Henry VI. Part II

Synopsis
Television production directed by Jane Howell who was responsible for the entire tetralogy (the three parts of Henry VI plus King Richard III). With Peter Benson as King Henry VI and David Burke as Duke of Gloucester.
Series
BBC Television Shakespeare
Language
English
Country
Great Britain; United States
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
17 Dec 1981
Transmission details
9 Jan 1983 at 19:15 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration
220 mins

Credits

Director
Jane Howell
Producer
Jonathan Miller
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Dudley Simpson; Stephen Oliver
Costume
John Peacock
Art Direction
Oliver Bayldon
Contributor
David Snodin
Cast
Peter BensonKing Henry VI
Julia FosterQueen Margaret
Ron CookRichard Plantagenet (Richard (Crookback), son of Duke of York)
David BurkeHumphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Paul ChapmanDuke of Suffolk (William de la Pole)
Alex GuardJohn, Talbot’s son
Alex GuardMichael
Alex GuardSecond Prentice
Alex GuardHerald
Anne CarrollEleanor, Duchess of Gloucester
Antony BrownWalter Whitmore
Antony BrownSir John Stanley
Antony BrownAlexander Iden
Antony BrownWalter Whitmore
Arthur CoxThomas Horner
Arthur CoxMaster’s mate
Arthur CoxOld Lord Clifford
Bernard HillRichard Plantagenet, Duke of York
Brian DeaconDuke of Somerset
Brian DeaconSmith the Weaver
Brian LittleMusician
Brian ProtheroeEdward Plantagenet (Edward, Earl of March)
David BurkeDick the Butcher
David DakerDuke of Buckingham
David PughPeter Thump
David PughWilliam Stafford (Stafford’s brother)
David PughMurderer (2)
David PughGentleman (2)
Derek FarrLord Say (Lord Saye)
Derek FarrGentleman (1)
Derek FarrRoger Bolingbroke
Derek FukeSimon Simpcox
Derek FukePetitioner (1)
Derek FukeServant of Gloucester
Derek FukeGeorge Bevis (Rebel (1))
Derek FukeNeighbour (2)
Frank MiddlemasCardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester
Frank WalshMusician
Gabrielle LloydSimpcox’s wife
Gerald BroadleyMusician
Gerald BroadleyMusician
John AlfordRichard (as a boy)
John BenfieldBeadle
John BenfieldMurderer (1)
John BenfieldSecond Messenger to King (Messenger)
John BenfieldNeighbour (1)
John BenfieldMaster
John DempsterMusician
Joseph O’ConorDuke of Exeter
Joseph O’ConorShepherd
Joseph WrightEdward (as a boy)
Mark Wing-DaveyEarl of Warwick
Michael ByrneSir John Hume
Michael ByrneDuke of Alençon
Michael ByrneLieutenant
Nigel GommMusician
Oengus MacNamaraYoung Clifford
Oengus MacNamaraA Post from Ireland (Post)
Oengus MacNamaraCountess’s Messenger (Messenger)
Oengus MacNamaraPrentice (1)
Oengus MacNamaraFirst Messenger to King (Messenger)
Pat KeenMargery Jourdain
Paul JessonGeorge Plantagenet
Paul JessonJohn Holland (Rebel)
Paul JessonJohn Holland (Rebel (2))
Paul JessonJohn Southwell
Peter WyattPetitioner (2)
Peter WyattVaux
Peter WyattSir Humphrey Stafford
Peter WyattMayor of Saint Albans
Peter WyattNeighbour (3)
Stephen PaineMusician
Tenniel EvansEarl of Salisbury
Tenniel EvansEmmanuel, the Clerk of Chatham
Timothy BreezeGeorge (as a boy)
Trevor PeacockJack Cade
Trevor PeacockSheriff of London

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Historical period
Medieval
Plays
Henry VI part 2
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Related items
Henry VI. Part 2
Henry VI. Parts 1, 2 and 3

Notes

Notes
The production is commercially available on DVD as part of the BBC TV SHAKESPEARE COLLECTION box set (see separate entry).
History
This production is part of the fifth season (producer: Jonathan Miller). Recording took six days.
Stills
Director Jane Howell directed the entire minor tetralogy (the three parts of Henry VI plus King Richard III). All four productions have the same cast, set, and conceptual approach.
Textual information
Between 1978 and 1986 the BBC published individual scripts of the series. Each volume of The BBC TV Shakespeare, ed. Peter Alexander et al. (London: British Broadcasting Corporation) contains the full text of the play (the Peter Alexander edition) with accompanying notes on the scene breaks and cuts made in the production, as well as a glossary. A general introduction to the play by series literary advisor John Wilders is followed by an essay on the production of the play by Henry Fenwick. This is based on interviews with actors, directors, and designers.
Reviews
Susan Willis, The BBC Shakespeare Plays: Making the Televised Canon (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991).

Neil Taylor, "Two Types of Television Shakespeare", Shakespeare Survey, Volume 39: Shakespeare on Film and Television (Cambridge, 1987), pp. 103-111.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Name

Time-Life Films Inc

Phone
0101 201 843 4545
Address
PO Box 644
NJ 07652
USA

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Simply Media

Contact
Laura Smith
Email
info@simplymedia.tv
Web
http://www.simplymedia.tv/ External site opens in new window
Phone
0203 542 3722
Address
Highlight House
57 Margaret Street
London W1W 8SJ
Notes
Formerly known as DD Home Entertainment or DDHE
Name

Trumedia Ltd

Contact
Bill Cotton
Email
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, "Henry VI. Part II". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av36492 (Accessed 25 Nov 2024)