FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 1

 

On this Sunday, 40 years ago: the BBC began its 26-part dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings. 

This is Eric Fraser's original art for the illustration on the Radio 4 programme page in the BBC's weekly listings magazine, Radio Times, accompanying the billing for Episode 1: 'The Long Awaited Party' showing Bilbo about to make his farewell birthday speech...

 

 

 

The full Radio Times billing was as follows:

 

Sunday 8 March 1981

12.00

 

The Lord of the Rings: 1 The Long Awaited Party

by J.R.R. Tolkien 

prepared for radio in 26 episodes by Brian Sibley

 

Starring Ian Holm as Frodo and Michael Hordern as Gandalf

 

"Three Rings for the Elven kings under the sky
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."

with John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum, William Nighy as Sam and Gerard Murphy as the Narrator
 

(Repeated: Wed 10.30 pm) 

 

(Gerard Murphy is a member of the RSC)

Souvenir Tolkien posters based on this week's Radio Times cover, available at £1.00 each (p and p incl), from Radio 4 Poster Offer (PO and cheques payable to BBC Radio)