''The Search for Alexander the Great'' is a 1981 four part TV

mini-series A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

directed by Peter Sykes, and narrated by

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

Plot

Alexander the Great's family and friends reminisce at a banquet, looking back over his life, loves and conquests.

Cast

as Narrator *

Jane Lapotaire Jane Elizabeth Marie Lapotaire (née Burgess; 26 December 1944) is an English actress. Biography Lapotaire was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, the daughter of Louise Elise (Burgess). Her stepfather, Yves Lapotaire, worked in the oil industry and was ...

as Olympias *

Robert Stephens Sir Robert Graham Stephens (14 July 193112 November 1995) was a leading English actor in the early years of Britain's Royal National Theatre. He was one of the most respected actors of his generation and was at one time regarded as the natur ...

as Darius of Persia *

Julian Glover Julian Wyatt Glover (born 27 March 1935) is an English classical actor with many stage, television, and film roles since commencing his career in the 1950s. He is a recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award and has performed many times for th ...

as Philip II *

Nicholas Clay Nicholas Anthony Phillip Clay (18 September 1946 – 25 May 2000) was an English actor. Early life Clay was born in Streatham, London on 18 September 1946, the son of a professional soldier in the British Army's Royal Engineers. The famil ...

as Alexander *

Ian Charleson Ian Charleson (11 August 1949 – 6 January 1990) was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell in the Oscar-winning 1981 film '' Chariots of Fire''. ...

as Hephaistion * Michael Williams as Aristotle * Michael Byrne as Demosthenes *

Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...

as Ptolemy * Barry Stanton as Cleitus *Matthew Long as Attalus *

Jack Klaff Jack Klaff is a South African-born actor, writer and academic. He has held professorships at Princeton University and Starlab. Amongst his early screen roles were in Star Wars (film), Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) as Red Four and For ...

as Bagoas *Peter Porteous as Callisthenes *Justin Sykes as Young Alexander

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Search For Alexander The Great 1980s British television miniseries 1981 British television series debuts 1981 British television series endings Cultural depictions of Alexander the Great English-language television shows PBS original programming Television series based on actual events Television series set in ancient Greece