CELEBRATING 70 YEARS! : ORSON WELLES GREAT MYSTERIES / THE DINNER PARTY .. ANGLIA TELEVISION .. UK 1973 ..

 ANGLIA TELEVISION

Presents

ORSON WELLES GREAT MYSTERIES

Hosted by Orson Welles

Season 1 - Episode 5

THE DINNER PARTY

Starring

JOAN COLLINS as Jane Blake

ANTON RODGERS as Edmund Blake

ANTHONY SHARP as J.J. McGill

MAXINE AUDLEY as Mary Cosgrove

PETER CELLIER as Harold

GEOFFREY CHATER as Donald Cosgrove

RUTH DUNNING as Prudence McGill

MISCHA DE LA MOTTE as Williams

JEAN HARVEY as Frances Irving

Directed by John Robins

Anglia Press release

(c) 1973 ..  Anglia Television ..  Color

Edmund Blake is a brilliant accountant who is in line for a promotion. But does he deserve it? The board of directors have invited him and his wife Jane to a dinner party, so they can check her out to see if she will fit in to their social circle.. Will Jane live up to the scrutiny or will she play them at their own game!

This series which has gathered a cult following was made by Anglia Televison with a view to international sales including the USA as it featured many international star names among the British talent.. Joan appeared in a wonderful episode enitltled 'The Dinner Party' and she steals the show as only she can do. Joan had appeared with Orson Welles the previous year in 'The Man Who Came To Dinner' for american tv , even though Orson was only the host of this series and never appeared in any of the episodes, only the specially filmed intro's and final wrap up.. 

Joan with Anton Rodgers

The series ran for one series with 26 episodes running from Sept 1973 to Feb 1974 and features such guest stars as Donald Pleascence, Christopher Lee, Jane Seymour, Edward Albert, Peter Cushing, Susannah York, Victor Buono, Jose Ferrer, Dean Stockwell. Ian Bannen, Roland Culver, Anna Massey, Patrick Magee, Cyril Cusack, David Birney, Carol Lynley, Francesca Annis, Jack Cassidy, Shirley Knight, Harry Andrews, Don Murray, Richard Johnson, Hannah Gordon, Patrick Macnee, Claire Bloom. Dana Wynter, Anne Jackson, Eli Wallach and many other familar faces.

Anglia Television Press Sheet

Apart from a starry cast, a variety of  directors who were known for a the mystery / suspense genre were assigned including Peter Sasdy, Alan Gibson and Peter Sykes and all also directed for Hammer films. One of the more memorable aspects of the series is the sinister theme tune by the legendary John Barry which is not easily forgotten. 

Joan under scrutiny at The Dinner Party

Unseen for many years, delighted to say all the episodes are now available over two seperate volumes from Newtwork DVD.. You can order the set with Joan's episode at the following link!

ORDER ORSON WELLES GREAT MYSTERIES VOL 2 DVD HERE!