The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)

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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.

Episodes

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings

Cast

Actor Role
Nicolette Bernard Unspecified, presumably Goldberry,[1]Galadriel[4]
Oliver Burt Frodo[1]
Michael Collins Merry[1]
Frank Duncan Legolas,[3] Halbarad[8]
Valentine Dyall Treebeard,[5] Théoden[6]
Robert Farquharson Saruman,[6] Denethor[8]
Felix Felton Bilbo,[3] Voice of Sauron,[6] The Black Captain[9]
Garard Green Elrond,[3] Celeborn[4]
Olive Gregg Eowyn[9]
Derek Hart Narrator[1]
David Hemmings Bergil[8]
Noel Johnson Éomer[5]
Basil Jones Pippin[1]
Godfrey Kenton Aragorn,[1] Mablung[4]
Eric Lugg Gimli[3]
Victor Platt Sam[1]
Derek Prentice Boromir,[3] Faramir,[7] Beregond[8]
Bernard Rebel Wormtongue[6]
Prunella Scales Ioreth[9]
Gerik Schjelderup Gollum[5]
Norman Shelley Gandalf,[3], Tom Bombadil[1][10]

Adapted by Terence Tiller.[11] Music by Anthony Smith-Masters.[1]

Differences from the book

  • Tom Bombadil: Considered by Tolkien "dreadful", though it is left unexplained why.[10]
  • Goldberry: She is for some reason portrayed as Bombadil's daughter.[10]
  • Willowman: He is shown in league with Mordor, rather than just an antagonist of the Hobbits.[10]
  • Glóin: He was "someone's idea of a German". Tolkien thought he was not too bad, though a bit exaggerated.[12]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1672, November 25, 1955
  2. Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1673, December 2, 1955
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1674, December 9, 1955
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Radio Times, Volume 129, No. 1675, December 16, 1955
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1723, November 16, 1956
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1724, November 23, 1956
  7. 7.0 7.1 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1725, November 30, 1956
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1726, December 7, 1956
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1727, December 14, 1956
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 175 (dated November 30, 1955)
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 193 (dated November 2, 1956)
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 176 (dated December 8, 1955)