DAVID WARNER (1941-2022)

 

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of David Warner. It is a sign of our lazy times that he is described in several obituary headlines as 'OMEN and TITANIC actor'. Yes, he was especially excellent in The Omen as the sympathetic investigating photographer who meets an particularly nasty end, but he gave an extraordinary range of performances in many other movie: Tom Jones, Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Straw Dogs, Cross of Iron, Time After Time, The Man With Two Brains, Time Bandits and Tron to mention but a few.

He played many villainous characters but also capable of great sensitivity as can be seen in his portrayal of Bob Cratchit in the US American TV film of A Christmas Carol opposite George C Scott's Ebenezer Scrooge. But (more easily overlooked in our film/tv orientated times) he was also a stellar member of the one of the all time great RSC companies and, under the direction of Peter Hall, was unquestionably the Hamlet of his generation.

 

I was privileged to work with David on three of my BBC radio epics, beginning with my 1985 Sony Radio Award-winning dramatisations of Mervyn Peake's Titus Groan and Gormenghast in which he portrayed a tragic, languid and melancholic Lord Sepulchrave, 76th Earl of Groan. Then, in 2011, when I tackled Peke's trilogy of novels afresh as The History of Titus Groan, he played "The Artist": storyteller, character and what might, perhaps, be best described as a possible 'ghost of Mervyn Peake'; he was wonderfully moving – haunting in fact – and the series won me the BBC Radio Drama Award. I viewed David as my lucky talisman.

 

So, in 2014, I requested the directors of my six-hour dramatization of T. H. White's The Once and Future King to cast David as the mercurial Merlyn: a role he relished and played to perfection – by turn, wise, funny, solemn and playful; He was T. H. White's living-backwards-through-time wizard to a 'T' ('H' and 'W'!).

 

Had any other radio drama commissions come my way, I would have moved heaven and earth to have found him a role! I adored his acting and I loved the man. 

 

With his resigned, lived-in (almost world-weary) features, he was modest and self-effacing, but – to the delight of any dramatist or director – he was a player with a phenomenal, always surprisingly and intriguingly nuanced, talent and it was always a talent that was but lightly worn. He was, I believe, one of the great (and seriously underrated) actors of our time.

 

The signed photo below is one I took of him in the BBC drama studio during the recording of The History of Titus Groan.

 

 

ERIC FRASER'S 'Radio Times' art for the BBC's THE LORD OF THE RINGS

 

This post is for all you aficionados of the BBC 1981 radio serialisation of The Lord of the Rings who have been following my six-monthly Blog and Facebook journey across the original twenty-six weekly episodes as they were first broadcast on Sundays from 8 March to 30 August, forty years ago.

Here, all in one place, is the complete set of Eric Fraser's black-and-white illustrations made to accompany the credits to the weekly episodes in the BBC's listings magazine, Radio Times. 

All images, except that for the second episode ('The Shadow of the Past'), are reproduced from Fraser's original art now in my collection; in this one instance, the image used was scanned from its printed reproduction in Radio Times. (I would, incidentally, be grateful for any information about the ownership of this 'missing' piece!)

The three images made for episodes 15-17 ('The Voice of Saruman', 'The Black Gate is Closed' and 'The Window on the West') are published on this blog for the very first time since, during that three week period, there was an industrial dispute at the print-works responsible for producing Radio Times and the magazine was issued only in an slimmed-down emergency format with few, if any, illustrations. The additional image at the top of this post was a generic design Fraser made featuring Gandalf, Frodo and Sam which was used on the BBC souvenir poster for the series and, subsequently, as a decoration for the box containing the cassette-tape release of the recordings. 

 

1.  The Long-awaited Party

 

 

2.  The Shadow of the Past

 

3.  The Black Riders

 

4. Trouble at the Prancing Pony

5. The Knife in the Dark

 

6. The Council of Elrond

 

7. The Fellowship of the Ring

 

8. The Mines of Moria

 

9. The Mirror of Galadriel

 

10. The Breaking of the Fellowship

 

11. The Riders of Rohan

 

12. Treebeard of Fangorn

 

13. The King of the Golden Hall

 

14. Helm’s Deep

 

15. The Voice of Saruman

 

16. The Black Gate is Closed 

 

17. The Window on the West

 

18. Minas Tirith

 

19. Shelob’s Lair

 

20. The Siege of Gondor

 

21. The Battle of Pelennor Fields

 

22. The Houses of Healing

 

23. Mount Doom

 

24. The Return of the King

 

25. Homeward Bound

 

26. The Grey Havens

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 26

 

I wept writing this final episode of the BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, I wept again as the actors recorded it in the studio and I wept once more when I heard it first transmitted on this Sunday, forty years ago. I still weep every time I hear it...

My plan was always to include 'Bilbo's Last Song' in the final episode as the Ring-bearers sail into the West but – since it did not appear in the novel and Tolkien had gifted the copyright in the poem to Joy Hill, his secretary at George Allen & Unwin – the negotiations for its inclusion were long and tricksy. But it was finally achieved and Stephen Oliver's elegiac setting powered the closing moments of the dramatisation, representing not only the end of Frodo's journey but also that of everyone involved in writing, performing and producing the serial.

Eric Fraser's final illustration for the BBC's weekly listings magazine, Radio Times shows the bittersweet image of Sam, Merry and Pippin watching the boat slip from the harbour into the Firth of Lune...

"And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed into the West, until at last on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air  and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that ... the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise."

For the moment of Frodo's parting from Sam at the Grey Havens, I transferred a few lines from an earlier conversation in the book as a leave-taking valedictory:

"Do not be too sad, Sam. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do."

Words that I used again, heard by Sam – as an echo in his memory – the moment before opening the door to Bag End and announcing to Rosie and baby Elanor: "Well, I'm back."

Thank you for sharing this pictorial journey with me across the six months and twenty-six illustrations by the magnificent, Eric Fraser. 

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 25

 

'Homeward Bound' was the title I gave to the penultimate episode of the 1981 BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, originally broadcast on this Sunday, forty years ago. 

The great challenge of the serialisation – after the crisis-after-crisis driven story that reaches its narrative peak in episodes twenty-three and twenty-four with the destruction of the One Ring and Sauron's power and the coronation of Gondor's returning King – is the lengthy and anticlimactic homeward journey with its serial partings and farewells.

All of this textual material had to be ruthlessly compressed to work within the tight structure of weekly half-hour episodes. Despite the demands of condensing Tolkien's rich text, I remained determined that – although heavily edited – the Scouring of the Shire and the Grima's murder of Saruman on the doorstep of Bag End – would be retained since, without those events, the whole drama would be less meaningful.

"The very end of the war, I hope," said Merry.

"I hope so," said Frodo and sighed. The very last stroke. But to think that it should fall here, at the very door of Bag End! Among all my hopes and fears at least I never expected that." 

But Tolkien knew that, in some way or another, battles – large and small – all end at our own front door... 

Eric Fraser's original illustration for Radio Times takes the sober, haunting image of the sadly despoiled Shire found by the heroes on their return from war. 

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 24

 

After the epic drama of Sauron's fall comes the triumphant and long-awaited coronation of Aragorn, King Elessar. So, for obvious reasons, the twenty-fourth episode of the BBC's 1981 dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings – first broadcast forty years ago today – was titled 'The Return of the King'.

Equally obvious was Eric Fraser's choice of the Crown of Gondor as the subject for his illustration accompanying the episode-billing in Radio Times with a design based on Tolkien's description in the novel: 

"It was shaped like the helms of the Guards of the Citadel, save that it was loftier, and it was all white, and the wings at either side were wrought of pearl and silver in the likeness of the wings of a sea-bird, for it was the emblem of kings who came over the Sea; and seven gems of adamant were set in the circlet, and upon its summit was set a single jewel the light of which went up like a flame." 

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 23

 

And so we come to 'Mount Doom', the twenty-third episode of the 1981 BBC serialisation of J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, originally broadcast forty years ago this Sunday.

In so many ways this is the climax (although not the end) of the quest which began in Episode 6 when, at Rivendell, the Council of Elrond determined that the war with Sauron could only be won if the One Ring were to be returned to fires of Orodruin. 

This episode was the second of the final five episodes that I personally dramatised for the serialisation, taking over from Michael Bakewell's brilliant dramatisation of the epic battles that precede the intense, intimate drama that is played out by Frodo, Sam and Gollum on the very edge of the Cracks of Doom.

As a dramatist, this was one of my favourite episodes to have written and I have unforgettable memories of watching Ian Holm, Peter Woodthorpe and Bill Nighy, gathered around a radio microphone, act out their characters' desperate struggle on Sammath Naur, playing out the narrative device that Tolkien described as a 'eucatastrophe'. Writing in a letter to his son, Christopher, Tolkien explained: "I coined the word 'eucatastrophe': the sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears (which I argued it is the highest function of fairy-stories to produce)."

This original piece of art created by Eric Fraser for the Sunday programme page in the BBC's weekly magazine, Radio Times, is, without question, my favourite of the twenty-six weekly illustrations the artist made to accompany the series: stunningly dramatic and powerfully cataclysmic.

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 22

 

'The Houses of Healing' was the title of the twenty-second episode of the BBC's 1981 radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, broadcast forty years ago this Sunday. 

In this episode the chatterbox of Ioreth the wise-woman healer (a cameo appearance by Pauline Letts) tells Gandalf of the legend of Gondor that says: "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known," leading to the Christ-like verification of Aragorn as the true King.  

Eric Fraser's original art, created for the programme page in Radio Times shows a pair of leaves of the healing herb called athelas (or 'Kingsfoil') about to be crushed and steeped in boiling water. 

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 21

 

The confrontation between Éowyn and Merry and the Witch-king of Angmar is one of many dramatic highlights in 'The Battle of the Pelennor Fields', the twenty-first episode of the BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, first broadcast forty years ago this Sunday lunchtime.

Eric Fraser's original art to be published in The Radio Times alongside the weekly billing for the programme is, I think, a superb example of this artist's exceptional skill in graphic composition.  

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 20

 

The twentieth episode of the BBC's radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings was broadcast on this day, forty years ago, and the serialisation entered the home straight of its twenty-six parts with 'The Siege of Gondor'.

In publishing the original art of Eric Fraser's illustration to accompany the billing for this episode in The Radio Times, I want to comment on the discipline under which Fraser produced these small decorations.  

As a regular artist for the BBC's listings magazine, he was especially well-versed with the demand for illustrations required to fit within specific column-width dimensions and with the absolute requirement for his work having to "read" at a very small scale. 

The original art I have been reproducing here over the past five months were drawn 9.5 x 1.5 centimeters (3 x 1.5 inches) and were then reduced for reproduction in print to just 1.2 x 3.2 centimeters (or 1.5 x 0.5 inches). Bearing in mind the size of the art – and the size at which it was eventually published – I think of these little black-and-white drawings as mini-masterpieces.

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 19

 

On this Sunday, forty years ago, BBC Radio 4 broadcast 'Shelob's Lair', the nineteenth episode of its radio dramatisation of J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in which Gollum leads Frodo and Sam into Cirith Ungol and the cobwebbed, labyrinthine lair of the monstrous spider, Shelob, the "last child of Ungoliant to trouble the unhappy world".

Eric Fraser's original art for the BBC's weekly listing magazine Radio Times, shown here, is a complex intersection of black and white spider-thread-lines giving the viewer, perhaps, a Shelob's-eye-view of the doomful entrance through which her prey will pass.

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 18

 

Broadcast forty years ago today, the eighteenth episode of the BBC's 1981 radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings was titled 'Minas Tirith' and that great city of Gondor was the subject of Eric Fraser's illustration for the programme page in the listings magazine, Radio Times. 

Although the drawing certainly evokes a quintessential 'fantasy' castle with its turrets and fluttering pennants, it seems to me to lacks much authenticity to Tolkien's description of the city – other than the rising circles of buildings within the walls.

Nevertheless, this is Fraser's original art from my collection of his work for the radio series –– and I love owning it!

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 17

 

Episode 17 of the 1981 BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings was broadcast forty years ago on this day. In 'The Window on the West' Frodo and Sam meet Faramir and are taken to Henneth Annûn, the secret Gondorian outpost in North Ithilien, hidden in a cave behind the protecting veil of a great west-facing waterfall. Artist Eric Fraser featured this location in this original piece of art created for Radio Times; however, it never appeared in print.  

As with the last two week's illustrations, an industrial dispute at the Radio Times printing-works forced the magazine to edit this  issue to an 'emergency' issue with fewer illustrations and limited programme details. This is was the last week in which the magazine was impacted by the dispute and this is the third and final hitherto unseen Fraser illustrations to be belatedly published here.   

 

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 16

 

Forty years ago, on this Sunday, the 1981 BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings arrived at its 16th episode, entitled 'The Black Gate is Closed'. Veteran illustrator,  Eric Fraser created this original piece of art for Radio Times inspired by the events described in the second chapter of The Two Towers 'Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit' and featuring Sam Gamgee's culinary skills! 

However, Fraser's drawing went unpublished as a result of an industrial dispute at the printing works where Radio Times was produced, the magazine was scaled down to a slim-line 'emergency' issue with heavily edited programme details and few if any illustrations. This is the second of three previously unseen Fraser illustrations now published for the first time on this blog.

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 15

 

This Sunday, forty years ago, the BBC radio broadcast The Lord of the Rings, Episode 15: 'The Voice of Saruman', showcasing actor Peter Howell as the silver-tongued necromancer. Eric Fraser created this original piece of art for Radio Times featuring Isengard and the Tower of Orthanc, but it was never published. 

Due to an industrial dispute at the printing works where the magazine was produced, Radio Times was reduced to a slimmed-down 'emergency' issue with heavily edited programme details and fewer illustrations. This is the first of three previously unseen Fraser illustrations belatedly published on this blog.    

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 14

 

This Sunday, forty years ago, the BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings began its second half-way point with Episode 14, 'Helm's Deep', centered on the great battle fought on the walls of the ancient stronghold, depicted here in Eric Fraser's original art for Radio Times.

It has been pointed out to me that there is something of a size-disparity-issue in relation to the figures of Legolas and Gimli on the far right side of the illustration.

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 13

 

Forty years ago this Sunday, the BBC radio's epic 1981 dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings reached its half-way point with Episode 13, 'The King of the Golden Hall', in which Gandalf, Aragon, Legolas and Gimli arrive at Meduseld and present themselves before King Théoden of the Mark.

Elsewhere in Middle-earth, Frodo, Sam and Gollum struggle on towards Mordor, traversing the dread-filled Dead Marshes, depicted here in Eric Fraser's original art for the accompanying programme-billing in Radio Times.

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 12

 

In 'Treebeard of Fangorn', Episode 12 of the BBC's radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, first broadcast forty years ago this Sunday lunchtime, Merry and Pippin find themselves in the forbidding Forest of Fangorn and encounter Treebeard – stiff-limbed and with bark-like skin and leafy hair – the oldest of the Ents left in Middle-earth and depicted here in the original art for Eric Fraser's original art for the illustration published in the weekly listing's magazine, Radio Times.

 

In the series, Treebeard was played by Stephen Thorne, a towering, deep-voiced actor with whom I had worked on many occasions – his having previously been the voice of Jesus in some early plays I wrote for Schools Radio and had spoken for Aslan the Lion in my dramatisations of C S Lewis' 'The Chronicles of Narnia' –– which is more or less the same role as playing Jesus! As Treebeard, Stephen performed at the microphone draped in yards of gash recording tape so that he permanently 'rustled' in simulation of the Ent's great leaf-hung arms!

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 11

 

The original art for Eric Fraser's Radio Times illustration to accompany episode 11 of the BBC's audio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings (first broadcast on this Sunday forty years ago) depicts the slain Boromir laid in his boat upon the waters of the mighty Anduin, the Great River of Wilderland... 

 

However, the episode, entitled 'The Riders of Rohan', reflected the dispersal of the remaining Fellowship, with Frodo and Sam headed for Mordor with the One Ring and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli's searching for the orc-kidnapped Merry and Pippin, a quest leading to a meeting with Éomer and the Rohirrim.

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 10

 

At mid-day on this Sunday, forty years ago, listeners to episode10 of the BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, witnessed 'The Breaking of the Fellowship'. Eric Fraser's original art for the illustration accompanying that day's programme-billing in Radio Times depicts the 'star-glass' given to Frodo by the Lady Galadriel on the Fellowship's departure from Lothlórien. I particularly admire Fraser's use of black-and-white to indicate the light radiating from the phial...

 

'In this phial,' she said, 'is caught the light of Eärendil's star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.'

 

FORTY YEARS ON... Eric Fraser's LORD OF THE RINGS radio art: Week 9

 

It was forty years ago, on this Sunday, that BBC Radio 4 broadcast the ninth episode of its 26-part dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings: 'The Mirror of Galadriel', with Frodo and his companions finding solace, after the loss of Gandalf, in the Elven tree-house-city, Lothlórien.  

Eric Fraser's original art for the illustration accompanying this episode's billing in Radio Times shows the Lady Galadriel's oracular water-mirror into which Frodo looks and sees possible glimpses of future times and events.