David Copperfield 1966 TV serial

The BBC television serial *David Copperfield*, adapted from Charles Dickens's 1850 novel, aired in January 1966 and starred Ian McKellen in the title role. The cast included Tina Packer as Dora, Robson as Betsey Trotwood, Gordon Gostelow as Barkis, and Christopher Guard as young David. Written by Vincent Tilsley, who had previously adapted the novel for a 1956 film, this version was noted for its faithfulness to Dickens's work.

The serial achieved a viewership of over 12 million but only four of its thirteen episodes survive today: "A Long Journey" (episode 3), "The Proposal" (episode 8), "Domestic Tangles" (episode 9), and "Umble Aspirations" (episode 11). The original master videotapes were wiped by the BBC after rebroadcasting in the late 1960s, and preservation recordings on 16mm film were later discarded, likely in the 1970s. The surviving episodes are held by the British Film Institute (BFI), with episode 3 being in the best quality. Episodes 8, 9, and 11 have lower sound and picture quality.

The BFI's *Screenonline* praised the adaptation for its fidelity to Dickens's novel, though it noted some light-hearted touches, such as comic music during certain scenes. Ian McKellen later commented that his portrayal was "forced" due to his inexperience with television and expressed relief that the original tapes were destroyed. Unedited studio footage of episode 3, including outtakes and directorial instructions, is available for private viewing at the BFI's Stephen Street building, while all four surviving episodes are free to view at their Southbank Mediatheque.