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Bleak House is the first BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1853 novel of the same name. It was adapted by Constance Cox as an eleven-part series of half-hour episodes first transmitted from 16 October 1959. Unlike most television series of the 1950s, the complete serial survived and, in 2017, was released to DVD by Simply Media.

Cast

• Andrew Cruickshank as John Jarndyce
• Diana Fairfax as Esther Summerson
• Colin Jeavons as Richard Carstone
• Elizabeth Shepherd as Ada Clare
• Iris Russell as Honoria, Lady Dedlock
• William Mervyn as Kenge
• Timothy Bateson as William Guppy
• Wilfrid Brambell as Krook
• John Phillips as Mr. Tulkinghorn
• David Horne as Sir Leicester Dedlock
• Richard Pearson as Inspector Bucket
• Malcolm Knight as Jo
• Eileen Draycott as Mrs. Rouncewell
• Jerome Willis as Allan Woodcourt
• Michael Aldridge as Mr. George
• Nora Nicholson as Miss Flite
• Leslie French as Mr. Snagsby
• Aubrey Woods as Tony Jobling
• Annette Carell as Mlle. Hortense
• Angela Crow as Charley

Archive Status

All episodes were originally either broadcast live or recorded on 405 line black and white videotapes, with 35mm film inserts for exterior scenes. Although the original recordings for the studio and location work no longer exist, the series was telerecorded, and 16mm film copies have survived intact. At one point during one of the later episodes, an insect can be seen on the screen, having crawled across it during the recording. As the error was unavoidable, no copy of the episode without an insect on the screen exists.

Critical reception

On the series DVD release, Archive Television Musings wrote "Lacking the visual sweep of the later adaptations, this version of Bleak House has to stand or fall on the quality of its actors. Luckily, there's very little to complain about here. There are some fine central performances – Fairfax, Cruickshank and Jeavons especially – whilst...there's strength in depth from the supporting players with Timothy Bateson standing out. Another strong early BBC Dickens serial, Bleak House comes warmly recommended.

References

1. "Bleak House Episode 7 (1959)". BFI. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019.
2. "Bleak House: Episode 1". 16 October 1959. p. 19 – via BBC Genome.
3. "Bleak House – Charles Dickens (1959) (DVD)". SimplyHE.
4. "Bleak House (BBC, 1959) – Simply Media DVD Review". 21 August 2017.

External links

• Bleak House at IMDb

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• 1959 British television series debuts
• 1959 British television series endings
• 1950s British drama television series
• BBC television dramas
• Films based on works by Charles Dickens
• Television series set in the 1850s
• Television shows based on works by Charles Dickens
• 1950s British television miniseries
• Works based on Bleak House
• BBC Television show stubs