Black Limelight (play)

Black Limelight is a stage play by Gordon Sherry, which has been adapted for television at least four times. However, at least three of these adaptations are now lost.

Plot

Peter Charrington is a married commercial traveller who has been having an affair with a girl. When she is found murdered he is accused of the crime and his wife Mary has to prove his innocence.

1952 version

A version aired as part of British series BBC Sunday Night Theatre. Cast included Jack Allen, Victor Baring, Gladys Boot, Fanny Carby, Patrick Desmond, Nora Gordon, John Howlett, Barry Letts, Alun Owen, Margaret Rawlings, John Robinson and Brian Wilde.[1] Two performances were broadcast, on 1 June 1952 and a few days later on 5 June. Neither of these two performances had their live broadcasts recorded, and as such are lost.[2][3]

1956 version

A version aired as part of British series Armchair Theatre on 30 September 1956. Cast included Betty Henderson, Charles Houston, David Williams, Hilary Paterson, John Robinson, John Welsh, Rosalie Crutchley and Victor Brooks.[4] This version is also lost.[5]

1959 Australian TV version
Black Limelight
Directed byWilliam Sterling
Written byGordon Sherrey
Production
company
ABC
Release date
15 July 1959 (Melbourne, live)
22 July 1959 (Sydney, taped)
Running time
75 mins
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

A version aired on Australian broadcaster ABC in 1959. Broadcast live[6] in Melbourne on 15 July 1959, a kinescope ("telerecording") was made of the broadcast, and was later shown in Sydney on 22 July 1959.[7] It ran for 75 minutes.[8]

Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time.[9]

Cast

It is not known if the kinescope recording still exists.

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald said Kennedy's "remarkable dramatic strength" in her part "did much to minimise the gimmicky construction of thriller plot and some lack of incisive editing in" the play saying Kennedy "brought a wide range of understanding, emotion and keen professional attack to the role".[11]

1962 version

A version aired as part of British series BBC Sunday-Night Play on 14 January 1962. Cast included Michael Aldridge, Renée Asherson, Neville Barber, Susan Burnet, Robert Cawdron, Edward Evans, Dudley Foster, Gretchen Franklin, Allan McClelland, Charles Simon and Nigel Stock.[12] This version is also lost.[13]

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References
  1. ""BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950–1959) – Black Limelight (TV Episode 1952)". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine". lostshows.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine". lostshows.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  4. ""Armchair Theatre" Black Limelight (TV Episode 1956)". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  5. "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine". lostshows.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  6. "ABV–Channel 2". The Age. Retrieved 12 March 2014 – via Google News Archive Search.
  7. "All the TV Programmes". ABC weekly. 22 July 1959. p. 31.
  8. "Sydney Actor Stars in Drama". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 1959. Retrieved 12 March 2014 – via news.google.com.
  9. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  10. "Black Limelight (TV Movie 1959) -". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  11. "Murder Drama From ABN". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 1959. p. 6.
  12. ""BBC Sunday-Night Play" Black Limelight (TV Episode 1962)". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  13. "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine". lostshows.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.

See also

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