See Latest News for information on a new BBC version of The Moonstone!

There was an excellent 5-part television version of "The Woman in White" made in the 1980s by the British BBC in conjunction with RCTV. It was dramatised by Ray Jenkins, and starred Diana Quick as Marian Halcombe, Alan Badel as Count Fosco, Ian Richardson as Frederick Fairlie, and Jenny Seagrove as Laura. See below for much more detail.

There was also a film made in the US in 1948, which I haven't seen. The following partial cast list is courtesy "Cinemania 96":

Eleanor Parker : Laura Fairlie/Anne Catherick
Alexis Smith : Marian Halcombe
Sydney Greenstreet : Count Fosco
Gig Young : Walter Hartright
Agnes Moorehead : Countess Fosco

Paul Lewis and Kathy Li both advised me that the Internet Movie Database also includes entries for a 1929 Woman in White made in the UK, and a 1934 US version of The Moonstone starring Phyllis Barry and David Manners.

Paul Lewis also (thanks, Paul!) sent me the following comprehensive information about Wilkie Collins on British Television:

The BBC film library has three television versions of two of Wilkie Collins's books. They are as follows

1. THE MOONSTONE - August to October 1959

The Moonstone dramatised in seven 30 minute episodes by A R Rawlinson, produced by Shaun Sutton shown from Sunday 21 August 1959 to Sunday 2 October 1959 starting at around 1740. Shot on 16mm b/w film. Never repeated.

Cast:

Episode 1: Colonel Herncastle: Barry Letts First Brahmin Priest: Rahmon Vernon Second Brahmin Priest: Basdo Pandey Third Brahmin Priest: Sesho Palihakkara Gabriel Betteredge: James Hayter Penelope Betteredge: Annabelle Lee Lady Verinder: Rachel Gurney Rachel Verinder: Mary Webster First Indian: Marne Maitland Second Indian: Aspi Jehangir Third Indian: Ikhlaq Bux Franklin Blake: James Sharkey Doctor: Jack Lambert Rosanna Spearman: Dorothy Gordon James, the footman: Anthony Sagar White boy: Lindsay Scott-Patton Episode 2: Dark Stranger Patrick Troughton Godfrey Ablewhite Derek Aylward Mr Murthwaite William Devlin Dr Candy Willoughby Gray Mrs Threadgall Mary Hignett Nancy Margaret Dale Episode 3: Superintendent Seegrave Kenneth Thornett PC Richards Barry Wilsher Cook Constance Fraser Sergeant Cuff Patrick Cargill

Episode 4: Mr Begbie Nigel Arkwright Gooseberry Terry Raven Clerk Douglas Dempster Septimus Luker Aubrey Morris Bank teller Michael Turner Mrs Yolland Edna Petrie Tom Yolland Colin Douglas Limping Lucy Jaqueline Foster Episode 5: Mrs Merridew Enid Lindsey Episode 6: Dr Ezra Jennings Philip Latham Episode 7: Landlord Ivor Salter High Priest Rafiq Anwar Bearer Shayn Bahadur

Others: Colin Morton, Terry Baker, Gilbert McIntyre, James Clifton, Don Matthews, Conrad Gobin, Hugh Lombard, Shahabuddin Saleem Talib, Gustard Jehangir, Michael J Harrison, Penelope Williams, Maroussia Franke,

Crew: Dramatised by Lieut. Colonel A R Rawlinson Produced by Shaun Sutton Film cameraman Leonard Newson Film Editors Jim Tobin (1-2), Ron de Mattos (3-7) Designer Eileen Diss Fight arranged by Terry Baker

Notes:

Lieut. Colonel A R Rawlinson also dramatised The Diary of Samuel Pepys for the BBC. The Internet Movie Database shows that A R Rawlinson wrote screenplays for a dozen British films from 1937 to 1955. They were mainly thrillers and melodramas. He wrote the original story which Hitchcock made into the 1934 movie The Man Who Knew Too Much. One early film, Gaslight 1939, was a Victorian melodrama which Augustin Daly put on in New York before producing some of Collins' plays. Collins gave Daly the manuscript for his first unpublished novel Iolani.

James Hayter (Gabriel Betteredge) appeared shortly after in My Fair Lady. Rachel Gurney (Lady Verinder) was appearing in The Grass is Greener at St Martin's Theatre.Anthony Sagar (James, the footman) was appearing in The Ring of Truth at the Savoy Theatre.Cast shown in order of first appearance divided into episodes. (Information from Radio Times.)

2. THE MOONSTONE - January to February 1972

The Moonstone dramatised in five 45 minute parts by Hugh Leonard directed by Paddy Russell. Shown from Sunday 16 January 1972 to Sunday 13 February 1972 on BBC1 starting at 1720. Shot in colour. Never repeated.

Cast:

1 Major Frayne Colin Baker Sergeant Derek Chafer John Herncastle Stephen Rea Indian Madhav Sharma Indian conjurors Azad Ali, Ali Baba Conjuror's boy Anthony Maiden Gabriel Betteredge Basil Dignam Penelope Betteredge Maureen Morris Rachel Verinder Vivien Heilbron Lady Verinder Kathleen Byron Nancy Bell McCallum Rosanna Spearman Anna Cropper Franklin Blake Robin Ellis Godfrey Ablewhite Martin Jarvis Charity Sherrie Hewson Grace Georgina Simpson Mr Murthwaite Brian Badcoe Dr Candy Philip Ray Mrs Threadgall Marguerite Young 2 Supt Seegrave Michael Glover Sergeant Cuff John Welsh Mrs Yelland (sic) Sheila Keith

3 Lucy Yolland Dona Martin Septimus Luker Brian Murphy Miss Clack Cynthia Etherington Dr Richardson Norman Claridge Mr Bruff Peter Sallis Mr Ablewhite Norman Mitchell Mrs Ablewhite Mary Barclay 4 Ezra Jennings Christopher Hancock Tomlinson Roy Macready Cuff's housekeeper Julie May 5 Gooseberry Douglas Mann Plain-clothes Man Pat Gorman Chemist Timothy Craven Landlord Billy Cornelius Crew Dramatised by Hugh Leonard Director Paddy Russell Producer John McRae Designer Stuart Walker Script Editor Alistair Bell

Notes Vivien Heilbron (Rachel Verinder) rose to fame in the BBCtv serial Sunset Song in 1971 and appeared opposite Michael Caine in the film David and Catriona. At least, so reports Radio Times (p8) in the week that Moonstone began. In fact, the film was released as Kidnapped though it used material from the sequel Catriona, the part which Vivien played.

Cast shown in order of first appearance divided into episodes. Information from Radio Times.

 

3. THE WOMAN IN WHITE - April to May 1982

The Woman in White dramatised in five 55 minute parts by Ray Jenkins directed by John Brice. Shown from Wednesday 14 April 1982 to Wednesday 12 May 1982 on BBC2 starting around 2130 and repeated the following Sundays (18 April to 16 May) on BBC2 around 2010. Shot in colour. Never repeated.

Cast:

Walter Hartwright Daniel Gerroll Professor Pesca Nilo Sperber Mrs Hartwright Ann Queensberry Sarah Clare Bonass Anne Catherick Deirdra Morris Asylum proprietor John Sterland Policeman Ray Edwards Butler Ernest Bale Marian Halcombe Diana Quick Frederick Fairlie Ian Richardson Louis Kevin Elyot Laura Fairlie Jenny Seagrove Mrs Vesey Gladis Robinson Gardener's lad Martin Squires Fanny Anna Lindup Sir Percival Glyde John Shrapnel Vicar John Herrington Mr Dempster Alan Dudley Jacob Postlethwaite Russell Bowman Mrs Clements Anna Wing 2 Mr Gilmore Kenneth Keeling Butler Ernest Bale Fletcher Andrew Carr Count Fosco Alan Badel Countess Fosco Georgine Anderson Margaret Porcher Jeannie Crowther Mrs Michelson Carol MacReady Mr Merriman Alfred Hoffman 3 Special messenger David Arlen Mr Dawson John Blain Madame Rubelle Hilary Sesta

4 Hester Pinhorn Norma Shebbeare Mr Goodricke Peter Stockbridge Asylum nurse Marion Owen-Smith Laura's nurse Dee Anderson Stockbroker Geoffrey Staines Lawyer's clerk Tom Durham Gardener Wally Thomas Mrs Catherick Pauline Jameson Parish clerk Cameron Miller Gamekeeper Timothy Condren Other man Terry Victor Mr Wansborough Andrew Staines 5 Scarface Patrick Romer Landlord Andrew MacLachlan M Rubelle Claude le Sache Crew Dramatised by Ray Jenkins Directed by John Bruce Producer Jonathan Powell Designers Michael Young, Richard Morris Script Editor Betty Willingale Lighting Bert Robinson Costume designer Barbara Kronig Make up artist Jean Speak Music composed and conducted by Patrick Gowers

Notes Alan Badel died on 19 March 1982, just before the series was broadcast. Cast shown in order of first appearance divided into episodes. Information from Radio Times the 10-16 April edition of which also contains (p85) a rather bad poem by Roger Woddis inspired by the new series.

 

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This page is maintained by David R Grigg (). Last modified on 07 Jan 2000.