John Steinbeck: BBC Radio Drama Collection
from archive.org
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. was an American writer and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception. He has been called "a giant of American letters" and is acknowledged to be one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.
Presented here is a collection of BBC Radio dramatisations of six of Steinbeck's best known works, together with readings of three of his novellas.
East of Eden
An epic tale exploring the nature of good and evil, inspired by the story of Cain and Abel. Cathy Ames is a young woman who has always filled her parents with a deep sense of unease. Adam and Charles Trask are brothers whose relationship veers dangerously between love and hate. Their lives are about to collide in a dark and febrile drama about familial love.
Cyrus..... Jimmy Chisholm
Charles.....Steven Duffy
Cathy .....Holliday Grainger
Adam ..... Robin Laing
Mr Edwards ..... Gavin Mitchell
Mr Ames.....Nick Underwood
Mrs Ames.....Anita Vettesse
Cal ..... Alasdair Hankinson
Aron ..... Samuel Keefe
Abra ..... Gemma McElhinney
Lee..... David Yip
Dramatised by Donna Franceschild
Director: Kirsty Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2016
Of Mice & Men
Dramatisation of John Steinbeck's seminal 1937 novel about migrant workers in 1930s California whose dream of one day owning a place of their own is tragically destroyed.
George .... David Tennant
Lennie .... Liam Brennan
Carlson/Crooks .... Jude Akuwudike
Lennie .... Liam Brennan
Candy .... Christopher Fairbank
Curley's Wife .... Melody Grove
Slim .... Neil McKinven
Curley's .... Richard Madden
Dramatisation by Donna Franceschild
Directed by Kirsty Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2010
The Grapes of Wrath
The Joads are a poor family of tenant farmers driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, agricultural industry changes, and bank foreclosures. Due to their nearly hopeless situation, and in part because they are trapped in the Dust Bowl, the Joads set out for California along with thousands of other "Okies" seeking jobs, land, dignity, and a future.
Tom .... Robert Sheehan
Preacher Casy .... Zubin Varla
Ma .... Michelle Fairley
Pa .... Steven McNicoll
Al .... Finn den Hertog
Rosasharn .... Melody Grove
Ruthie .... Nicola Jo Cully
Connie .... Nick Underwood
Grampa .... Jim Bryce
Wilson .... Jimmy Chisholm
Ragged Man .... Jimmy Chisholm
Sairy .... Irene MacDougall
Scrapyard Man .... Gavin Mitchell
Floyd .... Gavin Mitchell
Written by John Steinbeck
Dramatised by Donna Franceschild
Directed by Kirsty Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2012
The Pearl
A captivating and atmospheric parable set in a small Mexican fishing village about the greatest pearl ever found and the tragic impact its discovery has on one young family.
Narrator .... Gary Lewis
Kino .... Kyle McPhail
Juana .... Hannah Donaldson
Juan Tomas .... Robin Laing
Apolonia .... Claire Knight
Doctor .... Simon Tait
Coyotito .... Daniel Smith
Dramatised by Donna Franceschild
Directed by Kirsty Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2012
Steinbeck in Avalon
As a child, John Steinbeck was enthralled by Malory's account of the life of King Arthur. In 1959, the great novelist went to live in Somerset for a while to write what he hoped would be the crowning glory of his distinguished career, a 20th-century restatement of the Arthurian legend.
Steinbeck/Lancelot .... Kerry Shale
Elaine/Guinevere .... Barbara Barnes
Merlin .... Philip Madoc
Arthur .... Joseph Millson
Damsel .... Jasmine Hyde
From the writings of John Steinbeck
Dramatised by Ray Brown
Producer/Director Gary Brown
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2006
Lifeboat
July 1943: Connie Porter is a glamorous foreign correspondent aboard a lifeboat alone in the middle of the Atlantic, after the freighter ship SS Argo was torpedoed by a Nazi submarine. She soon rescues John Kovak from the ship's engine room and sparks fly between the couple as they pick up other survivors - including a Nazi seaman from the enemy U-boat.
Tallulah Bankhead as Connie Porter
Jeff Chandler as John Kovac
Sheldon Leonard as Gus Smith
Walter Slezak as Kapitan Willi
Mary Anderson as Alice MacKenzie
Henry Hull as Charles J. "Ritt" Rittenhouse Jr.
Heather Angel as Mrs. Higley
Hume Cronyn as Stanley "Sparks" Garrett
Canada Lee as Joe Spencer
Based on a story by John Steinbeck
Dramatised by Jo Swerling
Adapted for radio by Jack Ruben
Introduced by Alfred Hitchcock
Directed by Bill Cairn
First broadcast in the USA on NBC in November 1950
First broadcast on BBC World Service in June 1951
The Murder
An American farmer, Jim Moore marries an eastern European woman Jelka, but the gulf between their cultures proves too great and they begin to drift apart. One night in the bar, Jim encounters a neighbor who mentions that he found dead cattle in the corner of Moore's property that had been clearly killed by human hands...
Narrated by Holter Graham
The Chrysanthemums
Elisa Allen, the wife of a rancher in Salinas Valley is proud of her ability to cultivate the biggest chrysanthemums in the whole valley. Elisa's husband, Henry, has negotiated the sale of some cattle and has left to fetch the animals ready for sale. Then, a travelling tinker shows up...
Narrated by Holter Graham
The Red Pony
Young Jody Tiflin lives on his father's California ranch. He is thrilled when one day his father gives him a red pony and promises him the colt of a bay mare. Both these gifts bring joy to Jody's life - but tragedy soon follows. As Jody begins to learn the harsh lessons of life and death, he starts to understand what growing up and becoming an adult really means.
Narrated by Holter Graham
- East of Eden (78.6Mb)
- Of Mice & Men (50Mb)
- The Grapes of Wrath (152.8Mb)
- The Pearl (40.2Mb)
- Steinbeck in Avalon (40.4Mb)
- Lifeboat (52.8Mb)
- The Murder (16.8Mb)
- The Chrysanthemums (15.6Mb)
- The Red Pony (102.8Mb)
MP3 files hosted by archive.org.