A Dead Secret
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A Dead Secret is a 1957 play by Rodney Ackland. It is a murder drama set in 1911 London and is based on the Seddon murder trial.
Plot[edit]
Insurance agent Frederick Dyson owns a house in London with his wife. Among the lodgers is a misery elderly woman, Miss Lummus, who hoards her money in the house. When she is murdered, Dyson is charged with the crime.
1959 British television version[edit]
A version aired 3 March 1959 as part of British television series ITV Play of the Week. The adaptation was by John McKeller. This version is believed to be lost.[1]
1959 Australian television version[edit]
| A Dead Secret | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William Sterling |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 75 mins |
| Original release | |
| Release | 21 May 1959 (Melbourne, live)[2][3] 24 June 1959 (Sydney, taped) |
A television version aired 21 May 1959 on Australian broadcaster ABC. This version aired live in Melbourne,[4] and was kinescoped for interstate broadcasts. It is not known if the kinescope still exists.
It was made when Australian drama was very rare.[5] It starred Bryce Archer who was in the film Smiley Gets a Gun.[6]
Cast[edit]
- Bruce Archer as Alfie, Miss Lummus' adoptive son
- Kenneth Goodlet as Frederick Dyson
- Elizabeth Wing as Mrs Dyson
- Moira Carlicion as Miss Lummus
- Bettina Kauffman
- Edward Howell
- Campbell Copelin
- Lewis Tegart
- Carol Armstrong
Reception[edit]
The TV critic for the Sydney Morning Herald thought that the "potential dramatic richness" of the play "was not fully exploited" because the director "had little time—or space—to create the atmosphere which can come much more easily to a stage director". However he did think the production "was, without any startling virtues, nevertheless a satisfactory piece of domestic entertainment.[7]
1963 Australia radio version[edit]
A radio version aired 15 December 1963 on Melbourne Australia radio station LO.[8]
1963 Australian television version[edit]
| A Dead Secret | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alan Burke |
| Starring | Ron Haddrick |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 60 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
An Australian television version aired 1963 on ABC.[10][11]
Cast[edit]
- Ron Haddrick as Frederick Dyson
- Marion Johns as Mrs Dyson
- Lyndall Barbour as dead woman
- Thelma Scott as Henrietta Spicer
- Walter Sullivan as Arthur Lovecraft QC
- Tom Farley as Dyson's Father
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
- ^ "Thursday". The Age. 14 June 1959. p. 12.
- ^ "Advertisement". The Age. 21 March 1959. p. 22.
- ^ "Television guide". The Age. 15 May 1959. p. 1.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ "Murder Case As Plot". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 June 1959. p. 13.
- ^ "A Dead Secret On ABN -2". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 June 1959. p. 6.
- ^ "The Age - Google News Archive Search". News.google.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 18 July 1963.
- ^ "Thriller screened live". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 April 1963. p. 13.
- ^ "Paul Scofield starred in first performance". The Age. 18 July 1963. p. 25.
External links[edit]
- 1959 ITV version on IMDb
- 1959 ABC version on IMDb
- 1963 ABC version on IMDb
- Photographs of 1959 TV production at National Archives of Australia