Audiobooks narrated by Carleton Hobbs

Hilda Tablet: The Complete Plays: Seven Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy Dramas

"A series of vintage mockumentaries about fictional experimental composer Hilda Tablet Written by poet Henry Reed and first broadcast on the Third Programme between 1953 and 1959, these spoof radio plays follow his alter ego, fictional biographer Herbert Reeve, as he goes in search of the truth about his hero, the equally fictional novelist Richard Shewin. But he is led down the garden path by Shewin’s friends and relatives, who would much rather talk about themselves than the great man. And when Reeve’s scholarly research leads him to the gifted avant-garde composeress Hilda Tablet, he finds himself inescapably enmeshed in her world of wild eccentricity... A Very Great Man Indeed sees Reeve trying to extract information about the late Richard Shewin from a variety of oddball interviewees, including Shewin’s brother, Stephen; fellow author T. H. Powers and the formidable Miss Tablet. In The Private Life of Hilda Tablet, he is persuaded to write the biography of the ‘lady music writer’, renowned for her groundbreaking ‘musique concrète renforcée' (or ‘music for reinforced concrete’). Luckily, it need not be lengthy – ‘not more than twelve volumes’. Emily Butter recalls the Covent Garden premiere of Hilda Tablet’s opera, an all-female parody of Billy Budd set in a department store. A Hedge, Backwards centres around the posthumous production of Richard Shewin's only play. In The Primal Scene, as it were…, Hilda and her companions are transported (on a millionaire’s yacht) to the isles of Greece; and General Gland establishes himself as a major figure in her entourage. Not a Drum Was Heard finds the General recounting his war memoirs to the BBC – and inadvertently revealing his less-than-heroic record. Finally, Musique Discrète is a request programme of music by Dame Hilda Tablet, celebrating her appearance in the Honours List and revolving around her long and celebrated career. Starring Hugh Burden as Herbert Reeve, Mary O’Farrell as Hilda Tablet, Carleton Hobbs as Stephen Shewin and Deryck Guyler as General Gland, this sparkling seven-part saga features a host of well-known actors including Marjorie Westbury, Gwen Cherrell, Norman Shelley and Dennis Quilley, and music composed by Donald Swann. NB: Due to their age, these recordings contain some dated attitudes and language. Production credits Written by Henry Reed Produced by Douglas Cleverdon Music by Donald Swann © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Henry Reed (Author), Carleton Hobbs, Deryck Gyler, Full Cast, Hugh Burden, Mary O'Farrell (Narrator)

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Humour and Madness: Early Restoration Comedies: Nine BBC Radio Full Cast Productions including The R

"A sparkling collection of nine witty full-cast comedies from the early Restoration era Raunchy, risqué and rebellious, early Restoration comedies were a breath of fresh air for 17th century theatregoers. With Charles II restored to the throne in 1660, Oliver Cromwell's ban on stage performances was rescinded, and for the first time, women were invited to tread the boards as actresses. Playwrights developed a new style of social comedy, packed with amorous escapades, bawdy humour, wicked wit and sexual innuendo. This scintillating anthology showcases six leading lights of early Restoration drama, beginning with George Etherege, the creator of the 'comedy of manners': The Man of Mode, an irreverent portrait of the fops and libertines that populated London's beau monde; and She Wou'd If She Cou'd, a racy, fast-paced romp mocking society's double standards for men and women. Among the casts are Derek Jacobi, Anna Massey, Ian Richardson, Prunella Scales and Hattie Jacques. Also poking fun at hypocrisy and immorality was William Wycherley. However, his comedies were considered far more daring - especially The Country Wife, which was judged too obscene to be staged in its original form for over 200 years. Centred around a notorious rake who resorts to deception to pursue a naïve married woman, this effervescent BBC radio dramatisation stars Jonathan Pryce and Maggie Smith. Male playwrights were not the only ones penning scandalous dramas during this period. Aphra Behn, Britain's first professional female writer, was a poet, spy and the most prolific playwright of the 1670s and '80s. Her sex comedy The Rover, featured here, revolves around love, lust, intrigue and mistaken identity, and stars Julia Ford, Suzan Sylvester and Juliet Aubrey. England's first Poet Laureate, John Dryden, dominated Restoration literature to such an extent that it came to be known as the Age of Dryden. His 1677 play All For Love, a powerful reworking of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, is regarded as his finest work. John Turner and Barbara Jefford star in this heroic tragedy. A rival of Dryden, Edward Ravenscroft was the first British playwright to introduce characters from the 'commedia dell' arte' into his farces. His seminal comedy The London Cuckolds, featuring three ridiculous husbands, three beautiful wives, and one dissolute young cad, was hugely popular, and this BBC adaptation retains all the original's ribald wit. It stars Carleton Hobbs, Norman Shelley and Madi Hedd. Thomas Otway achieved his greatest success in the last five years of his life. Three of his acclaimed works appear here: his 1683 comedy The Soldier's Fortune and its sequel The Atheist, focussing on disbanded army officers looking for sex and money, and his masterpiece Venice Preserved, a dark political thriller about power, revolution, love and betrayal. The ensemble casts feature Dennis Quilley, John Rowe, Michael Turner and Donald Wolfit. Content list The Man of Mode First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27 Jun 1986 She Wou'd If She Cou'd First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 6 Sep 1968 The Country Wife First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 22 Dec 1985 The Rover First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 22 Jan 1995 All For Love First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 7 Jul 1983 The London Cuckolds First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 30 Dec 1974 The Soldier's Fortune First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 24 May 1981 The Atheist First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 31 May 1981 Venice Preserved First broadcast BBC Third Programme, 10 Aug 1960 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Aphra Behn, Edward Ravenscroft, George Etherege, John Dryden, Thomas Otway, William Wycherley (Author), Anna Massey, Carleton Hobbs, Denys Hawthorne, Derek Jacobi, Frances Jeater, Full Cast, Harriet Walters, Jonathan Pryce, Maggie Smith, Prunella Scales (Narrator)

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Sherlock Holmes: The Carleton Hobbs Collection: 55 Full-Cast BBC Dramatisations

"A comprehensive collection of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley - plus bonus documentary. Legendary actor Carleton Hobbs played the great Baker Street detective for over 17 years between 1952 and 1969, alongside Norman Shelley as Holmes's friend and companion Dr Watson. Their superb incarnations of the crime-fighting duo were exceptionally popular and are now wonderfully nostalgic. This unique collection contains the existing Sherlock Holmes dramas in chronological order of publication, each a faithful, standalone adaptation of the original tale. Of the 56 short stories in the canon, 51 are included here ('The Adventure of the Yellow Face', 'The Adventure of the Gloria Scott', 'The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger' and 'The Adventure of the Creeping Man' were never made, and 'The Adventure of the Three Students' is missing from the BBC archives). Also featured are dramatisations of the four novels: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear. Among the star casts are Grizelda Hervey, Humphrey Morton, Gudrun Ure, Sylvia Coleridge and Rolf Lefebvre. Concluding our collection is a fascinating 40-minute programme, Chosen Companions: Sherlock Holmes, in which Richard Usborne, one-time assistant editor of The Strand Magazine, selects his favourite extracts from the books (read by Carleton Hobbs) to weave together the story of Sherlock Holmes' development. NB: Due to the age and nature of some of the recordings, the sound quality may vary. Credits Written by Arthur Conan Doyle Dramatised by Michael Hardwick and Felix Felton Produced by Norman Wright, Val Gielgud, Martyn C Webster, Graham Gauld, Frederick Bradnum and Robin Midgley With thanks to Keith Wickham. First broadcast on BBC Light Programme/BBC Radio 2 12 May 1959 - 10 July 1969 Contents A Study in Scarlet The Sign of the Four The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia - The Red-Headed League - A Case of Identity - The Boscombe Valley Mystery - The Five Orange Pips - The Man with the Twisted Lip - The Blue Carbuncle - The Speckled Band - The Engineer's Thumb - The Noble Bachelor - The Beryl Coronet - The Copper Beeches The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - Silver Blaze - The Cardboard Box - The Stockbroker's Clerk - The Musgrave Ritual - The Reigate Squires - The Crooked Man - The Resident Patient - The Greek Interpreter - The Naval Treaty - The Final Problem The Hound of the Baskervilles The Return of Sherlock Holmes - The Empty House - The Norwood Builder - The Dancing Men - The Solitary Cyclist - The Priory School - Black Peter - Charles Augustus Milverton - The Six Napoleons - The Golden Pince-Nez - The Missing Three-Quarter - The Abbey Grange - The Second Stain His Last Bow - Wisteria Lodge - The Red Circle - The Bruce-Partington Plans - The Dying Detective - The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax - The Devil's Foot - His Last Bow The Valley of Fear The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes - The Illustrious Client - The Blanched Soldier - The Mazarin Stone - The Three Gables - The Sussex Vampire - The Three Garridebs - The Problem of Thor Bridge - The Lion's Mane - Shoscombe Old Place - The Retired Colourman Chosen Companions: Sherlock Holmes Presented by Richard Usborne Reader: Carleton Hobbs Produced by Richard Keen First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 August 1970 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Carleton Hobbs, Full Cast, Norman Shelley (Narrator)

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Terence Rattigan: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: 13 full-cast productions: The Winslow Boy, The Brown

"13 of the finest works by the world-renowned playwright, as heard on BBC radio Sir Terence Rattigan was one of Britain's greatest playwrights, renowned for his well-crafted dramas of upper-class manners and repressed sexuality. He was hugely popular throughout the 1940s and early 50s, and had the rare distinction of having plays running in three West End theatres simultaneously. Having fallen out of fashion in the Sixties, his work is now enjoying a huge revival. Included here are some of his most esteemed plays, adapted for radio and brought together in chronological order in one statement collection. We begin with the sparkling comedy French Without Tears, introduced by the author himself. Next is one of his most famous plays, The Winslow Boy, the moving story of an innocent boy accused of theft. The Browning Version features a teacher overwhelmed by a schoolboy's unexpected gift, Adventure Story tells the dramatic tale of Alexander the Great, and The Final Test, adapted from Rattigan's 1951 television play, tells the comic story of a veteran cricketer's son who prefers music and poetry to cricket. The Deep Blue Sea centres around the troubled relationship of Hester and Freddie, who need each other, but are worlds apart. In Separate Tables, a radio version of the classic stage play set in the 1950s, a small group of residents at a Bournemouth hotel discover one of them harbours a devastating secret. Variation on a Theme is a reworking of Alexander Dumas' classic 19th-century novel La Dame aux Camélias, Ross explores the enigmatic life of T.E. Lawrence and Man and Boy focuses on a fraudulent financier who, with his worldwide empire facing collapse, flees to the New York apartment of his estranged son. Also featured are A Bequest to the Nation, a dramatised account of the Battle of Trafalgar and Lord Nelson's affair with Emma Hamilton, and In Praise of Love, inspired by the relationship between Rattigan's friend, the actor Rex Harrison, and his wife Kay Kendall. Last up is Rattigan's final play, Cause Célèbre, based on the story of Alma Rattenbury, who went on trial with her teenage lover for the murder of her husband. And in two bonus documentaries, Kaleidoscope: Terence Rattigan and Conversations with Terence Rattigan, the great author discusses his life, work and influence. Among the array of stars in these enthralling dramas are John Gielgud, Alan Bates, Diana Dors, Siân Phillips, Anna Massey, Amanda Root, Peter Sallis, Michael Williams, Saeed Jaffrey and Carleton Hobbs. NB: This collection contains language that reflects the attitudes of the era in which the plays were written Production credits Written by Terence Rattigan First published in 1936 (French without Tears), 1942 (While the Sun Shines),1946 (The Winslow Boy), 1948 (The Browning Version), 1949 (Adventure Story), 1951 (The Final Test), 1952 (The Deep Blue Sea), 1954 (Separate Tables), 1958 (Variation on a Theme), 1960 (Ross), 1963 (Man and Boy), 1970 (A Bequest to the Nation), 1973 (In Praise of Love), 1977 (Cause Célèbre) Contents List · French Without Tears Introduction by Terence Rattigan · The Winslow Boy · The Browning Version · Adventure Story · The Final Test · Deep Blue Sea · Separate Tables · Variation on a Theme · Ross · Man and Boy · A Bequest to the Nation · In Praise of Love · Cause Célèbre · Kaleidoscope: Terence Rattigan Presented by Christopher Matthew with Terence Rattigan · Conversations with Terence Rattigan ©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Terence Rattigan (Author), Alan Bates, Angela Baddeley, Anthony Quayle, Benjamin Whitrow, Carleton Hobbs, Full Cast, John Sir Gielgud, Michael Aldridge, Michael Bryant, Siân Phillips (Narrator)

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Henry VI, Pt.1

"William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. ‘No, no, I am but shadow of myself: You are deceived, my substance is not here.’ Henry VI Part I is part of Shakespeare’s trilogy centred on the Wars of the Roses. After Henry V's death and while Henry VI is young, nobles rule England and fight the French, including Joan of Arc. As Henry VI becomes King, the noble houses begin to divide and take sides between York and Lancaster. The war with France winds down, and the nobles try to find Henry a wife and disagree about who Henry chooses. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. The full cast includes: Richard Marquand; David King; Carleton Hobbs; Terrence Hardiman; Denis McCarthy; Roger Croucher; Peter Orr; Frank Duncan; John Tydeman; Gary Watson; William Devlin; Gordon Gardner; Cyril Luckham; John Nettleton; John Shrapnel; Raymond Clark; Brian Batchelor; David Rowe-Beddoe; Anthony Arlidge; Bob Jones; Patrick Garland; Clinton Baddele; John Hopkins; John Tracy-Phillips; David Buck; John Bartom; Ronald Grey; Mary Morris; Yvonne Bonnamy; Freda Dowie."

William Shakespeare (Author), Carleton Hobbs, David King, Full Cast, Richard Marquand, Terrence Hardiman (Narrator)

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Lost World, The (Classic Radio Sci-Fi)

"London, 1907; Journalist Edward Malone, rejected by the woman he loves because he is too prosaic, decides to go in search of adventure and fame to prove himself worthy of her. Soon after, he meets Professor George Challenger, a controversial scientist who claims to have discovered a 'lost world' populated by pterodactyls and other prehistoric monsters. At an inflammatory public lecture, an expedition is organised to find Challenger's rumoured world, and Malone volunteers to go along as a representative of the Gazette newspaper. His arrival in South America signals the start of an epic journey of discovery that is more shocking and amazing than he could ever have imagined..."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Carleton Hobbs, Francis De Wolff, Gerald Harper (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Carleton Hobbs