The Diary of Samuel Pepys is a British historical television series which was originally broadcast on the BBC in 1958.[1] Based on the diaries of the naval administrator Samuel Pepys, it portrays life at the court of Charles II during the 1660s.
| The Diary of Samuel Pepys | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Historical |
| Written by | A.R. Rawlinson |
| Starring | Peter Sallis Douglas Wilmer |
| Composer | Christopher Whelen |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Chloe Gibson |
| Production company | BBC |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC 1 |
| Release | 7 March – 13 June 1958 |
Main cast
- Peter Sallis as Samuel Pepys
- Susan Maryott as Elizabeth Pepys
- Alan Rowe as William Hewer
- Diana Fairfax as Lady Castlemaine
- David Peel as Duke of York
- Douglas Wilmer as King Charles II
- Manning Wilson as Lord Sandwich
- Paul Eddington as Sir William Coventry
- John Arnatt as Duke of Albemarle
- Howard Lamb as William Bowyer
- Anthony Newlands as Sir William Penn
- John Sharplin as John Evelyn
- Frederick Peisley as John Pepys
- Raymond Rollett as Sir John Minnes
- Jill Carey as Duchess of York
Review
This series was Peter Sallis's first appearance as a principal character on television. A reason for this was that he bore a resemblance when compared to contemporary picture portraits of Samuel Pepys. The series was dramatised by A R Rawlinson for Chloe Gibson. Chloe Gibson was one of the first female producers for BBC television.[2]
Using the diaries as a template, Sallis captured the wit, verve and cheeky humour of Pepys and was lauded for his performance.[3]
References
Bibliography
- Baskin, Ellen . Serials on British Television, 1950-1994. Scolar Press, 1996.