Conduct Unbecoming (play)
Encyclopedia
Conduct Unbecoming is a play by Barry England
. The plot concerns a scandal in a British
regiment stationed in India
in the 1880s. The widow of a heroic officer is assaulted by an unrevealed comrade in arms and an investigation takes place to determine his identity.
It was first staged in May 1969 at the Theatre Royal in Bristol
, then transferred to the Queen's Theatre
in the West End
in July.
The Broadway
production was directed by Val May. After 16 previews, it opened on October 12, 1970 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
and ran for 144 performances. The cast included Michael Barrington
, Michael Bradshaw
, Jeremy Clyde
, Donald Pickering
, and Elizabeth Shepherd
. Pickering was nominated for the Tony Award
for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
In 1975, Robert Enders adapted the play for Conduct Unbecoming
, a British Lion Film Corporation feature film
directed by Michael Anderson
and starring Michael York
, Stacy Keach
, Susannah York
, Christopher Plummer
, Richard Attenborough
, and Trevor Howard
.
Barry England
Barry England was an English novelist and playwright. He is chiefly known for his 1969 thriller Figures in a Landscape, which was nominated for the inaugural Booker Prize.-Life and work:...
. The plot concerns a scandal in a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
regiment stationed in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in the 1880s. The widow of a heroic officer is assaulted by an unrevealed comrade in arms and an investigation takes place to determine his identity.
It was first staged in May 1969 at the Theatre Royal in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, then transferred to the Queen's Theatre
Queen's Theatre
The Queen's Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. It opened on 8 October 1907 as a twin to the neighbouring Gielgud Theatre which opened ten months earlier. Both theatres were designed by W.G.R...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in July.
The Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production was directed by Val May. After 16 previews, it opened on October 12, 1970 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 243 West 47th Street in midtown-Manhattan, named for actress Ethel Barrymore....
and ran for 144 performances. The cast included Michael Barrington
Michael Barrington
Michael Barrington was a British actor best known for his television work.His most famous role was as the ineffectual Governor Venables in the popular sitcom Porridge alongside Ronnie Barker and Fulton Mackay.He also appeared on the TV programmes Z-Cars, The Avengers, Private Schulz, Adam Adamant...
, Michael Bradshaw
Michael Bradshaw
Michael Bradshaw was an English/Canadian actor.- Early life in England :Born in Plumstead, London, he grew up Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire to the north west of London...
, Jeremy Clyde
Jeremy Clyde
Michael Thomas Jeremy Clyde is an English actor and musician. The son of Lady Elizabeth Wellesley, he made his first public appearance as a pageboy at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1953...
, Donald Pickering
Donald Pickering
Donald Ellis Pickering was an English actor.Pickering had appeared in many television, film and radio roles...
, and Elizabeth Shepherd
Elizabeth Shepherd
Elizabeth Shepherd is an English character actress whose work has spanned the stage and both the big and small screens. Her surname has been alternately billed as "Shephard" and "Sheppard"....
. Pickering was nominated for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
In 1975, Robert Enders adapted the play for Conduct Unbecoming
Conduct Unbecoming (film)
Conduct Unbecoming is a 1975 British drama film, an adaptation of the Barry England play Conduct Unbecoming first staged in 1969. It was directed by Michael Anderson and starred an ensemble cast of actors including Michael York, Richard Attenborough and Trevor Howard.-Plot:Two young British...
, a British Lion Film Corporation feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed by Michael Anderson
Michael Anderson (director)
Michael Joseph Anderson, Sr. is an English film director, best known for directing The Dam Busters , Around the World in 80 Days and Logan's Run .-Early life:...
and starring Michael York
Michael York (actor)
Michael York, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May , a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores...
, Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach is an American actor and narrator. He is most famous for his dramatic roles; however, he has done narration work in educational programming on PBS and the Discovery Channel, as well as some comedy and musical...
, Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
, Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
, and Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard , born Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith, was an English film, stage and television actor.-Early life:...
.