The Bright One (1959)

[patacake]

I've been trying to discover the name of a play I saw on tv many years ago. I cant even give an approximate year, except it must have been pre 1969 and I would think after 1958. The actors in it were Barbara Murray, Robert Urqhart and possibly John Justin (not sure about that). Most of the characters were in the house, in modern times, but Barbara Murray was in the garden and I don't think she could come into the house for some reason, and I think she might have been an ancient deity or other mythological figure. Any ideas, folks?

[jimbo1942]

Looks like it could be 'The Plane Makers' as the 3 actors you mention were in it -

The Plane Makers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Freddy]

Care of IMDb the only programme which does come up is the series The Plane Makers and they both featured in more than one episode.



However RU and JJ did appear in a play As Far as Thought Can Reach which was the 5th of a series of plays entitled Back to Methuselah by G B Shaw. It does appear to be mythological.



Regards



Freddy

[patacake]

Thanks both but it definitely wasn't the Plane Makers, not the right sort of thing at all, I saw most of that and as it definitely had Barbara Murray in it, it wasn't the GBS, though it could just have been one of his. Hope someone else remembers this as it's been bugging me for years. I was at an impressionable age and loved the feyness of it. I think BM was dressed as a goddess but I have a feeling it wasn't specified that she really was one. My husband suggested Ondine (Giraudoux) but I've checked the play and it's not that (unless someone really worked it over) and it's not listed on IMBD for the actors anyway

[Simon Coward]

Could it be Play of the Week "The Bright One" from 17/11/1959.



With Barbara Murray as Agatha Purvis (Phaea) and Robert Urquhart as Tom.



"On a hot summer's day Agatha Purvis goes swimming in the Mediterranean. She steps into the water a nice sensible schoolteacher, not at all attractive to men: she emerges a very different girl."



With Neil McCallum, Mary Merrall and Leonard Sachs.



Associated Rediffusion, written by Judy Campbell, directed by Tania Lieven.

[patacake]

That is brilliant, Simon! That sounds very much as if it's it! Thank you!

[LukeAFB]

On the subject of 'The Plane Makers', during the filming (at Dunsfold, I think, but I could be wrong|), a group of RAF Cadets were being shown round the airfield (this was before the series was actually aired). The mock-up of the airliner in the series was so well built, that we (the cadets) all thought it was a new design! They taxied it for us, once we were let into the secret. It was able to move under it's own power by the use of a motorcycle engine in the cockpit, connected to the nose wheel by a hidden chain .

[cornershop15]

Luke's been away longer than me I notice (I think I might know the reason). Please come back. We never did find out the name of his famous actress wife.



As for The Plane Makers, I mentioned it only yesterday during my Room at the Top Special as the uncredited Sheila Raynor played a major character in this series. I'd be really interested in seeing the show but fear the worst I'm afraid.