Lost Empires
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Lost Empires | |
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Directed by | Alan Grint |
Starring | Colin Firth Laurence Olivier Pamela Stephenson |
Release date(s) | 24 October 1986 (UK) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Lost Empires is a 1986 television adaptation of J. B. Priestley's novel of the same name, and starred Colin Firth, John Castle and Laurence Olivier. It was shown as a miniseries, and premiered on UK TV in October 1986.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
A young man (Firth) joins a traveling show with his uncle. He is lured into the majestic quality of the magic show and is soon an important fixture at conjuring acts and disappearing acts. World War I is about to begin, however, and a disappearance of the act altogether becomes imminent.
The series has the second to last appearance of Olivier as a fading comedian named Harry Burrard, who has long since lost his audience of his comic abilities. Harry should have retired years before, however he has no where else to go and his brain is collapsing into paranoia. The role is a sort of older version of Olivier's Archie Rice, from The Entertainer (1960).
[edit] Cast
- Colin Firth as Richard Herncastle
- John Castle as Nick Ollanton
- Pamela Stephenson as Lilly Farris
- Laurence Olivier as Harry Burrard
[edit] Awards
The series was nominated for six Television BAFTA Awards including Best Costume Design, Best Make-up. In the US Olivier received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie [1].
[edit] Video and DVD
The series has been released on both VHS and DVD format.