''Black Limelight'' is a stage play by Gordon Sherry, which has been adapted for television at least four times. However, at least three of these adaptations are now

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

Plot

Peter Charrington is a married commercial traveller who has been having an affair with a girl. When she is found murdered he is accused of the crime and his wife Mary has to prove his innocence.

1952 version

A version aired as part of British series BBC '' Sunday Night Theatre''. Cast included Jack Allen, Victor Baring,

Gladys Boot Gladys Boot (1890 – 16 October 1964), was a British actress. She studied acting privately with Elsie Fogerty, and made her stage debut in Newcastle in 1940 in ''Quiet Wedding''; and in London at Wyndham's Theatre the following year in ''Quiet W ...

, Fanny Carby, Patrick Desmond,

Nora Gordon ''Nora Gordon'' (29 November 1893, West Hartlepool, County Durham – 11 May 1970, London) was a British film and television actress. She was married to Leonard Sharp. Her daughter was the actress Dorothy Gordon. She also appeared in a number o ...

, John Howlett, Barry Letts, Alun Owen,

Margaret Rawlings Margaret Rawlings, Lady Barlow (5 June 1906 – 19 May 1996) was an English stage actress, born in Osaka, Japan, daughter of the Rev. George William Rawlings and his wife Lilian (née Boddington) Rawlings. Personal life/affiliations She was e ...

John Robinson John Robinson may refer to: Academics *John Thomas Romney Robinson (1792–1882), Irish astronomer and physicist * John J. Robinson (1918–1996), historian and author of ''Born in Blood'' *John Talbot Robinson (1923–2001), paleontologist *John ...

and Brian Wilde. Two performances were broadcast, on 1 June 1952 and a few days later on 5 June. Neither of these two performances had their live broadcasts recorded, and as such are lost.

1956 version

A version aired as part of British series '' Armchair Theatre'' on 30 September 1956, made by ABC Weekend TV for

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

. Cast included

Betty Henderson Betty Henderson (1907–1979) was a Scottish actress. Roles included Mrs McDougal in the 1959 version of '' The 39 Steps''. Filmography External links * Scottish film actresses 1907 births 1979 deaths 20th-century Scottish ac ...

, Charles Houston, David Williams, Hilary Paterson,

John Welsh John Welsh may refer to: *John Welsh of Ayr (1568–1622), religious leader *John Welsh of Irongray, religious leader *John Welsh (actor) (1904–1985), Irish actor *John Welsh (Australian footballer) (born 1938), Australian rules football player f ...

, Rosalie Crutchley and Victor Brooks. This version is also lost.

1959 Australian TV version

A version aired on Australian broadcaster

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

in 1959. Broadcast live in Melbourne on 15 July 1959, a kinescope ("telerecording") was made of the broadcast, and was later shown in Sydney on 22 July 1959. It ran for 75 minutes.

Cast

* Bruce Beeby as Peter Charrington *

Patricia Kennedy Patricia Helen Kennedy Lawford (May 6, 1924 – September 17, 2006) was an American socialite, and the sixth of nine children of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. She was a sister of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator ...

as Mary Charrington *

Diana Bell Diana most commonly refers to: * Diana (name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon * Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997 ...

* Moira Carleton *

Frank Gatliff Frank Ernest Gatliff (31 December 1927 – 23 June 1990) was an Australian actor based in Great Britain. He appeared in several films (notably as Bluejay in ''The Ipcress File'') but mostly on TV, in such series as ''Gideon's Way'', '' The Baron'' ...

as the family lawyer * Ken Goodlet * Laurie Lange *

Joy Mitchell The word joy refers to the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, and is typically associated with feelings of intense, long lasting happiness. Dictionary definitions Dictionary definitions of joy typically include a sense of ...

Beverley Phillips Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...

Nevil Thurgood Nevil may refer to: Surname: *Alex Nevil (born 1965), American actor and younger brother of Robbie Nevil * Dwight Nevil (born 1944), American professional golfer *Robbie Nevil (born 1958), American pop singer-songwriter/producer/guitarist Given n ...

. It is not known if the kinescope recording still exists.

Reception

The ''

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...

'' said Kennedy's "remarkable dramatic strength" in her part "did much to minimise the gimmicky construction of thriller plot and some lack of incisive editing in" the play saying Kennedy "brought a wide range of understanding, emotion and keen professional attack to the role".

1962 version

A version aired as part of British series '' BBC Sunday-Night Play'' on 14 January 1962. Cast included Michael Aldridge, Renée Asherson,

Neville Barber Neville may refer to: Places *Neville, New South Wales, Australia *Neville, Saskatchewan, Canada *Néville, in the Seine-Maritime department, France * Néville-sur-Mer, in the Manche department, France *Neville, Ohio, USA * Neville Township, Pen ...

Susan Burnet Susan Burnet (25 November 1938 – 17 January 2010) was a British actress born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (which later became Harare, Zimbabwe). The granddaughter of one of Rhodesia's first pioneers, she later became an opponent of Ia ...

, Robert Cawdron, Edward Evans,

Dudley Foster Frank Dudley Foster (7 August 1924 – 8 January 1973) was an English actor who regularly appeared in television roles. Foster was born in Brighouse, West Riding of Yorkshire. His family had established links with the theatre and a brother an ...

, Gretchen Franklin, Allan McClelland, Charles Simon and Nigel Stock. This version is also lost.

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2019 1959 television plays Australian television plays Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming English-language television shows British live television shows Black-and-white British television shows Lost BBC episodes 1952 television plays Australian live television shows Television shows produced by ABC Weekend TV