Underground (1958 TV play)
Encyclopedia
Underground was a science fiction television play presented as part of the British anthology series Armchair Theatre
which was broadcast live by the ITV commercial network on 30 November 1958. It is chiefly remembered because an actor unexpectedly had a fatal heart attack during transmission.
Written by dramatist James Forsyth (1913–2005) the play depicted survivors from a nuclear holocaust living in the London tube
system. It featured Donald Houston
, Ian Curry, Patricia Jessel
, Warren Mitchell
and 33 year old Gareth Jones
in his last role.
A little over halfway through the production, Gareth Jones complained of feeling unwell while off-set in make-up between two of his scenes, and then suddenly collapsed and died. His character was due to die in the same way during the course of the play. The actor Peter Bowles
was also in the cast and recalled many years later: "During transmission, a little group of us was talking on camera while awaiting the arrival of Gareth Jones's character, who had some information for us. We could see him coming up towards us, but we saw him fall. We had no idea what had happened, but he certainly wasn't coming our way. The actors started making up lines, 'I'm sure if so-and-so were here he would say'..."
Producer Sydney Newman
instructed director Ted Kotcheff
to continue with the play and "shoot it like a football match", meaning to follow the characters around as they improvised a way of coping with the missing cast member. Kotcheff hurriedly re-structured the story during a commercial break in order to be able to bring the play to an end without the missing character being noticed by the audience.
While Kotcheff was on the studio floor, the inexperienced production assistant Verity Lambert
directed camera movements from the studio gallery.
The actors were not informed that Jones had died until after the play had finished. Houston was a close friend and it is claimed he would have been unable to continue if he had known.
A recording of this play does not exist, live transmissions of this era were not automatically transcribed.
Armchair Theatre
Armchair Theatre is a British television drama anthology series, which ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by Associated British Corporation, and later by Thames Television after 1968....
which was broadcast live by the ITV commercial network on 30 November 1958. It is chiefly remembered because an actor unexpectedly had a fatal heart attack during transmission.
Written by dramatist James Forsyth (1913–2005) the play depicted survivors from a nuclear holocaust living in the London tube
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
system. It featured Donald Houston
Donald Houston
Donald Daniel Houston was a Welsh actor whose first two films – The Blue Lagoon with Jean Simmons, and A Run for Your Money with Sir Alec Guinness – were highly successful...
, Ian Curry, Patricia Jessel
Patricia Jessel
Patricia Helen Jessel was an English actress for stage and film...
, Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell is an English actor who rose to initial prominence in the role of bigoted cockney Alf Garnett in the BBC television sitcom Till Death Us Do Part , and its sequels Till Death... and In Sickness and in Health , all of which were written by Johnny Speight...
and 33 year old Gareth Jones
Gareth Jones (actor)
Gareth Jones was a British actor, chiefly remembered for the circumstances of his death....
in his last role.
A little over halfway through the production, Gareth Jones complained of feeling unwell while off-set in make-up between two of his scenes, and then suddenly collapsed and died. His character was due to die in the same way during the course of the play. The actor Peter Bowles
Peter Bowles
-Early life:Bowles was born in London, England, the son of Sarah Jane and Herbert Reginald Bowles. His father was a chauffeur and butler at a stately home in Warwickshire; but, upon the outbreak of World War II, he was seconded to work as an engineer at Rolls-Royce and moved the family to Nottingham...
was also in the cast and recalled many years later: "During transmission, a little group of us was talking on camera while awaiting the arrival of Gareth Jones's character, who had some information for us. We could see him coming up towards us, but we saw him fall. We had no idea what had happened, but he certainly wasn't coming our way. The actors started making up lines, 'I'm sure if so-and-so were here he would say'..."
Producer Sydney Newman
Sydney Newman
Sydney Cecil Newman, OC was a Canadian film and television producer, who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s...
instructed director Ted Kotcheff
Ted Kotcheff
Ted Kotcheff , sometimes credited as William Kotcheff or William T. Kotcheff, is a Canadian film and television director, who is well known for his work on several high-profile British television productions and as a director of films such as First Blood.-Early life:Kotcheff was born William...
to continue with the play and "shoot it like a football match", meaning to follow the characters around as they improvised a way of coping with the missing cast member. Kotcheff hurriedly re-structured the story during a commercial break in order to be able to bring the play to an end without the missing character being noticed by the audience.
While Kotcheff was on the studio floor, the inexperienced production assistant Verity Lambert
Verity Lambert
Verity Ann Lambert, OBE was an English television and film producer. She is best known as the founding producer of the science-fiction series Doctor Who, a programme which has become a part of British popular culture, and for her association with Thames Television...
directed camera movements from the studio gallery.
The actors were not informed that Jones had died until after the play had finished. Houston was a close friend and it is claimed he would have been unable to continue if he had known.
A recording of this play does not exist, live transmissions of this era were not automatically transcribed.