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'''The Lord of the Rings''' was a radio series broadcasted in [[1955]] and [[1956]] by the BBC, shortly after the release of ''[[The Return of the King]]''. No known recordings of this broadcast are known to have survived, unfortunately. Six episodes detailing the events of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' were aired in 1955, and six episodes finishing the story in 1956.
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
In [[1955]], the [[BBC|BBC Radio Third Programme]] aired a treatment of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' in six episodes. A [[1956|year later]], six episodes on ''[[The Two Towers]]'' and ''[[The Return of the King]]'' followed. Though only the latter six episodes were called thus, the entire series has become known as the 1955 [[:Category:Radio adaptations|radio series]] of '''''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'''''. Each of these twelve episodes was repeated just once, almost immediately, between two and five days after its first broadcast.It is the first adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the first [[Middle-earth]] known adaptation in any form. No recordings of this series are known to have survived. However, the scripts and some correspondence still exist {{fact}}, as well as some parts of the musical score. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHxP0JMn484&t=139s ''Searching for the lost recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien'' - Music from 1955 LOTR dramatization], 2nd minute, 19th second of the documentary. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mvd5z Originally broadcast] in August 2016 on BBC Radio 4, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHxP0JMn484 archive copy] by Sídh Aníron. Retrieved 3 January 2022.</ref>
 
==Episodes==
;The Fellowship of the Ring
* Episode 1: "The Meaning of the Ring" [[14 November]], [[1955]]<ref name="CaG"/> <ref>{{webcite|website=[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ BBC Genome Project]|accessed=23 February 2019|articlename='THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 14 November 1955|articleurl=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f441220ac7294a379a004301e4263405}}</ref>
* Episode 2: "Black Riders and Others" [[21 November]], [[1955]]<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ BBC Genome Project]|accessed=23 February 2019|articlename='THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 21 November 1955|articleurl=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6baebadd0e47480f80b4172053c254ff}}</ref>
* Episode 3: "Aragorn", [[29 November]], [[1955]]<ref name="RT1672">Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1672, [[25 November|November 25]], [[1955]]</ref>
* Episode 4: "Many Meetings", [[4 December]], [[1955]]<ref name="RT1673">Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1673, [[2 December|December 2]], [[1955]]</ref>
* Episode 5: "The Moria Gate", [[11 December]], [[1955]]<ref name="RT1674">Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1674, [[9 December|December 9]], [[1955]]</ref>
* Episode 6: "The Breaking of the Fellowship", [[18 December]], [[1955]]<ref name="RT1675">Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1675, [[16 December|December 16]], [[1955]]</ref>
;The Lord of the Rings
* Episode 1: "Fangorn", [[19 November]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1723">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1723, [[16 November|November 16]], [[1956]]</ref>
* Episode 2: "Rohan and Isengard", [[26 November]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1724">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1724, [[23 November|November 23]], [[1956]]</ref>
* Episode 3: "Into the Dark", [[2 December]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1725">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1725, [[30 November|November 30]], [[1956]]</ref>
* Episode 4: "The Siege of Gondor", [[9 December]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1726">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1726, [[7 December|December 7]], [[1956]]</ref>
* Episode 5: "Minas Tirith and Mount Doom", [[16 December]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1727">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1727, [[14 December|December 14]], [[1956]]</ref>
* Episode 6: "Many Partings" [[23 December]], [[1956]]<ref name="RT1727"/><ref>{{webcite|website=[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ BBC Genome Project]|accessed=23 February 2019|articlename='THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 23 December 1956|articleurl=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1227a1f1b6464340b435e5e5f84ad163}}</ref>
 
==Cast==
==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
! Actor !! Role
|-
| John Baker || Orcs<ref name="RT1723"/>
|-
| Nicolette Bernard ||Unspecified (presumably [[Goldberry]]),<ref name="RT1672"/> [[Galadriel]]<ref name="RT1675"/>
|-
| Oliver Burt || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]<ref name="RT1672"/>
|-
| Michael Collins || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]]<ref name="RT1672"/>
|-
|[[Frank Duncan]] || [[Legolas]],<ref name="RT1674"/> [[Halbarad]],<ref name="RT1726"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1672"/><ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
|[[Valentine Dyall]] || [[Treebeard]],<ref name="RT1723"/> [[Théoden]],<ref name="RT1724"/> Orcs<ref name="RT1675"/>
|-
|[[Robert Farquharson]] || [[Saruman]],<ref name="RT1724"/> [[Denethor]]<ref name="RT1726"/>
|-
|[[Felix Felton]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]],<ref name="RT1674"/> Voice of [[Sauron]],<ref name="RT1724"/> [[Witch-king|The Black Captain]],<ref name="RT1727"/> Orcs,<ref name="RT1723"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1672"/><ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
|[[Garard Green]] || [[Elrond]],<ref name="RT1674"/> [[Celeborn]],<ref name="RT1675"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
| Olive Gregg || [[Éowyn]]<ref name="RT1727"/>
|-
| Derek Hart || Narrator<ref name="RT1672"/>
|-
|[[David Hemmings]] || [[Bergil]]<ref name="RT1726"/>
|-
|[[Noel Johnson]] || [[Éomer]]<ref name="RT1723"/>
|-
| Basil Jones || [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]]<ref name="RT1672"/>
|-
|-
| [[Gandalf]] || [[Norman Shelley]]
|[[Godfrey Kenton]] || [[Aragorn]],<ref name="RT1672"/> [[Mablung (ranger of Ithilien)|Mablung]], <ref name="RT1675"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
|[[Eric Lugg]] || [[Gimli]],<ref name="RT1674"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
|[[Victor Platt]] || [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]<ref name="RT1672"/>
|-
|[[Derek Prentice]] || [[Boromir]],<ref name="RT1674"/> [[Faramir]],<ref name="RT1725"/> [[Beregond]], <ref name="RT1726"/> Orcs, <ref name="RT1727"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1672"/><ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
|[[Bernard Rebel]] || [[Gríma|Wormtongue]]<ref name="RT1724"/>
|-
|[[Prunella Scales]] || [[Ioreth]]<ref name="RT1727"/>
|-
|[[Gerik Schjelderup]] || [[Gollum]], <ref name="RT1723"/> Orcs<ref name="RT1723"/>
|-
| [[Norman Shelley]] || [[Gandalf]],<ref name="RT1674"/> [[Tom Bombadil]],<ref name="RT1672"/><ref name="L175">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Humphrey Carpenter]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (eds.), ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 175]] (dated [[30 November|November 30]], [[1955]])</ref> An Old Man,<ref name="RT1723"/> Additional voices<ref name="RT1673"/>
|-
| Roger Snowdon || Orcs<ref name="RT1675"/><ref name="RT1723"/><ref name="RT1727"/>
|-
|-
| [[Tom Bombadil]] || Norman Shelley
|}
|}


Adapted by [[Terence Tiller]].  
Adapted by [[Terence Tiller]].<ref name="L193">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Humphrey Carpenter]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (eds.), ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 193]] (dated [[2 November|November 2]], [[1956]])</ref> Music by Anthony Smith-Masters.<ref name="RT1672"/>
==Response==
This adaptation was made while [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] was still alive, and he expressed his criticism about the radio series in letters [[Letter 175|175]] ([[November 30]], [[1955]]), [[Letter 176|176]] ([[December 8]], [[1955]]) and [[Letter 177|177]] (same date). At this time, the episodes describing the chapter ''[[Many Meetings]]'' was apparently the most recently aired.  
 
*'''Tom Bombadil:''' Considered by Tolkien "dreadful".
*'''[[Goldberry]]:''' She is for some reason portrayed as Bombadil's daughter.
*'''[[Old Man Willow|Willowman]]:''' He is shown in league with [[Mordor]], rather than just an antagonist of the Hobbits.
*'''[[Glóin son of Gróin|Glóin]]:''' He was "someone's idea of a German". Tolkien thought he was not too bad, though a bit exaggerated.
 
After Tolkien's criticism of the series, adapter Terence Tiller corresponded briefly with him. [[Letter 193]] deals primarily on accents, while [[letter 194]] shows more of Tolkien's criticism of changes made to the story.  


==Differences from the book==
*In the first six episodes, dialogue was preserved as much as possible, but in the last six, some liberty had to be taken.<ref name="CaG">[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]], ''[[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide]], ''The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide:Reader's Guide'', "Adaptations", pp. 8-23</ref>
* The second part of the series had to have a lot of cuts because executives at the [[BBC]] were not as fond of ''The Lord of the Rings'' as the listeners were.<ref name="CaG"/>
*'''Tom Bombadil:''' Considered by Tolkien "dreadful", though it is left unexplained why.<ref name="L175"/>
*'''[[Goldberry]]:''' She was portrayed as Bombadil's daughter.<ref name="L175"/> Tiller later apologized to Tolkien, stating he had thought the age difference between the two too large to portray them as a couple.<ref name="CaG"/>
*'''[[Old Man Willow|Willowman]]:''' He is shown in league with [[Mordor]], rather than just an antagonist of the Hobbits.<ref name="L175"/>
*'''[[Glóin]]:''' He was given a German accent. Tolkien thought he was not too bad, though a bit exaggerated.<ref name="L176">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Humphrey Carpenter]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (eds.), ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 176]] (dated [[8 December|December 8]], [[1955]])</ref>
*'''The [[Council of Elrond]]''': Severely trimmed, only the base actions and characters remained.<ref name="CaG"/>
{{references}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:Radio adaptations]]
[[Category:Radio adaptations]]

Latest revision as of 21:22, 16 January 2023

The name The Lord of the Rings refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation).

In 1955, the BBC Radio Third Programme aired a treatment of The Fellowship of the Ring in six episodes. A year later, six episodes on The Two Towers and The Return of the King followed. Though only the latter six episodes were called thus, the entire series has become known as the 1955 radio series of The Lord of the Rings. Each of these twelve episodes was repeated just once, almost immediately, between two and five days after its first broadcast.It is the first adaptation of The Lord of the Rings and the first Middle-earth known adaptation in any form. No recordings of this series are known to have survived. However, the scripts and some correspondence still exist[source?], as well as some parts of the musical score. [1]

Episodes[edit | edit source]

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings

Cast[edit | edit source]

Actor Role
John Baker Orcs[9]
Nicolette Bernard Unspecified (presumably Goldberry),[5] Galadriel[8]
Oliver Burt Frodo[5]
Michael Collins Merry[5]
Frank Duncan Legolas,[7] Halbarad,[12] Additional voices[5][6]
Valentine Dyall Treebeard,[9] Théoden,[10] Orcs[8]
Robert Farquharson Saruman,[10] Denethor[12]
Felix Felton Bilbo,[7] Voice of Sauron,[10] The Black Captain,[13] Orcs,[9] Additional voices[5][6]
Garard Green Elrond,[7] Celeborn,[8] Additional voices[6]
Olive Gregg Éowyn[13]
Derek Hart Narrator[5]
David Hemmings Bergil[12]
Noel Johnson Éomer[9]
Basil Jones Pippin[5]
Godfrey Kenton Aragorn,[5] Mablung, [8] Additional voices[6]
Eric Lugg Gimli,[7] Additional voices[6]
Victor Platt Sam[5]
Derek Prentice Boromir,[7] Faramir,[11] Beregond, [12] Orcs, [13] Additional voices[5][6]
Bernard Rebel Wormtongue[10]
Prunella Scales Ioreth[13]
Gerik Schjelderup Gollum, [9] Orcs[9]
Norman Shelley Gandalf,[7] Tom Bombadil,[5][15] An Old Man,[9] Additional voices[6]
Roger Snowdon Orcs[8][9][13]

Adapted by Terence Tiller.[16] Music by Anthony Smith-Masters.[5]

Differences from the book[edit | edit source]

  • In the first six episodes, dialogue was preserved as much as possible, but in the last six, some liberty had to be taken.[2]
  • The second part of the series had to have a lot of cuts because executives at the BBC were not as fond of The Lord of the Rings as the listeners were.[2]
  • Tom Bombadil: Considered by Tolkien "dreadful", though it is left unexplained why.[15]
  • Goldberry: She was portrayed as Bombadil's daughter.[15] Tiller later apologized to Tolkien, stating he had thought the age difference between the two too large to portray them as a couple.[2]
  • Willowman: He is shown in league with Mordor, rather than just an antagonist of the Hobbits.[15]
  • Glóin: He was given a German accent. Tolkien thought he was not too bad, though a bit exaggerated.[17]
  • The Council of Elrond: Severely trimmed, only the base actions and characters remained.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Searching for the lost recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien - Music from 1955 LOTR dramatization, 2nd minute, 19th second of the documentary. Originally broadcast in August 2016 on BBC Radio 4, archive copy by Sídh Aníron. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Wayne G. Hammond, Christina Scull, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide:Reader's Guide, "Adaptations", pp. 8-23
  3. ↑ "'THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 14 November 1955", BBC Genome Project (accessed 23 February 2019)
  4. ↑ "'THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 21 November 1955", BBC Genome Project (accessed 23 February 2019)
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1672, November 25, 1955
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1673, December 2, 1955
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1674, December 9, 1955
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1675, December 16, 1955
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1723, November 16, 1956
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1724, November 23, 1956
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1725, November 30, 1956
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1726, December 7, 1956
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1727, December 14, 1956
  14. ↑ "'THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J. R. R. Tolkien - Third Programme - 23 December 1956", BBC Genome Project (accessed 23 February 2019)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 175 (dated November 30, 1955)
  16. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 193 (dated November 2, 1956)
  17. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 176 (dated December 8, 1955)
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