Richard Burton's Hamlet was an excellent interpretation of this lead title role shown on a unique "Electronovision"
black and white video '
big screen' at certain theaters. It was the brainstorm of H. William "Bill" Sargent, Jr., who died in 2003, and this was his first use of this video taped presentation. He followed it in 1966 with
Stop the World, I Want to Get Off and
Give 'em Hell, Harry, with James Whitmore portrayng Harry S. Truman, in 1975. This 1964 presentation of William Shakespeare's masterpiece directed by John Gilgud, was shot with actors in plain modern clothes working on a chiaroscaro lit nearly empty stage. It was filmed as if during rehearsal, and in front of a live audience at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
Burton's voice boomed and growled and whined like no other Shakespearean actor before him. He stretched out his words in the soloquies so deliberate, and so powerful, he made it come to life, even without the usual costumes and props.
Cast:
Hamlet -- Richard Burton
Polonius -- Hume Cronyn
Claudius -- Alfred Drake
Gertrude -- Eileen Herlie
Guildenstern -- William Redfield
First Gravedigger -- George Rose
Player King -- George Voskovec
Rest of cast alphabetically:
Cornelius / Second Gravedigger / English Ambassador -- Hugh Alexander
Voltimand -- Philip Coolidge
Player Queen -- Christopher Culkin
Laertes -- John Cullum
Francisco / Fortinbras -- Michael Ebert
Reynaldo / Osric / Fortinbras's Captain -- Dillon Evans
Rosencrantz -- Clement Fowler
Lucianus -- Geoff Garland
Ghost (voice) -- John Gielgud
Player Prologue -- John Hetherington
Marcellus / Priest -- Barnard Hughes
Ophelia -- Linda Marsh
Horatio -- Robert Milli
Bernardo -- Frederick Young
Lady (uncredited) -- Kate Beswick
Messenger (uncredited) -- Alex Giannini
Lord (uncredited )-- Claude Harz
Attendant (uncredited) -- Gerome Ragni
Gentleman (uncredited) -- Richard Sterne
Lady (uncredited) -- Carol Teitel
Produced:
Stage production -- Alexander H. Cohen
Producer -- Alfred W. Crown
Producer -- John Heyman
executive producer -- William Sargent Jr.
Cinematography:
Bill Colleran
Film Editing:
Bruce B. Pierce
Production Design:
Ben Edwards
Costume Design:
Jane Greenwood
Sound Department
sound editor -- James Fritch
Camera and Electrical Department
gaffer -- Nobby Cross
lighting designer (stage production) -- Jean Rosenthal
Other crew
presenter -- Alexander H. Cohen
stage director -- John Gielgud