Royal53-10-2504The Happy Hypocrite

By transcription. The National Broadcasting Company presents Sir Lawrence Olivier, your host in Theatre Royal. This is Lawrence Olivier.

Once again, it is my pleasure to introduce a good friend of mine from the theatre and the story that he's chosen for your entertainment. As many of you will already know, I am at this time preparing for its London presentation and you play.

But in a few weeks time, I shall myself have the pleasure of appearing for you each week in various roles. In time this week, I'm glad to tell you that my invitation has been accepted by an actor whose name will be familiar to you all, and who I am happy to count among my friends,

John Gielgood. His work in the theatre, both in London and New York, will of course be familiar to you, and many of you will have seen him in the recent Hollywood film production of Julius Caesar.

John has chosen a story which is among my own favourites, Max Beiberm's The Happy Hippocrates. I myself will be setting the scene for you, and so here now is John Gilgood in the role of Lord George Hell in Max Beiberm's Tale of England in Regency Days, The Happy Hippocrates.

Nam Mehta said, of all who reveled with the Regents, was half so wicked as Lord George Hell. I will not trouble my listeners with a long recital of his great naughtiness, but if a world they should know that he was greedy, destructive and disobedient.

I'm afraid there is no doubt that he ought to set up at Carlton House long after bedtime, playing at games, and that he generally ate and drank far more than would good for him. His fondness for fine clothes was such that he used to dress on weekdays quite as gorgeously as good people dress on Sunday.