''Bleak House'' is a

BBC television drama BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom. As with any major broadcast network, drama forms an importan ...

first broadcast in 1985. The serial was

adapted In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...

Arthur Hopcraft Arthur Hopcraft (30 November 1932 – 22 November 2004) was an English scriptwriter, well known for his TV plays such as ''The Nearly Man'', and for his small-screen adaptations such as ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy''; '' Hard Times'', ''Blea ...

from the

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

novel ''

Bleak House ''Bleak House'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a 20-episode serial between March 1852 and September 1853. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and ...

'' (1853). The series was the second adaptation of ''Bleak House'' by the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

(the first being in

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

). It ran for eight episodes and starred

Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 193810 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series '' The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, wife of James Bond, in '' On H ...

as Lady Dedlock, with

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in ''Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981 ...

in the role of

John Jarndyce ''Bleak House'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a 20-episode serial between March 1852 and September 1853. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, an ...

. In the United States, the series ran under the ''

Masterpiece Theatre ''Masterpiece'' (formerly known as ''Masterpiece Theatre'') is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH-TV, WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971. The series has presented numerous acclaim ...

'' series umbrella. A notable plot omission in this version is the story of Caddy Jellyby and the Turveydrop family. As opposed to the standard of

videotape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videocassett ...

for studio-based scenes and film for location-based scenes, the series was shot entirely on

16mm 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...

colour film.

Cast

Robin Bailey William Henry Mettam "Robin" Bailey (5 October 1919 – 14 January 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Often cast in upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Mr Justice Graves in Thames Television's ''R ...

– Sir Leicester Dedlock *

Suzanne Burden Suzanne Burden (born 1958) is a British actress. A graduate of RADA, she has appeared on television, and occasionally in films, since the early 1980s. She gained attention as Esther Summerson in ''Bleak House'' (1985). In 1989, she played Patrici ...

–

Esther Summerson Esther Summerson is a character in ''Bleak House'', an 1853 novel by Charles Dickens. She also serves as one of the novel's two narrators; half the book is written from her perspective. It is the only example of a double narrative in Dickens and ...

– John Jarndyce *

Philip Franks Philip Franks (born 2 February 1956) is an English actor and director, known to the public chiefly for his roles in English television series, such as '' The Darling Buds of May'' and '' Heartbeat''. Early life Franks was born on 2 February 19 ...

– Richard Carstone *Lucy Hornak – Ada Clare * T. P. McKenna – Harold Skimpole *Chris Pitt – Jo *

– Lady Dedlock *

Sylvia Coleridge Sylvia Coleridge (10 December 1909 – 31 May 1986) was a British stage, film, radio and television actress. She was married to Albert George Fiddes-Watt and their daughter Kate, born 1943, is also an actress as ''Kate Coleridge.'' Birth Coler ...

– Miss Flite *

Graham Crowden Clement Graham Crowden (30 November 1922 – 19 October 2010) was a Scottish actor. He was best known for his many appearances in television comedy dramas and films, often playing eccentric "offbeat" scientist, teacher and doctor characters. Ea ...

– Lord Chancellor *

Peter Vaughan Peter Vaughan (born Peter Ewart Ohm; 4 April 1923 – 6 December 2016) was an English character actor known for many supporting roles in British film and television productions. He also acted extensively on the stage. He is perhaps best known ...

– Tulkinghorn *

Bernard Hepton Francis Bernard Heptonstall (19 October 1925 – 27 July 2018) better known by the stage name Bernard Hepton, was an English theatre director and actor. Best known for his stage work and television roles in teleplays and series, he also appeare ...

– Krook *Jonathan Moore – William Guppy *

Frank Windsor Frank Windsor Higgins (12 July 1928 – 30 September 2020), known professionally as Frank Windsor, was an English actor, primarily known for his roles on television, especially policeman John Watt in ''Z-Cars'' and its spin-offs. Biography Win ...

– Gridley *

Brian Deacon Brian Deacon (born 13 February 1949) is a British actor, known for portraying Jesus in the 1979 film ''Jesus'', which was made by the evangelical organization the Jesus Film Project. Deacon was chosen for the part out of a field of 900 actors sc ...

– Allan Woodcourt * Robert Urquhart – Laurence Boythorn *

Sam Kelly Roger Michael Kelly (19 December 1943 – 14 June 2014), known by the stage name Sam Kelly, was an English actor who appeared in film, television, radio and theatre. He is best known for his roles as Captain Hans Geering in '' 'Allo 'Allo ...

– Mr. Snagsby * Dave King – Sergeant George *Pamela Merrick – Hortense * Ian Hogg – Inspector Bucket *

Charlie Drake Charles Edward Springall (19 June 1925 – 23 December 2006), known professionally as Charlie Drake, was an English comedian, actor, writer and singer. With his small stature (5' 1"/155 cm tall), curly red hair and liking for slapstick, h ...

– Smallweed *

Eileen Davies Eileen Davies (born 23 September 1948) is an English actress, nominated for ''best supporting actress'' at the British Independent Film Awards 2012 for her performance in the film Sightseers, her roles have included “Flora McArdle” in t ...

– Judy Smallweed *

Donald Sumpter Donald Sumpter (born 13 February 1943) is an English actor who has appeared in film and television since the mid-1960s. Career One of his early television appearances was the 1968 ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Wheel in Space'' with Patrick Troug ...

– 'Nemo' *

Gabrielle Daye Gabrielle Daye (2 October 1911 – 5 January 2005) was an English stage, film and television actress, notable for her TV role as Mrs. Pring on '' Bless Me, Father''. Other television appearances include ''Coronation Street'' (as Beattie Pears ...

– Mrs. Rouncewell *Harry Jones – Phil Squod *

Colin Jeavons Colin Abel Jeavons (born 20 October 1929) is a retired British television actor. Career Jeavons' earliest television role was as Jules Neraud in an episode of the 1956 anthology series of teleplays ''Nom-de-Plume''. Broadcast live, it is unkno ...

– Vholes *

Cathy Murphy Parents :father Patrick Murphy from kilmichael, Co. Cork, Ireland. Catherine McKevitt Murphy (born 7 August 1967) is a British actress. She is known for her television roles as Tilly Watkins in the BBC drama ''The House of Eliott'' (1991–1994 ...

– Housemaid *

Arthur Hewlett Arthur Hewlett (12 March 1907 in Southampton, Hampshire – 25 February 1997 in London) was a British actor. Hewlett made his stage debut in 1930 at Plymouth Rep, and his theatre work included the original British production of Bernard Shaw ...

– Waggoner *

Anne Reid Anne Reid, MBE (born 28 May 1935) is a British stage, film and television actress, known for her roles as Valerie Barlow in the soap opera '' Coronation Street'' (1961–1971); Jean in the sitcom '' dinnerladies'' (1998–2000); and her role ...

– Mrs. Bagnet *Anthony Roye – Kenge *

George Sewell George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films. Early life and career The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age of 14 a ...

– Ironmaster Rouncewell *Guy Standeven – Bagnet *

Stella Tanner Stella Tanner (1 January 1925 – 26 March 2012) was an English radio and television actress. Tanner was born in 1925 and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She left her focus on dramatic acting to form the Tanner Sisters wi ...

– Mrs. Chadband *

Malcolm Terris Malcolm Hope Terris (11 January 1941 – 6 June 2020) was an English actor. He acted in many television programmes, including possibly his best-known role as Matt Headley in ''When the Boat Comes In'', a popular 1970s series. His film career ...

– Reverend Chadband *

Paul Venables Paul Venables (born 3 February 1962) is a British actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. Venables grew up in Devon and then trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His breakthrough role was as Jamie Callen ...

– Wat Rouncewell *

John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Oliver started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom. He came to wider attention ...

– Felix Pardiggle *

Bob Goody Robert Goody (born 16 April 1951) is a British actor, librettist, writer and former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Theatre work Bob Goody trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1973-1975). He was a founder member of the acclaime ...

- Barrister *

Cyril Appleton Cyril Appleton (born 29 July 1930) is a British stage, television and film actor whose acting career spanned four decades. Appleton was born in Wigan in Lancashire in 1930. His first television role was Court Usher in the series ''Misleading Ca ...

- Second Barrister

References

External links

* 1985 British television series debuts 1985 British television series endings 1980s British drama television series BBC television dramas Films based on works by Charles Dickens Television shows based on works by Charles Dickens Television series set in the 1850s 1980s British television miniseries English-language television shows Television shows set in England Works based on Bleak House {{BBC-tv-prog-stub

Cast

See also

References

External links