C S Forester Hornblower series

Hornblower has always been special to me. Like the first sweetheart.

Ah, Hornblower ... he introduced me to naval fiction all those years ago as a child in the sixties, though I have absolutely no memory of the circumstances. Probably picked it up at random in the library after school and became hooked. He remained possibly my favourite author for many years until finally stumbling across O'Brian in the 80s. I read those books so often they began to fall apart, but sadly I haven't returned to Hornblower for a long time now. Must rectify that one day ...

Last I had read Hornblower was before I embarked on all other series and the various companions of HNF. At the time I don't think I understood all naval and sailing terms as I presume to do now. I certainly am going to read it again, and I might enjoy it even more. But all in good time: I still have to complete Ramage, Kydd and Lewrie series (a few of books from each...)

I'm really lucky, I found a BBC set of cassettes on Ebay a couple of weeks ago entitled "The Hornblower story by C S Forester", and which I got for £6.00 including postage! They turned out to be from a BBC Radio 4 serial which was aired in 1979-1980, and they are beautifully dramatised.
In case you're interested, here's the blurb from the box cover:

The Hornblower Story by CS Forester
Dramatised by Val Gielgud
Produced by Trevor Hill
Assisted by Christopher Hayton Webb
Music by Johnny Pearson
BBC Radio 4 Serial 1979 - 1980

A dramatisation in twenty 30mins episodes from four of the Hornblower novels.

Book 1: Mr Midshipman Hornblower

with: Nigel Anthony/Ronald Herdman/Nicholas Fry

Episode 1: The Even Chance.....................23/10/1979
Episode 2: The Cargo of Rice...................30/10/1979
Episode 3: The Man Saw God.....................07/11/1979
Episode 4: The Examination for Lieutenant......14/11/1079
Episode 5: The Duchess and the Devil...........20/11/1979

Book 2: Lieutenant Hornblower

Nigel Anthony/Terence Skelton/John Pickles

Episode 1: The Peculiar Captain................27/11/1979
Episode 2: Sealed..............................04/12/1979
Episode 3: The Landing.........................11/12/1979
Episode 4: Court of Inquiry....................19/12/1979
Episode 5: Home and Beauty.....................25/12/1979

Book 3: Hornblower and the Hotspur

Nigel Anthony/Terence Skelton/John Franklyn-Robbins

Episode 1: Hotspur Sails.......................29/01/1980
Episode 2: Hotspur and the Loire...............05/01/1980
Episode 3: The Raid............................12/01/1980
Episode 4: Blockade............................19/01/1980
Episode 5: The Treasure Fleet..................26/01/1980

Book 4: Lord Hornblower

Nigel Anthony/Kate Binchy/James Maxwell/Robert Lindsay

Episode 1: The Mutiny..........................04/03/1980
Episode 2: Plan for Rebellion..................11/03/1980
Episode 3: Counter-Stroke......................18/03/1980
Episode 4: Out of the Past.....................25/03/1980
Episode 5: Story's End.........................01/04/1980

Abbrieviated cast list:

Admiral Lord Hornblower the narrator: Nigel Anthony
Mr Midshipman Hornblower as a youth: Nicholas Fry
Capt Sir Edward Pellow of HMS Indefatigable [pt 2-4]: Ronald Herdman
Lt Masters of HMS Justinian: Anthony Wingate
Mr Midshipman Simpson: Ralph Lawford
Capt Keene of HMS Justinian: Charles Foster
Mr Midshipman Cleveland : Paul Herzberg
Lt Chalk of HMS Goliath: Ian Flintoff
Mr Midshipman Caldwell: Keith Ladd

Directed by Trevor Hill and Christopher Hayton Webb

Music composed by Johnny Pearson

Location recordings by Christopher Hayton Webb and David Fleming-Williams
aboard the ketch I.P.Thorsoe with the assistance of Mariners International.
Technical assistance by members of the Royal Navy Museum, Portsmouth.
SMs David Fleming-Williams, Roger Lucas, Mark Seyler.
BBC Manchester.

I don't have a cassette player, so I gave them to a friend who has converted them into MP3 files, I can now play them on my computer, on my cellphone, and in my car.

I've only listened to the first episode, but I'm delighted, it's really good and very well done.

Ebay can be great for things like that! It's definitely a very rare find.

Never heard of this! Thanks for pointing it out!

There's a link to it here, I think it's quite a rare find - like you I'd never heard of it but it's very well done, if a little "dated" in feel.

http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/trevor-hill.html

There's also a mention of it in David Fleming-Williams detail here:

http://www.osd-uk.com/pages/David_Fleming-Williams.html

I've been listening to it this afternoon and am really impressed! It's so much better than the Maturin -Aubrey plays the bbc did! No problems at all with continuity or settings.

I was introduced to Horatio Hornblower in 1951 when the movie with Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo came out (yep, that old). I also remember that it cost 15 cents for that Saturday matinee, It was almost 40 years later that I read Forester's series the 1st time......but Horatio will always be Gregory Peck with a hacking cough and Lady Barbara will be that "Divine" flaxen haired Virginia Mayo. Oh yea, I remember there was a ship and a bunch of other guys in the movie too.

Actually, I do have that movie on DVD..........and Virginia (Oh, la,la).