Talking Pictures
A look back at television appearances by legends of the silver screen, using archive footage to tell the story of their lives and careers.
Seasons
1. Bette Davis
Air Date: 2013-01-05
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend Bette Davis, capturing the milestones and highlights of her life and career.
2. John Mills
Air Date: 2013-01-12
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by the Osar-winning actor Sir John Mills, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
3. David Niven
Air Date: 2013-01-19
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by the Ocsar-winning actor David Niven, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
4. Gene Kelly
Air Date: 2013-02-02
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by the legendary Hollywood actor and dancer Gene Kelly, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
5. John Wayne
Air Date: 2013-02-16
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend John Wayne, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
6. Tony Curtis
Air Date: 2013-02-23
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood icon Tony Curtis, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
7. Dirk Bogarde
Air Date: 2013-03-02
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend Dirk Bogarde, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
8. James Stewart
Air Date: 2013-03-09
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar-winning actor James Stewart, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
9. Lauren Bacall
Air Date: 2013-03-29
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall, following the changes and highlights of her life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
10. Orson Welles
Air Date: 2013-04-01
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by the legendary Hollywood actor and director Orson Welles, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
11. Ingrid Bergman
Air Date: 2013-04-27
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood icon Ingrid Bergman, capturing the milestones and highlights of her life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
12. Alec Guinness
Air Date: 2013-05-11
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Alec Guinness, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
13. Gregory Peck
Air Date: 2013-07-06
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood icon Gregory Peck, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
14. James Mason
Air Date: 2013-08-03
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar nominated Hollywood star James Mason, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
15. Charlton Heston
Air Date: 2013-08-26
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar winning Hollywood actor Charlton Heston, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
16. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers
Air Date: 2013-10-12
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by legendary Hollywood double act Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, capturing the milestones and highlights of their lives and careers.
17. Richard Burton
Air Date: 2013-11-02
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar nominated Hollywood icon Richard Burton, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
18. Alfred Hitchcock
Air Date: 2014-03-01
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by iconic Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock, reflecting on the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
19. Shirley Maclaine
Air Date: 2014-03-08
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by one of Hollywood's most outspoken stars, Shirley Maclaine, with interviews and clips capturing the milestones and highlights of her Oscar-winning career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
20. Joan Fontaine
Air Date: 2014-04-12
A look at the life of Joan Fontaine, one of Britain's best-loved actresses, using rarely seen archive footage of her BBC appearances to tell the story of her Oscar-winning career.
21. Richard Attenborough
Air Date: 2014-05-03
A look at the life and work of Richard Attenborough, with vintage interviews and classic archive clips illustrating a career that has made him one of British cinema's most popular and successful figures. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
22. Deborah Kerr
Air Date: 2014-05-10
A look back at the career of British actress Deborah Kerr, with vintage television interviews and classic archive clips telling how she left Britain in the 1940s and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
23. Laurence Olivier
Air Date: 2014-05-17
Sylvia Syms looks back on the life of Laurence Olivier, perhaps Britain's greatest actor, using rare material from the BBC archives to tell the story of his extraordinarily distinguished career.
24. Sophia Loren
Air Date: 2014-05-24
An examination of the life and career of one of cinema's most glamorous stars, Sophia Loren, with rarely seen archive material telling the story of her hugely successful career.
25. Paul Newman
Air Date: 2014-05-26
An examination of the life of actor Paul Newman, using rarely seen interviews from the BBC archives to tell the story of a career that made him one of Hollywood's greatest superstars. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
26. Robert Mitchum
Air Date: 2014-05-31
The life and career of one of Hollywood's original bad boys, Robert Mitchum, is examined using archive footage of his appearances on the BBC that illustrate why he was a favourite of film fans, and an interviewer's nightmare.
27. Peter O'Toole
Air Date: 2014-07-19
A look at the life of the Lawrence of Arabia star and legendary hell-raiser, Peter O'Toole, with rarely seen archive footage of his appearances on the BBC, exploring the story of his colourful career.
28. Robert Redford
Air Date: 2014-08-02
The career of Robert Redford, one of the big screen's greatest heartthrobs, is examined in this exploration of the BBC archives, with rarely-seen interviews showing that he was always much more than just a pin-up. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
29. David Lean
Air Date: 2014-08-23
A compilation of rarely seen interviews and archive footage tells the story of movie-master David Lean, whose drive and genius made him one of Britain's greatest-ever film directors.
30. Judi Dench
Air Date: 2014-09-13
Sylvia Syms presents rarely seen footage from the BBC archives that explores the life and career of one of Britain's best-loved actors, Dame Judi Dench.
31. Maggie Smith
Air Date: 2014-09-20
Sylvia Syms narrates a look at the life of one of Britain's best and best-loved actresses, with classic archive footage of her appearances on the BBC demonstrating that when it comes to movie stardom, there really is nothing like a dame.
32. Julie Andrews
Air Date: 2014-12-28
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Mary Poppins and Sound of Music star Julie Andrews, with interviews from the archive and classic clips.
33. Michael Caine
Air Date: 2015-01-10
A look at the life of acting legend Michael Caine, using rarely seen television interviews and classic archive clips to tell the story of one Britain's most successful actors. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
34. Sean Connery
Air Date: 2015-01-17
A look at the life of Sean Connery, using rarely seen television interviews and classic archive clips to tell the story of his life and career.
1. Jack Lemmon
Air Date: 2015-02-07
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Some Like It Hot and Days of Wine and Roses star Jack Lemmon, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
2. Shelley Winters
Air Date: 2015-02-14
A look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar-winning actress Shelley Winters, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of her life and career.
3. On the Waterfront
Air Date: 2015-02-21
Sixty years after its original release, Talking Pictures examines On the Waterfront, one of the greatest films in US cinema history. Archive interviews with the director, writer and cast members, including Marlon Brando, reveal how behind its success lies a story of betrayal and resentment, born from America's anti-communist fervour of the 1950s
4. Albert Finney
Air Date: 2015-02-28
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by award-winning actor Albert Finney, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
5. Noel Coward
Air Date: 2015-03-07
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by award-winning actor Noel Coward, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
6. Kenneth More
Air Date: 2015-03-14
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by BAFTA-winning actor Kenneth More, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
7. Hollywood's Great Directors
Air Date: 2015-04-04
A retrospective look at the careers of some of the greatest and most successful directors in movie history, talking about their favourite films, the stars they worked with and their sometimes difficult relationships with Hollywood's studio bosses. Features rarely seen interviews with a line-up of directing legends including names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Sidney Lumet, George Cukor, Billy Wilder and Cecil B Demille.
8. Richard Harris
Air Date: 2015-04-25
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Richard Harris, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
9. Hitchcock's Leading Actors
Air Date: 2015-05-09
To this day, Alfred Hitchcock is looked on as one of cinema's best and most influential directors. But how did the stars of his films finding working with the great man? To some he was 'the master', to others 'the manipulator'. Talking Pictures explores the relationship between Hitch and his leading actors, using rarely seen interviews of the man himself and a line-up that includes Kim Novak, Tippi Hedren, Joan Fontaine, Janet Leigh and Sean Connery.
10. Christopher Lee
Air Date: 2015-07-11
A look back at the life and career of one of the greats of British cinema - Sir Christopher Lee. In BBC interviews conducted over six decades, Lee discusses his position as a legendary screen villain and talks about his major roles, from Count Dracula to Count Dooku.
11. Omar Sharif
Air Date: 2015-08-15
A look back at the life of the actor Omar Sharif, who died in July 2015 at the age of 83. Using archive from his interviews with the BBC and featuring contributions from director David Lean, this episode explores Sharif's dramatic entrance into the film world of the 1960s with Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, sees him considering his reputation as a playboy, and examines how his passion for cards and gambling at one point threatened to eclipse his reputation as an actor.
12. Musicals
Air Date: 2015-08-29
In this episode, Talking Pictures tells the story of the Hollywood musical, using interviews with stars from the genre's golden age, as well as some of the directors and songwriters who helped create them. Among the big names remembering their experiences are Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, Barbara Streisand, Liza Minelli and Judy Garland - and the films under discussion include some of the best-loved in cinema history: Singin' In the Rain, On the Town, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl and The Sound of Music.
13. Anthony Hopkins
Air Date: 2015-08-31
A look back at the life of Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins and featuring interviews conducted with the BBC over the course of his career.
14. John Huston
Air Date: 2015-10-17
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by actor and director John Huston, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
15. Hollywood Actresses
Air Date: 2015-10-24
Sylvia Syms looks back on the legendary leading ladies of Hollywood - the glamorous and often powerful stars who helped define what it was to be a woman in cinema's golden age. Featuring Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Natalie Wood, Debbie Reynolds and Doris Day, the programme uses rarely seen archive and interviews to examine the relationships these great stars had with audiences, studio bosses - and sometimes with each other.
16. Great British Comedies
Air Date: 2015-10-31
Sylvia Syms looks back on the great British comedy stars who over the years have had cinema audiences rolling in the aisles with laughter. Featuring rarely-seen interviews from the BBC's archives, the programme starts with the great George Formby and the early days of British cinema, and works its way forwards in time, exploring, amongst others, the classic Ealing comedies, the much-loved Doctor series, the saucy postcard humour of the Carry On films, Peter Sellers and the Pink Panther series, and the ground-breaking movies of Monty Python.
17. Child Stars
Air Date: 2015-11-21
With classic interviews and rarely seen archive footage, Sylvia Syms examines the world of the big screen's smallest stars - the child actors. Featuring Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, Jack Wild, Macaulay Culkin, Christian Bale, Jodie Foster and the stars of the Harry Potter films, the programme looks at their different careers and explores how these young talents fared once they had all grown up.
18. Sex Symbols
Air Date: 2016-01-02
Sylvia Syms looks at the handsome heroes, gorgeous heroines, pin-ups and bombshells who came to be known as cinema's greatest sex symbols, hearing from the stars themselves.
19. War Films
Air Date: 2016-03-26
A look back at the great British war films that boosted the nation's morale in the postwar years and launched the careers of some of our best-loved actors and directors.
20. Bing Crosby
Air Date: 2016-08-27
A look at TV appearances made over the years by Bing Crosby, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
21. The Black Stars of Film
Air Date: 2016-11-12
A retrospective look at some of the best-loved and most popular black stars to have graced cinema screens over the past seven decades, from Gone With the Wind right up to 12 Years a Slave. The programme examines how black actors' achievements have been recognised by the movie industry and the Oscars Academy, and explores Hollywood's complicated role in America's fight for civil rights - sometimes praised for championing black artists, often condemned for perpetuating racial stereotypes. Featuring rarely seen interviews with Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg and Halle Berry. Narrated by Don Warrington.
22. Alan Rickman
Air Date: 2017-01-01
A look back at the life and work of Alan Rickman, one of Britain's best-loved actors, who died in January 2016. We hear from the man himself, talking at different key stages of his career in several rarely seen interviews. The conversations, filled with insight and anecdotes, reveal how one of the leading lights of British theatre found movie stardom with Die Hard, and take us through all his favourite film roles, including his special part in the phenomenon that is the Harry Potter franchise.
23. Debbie Reynolds
Air Date: 2017-01-21
A look back at the life of the actress Debbie Reynolds - one of the best-loved stars of Hollywood's golden age, who died in December 2016. In a selection of rarely-seen interviews, we find Debbie discussing her favourite film roles, including her career-making appearance in Singin' in the Rain. She also talks about her husband Eddie Fisher leaving her for Elizabeth Taylor and the ensuing scandal that rocked Hollywood, and discusses life as Princess Leia's mum and her relationship with her daughter Carrie Fisher, who also passed away in December 2016, just one day before Debbie's own death.
24. John Hurt
Air Date: 2017-02-18
A look back at the life and work of Sir John Hurt - one of Britain's acting greats, who died last month aged 77 after a career that spanned six decades and took in over 100 films. In a selection of rarely seen interviews, we find John discussing some of his most iconic screen creations - most notably Quentin Crisp from The Naked Civil Servant, John Merrick from The Elephant Man and Max from Midnight Express. The conversations also cover John's personal perspective on the craft of acting, the tragedy that claimed the life of the woman he planned marry and his reputation for being a hard-drinking hellraiser - which he felt was largely undeserved.
25. 60s Icons
Air Date: 2017-04-29
Sylvia Syms explores the BBC's archives and chooses a selection of rarely seen interviews that tell the story of the acting stars who made 60s Britain swing.
26. Harry Potter
Air Date: 2017-10-28
Actor Warwick Davis - AKA Professor Flitwick and Griphook - explores the BBC archives and conjures up the story of the Harry Potter films - a tale that starts with the casting of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, and ends with the trio firmly established as internationally recognised teenage superstars. The programme uses rarely seen footage and interviews to explore behind the scenes, looks at how the franchise became one of the biggest in cinema history and gets the unique perspectives of the series's producer, directors, actors and JK Rowling herself.
27. Roger Moore
Air Date: 2017-12-16
A look back at the life and career of one of Britain's best-loved actors, Sir Roger Moore, who died in 2017, just months before his 90th birthday.
28. Jane Fonda
Air Date: 2017-12-17
As double-Oscar winner Jane Fonda approaches her 80th birthday, a look back at the life of one of Hollywood's most successful and controversial actresses.
29. Bette and Joan
Air Date: 2017-12-23
Sylvia Syms looks through the BBC archives to tell the story of one of Hollywood's greatest ever feuds - the rivalry between legendary actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.
30. Barry Norman
Air Date: 2017-12-30
Rory Bremner explores the BBC archives for an affectionate look back at the career of Barry Norman, who hosted the BBC's Film Review show for 26 years.
31. Epics
Air Date: 2018-03-30
Sylvia Syms looks through the BBC archive to discover what makes an epic. The programme looks at the history of epics, which featured lavish budgets and huge sets, from the Ten Commandments and Ben Hur through to Titanic and Gladiator. Including interviews from some of the biggest stars in the world, who starred in some of the biggest films in the world.
32. Westerns
Air Date: 2019-09-15
Sylvia Syms looks back through the BBC’s archives to tell the story of what is perhaps cinema’s most enduring and most visual genre.
33. Rom Coms
Air Date: 2020-02-15
Celia Imrie explores one of the best-loved movie genres - the romantic comedy. With classic interviews from cinematic couples like Doris Day and Rock Hudson and Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
34. 70s Legends
Air Date: 2020-04-04
A look back at television appearances by legends of the silver screen, using archive footage to tell the story of their lives and careers.
35. Joan Collins
Air Date: 2020-05-23
A look back at legendary television appearances by Joan Collins.
1. Westerns
Air Date: 2019-09-15
Sylvia Syms looks back through the BBC’s archives to tell the story of what is perhaps cinema’s most enduring and most visual genre.
2. Rom Coms
Air Date: 2019-09-15
Celia Imrie explores one of the best-loved movie genres - the romantic comedy. With classic interviews from cinematic couples like Doris Day and Rock Hudson and Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
3. 70s Legends
Air Date: 2020-04-04
A look back at television appearances by legends of the silver screen, using archive footage to tell the story of their lives and careers
4. Joan Collins
Air Date: 2020-05-23
A look back at legendary television appearances by Joan Collins.
5. Christmas Classics
Air Date: 2020-12-06
Celia Imrie unwraps a selection of the very best Christmas movies ever made and looks at why films are such an important part of the festive ritual.
6. Agatha Christie
Air Date: 2020-12-28
As Kenneth Branagh prepares to unveil the latest version of Death on the Nile, Celia Imrie looks at how Agatha Christie's murder mysteries have been treated by film-makers over the years.
7. Dames
Air Date: 2021-01-01
Celia Imrie takes a look at some of the leading ladies who’ve proved time and again, year after year, that they are amongst the very best of British talent.
8. War Stories
Air Date: 2021-05-30
Celia Imrie takes us on a journey through the BBC’s archives for an in-depth look at the continuing power and importance of war films.
9. Marvellous Musicals
Air Date: 2021-06-12
Celia Imrie celebrates the cinema’s marvellous musicals, venturing back through the BBC’s archives to look at film’s most joyous and arguably enduring genre.
10. Film's Family Favourites
Air Date: 2021-09-04
Join Celia Imrie as we go bobbing along through the beautiful, briny BBC archives for a look at the enduring movie classics that have earned the status of family favourites.
1. Perfect Partners
Air Date: 2022-04-02
A look back at some of cinema’s best-loved partnerships, from Fred and Ginger, Doris Day and Rock Hudson, to Newman and Redford, and even Nick Frost and Simon Pegg.
2. Meryl Streep
Air Date: 2022-05-07
A celebration of Meryl Streep, perhaps the greatest actress of modern times, using decades’ worth of interviews and appearances on the BBC to tell the story of her life and incredible career.
3. Meryl Streep
Air Date: 2022-05-07
A celebration of Meryl Streep, perhaps the greatest actress of modern times, using decades’ worth of interviews and appearances on the BBC to tell the story of her life and incredible career.
1. Glenda Jackson
Air Date: 2024-01-06
Celia Imrie tells the story of Glenda Jackson, one of Britain's greatest-ever acting talents, who famously turned her back on her hugely successful screen career to pursue a life in politics.
2. Dustin Hoffman
Air Date: 2024-01-04
Moments from interviews conducted on a range of BBC shows over the years help to tell the story of Dustin Hoffman, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, and his films.
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Rating
5.0/10
Release Date
2013-01-05
Episodes
84 (5 seasons)
Status
Returning Series
Cast
Production Companies
BBC