''Monitor'' is a British arts television programme that was launched on 2 February 1958 on

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

and ran until 1965.

History

Huw Wheldon Sir Huw Pyrs Wheldon, (7 May 1916 – 14 March 1986) was a Welsh broadcaster and BBC executive. Early life Huw Pyrs Wheldon was born on 7 May 1916 in Prestatyn, Flintshire (historic), Flintshire, Wales. He was educated at Friars School, Ban ...

was the editor from 1958 to 1962. He was also the principal interviewer and anchor until 1964. Wheldon set about moulding a team of talents, including W. G. Archer, Melvyn Bragg, Humphrey Burton,

John Berger John Peter Berger ( ; 5 November 1926 – 2 January 2017) was an English art critic, novelist, painter and poet. His novel '' G.'' won the 1972 Booker Prize, and his essay on art criticism '' Ways of Seeing'', written as an accompaniment to t ...

, Patrick Garland, Peter Newington,

Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films were mainly liberal adaptations of ...

, John Schlesinger, Nancy Thomas, and Alan Tyrer. ''Monitor'' ranged in subject over all the arts. The role as editor of the series was passed to Humphrey Burton in July 1962, lasting a year. He was succeeded by David Jones who had worked on the series since the beginning. The hundredth programme, made in 1962, was a film directed by Ken Russell and written by Wheldon, the celebrated ''

Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

''. The ''Elgar'' film was innovative because it was the first time that an arts programme showed one long film about an artistic figure instead of short items, and it was the first time that re-enactments were used. Before this, only photos or location shots had been used in programmes. Russell, however, still met resistance from Wheldon in allowing actors to play the subjects of his films. The ''Elgar'' film includes sequences of the young composer riding his bicycle on the Malvern Hills accompanied by Elgar's ''Introduction & Allegro for Strings''. Russell had a particular empathy with Elgar's music because, like the composer, he was a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. Wheldon's ''Monitor'' lasted until he had "interviewed everyone e wasinterested in interviewing", and he was succeeded by

Jonathan Miller Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller CBE (21 July 1934 – 27 November 2019) was an English theatre and opera director, actor, author, television presenter, comedian and physician. After training in medicine and specialising in neurology in the late 19 ...

for the series' last season in 1964/65. Miller was both presenter and editor. The theme tune was "Marcia" from ''Serenade for String Orchestra'' (Op. 11, 1937) by Dag Wirén. The book ''Monitor: An Anthology'', edited by Huw Wheldon, was published by Macdonald in 1962.

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, tt0259792, Monitor
Britain in a Box: Art for Art's Sake
BBC television documentaries 1958 British television series debuts 1965 British television series endings 1950s British documentary television series 1960s British documentary television series