The Beggar's Opera
Year:
1953
Production Country:
Great Britain
Adaptation of the comic operetta by John Gay. A notorious highway man is betrayed by tavern doxies in the pay of his wife's family, but is reprieved at the last moment.
Cast & credits
Cast
- The Beggar Hugh Griffith
- 1st turnkey George Rose
- 1st prisoner Stuart Burge
- The Footman Denis Cannan
- 2nd prisoner Cyril Conway
- 3rd prisoner Gerald Lawson
- young female traveller Eileen Harvey
- Polly Peachum Dorothy Tutin
- Polly Peachum (singing voice) Adele Leigh
- Peachum George Devine
- Peachum (singing voice) Bruce Boyle
- Mrs. Peachum Mary Clare
- Mrs. Peachum (singing voice) Edith Coates
- Filch Edward Pryor
- Mrs. Trapes Athene Seyler
- Mrs. Trapes (singing voice) Joan Cross
- Lockit Stanley Holloway
- Lucy Lockit Daphne Anderson
- Lucy Lockit (singing voice) Jennifer Vyvyan
- innkeeper Eric Pohlmann
- Mrs. Coaxer Edith Coates
- Jenny Diver Yvonne Furneaux
- Jack the pot boy Kenneth Williams
- Sukey Tawdrey Sandra Dorne
- Matt of the Mint Laurence Naismith
- a drunkard Max Brent
- Dolly Trull Mercy Haystead
- Mrs. Slammekin Patricia Raine
- Molly Brazen Jocelyn James
- Mrs. Vixen Isabel George
- Betty Doxey Helen Christie
- 2nd turnkey John Kidd
- 3rd turnkey H.C. Walton
- 4th turnkey Eugene Leahy
- 5th turnkey Edgar Norfolk
- 1st chairman Oliver Hunter
- 2nd chairman John Baker
- gin seller Madge Brindley
- governor Felix Felton
- John the footman Denis Cannan
- the actress Margot Grahame
- negro page Tamba Alleney
- chaplain Terence Greenidge
- hangman Billy Wells
- Captain MacHeath Laurence Olivier
- singing voice John Cameron
- Singing Voice Jennifer Vyvyan
- Singing Voice Bruce Boyce
- Singing Voice Edith Coates
- Singing Voice Adele Leigh
- urchin Alanna Boyce
Credits
Direction
- Director Peter Brook
- Assistant Director Frank Hollands
- Assistant Director Jack Causey
- 2nd Assistant Director Geoffrey Helman
- 2nd Assistant Director Harold Buck
- 3rd Assistant Director John Draper
- Continuity Elaine Schreyeck
Production
- Production Company Imperadio Pictures Ltd.
- Producer Laurence Olivier
- Producer Herbert Wilcox
- Associate Producer Eric Goodhead
- Production Manager John D. Wilcox
- Production Assistant John Brabourne
- Studio Shepperton Studios
Casting
- Casting Patricia Smith
Writing
- Script Denis Cannan
- Additional dialogue/lyrics Christopher Fry
- Original play John Gay
Photography
- Photography Guy Green
- Colour consultant Joan Bridge
- Camera Operator Austin Dempster
- [Camera operator] Denys Coop
- [Camera operator] Arthur Ibbetson
- [Camera operator] Herbert Salisbury
- [Focus puller] Ken Gray
- [Camera assistant] Godfrey Godar
- [Camera assistant] Mike Brandt
- [Camera assistant] Dennis Fox
- [Camera assistant] Wally Fairweather
Stills
- [Stills] James Swarbrick
Special Effects
- Special Effects Wally Veevers
- Special Effects George Samuels
Editing
- Supervising editor Reginald Beck
- [Assembly cutter] Basil Warren
- [1st assistant editor] Tony Lowen
- [2nd assistant editor] Ronald Freeman
- [2nd assistant editor] Tony Williams
- [2nd assistant editor] Derek Fairhead
Design
- Art Director William C. Andrews
- [Assistant art director] Albert Witherick
- [Draughtsman] Frank Willson
- [Scene artist) A. Van Montagu
- Opera sets and costumes Georges Wakhevitch
- Set Dresser Len Townsend
Costumes
- Wardrobe supervisor Maude Churchill
- [Assistant dress designer] Bernard Sarron
Make-up
- Make-up Tony Sforzini
- Hairdresser Joyce Wood
Music
- Music arranged and composed Arthur Bliss
- Sir Arthur Bliss's score conducted Muir Mathieson
- Repetiteur William Blezard
Choreography
- Dance arrangement Frank Staff
Sound
- Sound Recording Peter Handford
- Sound Recording Red Law
- [Sound camera operator] James Dooley
- [Boom Operator] Bill Cook
- [Boom assistant] Denis Kavanagh
- [Sound assistant] Alan Blay
- [Sound assistant] Jack Davis
- [Dubbing editor] Gerry Hambling