Episode guide: 1970

THE LONG DISTANCE PIANO PLAYER (15 Oct 1970)

Essay by John Wheatcroft
wr. Alan Sharp
pr. Irene Shubik
dr. Philip Saville Essay by Oliver Wake; Essay by David Rolinson (for ODNB)

THE RIGHT PROSPECTUS (22 Oct 1970)

wr. John Osborne Essay by Oliver Wake
pr. Irene Shubik
dr. Alan Cooke

THE LARGEST THEATRE IN THE WORLD – THE LIE (29 Oct 1970)

Essay by John Wheatcroft
wr. Ingmar Bergman, translated by Paul Britten Austin
pr. Graeme McDonald
dr. Alan Bridges
The Lie was released on blu ray by the BFI in 2020 (as part of Play for Today: Volume 1)

ANGELS ARE SO FEW (5 Nov 1970)

Essay by Ian Greaves
Essay by John Williams (for Screenonline)
wr. Dennis Potter
pr. Graeme McDonald
dr. Gareth Davies

THE WRITE-OFF (12 Nov 1970)

wr. George Salverson
pr. Rudi Dorin, Robert Allen
dr. Rudi Dorin
[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]
No recording exists

I CAN’T SEE MY LITTLE WILLIE (19 Nov 1970)

wr. Douglas Livingstone
pr. Irene Shubik
dr. Alan Clarke Essay by David Rolinson; Alan Clarke section.
No recording exists

A DISTANT THUNDER (26 Nov 1970)

wr. Maurice Edelman, MP
pr. Irene Shubik
dr. James Ferman
No recording exists

HEARTS AND FLOWERS (3 Dec 1970)

wr. Peter Nichols
pr. Irene Shubik
dr. Christopher Morahan

ROBIN REDBREAST (10 Dec 1970)

Essay by John Williams
wr. John Bowen
pr. Graeme McDonald
dr. James MacTaggart Essay by Oliver Wake
Robin Redbreast was released on DVD by the BFI in 2014

THE HALLELUJAH HANDSHAKE (17 Dec 1970)

Essay by David Rolinson
wr. Colin Welland
pr. Graeme McDonald
dr. Alan Clarke Essay by David Rolinson; Alan Clarke section.
The Hallelujah Handshake was released on DVD and blu ray by the BFI in 2016 (as part of Alan Clarke at the BBC)

Go to 1971.

The Lie, Angels are so Few and The Hallelujah Handshake were available on BBC Store but it closed on 1 November 2017. Note that some titles that were previously available via BBC Store, and some others, are now available to buy to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

For researchers interested in these plays and their archival status, we strongly recommend the BBC drama research guide available here from Kaleidoscope.

Updates:
27 April 2015: simplified layout; added producer credits; added DVD availability
8 June 2015: minor format corrections; added ‘go to’ links.
10 July 2016: updated DVD/blu ray release information; minor format standardisation.
25 February 2017: checked latest BBC Store release information; no additions required since 2016 check but tidied presentation of BBC Store information.
12 April 2017: added BBC Store release information for The Hallelujah Handshake.
12 June 2018: replaced ‘Episodes’ with ‘Episode guide’; removed BBC Store release information from individual entries and noted its closure.
10 January 2020: added ODNB link for Philip Saville piece.
14 October 2020: updated DVD/blu ray release information; added Amazon note.
16 October 2020: added links to Alan Clarke section; repaired Philip Saville ODNB link.
3 March 2023: updated blu ray release information.