A Tale of Two Cities (1980 TV series)

For the other television adaptation of the same year, see A Tale of Two Cities (1980 film).

A Tale of Two Cities is a British television series which first aired on BBC 1 in 1980. It is an adaptation of the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.^[2] Paul Shelley plays the duel roles of Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay, the first actor to do so since William Farnum in the 1917 silent adaptation.^[3] Two weeks later, an American production was released featuring Chris Sarandon in the same duel roles.^[4]

A Tale of Two Cities
Genre	Historical drama
Based on	A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Written by	Peter Harding
Directed by	Michael E. Briant
Starring	Paul Shelley Sally Osborne Nigel Stock
Composer	Paul Reade
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Producer	Barry Letts
Cinematography	Elmer Cossey
Running time	30 minutes
Production company	BBC
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	5 October (1980-10-05)[1] – 23 November 1980 (1980-11-23)[1]

It is the only BBC adaptation known to exist entirely.^{[citation needed]}

Plot summary

Cast

• Paul Shelley as Sydney Carton/Charles Darnay
• Ralph Michael as Doctor Manette
• Sally Osborne as Lucie Manette
• Vivien Merchant as Miss Pross
• Nigel Stock as Jarvis Lorry
• Judy Parfitt as Madame Defarge
• Stephen Yardley as Defarge
• Eric Mason as Jacques Three
• David Collings as John Barsad
• Peter Cleall as Jerry Cruncher
• Michael Halsey as Jacques One
• Brian Grellis as Jacques Two
• David Webb as Gabelle
• Harold Innocent as Stryver
• John Abineri as Roadmender
• Morris Perry as Marquis St. Evremonde
• Michael Gothard as Gaspard
• Frank Tregear as Roger Cly
• John Rolfe as Bank Clerk
• Harry Fielder as Gaoler
• David Rose as Guard Room Officer
• Dennis Savage as Young Cruncher
• Peter Farmer as Barrier Official2
• John Ringham as Attorney-General

References

1. Pointer 1996, p. 181.
2. Baskin 1996, p. 175.
3. Farina 2022, pp. 134–135.
4. Farina 2022, pp. 135.

Bibliography

• Baskin, Ellen (1996). Serials on British Television, 1950-1994. Scolar Press. ISBN 9781859280157.
• Farina, William (2022). Screening Charles Dickens. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9781476647869.
• Pointer, Michael (1996). Charles Dickens on the Screen. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810829602.

External links

• A Tale of Two Cities at IMDb