Ref NoLA/2/3
TitleThe Old Crowd
DescriptionIn 1978 Lindsay Anderson directed The Old Crowd , a TV play written by Alan Bennett about a dinner party set in an uncertain and dangerous near-future. Promoted as Anderson's debut TV production the play featured an ensemble cast including Rachel Roberts, Jill Bennett, Peter Jeffrey and Frank Grimes. The film challenged the traditional format of TV drama with its surreal setting and scenes and occasionally glimpsed camera crew. The production aired (at prime time) on ITV on Saturday 27 Jan 1979 and was unfavourably received by the critics with, as Anderson described it, 'an almost flattering unanimity of outrage'. An unsuccessful attempt was made to produce a film version of the play in conjunction with the Swedish Film Institute in 1980.
Material relating to The Old Crowd includes scripts; production notes; correspondence between Anderson and Alan Bennett, Stephen Frears (producer), London Weekend Television, cast and crew; correspondence with journalists including Anderson's reactions to critical reviews of programme; photographs; press cuttings (including notes made by Anderson on critical reviews)
Date1977 - 1992
LevelSeries
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