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HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: HAMLET {MAURICE EVANS} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of dramas presented by Hallmark. Sarah Churchill hosts this interpretation of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, which is the first feature-length Shakespearean drama presented on American television. After a brief background on Shakespeare's life, the story begins as Prince Hamlet mourns the sudden death of his father and Claudius, having recently married Queen Gertrude, greets his new subjects and feigns sadness about the former king's demise. Gertrude and Claudius urge Hamlet to dispense with his "unmanly grief" and to stay in Denmark, rather than returning to university in Wittenberg. Hamlet broods privately about his mother's decision to marry her husband's brother not two months after his death, and his good friend Horatio soon arrives to tell him that his father's silent ghost has recently been spotted in the castle. Elsewhere, Polonius advises his hot-headed son Laertes about his demeanor and then talks with his daughter Ophelia about Hamlet's odd behavior towards her, suggesting that she disregard his apparent interest and eschew contact with him.

Late at night, the watchmen spot the former king's ghost again, and when Hamlet follows the ghost's beckoning, he is horrified to learn that his father was in fact murdered by his brother Claudius. The ghost urges him to seek revenge, though adds that he should spare his mother further pain, and Hamlet asks the guards not to speak of the incident, saying he will soon adopt an "antic disposition" on which they are not to comment. Claudius appeals to Hamlet's friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about his "transformations," and they agree to help uncover the meaning behind his actions. Polonius, however, explains that Hamlet is mad for love of Ophelia, displaying one of his letters as proof. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern happily greet their friend, though Hamlet is immediately suspicious, and they soon admit that they were sent to him by the king and queen. Hamlet muses about how he has "lost all his mirth" despite the wonders of the world, but adds that he is only pretending to be mad for his own purposes. A group of actors arrive, and Hamlet requests that they perform "The Murder of Gonzago," containing some choices lines written by him. He privately worries that his actions are cowardly and wonders if the ghost was not in fact the devil sent to trick him, but then resolves to watch the king during the play and see how he reacts to the story, which parallels his own murder of his brother, in order to determine his guilt.

After an intermission, Claudius and Gertrude spy on Hamlet and Ophelia's interaction to judge the prince's madness. Ophelia attempts to return Hamlet's letters, and he rants at her angrily and orders her to a nunnery, which devastates her. Claudius speculates that he is not mad for love after all, and considers sending him away to England. Hamlet ponders the worth of life and death and "the dread of something after," then telling Horatio about his plot and asking him to watch the king's reaction to the play as well. At the performance, Hamlet makes bawdy comments to Ophelia and closely observes his mother and stepfather's feelings about the story onstage. When the actors recreate Claudius' murder of his brother through poison, the king grows upset and quickly leaves, and Hamlet is convinced of the ghost's honesty. A fretful Claudius goes to the chapel, and Hamlet decides not to kill him while he is at prayer, worried that doing so would send him straight to Heaven. Gertrude confronts her son about his offense of "his father," and he reacts furiously and accidentally kills a hidden Polonius, believing him to be an eavesdropping Claudius. Hamlet rants at his mother for her actions and is again visited by the ghost, and Gertrude believes him increasingly mad, as she is unable to see the specter. He leaves, and Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern after him, but he mockingly refuses to divulge the whereabouts of Polonius' body, knowing that his friends are really the king's "sponges." Glad of an excuse to be rid of him, Claudius banishes Hamlet to England for the murder, privately hoping that Hamlet will meet his death abroad.

Four months later, Ophelia has descended into madness from the "poison of deep grief" over her father. Claudius is disturbed to receive a letter from Hamlet announcing his return, and Hamlet tells Horatio how he survived by sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths instead. Later, Ophelia drowns herself, and at the funeral, a distraught Laertes attacks Hamlet, who declares that he loved her deeply after all. Claudius suggests to Laertes that he should seek revenge on Hamlet, and they plot to kill him with a toxin-infused foil during a fencing match, planning to also poison his drink as a back-up. Before the match, Hamlet apologizes to Laertes, and the king drops a "pearl" into Hamlet's beverage. Gertrude accidentally drinks it, however, and though Laertes stabs Hamlet with the poisoned blade, Hamlet wrests it away from him and fatally injures him as well. Gertrude dies from the drink, and Laertes reveals Claudius' treachery, causing Hamlet to kill him. With his dying breath, Hamlet asks Horatio to tell his sad story, and a heartbroken Horatio arranges for Hamlet to have an honorable soldier's funeral. Churchill closes the program by previewing other stories and characters soon to appear in the series. Includes Hallmark commercials.

("Hallmark Hall of Fame" aired on NBC from 1952 to 1978; network affiliation varies after 1978.)

(Beginning with the live telecast of the opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" on December 24, 1951, Hallmark has sponsored a series of dramatic specials which since 1952 have been titled "Hallmark Hall of Fame." From 1952 to 1955 Hallmark also presented "Hallmark Hall of Fame," a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by Sarah Churchill. The first program, "Dr. Serocold," was televised in January 1952 under the title "Hallmark Television Theatre." This series also ran under the title "Hallmark Summer Theatre" in July and August 1952.)

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: April 26, 1953 3:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:52:11
  • COLOR/B&W: B&W
  • CATALOG ID: T:31285
  • GENRE: Drama
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Theater; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 - Radio and television plays
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1951-1978
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Hallmark May Day baskets
    • TV - Commercials - Hallmark greeting cards
    • TV - Promos - "Hallmark Hall of Fame"

CREDITS

  • Albert McCleery … Executive Producer, Director
  • Emmett Rogers … Associate Producer
  • William Shakespeare … Writer
  • Mildred Freed Alberg … Adapted by
  • Tom Hughes Sand … Adapted by
  • Roger Adams … Music by
  • William Brooks … Conductor
  • Sarah Churchill … Host
  • Lee Vines … Announcer
  • Maurice Evans … Cast, Hamlet
  • Ruth Chatterton … Cast, Queen Gertrude
  • Joseph Schildkraut … Cast, King Claudius
  • Sarah Churchill … Cast, Ophelia
  • Barry Jones … Cast, Polonius
  • Wesley Addy … Cast, Horatio
  • William Smithers … Cast, Laertes
  • Malcolm Keen … Cast, Ghost
  • Alan Shayne … Cast
  • Winston Ross … Cast
  • Chester Stratton … Cast
  • Francis Bethencourt … Cast
  • Noel Leslie … Cast
  • Neva Patterson … Cast
  • Norman Barrs … Cast
  • Tom Hughes … Cast
  • Ken Raymond … Cast