Story: May I Bring a Friend? written by BEATRICE SCHENK DE REGNIERS illustrated by BENI MONTRESOR Presenters Elizabeth Millbank Christopher Bramwell
Screenplay by Noel Langley based on the novel by Charles Dickens.
Starring James Hayter, Nigel Patrick.
Opening this short season of feature film versions of Charles Dickens's novels, "The Pickwick Papers" chronicles the comic adventures of Mr Pickwick and three friends who set out to tour England. Dickens's characters are brought vividly to life by this cast of fine British actors.
(Black and white)
(Films: page 116)
The Royal Institution's Annual Christmas Lectures for young people. This season's lectures are given by Sir David Phillips , FRS, Professor of Molecular Biophysics in the University of Oxford and Biological Secretary of the Royal Society.
A series of six programmes 2: Machine Tools of Life
The chemical reactions that go on in living things are controlled by protein catalysts - from the digestion of food to the synthesis of rocket fuel by the jet-propelled bombardier beetle.
Neil Innes concludes the series of his old, new, loved and neglected song parodies. He sings tonight of what draws Anne to Cezanne, of rock music that keeps people apart and of the 'spontaneous' feelings that bring them together again. His guests tonight are:
The Cambridge Buskers, Bill Weston and his Majorettes, Alan Mason, Lynne Hockney, Bryan Payne and John Altman.
This week's theme:
The Language of Colour
Vermeer (1632-1675) The Artist and his Studio at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
A picture of a painter painting a picture. He is seen from behind, almost looking over his shoulder. Is it a self-portrait? Was it done with mirrors? Written and presented by David Piper
Director BILL MORTON. (Tomorrow: Gauguin's ' The Day of the God ')
including sub-titles for the hard-of-hearing, followed by Weather
Showaddywaddy have become one of Britain's outstanding rock 'n' roll groups with a string of huge hits. Nostalgia is their trade mark and with nine silver singles they never seem to be out of the charts. Their first television special is unashamedly nostalgic and features past hits and some new material. Special guest Kiki Dee
Lighting JOHN ABBOTT. Sound ROGER GUEST Designer NIGEL JONES
Executive producer jim DUMIGHAN Producer DAVE WILLIAMS
Director TONY WOLFE. BBC Birmingham
First of 14 programmes
BBC2's International Snooker Championship returns with eight of the world's star players who compete, in this 13th series, for the 1981 Pot Black trophy and a first prize of £2,500. Group 1:
Cliff Thorburn (Canada) Ray Reardon (Wales)
Kirk Stevens (Canada) Steve Davis (London) Group 2:
Eddie Charlton (Australia)
Alex Higgins (Northern Ireland) Jim Wych (Canada)
David Taylor (Manchester) Tonight's game in Group 1:
Cliff Thorburn , reigning World Champion, against Ray Reardon , six times World Champion Introduced by ALAN WEEKS Referee JOHN Williams Commentator TED LOWE
Director ROY NORTON
Producer REG PERRIN. BBC Birmingham
or Murder in the Red Barn A drama in three parts written by DOUGLAS LIVINGSTONE with 3: Their child lies secretly buried in a field; their love is likewise dead. But today they will be married in Ipswich, and so Maria meets Bill for the last time in the Red Barn.
Make-up artist CHRISTINE BEVERIDGE Sound IAN LEIPER
Costume designer RAYMOND HUGHES Producer Richard BEYNON Directed by JANE HOWELL
(For full cast sec page 69)
A series of 13 programmes, written and presented by Robert Kee 5:Fenians
A secret organisation, later to be known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood, planned rebellion in the 1860s. Money and support came from Irish immigrants in America. But the Fenian rebellion of 1867, a series of uncoordinated and spasmodic uprisings, ended in total failure. Yet the story of the Fenians was to capture the imagination of future generations and inspire the nationalists of the 20th century. The Fenian tradition lives on in today's IRA.
Film cameraman jonN BECK Film editor PETER HARRIS
Series producer JEREMY ISAACS Producer JENNY CROPPER
also starring Marilyn Monroe Montgomery Clift
A short season of films starring Clark Gable begins tonight with Arthur Miller 's powerful drama set in the garish environment of Reno. Gable plays an ageing cowboy who drifts into the company of three other misfits - a rodeo rider, a mechanic and a showgirl.
Screenplay by ARTHUR MILLER Produced by FRANK E. TAYLOR Directed by JOHN HUSTON
(Black and whites. Films: page 116
