Sunday 25 April 2021

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 8

 

On this Sunday, forty years ago, BBC Radio's dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings reached its seventh episode, 'The Mines of Moria'; Eric Fraser's accompanying illustration in the Radio Times, depicts the doomful Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

 

The episode ended, obviously, with the cliffhanger-moment of Gandalf's fall with the Balrog into the abyss and his line: "Fly, you fools!" 

 

This denouement prompted an anxious inquiry directed to the producer, Jane Morgan, from Michael Hordern, playing Gandalf: "Jane...? My agent clearly said I was to be in 22 episodes, but I seem to have been killed off in Episode 8..."

 

"Don't worry, Michael," replied Jane reassuringly, "you're resurrected in Episode 12."

 

No further explanation being required, Michael wandered off muttering, "Splendid, splendid..." 

 

1 comment:

StoneMuse said...

When I first read the book, I quickly looked further on just to make sure he had survived!