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"**Present Laughter**"
"Present Laughter"
Play of the Week episode
Episode no.	Series 12; Episode 26
Directed by	Gordon Flemyng
Based on	Present Laughter; by Noël Coward
Original air date	28 February 1967
Running time	100 mins
Guest appearances
	Honor Blackman as Liz Essendine; Isla Blair as Daphne Stillington; William Dexter as Henry Lyppiatt; Edward Hardwicke as Morris Dixon; Sheila Keith as Miss Erikson; Avice Landone as Monica Reed; Marie Lohr as Lady Saltburn; Peter O'Toole as Garry Essendine; Tim Preece as Roland Maule; Tony Selby as Fred; Yolande Turner as Joanna Lyppiatt;

"Present Laughter" is a 1967 British television version of the play of the same name by Noël Coward. It aired as a Play of the Week. Peter O'Toole starred. It was a co-production between Associated Television and O'Toole's own company, Keep Films.^[1] It aired in the United States in 1968.^[2] It was O'Toole's first appearance on television after becoming a movie star and marked his debut on American television in a television drama.^[3]

Production

Coward, who originated the stage lead role, advised O'Toole "Don't try and copy me. Be yourself."^[1] Honor Blackman was offered the role of the seductress but asked to play the wife. She had a high-profile at the time due to her success in Goldfinger.^[4]

The play was one of four two-hour specials Lew Grade of ATV sold to American television in October 1966 for £2.5 million along with episodes of The Prisoner and The Saint. It was shot in colour.^[5]

Reception

The Leicester Mercury said "there was not a dull moment".^[6]

The show was broadcast in the United States as part of a series of specials on ABC. The Los Angeles Times called it "great fun and it played beautifully on TV. O'Toole was a delight."^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b Roberts, Diane (16 February 1967). "'Be yourself' said Noel to Peter O'Toole". Lincolnshire Echo. p. 6. Retrieved 20 September 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Kirkley, Donald (28 February 1968). "Look and Listen". The Baltimore Sun. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Sellers, Robert (2015). Peter O'Toole: The definitive biography. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. p. 395. ISBN 978-1-250-09594-7.
^ Baily, Kenneth (5 March 1967). "Why Honor said no to O'Toole". The People. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Greig, Ramsden (10 October 1966). "Lew Grade sells British TV shows for 7m dollars". The Evening Standard. p. 12.
^ "O'Toole showed superb flair in Coward play". Leicester Mercury. 1 March 1967. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
^ McMinn, Alenee (29 February 1968). "'Present Laughter' on ABC series". Los Angeles Times. p. 78.