If you got the chance to listen to Frank Pettingell's 1959 recording of "A Christmas Carol" on Argo Records, I'm sure you'll agree that it's a fun take!
It has a real old-school feel to me, and I would imagine it gave off that vibe even in 1959.
Frank Pettingell's reading doesn't scream "1950s!" to me, but rather something of an earlier era.
More than anything, this recoding makes me think of the old Bransby Williams recordings (discussed ) from the 1910s. Frank Pettingell was born in 1891, so he was around for Bransby Williams. Was he a fan?
Although this 1959 record is more of a reading with character voices rather than a monologue à la Bransby Williams, the floridly theatrical style seems similar and both are solo performances with no supporting cast or music.
I think it's interesting that this 1959 record starts off with Frank Pettingell stating the title in manner similar to the way they would on cylinders, but I'm presuming that's a coincidence!
Frank Pettingell is another in the long line of actors who pop up in these various adaptations who were well-known in England, but not in America.
He's in quite a few movies from the early 1930s through shortly before his death in 1966. I think they're all British productions without much crossover to the U.S. He doesn't have a signature role to me, like, say, Bernard Miles in "Great Expectations."
A notable movie with a good role for him is the original British version of "Gaslight" from 1940, which was suppressed by MGM when that studio remade the story for it's famous multi-award-winning 1944 version.
One title catches my eye, however: "Sailing Along" from 1938. That's another Jessie Matthews movie (like "Evergreen") co-starring Barry MacKay. And Alastair Sim has a role in it too! Gotta check that one out!
As far as Mr. Pettingell's performance on this recording, I think it's very engaging.
He strikes a nice friendly tone as the narrator and gives distinct voices to the characters.
I think his Scrooge voice is particularly good.
Next: What about the adaptation itself?
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