Antony and Cleopatra (1974 TV drama)

Antony and Cleopatra is a 1974 videotaped television production of William Shakespeare's 1606 play of the same name, produced by ATV (which was distributed internationally by ITC) starring Richard Johnson as Mark Antony, Janet Suzman as Cleopatra, and Patrick Stewart as Enobarbus. It was directed by Jon Scoffield and is an adaptation of Trevor Nunn's Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production of the play. It features then-little-known Ben Kingsley and Tim Pigott-Smith in small roles.

Antony and Cleopatra
Written byWilliam Shakespeare
Directed byJon Scoffield
Starring
Music byGuy Woolfenden
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Producers
  • Lorna Mason
  • Cecil Clarke
Running time161 minutes
Original release
NetworkITV
Release28 July 1974 (1974-07-28)

As of 2014, this production was the last made-for-TV Shakespeare adaptation to have its American network premiere on U.S. commercial television. Laurence Olivier's King Lear was shown in the U.S. in 1984 in syndication rather than on a single network.

Cast

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Deviations from the play

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The major character of Sextus Pompey, who figures significantly in the plot in Act II, was excised from this production.

References

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