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Season 1, Episode 3
Smiley plans to visit old friends after discovering Vladimir quarrelled with his postman Toby Esterhase. Dramatisation of John le Carré's spy novel, starring Alec Guinness, First broadcast in 1982
subtitles
Espionage
Literary Adaptation
Movie/Drama
Cast & Crew
Alec Guinness
(Actor)
.. George Smiley
Mario Adorf
(Actor)
.. Claus Kretzschmar
Eileen Atkins
(Actor)
.. Madame Ostrakova
Bernard Hepton
(Actor)
.. Toby Esterhase
Beryl Reid
(Actor)
.. Connie Sachs
Norma West
(Actor)
.. Hilary
Vass Anderson
(Actor)
.. Mr Carson
Andy Bradford
(Actor)
.. Ferguson
Germaine Delbat
(Actor)
.. Madame La Pierre
Jacques Maury
(Actor)
.. Sergei
John Hopkins
(Writer)
Simon Langton
(Director)
More Information
Did You Know..
Alec Guinness
(Actor)
.. George Smiley
Mario Adorf
(Actor)
.. Claus Kretzschmar
Eileen Atkins
(Actor)
.. Madame Ostrakova
Best Known For:
Co-creating Upstairs, Downstairs.
Early-life:
Eileen June Atkins was born on June 16, 1934, in Clapton, east London. She has two older siblings. At the time of her birth, Eileen's mother was 46 and working as a barmaid; her father was a gas meter reader. A fortune teller told her mother that little Eileen would one day be a famous dancer, so she was immediately enrolled in lessons - which she hated. However, during the Second World War, she did perform professionally. After failing to get into Rada, Eileen completed a three-year teaching course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Career:
Atkins' post-Guildhall career began on the stage, but for nine years she struggled to gain decent roles. She's now one of the theatre's most in-demand actresses, having appeared in numerous acclaimed productions. On TV she has appeared in the likes of Smiley's People, Cold Comfort Farm, Wit, Bertie and Elizabeth, Psychoville and Cranford, as well as co-creating (with Jean Marsh) both The House of Eliott and Upstairs Downstairs (she appeared in the latter when it returned to TV in 2010). Her films include Gosford Park, Cold Mountain and Robin Hood. She was made a Dame in 2001.
Quote:
"All through my career I have tried to do new work, but there is a problem in the West End as far as new work is concerned. As a theatregoer, I get bored with seeing the same old plays again and again."
Trivia:
Atkins was married for nine years to actor Julian Glover; she wed Bill Shepherd in 1978. She also claims that Colin Farrell propositioned her shortly before she turned 70.
Bernard Hepton
(Actor)
.. Toby Esterhase
Beryl Reid
(Actor)
.. Connie Sachs
Born:
June 17, 1919
in
Hereford
Best Known For:
The Killing of Sister George, and a string of comedy roles on TV.
Early-life:
Beryl Elizabeth Reid was born in Hereford on June 17, 1919. She grew up in Manchester and an early foray into acting was in a revue in a summer season in Bridlington. Despite having no formal training, she joined the National Theatre in London as a comedy actress.
Career:
Reid's big break came on radio when she played naughty schoolgirl Monica in Educating Archie. Comedy roles followed in a number of TV programmes, including The Benny Hill Show, Bold as Brass, Beryl Reid Says Good Evening, Alcock and Gander, and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4. Heavily in-demand, she made countless one-off guest appearances in the likes of Cracker, Boon, Bergerac, Minder, Worzel Gummidge, Agony, and The Goodies. Away from comedy, she won a Tony award on Broadway for playing the lead in The Killing of Sister George, a role she recreated in the film version. She won a lifetime achievement award at The British Comedy Awards in 1991. She died on October 13, 1996, at the age of 77.
Quote:
"Comedy is the longest apprenticeship in the world".
Trivia:
In her later years, Reid lived in a cottage made up of circular rooms on the banks of the Thames in Berkshire.
Norma West
(Actor)
.. Hilary
Vass Anderson
(Actor)
.. Mr Carson
Andy Bradford
(Actor)
.. Ferguson
Germaine Delbat
(Actor)
.. Madame La Pierre
Jacques Maury
(Actor)
.. Sergei
(Writer)
John Hopkins
(Writer)
Simon Langton
(Director)
