Nineteen Eighty-Four

The BBC's first television adaptation of George Orwell's 1949 dystopian political novel of the same name. The story was adapted by screenwriter NIGEL KNEALE for the Sunday Night Theatre series and featured PETER CUSHING in one of his first major roles. Kneale was reunited with producer/director RUDOLPH CARTIER after they worked together on The Quatermass Experiment (1953). Co-star ANDRE MORELL had been the first choice to play Professor Quatermass, and he would eventually play the role in Quatermass And The Pit (1958-59). Actress YVONNE MITCHELL had worked with Kneale and Cartier on their adaptation of Wuthering Heights. DONALD PLEASANCE would be the only cast member to appear in the 1956 feature film adaptation, playing an amalgamation of "Syme" and "Parsons" with the latter's name.

The play was broadcast live - with some pre-filmed inserts - on December 12 and 16, 1954, on the BBC Television Service, with the latter performance recorded. The telerecording would be shown in 1977, 1994 and 2003.

A new BBC production was broadcast in 1965.