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BBC World Drama: My Dark Places

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My Dark Places

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A dramatisation of James Ellroy's book, about his search for his mother's murderer.

A production of James Ellroy's extraordinary book, charting his search for the murderer of his mother, 36 years after the event. Dramatised by Steve Chambers. Starring Toby Stephens.

MY DARK PLACES by James Ellroy, dramatised for radio by Steve Chambers.

In the week of the inauguration of a new President of the United States of America comes a new production of America’s most famous contemporary crime-writer, James Ellroy’s, autobiography: My Dark Places.  Renowned author of The Black Dahlia and LA Confidential, My Dark Places is perhaps his most surprising work.   In 1958 in the City of Angels, Ellroy’s own mother, Jean, was found brutally murdered outside a local High School.  Ellroy was 10 at the time.  And glad she was dead.   The killer was never found.  Then, in 1994, aged 46 and a successful crime writer, Ellroy decided to reinvestigate the murder and try and find the killer himself, thus beginning a journey of discovery which was to have implications he could never have imagined.

“A tour de force of confessional writing” Times Literary Supplement

“Stunning….extraordinary”  Observer

Starring Toby Stephens (Gustav Graves in Die Another Day) as Ellroy.  With Matthew Marsh (Spooks), Corey Johnson, Barbara Barnes, Lorelei King, Kerry Shale, William Hope, Laurel Lefkow, Peter Marinker and introducing Ethan Brook as the 10-year old Ellroy.  

Directed by Marion Nancarrow.
(Not available as archive or for download.)

BBC World Service

A production of James Ellroy's extraordinary book, charting his search for the murderer...

A production of James Ellroy's extraordinary book, charting his search for the murderer of his mother, 36 years after the event.

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