Val Gielgud

Of his own early days as a professional actor, Val Gielgud talks with amusement, for he made his professional debut at the Royalty Theatre in The Cherry Orchard, understudying his brother John, four years younger than himself. At Oxford he was not connected with the O.U.D.S., but he returned there to stage-manage for Fagan in the Oxford Repertory Theatre and played a whole round of parts.

His first play Self was produced by a society at the Court Theatre in 1926. Other plays followed; his Chinese White is a standing dish with repertory companies.

In 1928 he joined the BBC - incidentally, he first worked on the staff of The Radio Times. The following year he was promoted to Productions Director and he became Drama Director when Variety and Drama became separate departments. Probably the greatest tribute to him as a producer was paid last year by Ronald Squire who engaged him to produce Tread Softly at Daly's Theatre

Val Gielgud's book 'How to write Broadcast Plays' with three examples of his own plays, Exiles, Red Tabs and Friday Morning is as well known as 'Death at Broadcasting House,' in which he collaborated with Holt Marvell.
This evening he is to talk on radio drama, believing firmly that radio should be linked up with the stage, and that first-rate stage actors and the adapting of first-rate stage plays are an essential part of broadcasting.