Coward, Noel

Last Edited: 08-Apr-2017 A Global British Comedy Collaborative document. Edited by John Lucas
Broadcast source is BBC Radio Four unless otherwise indicated. Recording quality is considered good unless otherwise indicated.


Plays
For dramas using Noel Coward as a character, see the mysteries by Marcy Kahan.
Date
Title
Cast
Parameters
Publ. 1922
25-May-2009
The Better Half
Federay Holmes, Lisa Dillon, Samuel West
Directed by Martin Jarvis   
28:06, 26348, S
1941
16-Jun-1956
Blithe Spirit
Michael Denison, Gudrun Ure, Dulcie Gray, Sylvia Coleridge,
Peter Pratt, Joan Matheson, Olwen Griffiths
Adapted and Directed by Norman Wright
90:10, 84539, m
no credits
1941
BBC WS
08-Aug-1976
Blithe Spirit Fenella Fielding, Gerald Flood, Irene Handle, Magaret Wedlake,
Anne Resinbell, Betty Huntley-Wright, Geoffrey Segal
adapted by Geoffrey Segal
Directed by John Pitman
59:55, 14049, m
1941
BBC R4
27-Dec-1983
Blithe Spirit Paul Eddington, Julia McKenzie, Anna Massey, Peggy Mount,
Richard Pearson, Jane Wenham, Jill Lidstone
Directed by Glyn Dearman
87:03, 81621, S
1941
BBC WS
11-Dec-1999
18-Dec-2004
Blithe Spirit James Fleet, Sian Thomas, Amanda Redmond, Marcia Warren,
Neville Jason, Frances Jeater, Elaine Paxton
adapted by Nick Pitt
directed by Henry Norwich
55:36, 52133, S
1941
13-Dec-2008
Blithe Spirit
Roger Allam, Maggie Steed, Zoe Waites, Hermione Gulliford,
David Killick, Tilly Tremayne, Natalie Cassidy
adapted by Bert Coules
Director Philip Franks
88:52, 81452, S
BBC R4
26-Dec-2014
Blithe Spirit Julian Rhind-Tutt, Louiza Patikas, Joanna Van Kampen, Carole Boyd,
Michael Cochrane, Eleanor Bron, Charlotte Martin
Adapted and directed by Sean O'Connor
85:36, 80082, S
1967
BBC R4
05-Feb-1975
Bon Voyage
Honor Blackman, Libby Morris, John Rowe, Joan Sanderson,
William Fox, Hazel Coppen, Malcolm Hayes, Madeline Cemm,
Peter Whitman, Trader Faulkner, Paul Gaymon
Adapted by John Graham
Directed by Kay Patrick
43:45, 41026, S
1945
BBC WS
25-Aug-1983
Brief Encounter
Cheryl Campbell, Ian Holm, Stephen Thorne, Shirley Dixon,
Walter Hall, Rosalind Adams, Ray Browne, Miranda Forbes,
Madi Hedd, Jean Trend, David Gooderson, Crawford Logan
Adapted by Walter Hall
Directed by Dickon Reed
57:30, 53911, S
1945
BBC R2
30-Oct-2009
Brief Encounter Jenny Seagrove, Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell, Jeremy Swift,
Sarah Hadland, Sylvestre leTouzel, Pippa Heywood, Joanthan Vert,
Andre Brooke, Kevin Kirchen
adapted by Boris Horsepool
Produced by Anthony Cherry
58:22, 54723, S
1931
BBC R4
23-Apr-1986
Cavalcade
Dinah Sheridan, John Pullen, Christopher Good, Andrew Branch,
Melinda Walker, Carol Marsh, John Church, Sheila Grant,
Gwen Cherrell, Garard Green, Katherine Parr, Pauline Letts,
Natasha Pyne, Elizabeth Lindsay, Jean England, Josephine Gordon,
Clifton Todd, Elaine Claxton, Avril Clark, David Learner,
Ronald Herdman, Eric Stovell
Chorus Girls: Avril Clark, Elaine Claxton, Audrey Leybourne, Melinda
Walker, Josephine Gordon
Musical direction by Geoffrey Brawn
Music by The New London Orchestra
Technical presentation by Carol McShane, Rosalind Mason,
Keith Graham, and Roger Danes
Directed by Graham Gauld
89:05, 83524, S
1932
BBC R4
27-Dec-1976
Design for Living
Anna Massey, John Rye, Martin Jarvis, John Rowe,
Irene Sutcliffe, David Graham, Nicolette McKenzie
Edited for radio by Guy Vaesen
Produced and directed by Ian Cotterell
87:16, 81820, S
1925
BBC R3
26-Dec-1999
Easy Virtue
Anna Massey, Victoria Hamilton, Michael Elwyn, Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh,
Jimmy Gardner, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Lia Williams, Geraldine Alexander,
Anton Lesser, Rupert Penry-Jones, Jack Davenport, Ruth Sillers.
Mary Wimbush
Adapted for radio and directed by Maria Aitken
94:49, 88897, S
1923
BBC R4
14-Apr-1973
Fallen Angels
Isabel Dean, Mary Wimbush, Michael Spice, William Fox,
Hilda Schroder, Nigel Graham
Adapted and produced by Ian Cotterell
60:05, 35216, M
1935
BBC
01-Jan-2000
Family Album
Josephine Tewson, Roger Allam, Theresa Gallagher, Cathy Sara,
Andrew Wincott, Christopher Scott, John Duttine, Belinda Sinclair,
Roger May, Malcolm McKee
Adapted by Malcolm McKee
Music arranged by Malcolm McKee and played by Paul Arden Taylor,
Audrey Douglas, Katherine Gittings, Malcolm McKee,
Suzanne Walden, and Kevin Waterman
directed by Sue Wilson
43:31, 40799, S
1935
BBC R4
01-Jan-2000
Fumed Oak
David Bamber, Janine Duvitski, Cathy Sara, Stephanie Cole,
Malcolm McKee, Theresa Gallagher
Adapted by Malcolm McKee
directed by Sue Wilson
30:22, 28479, S
(credits are at the
end of Family Album
as a double bill)

1935
BBC R4
31-May-1999
Hands Across the Sea
and
Shadow Play
  1. Stephanie Beecham, Michael Cochrane
  2. Julia Watson, Stephen Pacey, Susie Blake, Michael Cochrane,
    Kathy Salmon,
    Malcolm McKee, Roger May, Sunny Ormond
Music arranged by Malcolm McKee and played by Paul Arden Taylor,
Audrey Douglas, Katherine Gittings, Malcolm McKee,
Suzanne Walden, and Kevin Waterman
Adapted by Malcolm McKee
directed by Sue Wilson
73:11, 17074, m
1925
BBC R4
18-Dec-1971
Hay Fever Peggy Ashcroft, Tony Britton, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster,
Maurice Denham, Colin Fernall, Geoffrey Beavers, Betty Bascombe,
David Timson
produced by Guy Vane
87:49, 82332, S
1925
BBC WS
25-Aug-1983
Hay Fever Dorothy Tutin, Bernard Hepton, Kate Kendall, Michael Cochrane,
Carol Boyd, Maddie Head, Brett Usher, John Webb,
Adapted by Colin Hayden Evans
directed by Walter Acosta
55:22, 12978, M
1925 Hay Fever
Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Patrick Pearson, Alison Reid,
Christopher Blake, Geoffrey Palmer, Patricia Brink, Celia Ingram,
Patricia Hayes
Directed by Leslie Lewisham
47:16, 22158, m
40:06, 18804, m
1956
BBC R4X
15-Mar-2015
Nude With Violin
Aubrey Woods, Joyce Carey, Patricia Routledge, Betty Hunter-Wright,
Barbara Mitchell, Wilfrid Carter, Ellen Cuthbertson, Margaret Wolfit,
Rufus Frampton, Kerry Francis
Adapted by Peggy Welles
produced by Glyn Dearman
87:52, 82205, S
1930
BBC
12-Nov-1976
Post Mortem
Christopher Cazenove, Derek Fowlds, William Fox, Joyce Carey,
Michael Tudor Barnes, Charles Hodgson, Peter Settelen, Nicolette McKenzie,
William Eedle, Leslie Heritage, Jane Knowles, Joan Matheson,
Preston Lockwood, James Thomason, Haydn Jones, Irene Sutcliffe
Directed by Glyn Dearman
51:44, 24255, m
1939
BBC R4
23-Dec-1974
Present Laughter
Paul Scofield, Joy Parker, Patricia Routledge, Fenella Fielding,
Alan Rowe, Vernon Joyner, Miriam Margolyes, Betty Huntley-Wright,
Timothy Bateson, Diana Olsson, David Timson
Adapted and produced by Ian Cotterell
90:45, 63818, S
06-Apr-2013 Present Laughter Samuel West, Frances Barber, Freddie Fox, Janie Dee,
Kim Wall, Lily James, Susannah Harker, Jonathan Coy,
Anthony Calf, Hazel Ellerby, Sarah Badel
Director: Celia de Wolff
86:48, 81263, S
1964
BBC R4
12-Feb-1975
Pretty Polly Barlow
Emily Richard, Sion Probert, Vernon Joyner, Kathleen Helme,
Elizabeth Morgan, Alan Dudley, Alan Rowe, Hector Ross,
Peter Whitman
Adapted for radio by John Graham
Directed by Ian Cotterell
44:15, 41494, S
15-Sep-1930
Private Lives Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence
clips from Acts 1 & 2
4:46, 2240, M
4:20, 2033, M
BBC WS
01-Jun-1972
Private Lives Anna Massey, Daniel Massey, Susan Maudsley, John Humphrey
adapted by Geoffrey Segal
Produced by John Pitman
45:02, 10559, M
20-Dec-1975 Private Lives
Paul Scofield, Patricia Routledge, Miriam Margolyes, John Rye,
Carole Boyd
Piano music played and improvised by William Davis
Adapted by Cynthia Pugh
Directed by Ian Cotterell
88.27, 62198, S
BBC WS
17-Jan-1978
Private Lives Sian Phillips, George Baker, Judy Cornwell, Peter Jeffrey,
Paulette Prinee
adapted by Barry Campbell
Directed by Derek Hoddinott
60:20, 14144, m
1990 Private Lives Imogen Stubbs, Stephen Frye, Louise Lombard, Simon, Ward,
Annabelle Mullion
directed by Ned Chaillet
34:22, 64458, S
23:08, 43387, S
24:26, 45840, S
02-Jan-2010 Private Lives
Helena Bonham Carter, Bill Nighy, Andrea Riseborough, Paul Ritter,
AnnaRose Cattanach
Pianist: Colin Guthrie
Directed by Sally Avens
87:12, 81758, S
1936
BBC R4
31-Dec-1998
Red Peppers
Nicholas Grace, Suzie Blake, Josephine Tewson, Clifford Rose,
Christopher Scott, Richard Kernough, Malcolm McKee
adapted by Malcolm McKee
Directed by Sue Wilson
27:37,
broadcast as a
double bill with
Still Life
1951
BBC R4
08-May-1976
Relative Values
Joyce Redman, Bill Fraser, Gwen Cherrell, John Rye,
Joanna Wake, John Rowe, Charles Hodgson, Deborah Paige,
Garrard Green, Gladys Spencer
Produced and directed by John Cardie
87:19, 61404,S
1965
BBC R4
04-Apr-1988
A Song at Twilight
Michael Denison, Jill Bennett, Dulcie Gray, Sean Barrett
Directed by David Johnston
86:08, 89762, S
1956
BBC R4
02-Aug-1980
South Sea Bubble
Moira Lister, Michael Denison, Hugh Burden, Margaretta Scott,
Bryan Pringle, Tony Osoba, Lockwood West, Grizelda Hervey,
Patrick Barr, Nigel Greaves, Michael McStay, Leonard Fenton
Directed by David Johnston
86:56, 81513, S
1936
BBC R4
31-Dec-1998
Still Life
Amanda Root, John Duttine, Stephanie Cole, Trevor Peacock,
Soony Almond, Brian Parr, Josephine Tewson
Music by Malcolm McKee
adapted by Malcolm McKee
Directed by Sue Wilson

47:10, 44225, S
includes credits for
Red Peppers
1943
BBC WS
1977
This Happy Breed Ron Moody, June Whitfield, Bernard Cribbins, Patsy Rowlands,
Catherine Parr, Gareth Armstrong, Carol Boyd, Sandra Freeman,
Walter Hall, Eva Hatten, Peter Craze
adapted by Barry Campbell
Directed by Derek Hoddinott
60:43, 14237, M
1943
R4:
02-Sep-1989
R7:
26-Feb-2006
This Happy Breed
John Moffat, Rosemary Leach, Doris Hare, Robert Lang,
Anna Cropper, Michael Maloney, Alice Arnold, Julia Swift,
Simon Treves, John McAndrew, Elizabeth Mansfield
Directed by Glyn Dearman
86:21, 80957, S
1924
BBC R3
18-Nov-1967
The Vortex Joan Greenwood, Richard Briers, Margaret Robertson, Ralph Lefevre,
Anthony Jackson, Alexa Romance, Duncan McIntyre, Marjory Westbury,
Betty Harley, Alan Dudley
produced by H P Fortile
89:30, 83919, M
1924
BBC R3
02-Jan-2000
The Vortex Harriet Walter, Paul Rhys, Frances Jeater, Robert Portal,
Federay Holmes, John Rye, Jenny Funnell, Peter Blyth,
Keith Drinkel, Pamela Grace
Pianist was Mike Sykes
Directed by John Tydeman
86:48, 81376, S

1924
17-Aug-2008
The Vortex
Elizabeth Sellars, Martin Jarvis, Sarah Lawson, Timothy Dalton,
Kate Coleridge, Gerald Cross, Gudrum Muir, Peter Williams,
Peter Woodthorpe, Mattie Haig
produced by Glyn Dearman
87:28, 82012, S
1960
BBC R4
14-Apr-1990
Waiting in the Wings
Josephine Gordon, Evelyn Laye, Audrey Leybourne, Mary Ellis,
Mary Wimbush, Ursula Hirst, Joan Matheson, David Griffin,
Jill Balcon, Alan Wheatley, Dinah Sheridan, June Spencer,
Alice Arnold, Patricia Hayes, Hannah Gordon, Peter Craze,
David Goudge
Piano played by Geoffrey Brawn
Directed by Graham Gauld
108:37, 50920, m

Individual Songs
Date
Title
Cast
Parameters
 
I Wonder What Happened to Him
 
3:50, 2249, m
 
Imagine the Duchess’ Feelings
 
2:25, 1705, m
 
I’ve Been to a Marvelous Party
 
2:45, 1942, m
 
Nina (from Argentina)
 
3:27, 2434, M


Poetry and Other Writing
Date
Title
Cast
Parameters
24-Aug-2008
Coward, the Poet
Anna Massey, Imogen Stubbs, Alistair McGowan, Charlie Connerly
Readings by Alex Jennings
Produced by Charlotte Austen
25:12, 23638, S
16-Dec-1996
23-Dec-1996
30-Dec-1996
From His Diaries
edited and introduced by Tony Stabaker
read by Simon Cadell
produced by Susan Roberts
28:26, 26611, S
29:35, 27690, S
29:48, 27883, S

Documentaries and Collateral Material
Date Title Cast Parameters
31-Dec-1998  A Presence of Laughter:
Coward's Century
Christopher Cook, Patricia Hodge, John Standing
produced by Ned Chaillet
27:41, 25954, S 
27-Aug-1999
Blithe Spirit: a Centenary of the
Words and Music of Noel Coward
hosted by Sheridan Morley
Simon Williams, Nyree Dawn Porter, Hubert Gregg, June Whitfield,
Marian Montgomery and Christopher Lee
116:32, 54626, m