaching income, and in 1893 met Amy Catherine Robbins, one of his students. Disliking the name "Amy," he called her "Jane." In 1894 Wells left his wife to live with Jane, and they married later that year, after his divorce from Isabel.
The Imperial College of Science did not exist in 1893. In 1890 the Normal School of Science — where Wells had studied — became the Royal College of Science
, which in 1907 was amalgamated with other institutions to form the Imperial College of Science and Technology.
Brownlow's Newspaper:
The Crystal Egg:
The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes:
The Truth About Pyecraft:
The Stolen Bacillus:
Nick Willing
Nick Willing is a British director, writer and producer of films and television programs.Willing is the son of Portuguese painter Paula Rego and English artist Victor Willing and was largely brought up in Portugal, but settled in England at the age of 12...
and released in 2001 by the Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
. It is based on a number of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
, and in some territories was titled The Scientist.
Production
Each episode adapts two of Wells' short stories. The first episode adapts "The New AcceleratorThe New Accelerator
"The New Accelerator" is a 1901 science fiction short story by H. G. Wells. The story addresses the invention of an elixir that enables an individual to move rapidly through time....
" and "The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper
The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper
"The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper" is a short story by H. G. Wells which was first published in the April 1932 issue of the Ladies' Home Journal.-Plot summary:...
." The second episode adapts "The Crystal Egg
The Crystal Egg
"The Crystal Egg" is a science fiction short story written by H. G. Wells in 1897.The story tells of a shop owner, named Mr. Cave, who finds a strange crystal egg that serves as a window into the planet Mars....
" and "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes," and the third, "The Truth About Pyecraft
The Truth About Pyecraft
"The Truth About Pyecraft" is a British fantasy-comedy short story by H.G. Wells. It was originally published in The Strand Magazine , and then included in the Twelve Stories and a Dream story collection, in 1903. It has been frequently reprinted. -Plot summary:The repellently fat Mr. Pyecraft is a...
" and "The Stolen Bacillus". Each episode is written as if it were a "real" incident that Wells investigated with his girlfriend, Jane Robbins, and served as an inspiration for the stories.
The London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
scenes from Brownlow's Newspaper were shot at the disused Aldwych tube station
Aldwych tube station
Aldwych is a closed London Underground station in the City of Westminster, originally opened as Strand in 1907. It was the terminus and only station on the short Piccadilly line branch from Holborn that was a relic of the merger of two railway schemes. The disused station building is close to the...
.
Plot
The short story adaptations are set as flashbacks to 1893 within a frame storyFrame story
A frame story is a literary technique that sometimes serves as a companion piece to a story within a story, whereby an introductory or main narrative is presented, at least in part, for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories...
set in 1946, near the end of Wells' life, when he is interviewed by members of a military research institute interested in his past exploits.
In 1893, Jane is shown to be a student, with Wells initially one of her two potential suitors, the other being a member of the College staff. Wells is portrayed as a single man, a journalist and aspiring fiction writer, who is not scientifically trained. Eventually their friendship becomes more intimate, and they move in together, despite the social conventions of the day.
Actual historical events
In 1893, Wells was neither scientifically untrained, nor single. He had studied zoology and geology at the Normal School of Science in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, gaining a second-class zoology degree in 1887, but failing the final geology examination. He then taught science in schools in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and London whilst studying to re-take both subjects, gaining first class Honours in Zoology and second class in Geology in 1890. He then secured a teaching post at the University Correspondence College, and in 1891 married his cousin, Isabel Mary Wells. Wells began writing to supplement his teaching income, and in 1893 met Amy Catherine Robbins, one of his students. Disliking the name "Amy," he called her "Jane." In 1894 Wells left his wife to live with Jane, and they married later that year, after his divorce from Isabel.
The Imperial College of Science did not exist in 1893. In 1890 the Normal School of Science — where Wells had studied — became the Royal College of Science
Royal College of Science
The Royal College of Science was a higher education institution located in South Kensington; it was a constituent college of Imperial College London from 1907 until it was wholly absorbed by Imperial in 2002. Alumni include H. G. Wells and Brian May and are distinguishable by the letters ARCS ...
, which in 1907 was amalgamated with other institutions to form the Imperial College of Science and Technology.
Main cast
- Tom WardTom WardTom Ward is a British film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Tom Ward was born in Swansea, to the poet and academic John Powell Ward and Sarah Ward OBE, a farmer. His brother Tristan became a partner at Macfarlanes LLP, a firm of solicitors in the City of London.Ward was sent to the Dragon...
- H. G. WellsH. G. WellsHerbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games... - Katy CarmichaelKaty CarmichaelKaty Carmichael is an English actress and a professional entertainer. She has been on stage many times in Liverpool, but is most notably recognised for her role of Lucy Barlow/Richards in the ITV soap Coronation Street, Twist Morgan in the Channel 4 sitcom Spaced and Melissa Ryan in Waterloo...
- Jane Robbins - Eve BestEve BestEve Best is an English actress, best known for her roles as Dr. O'Hara in the Showtime television series Nurse Jackie, as Wallis Simpson in the 2010 film The King's Speech, and Dolley Madison in the 2011 American Experience television special about that First Lady.-Early life and education:Best...
- Ellen McGillvray - Nicholas RoweNicholas Rowe (actor)Nicholas James Sebastian Rowe is a Scottish actor.-Biography:Rowe was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of English parents Alison, a singer, and Andrew Rowe, a Member of Parliament and editor. He attended Eton and received a BA in Hispanic Studies from Bristol University...
- Professor Cedric Gibberne - Matthew CottleMatthew CottleMatthew Cottle is a British film and television actor, best known for his part in the sitcom Game On, in which he played the ginger-haired, low self-esteemed, single banker Martin Henson...
- Whittaker - Barry Stanton - Dean Frederick Masterman
Episodic cast
The New Accelerator:- Ray Coulthard - Mark Radcliffe
Brownlow's Newspaper:
- Mark Lewis JonesMark Lewis JonesMark Lewis Jones is a Welsh actor, whose roles include that of a police inspector in BBC drama series, 55 Degrees North, a whaler in the movie, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Tecton, a soldier in Troy....
- Arthur Brownlow - Robert Demeger - Frank HarrisFrank HarrisFrank Harris was a Irish-born, naturalized-American author, editor, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day...
The Crystal Egg:
- Stephen CritchlowStephen CritchlowStephen Critchlow is a popular and versatile British actor, notable for his work in the theatre and appearances on radio series such as Truly, Madly, Bletchley, The Way We Live Right Now and Spats, along with radio episodes of Torchwood and Doctor Who...
- William Cave - Tilly VosburghTilly VosburghTilly Vosburgh is an English actress. She is the daughter of Dick Vosburgh and former actress Beryl Vosburgh....
- Rosa Cave
The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes:
- Dominic CooperDominic CooperDominic Edward Cooper is an English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Mamma Mia!, The Duchess, The History Boys, and The Devil's Double.- Early life :...
- Sidney Davidson - Jeffrey WickhamJeffrey WickhamJeffrey Wickham is a British film and television actor. He is the father of the actress Saskia Wickham.-Selected filmography:* Before Winter Comes * The Breaking of Bumbo * Waterloo...
- Dr. Symonds - Mark DexterMark DexterMark Dexter is a British RADA trained actor.Dexter's early successes were on stage, in particular with two high-profile productions of Tennessee Williams plays, beginning with Sam Mendes' 1995 Olivier Award winning production of The Glass Menagerie at the Donmar Warehouse, in which he played The...
- Atkins
The Truth About Pyecraft:
- Michael FitzgeraldMichael FitzgeraldMichael Louis Fitzgerald is a Roman Catholic archbishop. He is the papal nuncio to Egypt and delegate to the Arab League. He was previously the head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.-Early life and ordination:...
- Albert Pyecraft - Pip TorrensPip TorrensPip Torrens is an English actor.He was born in Bromley, Kent, England. He studied English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge...
- Mark Pattison - Catherine BaileyCatherine Bailey-Acting career:Catherine Bailey started acting at the age of 12 when she landed the lead role of Helen Green in Uncle Jack, a BBC television series starring Paul Jones and Fenella Fielding...
- Violet - John BennettJohn Bennett (actor)John Bennett was an English actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he was educated at Bradfield College in Berkshire, then trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, followed by a wide Rep experience including Bromley, Bristol Old Vic, Dundee, Edinburgh Festival and Watford before going to...
- Mr. Jagger - Orlando Seale - Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
- Donald DouglasDonald Douglas (actor)Donald Douglas is a Scottish actor who has appeared in films and many well known television shows including Doctor Who, Blake's 7, and The Avengers....
- Chairman at Praecentors
The Stolen Bacillus:
- Nicholas BoultonNicholas Boulton (actor)Nicholas Boulton is a British actor. He studied in Dublin, Sherborne School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.-External links:...
- Thomas Keating - William Mannering - Harold
- Hugh Dickson - Opposition MP
- Vincent FranklinVincent FranklinVincent Franklin is an English actor best known for his roles in comedy television programmes. Recent roles included PR guru Stewart Pearson in The Thick of It and blunt manager Nick Jowitt in Twenty Twelve. He has appeared in a number of feature films including Vera Drake and the 2006 films...
- War Minister (Henry Campbell-BannermanHenry Campbell-BannermanSir Henry Campbell-Bannerman GCB was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. He also served as Secretary of State for War twice, in the Cabinets of Gladstone and Rosebery...
) - Richard Clifford - Foreign Secretary (The Earl of RoseberyArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of RoseberyArchibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who...
)
DVD releases
A Region 2 DVD of the series in non-episodic form was released in the Netherlands in 2004 with the original English language soundtrack, and optional Dutch and French subtitles. A Region 1 DVD in episodic form was released in 2005. It was released in the UK in 2006.See also
- H. G. Wells bibliographyH. G. Wells bibliographyH. G. Wells was a prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction. His writing career spanned more than sixty years, and his early science fiction novels earned him the title of "The Father of Science Fiction"....
- Time After TimeTime After Time (1979 film)Time After Time is a 1979 American fantasy film written and directed by Nicholas Meyer. His screenplay is based largely on a novel by Karl Alexander and a story by Steve Hayes. It concerns British author H. G...
- TimelashTimelashTimelash is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from 9–16 March 1985.-Synopsis:...
- The Martian WarThe Martian WarThe Martian War: A Thrilling Eyewitness Account of the Recent Invasion As Reported by Mr. H.G. Wells is a 2006 science fiction novel by Kevin J. Anderson . It is a retelling of H.G...