Sun in Splendour, The

Synopsis: Episode thirteen in a fifteen-part televised series comprising Shakespeare’s history plays from Richard II to Richard III (the two tetralogies), effectively presenting a chronological history of British royalty from 1377 to 1485. This episode covers Henry VI, Part 3, Acts IV-V.
Series: Age of Kings, An
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Transmission details: 20 Oct 1960 at 21:30 (Channel: BBC)
Duration: 60 mins

Director

Michael Hayes

Producer

Writer

Music

Art Direction

Contributor

Arthur Bliss; Eric Crozier; Lionel Salter

Cast

Terry Scully	King Henry VI
Mary Morris	Queen Margaret
John Greenwood	Edward, Prince of Wales
Frank Windsor	Earl of Warwick
Paul Daneman	Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III
Adrian Brine	Marquess of Montague
Alan Rowe	Duke of Somerset
Anthony Valentine	Post
David Andrews	Lord Hastings
Derek Ware	Huntsman
Derek Ware	Huntsman
Hennie Scott	Henry, Earl of Richmond
Jane Wenham	Lady Elizabeth Gray
Jeffry Wickham	Mayor of York
Jeremy Bisley	Messenger to Warwick (Messenger)
John Murray Scott	Messenger to King Henry (Messenger)
John Ringham	Watchman
John Warner	Lewis XI, King of France (King Louis)
Julian Glover	Edward, Earl of March, later Edward IV
Kenneth Farrington	Lord Rivers (Earl Rivers)
Leon Shepperdson	Messenger to Queen Margaret (Messenger)
Patrick Garland	George, Edward’s brother, later Duke of Clarence
Robert Lang	Earl of Oxford
Tamara Hinchco	Lady Bona
Terence Lodge	Duke of Exeter
Terry Wale	Soldier
Timothy Harley	Messenger to Warwick (Messenger)
Timothy Harley	Watchman
Tony Garnett	Sir John Somerville

Notes: Commercially available on DVD as part of a 5-disc box set from BBC Warner (released March 2009). A written transcript of the series is being held at the Birmingham Central Library as part of their Shakespeare Collection.
General: As Michael Brooke notes, this production was "the most conceptually ambitious Shakespeare project ever attempted for either film or television." Each episode involved expenses of £4.000 and a cast of 600. The rehearsal period took thirty weeks.
History: Transmitted in the US on PBS’ WNEW-TV channel 20 October 1961.
Awards: Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for Excellence in Directing (Peter Dews)

1962 The George Foster Peabody Award
Textual information: Script editor Michael Cozier cut the texts into 60 -75 minute episodes which, for the most part, comprised half a complete play.
Reviews: Michael Brooke, "Age of Kings, An (1960)", http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/527213/index.html

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