Richard Hannay in The Thirty
Nine Steps by John Buchan on BBC Radio & in other media.
First Uploaded 24 May 2001
corrections
or additions??
Introduction
Richard Hannay,
the character created by John Buchan featured
in 5 novels. The Thirty Nine Steps was the
first and most well known, Published in 1915. Hannay also featured in Greenmantle
(1916); Mr Standfast (1919); The
Three Hostages (1924) & The Island of
Sheep (1936).
For those unfamiliar
with The Thirty Nine Steps.
Richard
Hannay returns
from South Africa to the "old country" - but soon becomes bored,
wishing he was back on the veldt that he's used to as a mining engineer.
He is drawn into a very shadowy world of espionage - when a man living
in his building (Scudder
- who has just faked his own suicide) seeks refuge in Hannay's
flat.
Hannay
listens to, and believes Scudder's
incredible story and agree's to help him. He returns to the flat several
days later to find Scudder
murdered by his pursuers - and himself branded as a murderer and on the
run from both the police and Scudder's
adversaries, who rightly guessed that Hannay
(who's fled to Scotland) now has the information and must be silenced.
BBC
Radio
The BBC first
appear to have adapted The Thirty Nine Steps
for radio in 1939, other productions of the story appeared in 1948, 1950,
1953, 1958, 1972. A reading of the book by Frank
Duncan was issued by the BBC Transcription
service.
If
anyone can enlighten me on early productions - please email me.
The following are details of the two most
recent BBC radio productions.
Cover of the BBC
Radio Collection issue of the David Rintoul
version, which also featured a 90 minute production of the John
Buchan story Witchwood.
1992 ISBN: 0563366680 |
Broadcast
on Radio 4 - 28 December 1989
A 90 minute production.
dramatised by Peter
Buckman.
directed by Patrick
Raynor.
A
visit from a man who is already dead begins the nightmare for Richard Hannay.
Three days later the man is dead, skewered through the heart, and
Hannay is an innocent man on the run, embroiled in a sinister web of political
intrigue and murder.
BBC Radio
Collection
David Rintoul
|
Richard Hannay
|
Jimmy Chisholm
|
Clive
|
Michael Elder
|
Sir Walter Bullivant
|
Crawford Logan
|
Sir Harry
|
David McKail
|
Appleton
|
Alexander Morton
|
Scudder
|
Sandy Neilson
|
Sergeant - Major
|
John Shedden
|
Frank
|
|
Top
Cover of the BBC
Radio Collection issue of the David Robb
version. Scheduled for June 2001
ISBN: 0563535814 |
Broadcast
on Radio 4 - 18 & 25 March 2001
2 x 60 minute production.
dramatised by Bert
Coules.
directed by Bruce
Young.
1:
`The Milkman Sets out on His Travels'.
When
a man is murdered in Richard Hannay's flat, he goes on the run, pursued
by police and a gang of German spies intent on recovering a secret notebook
which could destroy the British naval fleet.
BBC Online
Broadcast
on Radio 4 - 18 March 2001
2:
`The Coming of the Black Stone'.
A
gang of German spies is after Richard Hannay and a notebook containing
the secret of the 39 steps, and Hannay must solve the mystery of the steps
if he is to save the British naval fleet.
BBC Online
Broadcast
on Radio 4 - 25 March 2001
David Robb
|
Richard Hannay
|
Tom Baker
|
Sir Walter Bullivant
|
Struan Rodger
|
The Hawk
|
William Hope
|
Scudder
|
Tracy Wiles
|
Charlotte
|
Stuart McQuarrie
|
Sir Harry
|
|
Top
Films
There have been three film versions
of the book to date, the acclaimed Alfred Hitchcock
version from 1935 featuring Robert Donat,
the 1959 version with Kenneth More as Hannay,
and in 1978 Robert Powell played the role.
Each of these versions changed aspects of the story.
Images of Richard
Hannay
For details
of the films, Consult Internet Movie Database
Top
Television
Thames
TV produced this period series in 1988 & 1989, Robert
Powell returned to the role of Richard Hannay,
in this series of self contained adventures. Gavin
Richards also featured as Count von Schwabing.
The format for the series was by Michael
Robson, and it was produced by Robert Banks
Stewart.
The Three Hostages
has twice been produced by the BBC.
In 1952, Patrick
Barr played Sir Richard Hannay in a
"live" 6 part adaptation.
A new production adapted in 85 minutes
by John Preddle and directed by Clive
Donner was broadcast on BBC1 on 27/12/1977.
Barry
Foster was Sir Richard Hannay.
Top
Audiobooks
Two,
I enjoyed.
The Thirty Nine
Steps - an unabridged reading by Robert Powell
has been issued by Chivers Audio Books;
on 4 cassettes.
ISBN: 0745158129
The Thirty Nine
Steps - an abridged reading by James Fox
was issue 14 in Orbis Publishing Ltd's;
Talking Classics series on 2 CD's & 2 cassettes, around 1994.
ISBN: 074890313/5
The following appears to be currently
available, although I haven't heard it.
The Thirty-nine
Steps (abridged edition) - Jack Davenport
(Narrator)
Penguin Audiobooks;
ISBN: 014180176X
Top
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REFERENCES:
'The
Thirty Nine Steps" booklet accompanying CD
published by the Orbis Classics Collection. 1994.
'British
Television - An Illustrated Guide" compiled
for the BFI by Tise Vahimagi
published by the Oxford University Press
1994.
"Serials
on British Television - 1950 - 1994" by Ellen
Baskin published by Scolar Press 1995.
Val
Gielgud at the BBC