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Click here for the start music - (mp3 file Mb)

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A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1905 - LWT 1987

In 1987 London Weekend Television produced one of the finest children's dramas to appear on British television or that period. A Little Princess was first published as a book in 1905 by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Several films including one starring Shirley Temple soon followed but the LWT version adapted by Jeremy Burnham is by far the best capturing the acting & screen play adaptation of the BBC at its finest.

The first version of "A Little Princess" appeared in 1951 and was made in black & white and broadcast by the BBC and produced by Naoimi Capon. It had the episodes entitled "Sara arrives at Miss Minchin's"; "The Attic"; "The Indian Gentleman"; The Party"; The Transformation"; & "Sara leaves Miss Minchins." The story was broadcast on a Tuesday 06th November 1951 to 11th December 1951. It starred Patricia Fryer as Sara, Helen Stirling as Miss Minchin, Mary Lincoln as Miss Amelia, David Aylmer as Captain Crewe & John Southgate as Mr. Carrisford.

Another black & white version of the story again made by the BBC appeared in 1957 called "Sara Crewe." This time the production starred Carol Wolveridge as Sara, Rosamund Greenwood as Miss Amelia, David Aylmer as Captain Crewe, Julie Desmond as Lavinia & Peggy Livesey as Miss Minchin. It was broadcast on a Tuesday 30th April 1957 to 04th June 1957. Sara Crewe was adapted by Penelope Know, Designed by Gordon Roland & again produced by Naoimi Capon.

In 1973, the BBC made a colour version called "A Little Princess" starring Deborah Makepeace as Sara, Ruth Dunning as Miss Minchin, Margery Withers as Miss Amelia, Donald Pickering as Captain Crewe and Alison Glennie as Lavinia. This story was dramatised by Jeremy Paul; Script Editor was Alistair Bell; Incidental music was by Dudley Simpson; Designer was Christine Ruscoe; Producer was John McRae & the Director was Derek Martinus.

The LWT 1987 version, helped by a strong cast starring Amelia Shankley (as the soon to be orphan Sara), Maureen Lipman (as the nasty Miss Minchin) and Nigel Havers (Mr. Carrisford - friend of the late Captain Crewe), "A Little Princess" has been a favourite for many years and is still watched by today's generation of children. It was broadcast on a Sunday 18th January 1987 to 22nd February 1987.

Whoever says that the fall of children's television drama is the result of a lack of desire to watch serialised stories is completely wrong. I permitted my children to watch one episode a week and they could not wait for the next part of the story. Good scripts, great acting and a brilliant story more than eclipse CGI, animation, fancy locations and special effects.

Main Characters

The Story in Six Parts

A Little Princess - Main Page
	Part One	Part Two	Part Three
	Part Four	Part Five	Part Six

Credits