Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde (BBC-2 1980, David Hemmings, Lisa Harrow)

Period horror. In 1980 the BBC broadcast a feature length period adaptation of Stevenson’s proto horror classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, pulling out all the stops and persuading David Hemmings to take the lead in a rare TV role and very good he is too as the doctor who unleashes his dark side on Victorian society – with murderous and bloody consequences.

The story sees Dr Jekyll experimenting with ways to uncover the dark side and succeeding only too well, each successive time that he transforms himself into Hyde he finds that Hyde takes a deeper control until you are not sure who is going to survive the battle that is raging between the two of them.

Hemmings is marvelously decadent as Hyde and the production design is sumptuous. There are some great supporting performaces too, not least from the excellent Ian Bannen who is not as well remembered these days as he should be) and also a young Toyah Wilcox who at the time was trying to make more of a mark as an actress than as the punk singer she was best known for. There’s also a cameo from the gorgeous Diana Dors.

production details
UK / BBC-2 – ABC – Time Life / 1×108 minute episode / Broadcast 20 November 1980

Writer: Gerald Savory / Novel: Robert Louis Stevenson / Script Editor: Sally Head / Music: Dave Greenslade / Producer: Jonathan Powell / Director: Alastair Reid

cast
David Hemmings as Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Lisa Harrow as Ann Coggeshall
Ian Bannen as Oliver Utterson
Diana Dors as Kate Winterton
Clive Swift as Hastie Lanyon
Toyah Willcox as Janet
Roland Curram as Poole
Desmond Llewelyn as Sir Danvers Carew
Ben Aris as Inspector Newcomen
Gaye Brown as Diane
Sevilla Delofski as Fifi
Keith Hodiak as Kangeroo
Gretchen Franklin as Cook
Jane Slaughter as Gwen
Roger Davidson as Bradshaw
Anna Faye as Mary
Ashley Knight as Boy Prostitute
Candida Fawsitt as Whore
Antony Carrick as Prison Governor
Terry Downes as Prisoner
Richard Griggs as Policeman
Sheelah Wilcocks as Mrs Willoughby
Linda Spurrier as Poor Mother
Daniel Chamberlain as Sick Child
Kenteas Brine as Argyll Prostitute
Angela Catherall as Dollymop
Tim Calver as Argyll Pimp