''Play of the Month'' is a
BBC television anthology series, which ran from 1965 to 1983 featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays (or adaptations) which were usually broadcast on
BBC1. Each production featured a different work, often using prominent British stage actors in the leading roles. The series was transmitted regularly from October 1965 to May 1979, before returning for the summer seasons of 1982 and 1983. The producer most associated with the ''Play of the Month'' series was
Cedric Messina. Thirteen productions were also shown previously or subsequently on BBC2 in the period 1971-73 under ''
Stage 2
''Stage 2'' was a UK television anthology series produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Thirteen episodes aired on BBC2 under ''Stage 2'' billing from 1971–73. They were all productions of classic plays shown previously o ...
''. Productions were broadcast in colour from November 1969.
Of the 128 productions, 40 are missing from the archives (except for short sequences in several cases), having been
junked in the 1960s and 1970s. One colour production exists only as a black & white telerecording.
Productions
Sourced according to the
BBC Genome archive of ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' magazines, with archival status from TV Brain.
Legend: AS/A = Archive status/Availability
Abbreviations: tr =
Telerecording
Kinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program on motion picture film, directly through a lens focused on the screen of a video monitor. The process was pioneered during the 1940 ...
; seq = sequence(s)
See also
Other BBC drama anthology series include:
* ''
Theatre 625''
* ''
The Wednesday Play''
* ''
Thirty-Minute Theatre''
* ''
Play for Today
''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
''
* ''
Stage 2
''Stage 2'' was a UK television anthology series produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Thirteen episodes aired on BBC2 under ''Stage 2'' billing from 1971–73. They were all productions of classic plays shown previously o ...
''
* ''
BBC2 Playhouse''
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Play of the Month
1965 British television series debuts
1983 British television series endings
BBC television dramas
Lost BBC episodes
Television series by BBC Studios
1960s British drama television series
1970s British drama television series
1980s British drama television series
1960s British anthology television series
1970s British anthology television series
1980s British anthology television series