Harlech Opening Night

Elizabeth and Richard were on hand to help celebrate the launch of Harlech TV—“a new television company for Wales and the West of England”—appearing in a one-hour “spectacular” called Harlech Opening Night. The Burtons were directors of Harlech TV, as well as its largest individual shareholders. It was a quick trip from London, where they were both filming separate movies at nearby Elstree Studios (Elizabeth was making Secret Ceremony, and Richard Where Eagles Dare), to Bristol to appear in the program.

“It will be a joint opening night for Wales and the West with all our stars twinkling,” teased Wynford Vaughan Thomas, Harlech’s Director of Programmes. “For an hour we’ll be able to send up the curtain with a real sky-rocket.”

An article published ahead of the program promised that the Burtons “will talk frankly and informally to John Morgan, who has been a personal friend for many years. They will discuss the contribution they hope to make to television in Wales and the West. Richard Burton has already announced that he will appear early next year in a production of the Gwyn Thomas play, The Keep, and Elizabeth Taylor will be the subject of an in-depth profile by John Morgan, also for screening next year.

“They will also give viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of some of their memorable screen partnerships, notably The Taming Of The Shrew and Doctor Faustus.” (While neither The Keep nor the profile of Elizabeth by John Morgan panned out, the Burtons’ 1973 TV film, Divorce His – Divorce Hers, was for Harlech.)

Other stars twinkling that evening were Bruce Forsyth, Harry Secombe, Stanley Baker, Julie Wilson, Osian Ellis, Aleta Morrison, Geraint Evans, and Joan Diener. “Music for Opening Night [was] provided by the 60-strong Clifton Concert Orchestra, specially formed for the show, and conducted by Stanley Black, with special guest conductors Geraldo and Brian Balkwill.” The show was written by Eric Merriman and Jimmy Grafton, and produced and directed by Milo Lewis.

Earlier that day, flashbulbs exploded as Elizabeth showed off her new 33.19 carat, Asscher cut Krupp diamond ring, which had just been delivered. Richard was the ring’s high bidder when it was auctioned in New York just three days earlier.