Of Mice and Men

Check out at the bottom of this comment for update - Believe it or not, there is a high likelihood that out in my garage on a regular reel to reel audio tape is the sound track recording that I recorded that night in 1968 from the TV show. No video, but the audio was complete with no surrounding room sounds because I recorded it direct. Long ago my reel to reel recorder failed me and I never got a replacement since they seemed to fall out of favor. I'm computer savvy though and sometimes entertain thoughts of finding one to convert it to mp3 or something. If that ever happens I guess I could make it available if legal to do so. Great production.

I found the reel to reel recording but have not managed to digitize it yet - I got ahold of an Akai M7 recorder but am having trouble transferring the play/video/tv production to my laptop and from there to flash drive or DVD etc.

I have now digitized it in RAW form - gotta use some filters on it but it sounds pretty good. Thought of offering it to George Segal and Nicol Williamson's kids and any one else in the production or their kids (wouldn't be kids anymore though, would they?) Any one know how to contact them? WAV file is 1.25 GB so not big.

Just after I did the above, this version of "Of Mice and Men" became available from places like Amazon etc. On DVD!!!!! The full video including the 1968 commercials.

George Segal gives one of his best performances as Lenny's friend and caretaker. The tenderness and love he puts across are subtle yet powerful and shows us the soul of a man who sees his relationship with his friend as one stemming from true affection and not mere obligation. It's a relationship that would be strained even among blood relatives, but Segal portrays George Milton as a man who still holds a dream for a better life even while coping with a brutal world on his own behalf and on behalf of his feeble minded childhood friend.

With very few bells and whistles, the design of a set can dramatically convey a mood. This film gives a telling example of how mood and theme can be conveyed through light, shade and texture.

Almost from the beginning we get the creepy feeling that something is not going to go well for George and Lenny from the somber tones of the world in which we find them. Visually, one can almost feel the despair of the Great Depression and its affect on the down-and-out who had to find some way to survive then, however meanly.

I recommend reading Steinbeck's humane masterpiece and viewing several other film adaptations of it to see the many levels at which this story can be told and interpreted.

Back in the 60s, David Susskind's Talent Associates did a number of TV adaptations of plays that had previously been made into feature films. Also included were A HATFUL OF RAIN and THE DESPERATE HOURS, and there was also an infamous remake of LAURA, which had not been a stage play. George Segal was Lennie in this production, getting good support from Nicol Williamson as Lennie, although more than once, the actor's obvious intelligence made his Lennie seem just a superficial characterization. Will Geer made an excellent Candy, and it was one of his more showy roles as he worked his way back from the blacklist. Joey Heatherton was, well Joey, in her interpretation of Curly's wife. It would be nice if Susskind could find a way to put some of these programs, all done for ABC, onto DVD, if only to preserve the efforts of all of those behind them, as videotape is hardly a great storage medium.

As Clore_2 pointed out here several years ago, this production was done on video tape back in 1968, and it is possible that nothing much remains of it because images on tape degrade so easily. Nevetheless, I have fond memories of it though I saw it only once--it may have aired only once. I have seen two film versions as well, and can say that all three versions of this story are good. Thought Don Gordon was particularly memorable as Curley in this video version. Maybe better than the Curley in the 1939 version. Every version has a terrific cast and this one is no exception, especially with Nicole Williamson as Lennie.

We were "assigned" by our English teacher to watch this production when I was in high school. It was my first introduction to Nicole Williamson, who was astonishing as Lenny. It wasn't until I saw him on a talk show about a year later that I realized he was English. Segal was also good as George, although he plays the role as more "frantic" than it is usually played. The entire cast was very good except for the unfortunate attempt by Joey Heatherton to act.

Don Gordon played Curly in this version--I have added this to the database.

The release date which is listed (1970) is wrong, by the way, since I graduated from high school in 1969.