Laurence Olivier Presents King Lear
- Synopsis
- Television production of the play, set in the year 800 and staged entirely in Granada’s Manchester studio, and one of the few not based on a prior stage production. With music specially composed by Gordon Crosse and played by members of the Halle Orchestra.Olivier’s swansong, and arguably his finest screen performance in a Shakespeare play.
- Language
- English
- Country
- Great Britain
- Medium
- Television
- Technical information
- Colour / Sound
- Year of release
- 2002
- Transmission details
- 3 Apr 1983 at 20:25 (Channel: Channel Four)
- Duration
- 159 mins
Credits
- Director
- Michael Elliott
- Producer
- David Plowright
- Writer
- William Shakespeare
- Music
- Gordon Crosse
- Costume
- Tanya Moiseiwitsch
- Art Direction
- Roy Stonehouse
- Cast
Additional Details
- Production type
- Television and Radio Drama
- Historical period
- Ancient Britain
- Plays
- King Lear
- Subjects
- Drama
- Keywords
- Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Notes
- Notes
- Source: Channel 4 Press Information, 2nd April - 8th April 1983
- General
- This was Olivier’s first-ever Shakespeare production exclusively for TV.
According to Channel 4 Press Information, the largest shower curtain in the world - 230 feet long - protected the studio electrical equipment when 900 gallons of cold water were poured down on Gielgud’s head. - History
- First broadcast in the US 21 January 1984 in the Mobil Showcase Network (syndicated).
- Awards
- Emmy Award 1984 - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special.
- Reviews
- Holland, Peter ‘Two-Dimensional Shakespeare: King Lear on Film’ in Davies, Anthony & Stanley Wells (eds) Shakespeare and the Moving Image: the Plays on Film and Television’ (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), pp, 50-68. [Analyses interpretations by Peter Brook, Michael Elliott, Jean-Luc Godard and Kozinstev].
Production Company
- Name
Granada Television
- Web
- http://www.granadamedia.com External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 020 7734 8080
- Fax
- 020 7494 6280
- Address
- Non-Theatric Sales
36 Golden Square
London
W1R 4AH
Archive
- Name
Folger Shakespeare Library
- reference@folger.edu
- Web
- http://www.folger.edu External site opens in new window
- Phone
- (202) 544 4600
- Fax
- (202) 544 4623
- Address
- 201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington
DC 20003
USA
- Name
Shakespeare Birthplace Collections
- collections@shakespeare.org.uk
- Web
- https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/collections/ External site opens in new window
- Address
- Shakespeare Centre
Henley Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6QW
- Name
Shakespeare Institute Library
- silib@bham.ac.uk
- Web
- http://www.is.bham.ac.uk/shakespeare External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 01789 293384
- Fax
- 01879 292021
- Address
- Church Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6HP
Distributor
- Name
Network
- shop@networkonair.com
- Web
- http://networkonair.com/ External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 01992 657707
- Address
- 19-20 Blythe Road
Berghem Mews
Hammersmith
London
W14 0HN - Notes
- Founded in 1997, Network specialises in distributing niche television programmes, predominantly licensed from Granada Ventures and Fremantle. They have recently branched into feature film distribution. Sale via retail outlets or direct via Network’s website, which has some’web exclusive’ offers.
Distributor (Hire)
- Name
BFI Film Bookings Unit
- bookings.films@bfi.org.uk
- Web
- http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 020 7957 8938 / 8935
- Address
- 21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Distributor (Sale)
- Name
Trumedia Ltd
- Contact
- Bill Cotton
- sales@trumedia.co.uk
- Web
- https://trumedia.co.uk/ External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 01865 847837
- Fax
- 01865 847837
- Address
- 9 Meadow View
Kidlington
Kidlington
OX5 2XY - Notes
- Trumedia supplies video tapes and DVDs to UK schools, colleges and universities and is geared up to take official orders from educational institutions. The catalogue highlights programmes likely to be of use in the curriculum, but the company can supply any video in current UK distribution, as well as some deleted titles. Particularly strong in the areas of English literature and drama, as well as history, natural history, art & artists, and foreign language films.
How to cite this record
Shakespeare, "Laurence Olivier Presents King Lear". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/11843 (Accessed 14 Apr 2026)