Arena

1. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-10-01

Premiere. Ronald Eyre reviews what's going on in the theatre, Kenneth Tynan talks to Laurence Olivier about Lilian Baylis and The Old Vic, and a film about David Hockney's sets for The Rake's Progress.

2. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-10-08

George Melly looks at how they sold the 70's and a report on the opening of the Space Studios.

3. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-10-15

An interview with Howard Barker, author of 'Stripwell', and an extract from same; commentary by Kenneth Tynan; and an investigation of 'Birds of Paradise'.

4. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-10-22

Cartoonist Mel Caiman on the New Yorker magazine and its artists, Richard Hamilton at the Serpentine Gallery, and a new documentary exhibition from Jarrow.

5. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-10-29

Peter Hall talks about the history and new South Band location of the National Theater, where he is artistic director.

6. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-11-05

Features Observer critic William Feaver on Painting the End of the World, Bill Brandt's selection of landscape photography at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the best of science fiction illustration.

7. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-11-12

Extract from a contemporary play and Kenneth Tynan opines.

8. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-11-19

Shirley Conran is the guest columnist; fashion photographer Barry Lategan is filmed working; and Victorian painter Edward Burne-Jones' London exhibition.

9. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-11-26

Deborah Norton reviews British stage events, a play extract, and Kenneth Tynan opines about the theatre.

10. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-12-03

Guest columnist Terry Measham; a look into the work of painter and poet Charles Tomlinson.

11. Theatre

Air Date: 1975-12-10

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalia Makarova rehearse for a BBC New Year Gala Performance; Kenneth Tynan draws a portrait of Albert Finney.

12. Art and Design

Air Date: 1975-12-17

Filmmaker Roger Graef and journalist Simon Jenkins discuss the destruction of historical buildings, in light of a recent SAVE campaign report and the conclusion of the European Architectural Heritage Year.

13. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-01-07

Deborah Norton returns with reports, interviews and extracts from what is liveliest and best in the British theatrical scene.

14. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-01-14

15. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-01-21

Jonathan Miller introduces this week's look at what is most stimulating and enjoyable on the theatrical scene.

16. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-01-28

A look at American photographer Paul Strand and recent trends in British photography.

17. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-02-04

Arena goes to Scarborough for the British premiere of a new Alan Ayckbourn play "Just Between Ourselves".

18. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-02-11

Arena looks at aspects of community art and the work of painter Keith Grant, artist-in-residence at the New Charing Cross Hospital.

19. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-02-18

Claire Bloom and Kenneth Tynan discuss extracts from Samuel Beckett's 'Happy Days', George Bernard Shaw's 'Too True to be Good', and Tennessee Williams' 'Sweet Bird of Youth'.

20. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-02-25

Arena talks with Robert Janz and Dante Leonelli about incorporating time into sculpture.

21. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-03-03

Arena brings extracts from Paris' contemporary theatre season, including Frank Wedekind's 'Lulu' and Marguerite Duras' 'Days in the Tree', and an interview with Delphine Seyrig.

22. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-03-10

Arena presents the work of British and American video artists.

23. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-03-17

Barbara Jefford, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Kenneth Tynan Billie Whitelaw and many of the people behind the scenes say goodbye to the Old Vic building.

24. Art and Design

Air Date: 1976-03-24

Liverpool poet and painter Adrian Henry visits 'The Face of Merseyside'; Boyd and Evans use photographs as the basis of their explorations of everyday life.

25. Theatre: Happy Birthday Royal Court

Air Date: 1976-03-31

Alumni of the Royal Court celebrate its 20th anniversary.

26. Art and Design: Art for Money's Sake?

Air Date: 1976-04-07

Barrie Penrose investigates a multi-national art empire and the artists and methods that created it.

1. Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 1

Air Date: 1976-08-25

Features Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Galina Visnevskaya in the Scottish Opera's production of Macbeth, The Kantor Theatre Company from Poland, and Fenella Fielding in a late-night revue.

2. Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 2

Air Date: 1976-09-01

Features the La Mama Theatre Company from New York; Bunraku, traditional Japanese Puppet Theatre; a recital by Frederica Von Stade; and Judith Blegen as Susanna in 'The Marriage of Figaro'.

3. Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 3

Air Date: 1976-09-08

Writer Germaine Greer and her god-daughter Ruby take a look at a child's Edinburgh Festival and some of the fringe activities, including Gruppo Teatro Libero from Rome and Quentin Crisp.

4. Theatre: A Dream Come True

Air Date: 1976-09-15

A look at the opening of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

5. Robert Altman

Air Date: 1976-09-22

Gavin Miller interviews the director Robert Altman on "M*A*S*H", "Nashville", "Buffalo Bill and the Indians" and more.

6. Art and Design: After Samuel Palmer

Air Date: 1976-09-29

David Gould, the expert who discovered Tom Keating's Samuel Palmer imitations, shows the process of identifying and analyzing suspected pictures.

7. Frank Westmore

Air Date: 1976-10-06

Gavin Millar talks with Frank Westmore, whose family has dominated the make-up departments of American cinema for decades.

8. Theatre

Air Date: 1976-10-13

Peter Shaffer, writer of 'Equus', talks about his plays, his life and the theatre with an excerpt from the 1976 stage production of 'Equus'.

9. Cinema: Eric Rohmer

Air Date: 1976-10-20

Gavin Millar interviews director Eric Rohmer about 'Die Marquise von O', 'Claire's Knee' and 'Love in the Afternoon'.

10. Art and Design: The Illustrators: The Work of Mick Brownfield and Allan Manham/The Swish of the Curtain

Air Date: 1976-10-27

British illustrators Mick Brownfield and Allan Manham are documented working on their current projects; Artist Chris Orr probes the dreadful truth behind the net curtains of suburbia.

11. Don Siegel

Air Date: 1976-11-03

Don Siegel, director of 'The Shootist', 'Charley Varrick', 'Coogan's Bluff', 'Dirty Harry' and many other violent thrillers talks about the problems of the director who is typecast by his success in one specialized genre.

12. Theatre: The Cultural Common Market

Air Date: 1976-11-10

A look at Theatre National Populaire, one of France's leading theaters, and Patrice Chéreau's 'La Dispute' by Marivaux and Roger Planchon's 'Tartuffe', as well as scene's from Planchon's scenes from his Blues, Whites and Reds.

13. Cinema

Air Date: 1976-11-17

In light of the low proportion of British films in the 20th London Film Festival, Gavin Millar looks at what's wrong with the British film industry and distribution system.

14. Art and Design: Sculpture for the Blind/Linda Benedict-Jones/James Boswell

Air Date: 1976-11-24

Sculpture for the Blind - a special Tate Gallery exhibition; Linda Benedict-Jones, photographer; James Boswell - a revival of his war pictures.

15. Cinema

Air Date: 1976-12-01

Arena speaks with Spanish directors at the Madrid premiere of 'The Long Vacation of 36'.

16. Theatre: Brecht in Newcastle

Air Date: 1976-12-08

20th anniversary tribute to Bertolt Brecht at Newcastle's University Theatre with scenes from 'The Good Woman of Setzuan' and prose, poetry and music.

17. Cinema: Christmas Special

Air Date: 1976-12-15

A look at the Disney exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum; an interview with 'The Ritz' director Dick Lester and actress Rita Moreno; an excerpt from Buster Keaton's 'Spite Marriage'; and the results of the Titles Competition.

18. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-01-05

Gavin Millar talks to Mel Brooks just before the London release of 'Silent Movie'.

19. Art and Design: Sam Smith: Genuine England/Arena Review

Air Date: 1977-01-12

An introduction to the magical world of wood-sculptor Sam Smith, plus a look at one of this month's major exhibitions.

20. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-01-19

Gavin Miller talks to director Martin Ritt, writer Walter Bernstein, and actors Woody Allen and Zero Mostel about 'The Front'

21. Theatre: Spokesong/At Home with Mole

Air Date: 1977-01-26

An interview with Stewart Parker about his new musical 'Spokesong' with excerpt; a profile of 81 year old actor Richard Goolden with scenes from 'Toad of Toad Hall' and Tom Stoppard's 'Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land'.

22. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-02-02

23. Art and Design: Ralph Steadman

Air Date: 1977-02-09

Ralph Steadman illustrates a children's anti-war story, caricatures at his local pub, and speaks about his drawing techniques and his work, including Alice, and impressions of the Patty Hearst trial and the Watergate hearings.

24. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-02-16

Gavin Miller discusses 'Network' with director Sidney Lumet and Robert Kee; Alberto Cavalcanti talks about his film career on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

25. Theatre: The Cultural Common Market: Peter Stein and the Schaubuhne

Air Date: 1977-02-23

Peter Stein, director of Die Schaubuhne theatre co-operative, comes to London with his Shakespeare Project. Includes extracts from 'Summerfolk' and 'Shakespeare's Memory'.

26. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-03-02

Gavin Millar talks to New Yorker critic Pauline Kael about Costa-Gavras' 'Z' and 'Section Speciale', along with her passion for the movies and how she wields her power.

27. Art and Design: What Is a Hologram?/Kit Williams - Ring Around the Moon

Air Date: 1977-03-09

Arena investigates holograms and their potential in the arts; artist Kit Williams' vivid folklore paintings.

28. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-03-16

On the occasion of the release of the third film version of 'A Star is Born', James Mason talks about the curious business of stardom and how it has changed.

29. Theatre: A Night Out

Air Date: 1977-03-23

Arena visits three theatres - the Mercury Theater in Colchester, the Humberside Theatre in Hull, and the Duke's Playhouse in Lancaster - to find out what they are doing, how they are doing it and why they think they should go on doing it.

30. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-03-30

A look at Ealing Studios, including excerpts of many of their popular films.

31. Art and Design: Family Pieces/Both Sides of the Line/The Divine and the Fantastic

Air Date: 1977-04-06

Portrait painter Philip Sutton; Helmut Weissenborn, a German WWI soldier who illustrated with wood engravings the war diary of Edward Thomas, an English poet who died in WWI; and Gothic art in Cologne.

32. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-04-13

In a special edition from Rome, Gavin Millar interviews Bernardo Bertolucci, director of 'Last Tango in Paris' and '1900', and Gore Vidal on Hollywood and 'Cinecitta'.

33. Theatre: The Prospect Before Us

Air Date: 1977-04-20

Prospect Theatre Company reopens the Old Vic. Includes rehearsal footage from 'St Joan', 'Hamlet', 'Antony and Cleopatra', and 'War Music', a new musical adaptation of 'The Iliad' by Christopher Logue.

34. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-04-27

Gavin Millar talks to director Bernardo Berolucci in Rome about '1900', his new five and a half hour film, as well as his earlier work.

35. Art and Design: The Continuous Diary/Dine's Drawings

Air Date: 1977-05-04

The artist Ian Breakwall gave up painting for the art of a daily diary; Jim Dine explains why he returned from pop art to drawing the human figure.

36. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-05-11

Arena looks at erotic films, including 'Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus', 'Hardcore', and 'Come Play With Me'.

37. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-05-25

An interview with Sophia Loren on the occasion of the opening of 'The Cassandra Crossing'.

38. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-06-08

Mr Universe, the Crazy Horse Girls de Paris, Yum Yum Shaw, superstars with police escorts, topless bathing beauties-the Cannes Film Festival still sometimes seems more like a circus than a trade fair. But for all that, film people find it an indispensable fortnight in their calendar. More buying, selling and setting up of movies takes place in the jostling corridors of the Carlton Hotel in the last two weeks of May than anywhere else the rest of the year. A report on the business and the ballyhoo.

39. Theatre: Playwrights of the 70's

Air Date: 1977-06-15

In the last ten years an astonishing number of new writers have emerged. Plays by Barrie Keeffe, John McGrath, David Hare, Howard Barker, Howard Brenton, Trevor Griffiths and Stephen Poli akoff have been performed at the Royal Court, the Aldwych, in the West End and at the National Theatre. The plays they write are about violence, sex and politics. How accurate and useful is their portrayal of society? What is the reason for their success? What are their own roots, influences and attitudes? In an extended Arena, writer and critic Albert Hunt assesses this renaissance of British playwrights, which has given the theatre of the 70s a distinctive voice. Including interviews with, and extracts of plays by: Howard Bren ton, Trevor Griffiths, David Hare, Barrie Keeffe and John McGrath.

1. Edinburgh Festival

Air Date: 1977-09-07

Features the 1977 Edinburgh International Festival with a new production of Carmen, the experimental shows, Film Festival, Television Festival, and art galleries.

2. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-09-14

with Gavin Millar returns for a new season after a visit to Hollywood, which despite rumours of slump and panic is still the unquestioned capital of the cinema world. We talked to one of its ruling princes, John Franken heimer, director of The Manchurian Candidate and Grand Prix, about his career in the Dream Factory, and especially his latest suspense thriller Black Sunday.

3. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-09-21

4. Art and Design

Air Date: 1977-09-28

5. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-10-05

Diane Keaton and Woody Allen talk about the filming of 'Annie Hall' and their long friendship.

6. Theatre

Air Date: 1977-10-12

7. Cinema: Greece

Air Date: 1977-10-19

8. Art and Design: Richard Seifert

Air Date: 1977-10-26

9. Cinema

Air Date: 1977-11-02

10. Theatre: Hands Off the Classics

Air Date: 1977-11-09

In the 17th century Troilus and Cressida was censored and in the 18th century Tate gave King Lear a happy ending. The programme debates the line between interpretation and vandalism.

11. Cinema: 21st London Film Festival

Air Date: 1977-11-16

12. Art and Design: The Family/Wrapping up the Reichstag

Air Date: 1977-11-23

13. Cinema: 21st London Film Festival - Part 2

Air Date: 1977-11-30

14. Theatre: Leonard Rossiter

Air Date: 1977-12-07

15. Cinema: The Deep

Air Date: 1977-12-14

16. Cinema: The Force is with us?

Air Date: 1978-01-11

17. Art and Design: 'The Journey' or The Memoirs of a Self-Confessed Surrealist

Air Date: 1978-01-18

George Melly explores his lifelong relationship with surrealism in all its forms and prominent personalities; Henry Moore discusses Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings.

18. Cinema: The Force is with us? - Part 2/Howard Hawks

Air Date: 1978-01-25

19. Theatre: ' But please, this is a farce! ' The story of The Cherry Orchard

Air Date: 1978-02-01

20. Cinema: Joseph Conrad

Air Date: 1978-02-08

21. Art and Design: Carrington

Air Date: 1978-02-15

22. Cinema: Claude Renoir

Air Date: 1978-02-22

23. Theatre: Hey Kids! Let's Do the Show Right Here ...

Air Date: 1978-03-01

24. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Air Date: 1978-03-08

25. Art and Design: Carl Andre

Air Date: 1978-03-15

26. Cinema: Dancing Years

Air Date: 1978-03-22

27. Theatre: Taking Our Time

Air Date: 1978-03-29

28. Art and Design: Way Out West

Air Date: 1978-04-05

29. Theatre: Children of the Gods

Air Date: 1978-04-12

30. Television: When Is A Play Not A Play?

Air Date: 1978-04-17

A tribute to the British filmmaker Alan Clarke (1935-1990).

31. Art and Design: George Melly

Air Date: 1978-05-03

32. Theatre: Arnold Wesker

Air Date: 1978-05-10

33. Rock: Tubes on Tour

Air Date: 1978-05-24

4. Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century

Air Date: 1998-05-15

Arena explores the rise of the legendary crooner Frank Sinatra from his early family background to overwhelming showbusiness success. Interviews with friends, family and associates reveal a star-studded career in music and film.

3. Wisconsin Death Trip

Air Date: 2000-06-02

9. Screen Goddesses

Air Date: 2012-12-22

Documentary about the early female movie stars: Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe - immortal goddesses made by Hollywood to reign over the silver screen.

6. Bergman: A Year in the Life

Air Date: 2019-09-29

Documentary that exposes a darker, less well-known side of film director Ingmar Bergman, focusing on the landmark year of 1957, which saw Bergman direct two films and four plays.