The BBC Television Shakespeare 1978
What is The BBC Television Shakespeare?
The BBC Television Shakespeare is a British television series of adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare. Created by Cedric Messina, it was produced by BBC Television and transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1978
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 37
- First aired
- Dec 3, 1978
- Last aired
- Apr 27, 1985
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 37 episodes and an average 45-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The BBC Television Shakespeare is a British television series of adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare. Created by Cedric Messina, it was produced by BBC Television and transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw the potential of a location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. This sparked his vision for a series devoted to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. The series was produced over a period of time, during which Messina encountered numerous problems trying to bring the project to fruition. The series spanned multiple series and concluded on 27 April 1985.
Should you watch it?
“This ambitious anthology series presents television adaptations of the complete dramatic works of William Shakespeare.”
- comprehensive scope
- faithful adaptations
- historical significance
- varied production styles
- dated technical presentation
Watch it if you are interested in a complete television survey of Shakespearean drama.
The series contains classic dramatic content suitable for general audiences.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 37 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Romeo & Juliet Dec 3, 1978
- E2 King Richard the Second Dec 10, 1978
- E3 As You Like It Dec 17, 1978
- E4 Julius Caesar Feb 11, 1979
- E5 Measure for Measure Feb 18, 1979
- E6 The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight Feb 25, 1979
- E7 The First Part of King Henry the Fourth with the Life and Death of Henry Surnamed Hotspur Dec 9, 1979
- E8 The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth containing his Death: and the Coronation of King Henry the Fift Dec 16, 1979
- E9 The Life of Henry the Fifth Dec 23, 1979
- E10 Twelfth Night Jan 6, 1980
- E11 The Tempest Feb 27, 1980
- E12 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark May 25, 1980
- E13 The Taming of the Shrew Oct 23, 1980
- E14 The Merchant of Venice Dec 17, 1980
- E15 All's Well That Ends Well Jan 4, 1981
- E16 The Winter's Tale Feb 8, 1981
- E17 Timon of Athens Apr 16, 1981
- E18 Antony and Cleopatra May 8, 1981
- E19 Othello Oct 4, 1981
- E20 Troilus and Cressida Nov 7, 1981
- E21 A Midsummer Night's Dream Dec 13, 1981
- E22 King Lear Sep 19, 1982
- E23 The Merry Wives of Windsor Dec 28, 1982
- E24 The First Part of Henry the Sixth Jan 2, 1983
- E25 The Second Part of Henry the Sixth Jan 9, 1983
- E26 The Third Part of Henry the Sixth Jan 16, 1983
- E27 The Tragedy of Richard III Jan 23, 1983
- E28 Cymbeline Jul 10, 1983
- E29 Macbeth Nov 5, 1983
- E30 The Comedy of Errors Dec 24, 1983
- E31 The Two Gentlemen of Verona Dec 27, 1983
- E32 The Tragedy of Coriolanus Apr 21, 1984
- E33 The Life & Death of King John Nov 24, 1984
- E34 Pericles, Prince of Tyre Dec 8, 1984
- E35 Much Ado About Nothing Dec 22, 1984
- E36 Love's Labour's Lost Jan 5, 1985
- E37 Titus Andronicus Apr 27, 1985
Frequently asked questions
What is The BBC Television Shakespeare?
It is a British television series featuring adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays.
When did the series air?
The series was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985.
Who created the series?
The series was created by Cedric Messina.
How many series were produced?
The production spanned seven series.
How did the series begin?
Development started in 1975 after Cedric Messina envisioned a series of Shakespearean adaptations while visiting Glamis Castle.