Drama Always on Sunday was seen as part of the BBC arts “Umbrella” strand Monitor. This early Ken Russell biopic profiles the life of French Painter Henri ‘Douanier’ Rousseau (1844-1910) (James Lloyd) who was generally considered to be ahead of his time.
The production, which whilst not Russell’s first such piece, was his first fully dramatised one, is also known as Henri Rousseau: Sunday Painter (because of the fact that Rousseau had a full time job). Oliver Reed, the Russell favourite, provides the narration.
Cast: James Lloyd as Henri Rousseau; Annette Robertson as Alfred Jarry; Bryan Pringle as Pere Ubu; Jacqueline Cooke as Mere Ubu; Roland MacLeod as Apollinaire; Isa Teller as Josephine
Writers: Ken Russell and Melvyn Bragg / Producer and Director: Ken Russell
UK / BBC Two / 1×45 minutes / Broadcast 29 June 1965 black and white
