Masterpiece Theatre - George IV tonight.

You mean The PBS Masterpiece Theatre broadcast of A Royal Scandal, about George the IVth before he was king (Prince of Wales and Prince Regent), and his wife Princess Caroline. According to info posted on Usenet, the actors were Richard Grant and Susan Lynch, and it was narrated by Sir Ian Richardson. For Jane Austen's opinion on this sad affair see http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/jprncwal.html

Watched this program w/ great interest. The actress who played Mrs Fitzherbert (Geaorge's first, or only ?, wife) was Irene Richard. She played Charlotte in P&P1 and Elinor in S&S 1.

You mean The PBS Masterpiece Theatre broadcast of A Royal Scandal, about George the IVth before he was king (Prince of Wales and Prince Regent), and his wife Princess Caroline. According to info posted on Usenet, the actors were Richard Grant and Susan Lynch, and it was narrated by Sir Ian Richardson. For Jane Austen's opinion on this sad affair see http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/jprncwal.html

What I want to know is; why are they all wearing white wigs and other such costuming? They look to be dressed like the footman at Netherfield. Did the nobility dress differently from the masses? HC, what say you?

What period was it set in? Wigs went out during the 1770's and 1780's, I think, but the habit of powdering the hair stayed in fashion longer. Prinny and Caroline were married in the early 1790's...

Mistakes and twice posted : May I suggests the Regency Fashion Page : http://www.locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/reg.html Also, further in the same page, the Regency Style Year-by-year, an exhaustive compilation of fashion plates from 1790 and behond : http://www.locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/1790.html Wonderful.

I hate to try to correct you when you have been so earnestly trying to correct yourself, but I think the "fron door" to the Regency Fashion page is at: http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/reg3.html

Thanks Henri. Got to get some zzz's (I know, no excuses) so I can watch this series which will air tomorrow night ;)

If white wigs were in fashion during the 1770's and Pride and Prejudice was written around 1775 (I think) that means that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley wore them. How horrible! They are rather unattractive. Paola

Paola, P&P was written in 1813.

Paola and Cheryl: P&P was started in October 1796 under the title "First Impressions". It was completed in August 1797 for the amusement of family and friends. It was offered for publication by her father, but was refused. She revised it again (after several revisions) in 1811-12 and finally published in 1813. Anyway, I think white wigs were out of fashion in ordinary society by that time.

Oops. I wasn't very sure but I remember hearing the year 1775 somewhere. Anyways, I am glad white wigs were out of fashion by then. One more thing, a couple of days ago when watching P&P for the 100th time I noticed that you can see Colin Firth's make-up line (between his shirt collar and his chin) when he kisses Elizabeth. Did anyone else noticed it? Paola

I noticed that you can see Colin Firth's make-up line (between his shirt collar and his chin) when he kisses Elizabeth If you're noticing his make-up line, it's time to turn off the VCR for a while.

LOL, Myretta! And Paola I must say I agree with Myretta. Somehow you appear to be somewhat out of focus ;=] Try to avoid the video for one hour at first ,then two and so on and who knows ,one day may come when you find you have not been near P&P2 for 24 hours. Then you'll have regained some control at the very least. After that you migth need a dose of priprejudin and you would be entitled to it!

Ann2...are you still around? Come to Pemberley my dear...;-)

When I noticed his make-up line it was quite by accident and I wasn't watching it in slow-motion or anything like that. I just happened to glance at his neck and then I wondered why on earth part of his skin was a shade darker than the other. Paola

I refuse to let you all spoil my illusions -- Could not the difference in skin color be the direct result of a tan line caused by Mr. Darcy's frequent dips in his pond while still clothed? ;-)

It is very unlikely Candace given that the lighter shade of his skin was his face and the darker was what was concealed under his collar. If he had got a tan then wouldn't his face be darker than his neck and not the other way around? Paola

Paola, you made me go back to my tape just to see what you were talking about! As far as I could tell, it's a shadow from his stand-up collar. As be bends his head, the collar casts the shadow because the lighting is from that side! I'd never noticed it before and it never bothered me!;-)

Paola; I had noticed in almost the first viewing, and did then, and do still, think that it is a line caused by the pressure of the edge of the starched collar pressing against the neck; the discomfort of these detachable collars is certainly well documented.

Paola, the "1775" date may be from Sheridan's play The Rivals (one of my favorites), which mentions in the first scene that de-wigging is going down the social scale. Similarly, in Fanny Burney's 1777 novel Evelina, a young foppish upper-class character wouldn't be caught dead in a dowdy wig. But I think that old-fashioned types did continue to wear wigs for a while...