Catsplay (1978 film)

Catsplay
GenreDrama
Based onCatsplay (Macskajáték) by István Örkény
Written byTimothy Findley
Directed byStephen Katz
StarringHelen Burns
Doris Petrie
Jan Rubeš
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerBeverley Roberts
Running time90 minutes
Production companyCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
Original release
NetworkCBC Television
ReleaseMarch 1978 (1978-03)
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Catsplay is a Canadian drama television film, which was broadcast by CBC Television in 1978.[1] An adaptation of the novel Catsplay (Macskajáték) by István Örkény, the film was directed by Stephen Katz and written by Timothy Findley.[2]

The film stars Helen Burns as Bela Orban, a woman living in Budapest, Hungary, who is having a love affair with an opera singer (Jan Rubeš); meanwhile, her sister Giza (Doris Petrie) is living a wealthier but sterile life on the other side of the Iron Curtain in Germany.[3]

The cast also includes Frances Hyland, Moya Fenwick, Angela Fusco and Les Carlson.[4]

Burns also starred in stage productions of Catsplay, directed by Lynne Meadow and translated by Clara Gyorgyey,[5] for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play in 1978.

The film was broadcast by the CBC in March 1978 as an episode of its anthology series Front Row Centre.[4]

Burns won the Earle Grey Award for best television actor,[6] and Fenwick was nominated for best supporting television actor,[7] at the 8th ACTRA Awards in 1979.

  1. ^ Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 39.
  2. ^ "Prix Anik winner Katz directs Catsplay for CBC". Calgary Albertan, June 10, 1977.
  3. ^ "Catsplay features Canadian actresses". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, February 25, 1978.
  4. ^ a b Blaik Kirby, "Catsplay isn't simple". The Globe and Mail, February 22, 1978.
  5. ^ Allan Wallach, "Theatre Club's 'Catsplay'". Newsday, April 20, 1978.
  6. ^ "ACTRA awards list". Regina Leader-Post, April 5, 1979.
  7. ^ "Front-runners picked for ACTRA Awards". Montreal Star, March 24, 1979.