Sunday Night Theatre

Before becoming one of America's greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln had a long career as a businessman, lawyer, government official and elected representative for the state of Illinois. This film looks at the rise of this self-educated statesman, including his famous series of public debates with rival Stephen Douglas. A glimpse is also shown of some of the more personal aspects of his Lincoln's life, including the early romance and heartbreak he experienced with Ann Rutledge.

Arnold Boult is determined to make his son a success at all costs. He commits arson, causes two suicides, and bribes people. His wife, unable to leave him, becomes alcoholic and dies. His son is killed. After doing time in prison he searches for his illegitimate grandson.

The Prince of Wales, contrary to strict royal protocol, falls in love with a commoner, Maria Fitzherbert, and plans to marry her.

An over-the-hill heavyweight boxing champion who suffers from the ravages of years of head trauma is exploited by his manager, despite the efforts of a compassionate young woman who tries to help him recover his self-respect.

Viola and Sebastian are lookalike twins, separated by a shipwreck. Viola lands in Illyria, where she disguises herself like her brother and goes into the service of the Duke Orsino. Orsino sends her to help him woo the Lady Olivia, who doesn't want the Duke, but finds that she likes the new messenger the Duke's sending. Then, of course, Viola's brother shows up, and merry hell breaks loose. Meanwhile, Olivia's uncle and his cohorts are trying to find some way to get back at Olivia's officious majordomo, Malvolio.

Crystof Wolters is German born but working in and owing allegiance to Britain. The play is concerned with how and why he betrays that allegiance, and how, after a tense cat-and mouse-game, he is led to reveal his betrayal.

A play about race and adolescence set in the Deep South of America about 1920, written by African-American painter-playwright Charles Sebree and Greer Johnson.Eartha Kitt stars as Teddy Hicks, a poor, illegitimate, black 15-year-old who spends her time daydreaming about living a life of luxury like her mother's wealthy and well-travelled white employer, 'Mrs Patterson'. But the daydreams can't suppress the reality of her life as a teenage girl in a Kentucky shanty-town and she agrees to run off to Chicago with Willie B., the boy-next-door.This production was something of a landmark in an era when plays on British television were almost exclusively written by white authors and performed by white actors. (1956)

The Austro-Hungarian empire is rocked by scandal when Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress Mare Vetsera are found dead at the Mayerling hunting lodge.

An examination of the fatal romance between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

A noblewoman discovers her husband is The Scarlet Pimpernel, a vigilante who rescues aristocrats from the blade of the guillotine.

In Shakespeare's classic play, the Montagues and Capulets, two families of Renaissance Italy, have hated each other for years, but the son of one family and the daughter of the other fall desperately in love and secretly marry.

A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.

A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.

The idealist Reverend Morell tries to unite Socialism and Christianity.

A scientist searches for the Yeti in a Himalayan fastness, and is soon at odds with an adventurer who wants to find the Creature for less exalted reasons.

During the Trojan War, a Trojan warrior is distraught when his lover takes up with a Greek.

During the Trojan War, a Trojan warrior is distraught when his lover takes up with a Greek.

In a small Russian town at the turn of the century, three sisters (Olga, Irina, and Masha) and their brother Andrei live but dream daily of their return to their former home in Moscow, where life is charming and stimulating meaningful. But for now they exist in a malaise of dissatisfaction. Soldiers from the local military post provide them some companionship and society, but nothing can suffice to replace Moscow in their hopes. Andrei marries a provincial girl, Natasha, and begins to settle into a life of much less meaning than he had hoped. Natasha begins to run the family her way. Masha, though married, yearns for the sophisticated life and begins a dalliance with Vershinin, an army officer with a sick and suicidal wife. Even Irina, the freshest, most optimistic of the sisters, begins to waver in her dreams until, finally, tragedy strikes.

Two identical twins and their two servants (also identical twins) are separated in a ship-wreck. When, years later, they all show up in the same town, mistaken identities abound.

A lighthouse keeper's daughter lives her opportunistic marital life, until her past lover re-appears.

After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.

After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.

A group of nuclear scientists face a moral dilemma when they discover that as well as making electricity, their government also wants to make nuclear bombs with their products.

A London businessman concocts an intricate plan to murder his unfaithful wife for her money.

A loving family's world is shattered by an old friend's arrival, carrying a dark secret.

In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

Two forces battle over the future of an English village. On one side, a factory owner wants to move out the locals and turn it into a factory town. On the other, a member of the community wants to preserve the village as it is.

Successful attorney has his Jewish heritage and poverty-stricken background brought home to him when he learns his wife has been unfaithful.

During the French Revolution, a mysterious English nobleman known only as The Scarlet Pimpernel (a humble wayside flower), snatches French aristos from the jaws of the guillotine, while posing as the foppish Sir Percy Blakeney in society. Percy falls for and marries the beautiful actress Marguerite St. Just, but she is involved with Chauvelin and Robespierre, and Percy's marriage to her may endanger the Pimpernel's plans to save the little Dauphin.

The story of Alexander the Great, a compulsive conqueror.

A group of people are shipwrecked when their yacht runs around on a South Pacific island. The usable hierarchy in a upper-class British family breaks down quickly when it becomes apparent that only the servant Crichton is capable of surviving on his own and he becomes the communities leader.

Marius Goring stars as Tommy Savidge, a crippled poet who longs to compose verse dramas but is forced to write trashy plays for dingy provincial repertory companies to make a living.

A comedy by Mary Stocks.The action takes place in Nero's palace and outside a theatre in Rome in the year A.D. 64

by William ShakespeareThe play takes place in Venice and in a seaport in Cyprus sometime in the sixteenth century.

A television play written and produced by Michael BarryThe story takes place in England and Scotland during recent years

A comedy by H. W. Gribble.The scene is the lounge hall in the house of Mrs. Rodney and Miss Rodney, near London.

This quintessential Chekhov drama--his first success--is both comic and tragic. A group of friends and relations gather at a country estate to see the first performance of an experimental play written and staged by the young man of the house, Konstantin, an aspiring writer who dreams of bringing new forms to the theatre.

An English version of the play Les Nuits de la Colere by Armand Salacrou.Adapted and produced by Royston Morley.The action of the play takes place in Occupied France and opens in the Bazires' sitting-room in the town of Chartres.

A comedy by Christopher FryThe play takes place in Hebble Tyson's house. He is the Mayor of the little market town of Cool Clary, and the appearance of the characters is as much as anything, 15th century.

A noblewoman discovers her husband is The Scarlet Pimpernel, a vigilante who rescues aristocrats from the blade of the guillotine.

Viola and Sebastian are lookalike twins, separated by a shipwreck. Viola lands in Illyria, where she disguises herself like her brother and goes into the service of the Duke Orsino. Orsino sends her to help him woo the Lady Olivia, who doesn't want the Duke, but finds that she likes the new messenger the Duke's sending. Then, of course, Viola's brother shows up, and merry hell breaks loose. Meanwhile, Olivia's uncle and his cohorts are trying to find some way to get back at Olivia's officious majordomo, Malvolio.

Two young men strangle their "inferior" classmate, hide his body in their apartment, and invite his friends and family to a dinner party as a means to challenge the "perfection" of their crime.