David Swift Dr Bellotti - Basil Clarke Arlecchino - Tim Thomas Anne Roman-Coupier - Ania Marson Schalon - Patrick Newell Genoveffa - Lyn Yeldham Rose - Julia Cornelius Manon - Brigid Erin Bates Anna - Caroline Dowdeswell Helena - Elaine Donnelly Pantalone - Hugh Portnow Circospetto - Christopher Hancock Columbina - Rown Wylie Nun - Gillian Brown Feldkirchner - Graham Crowden Dr Rasp - John Ringham Father Balbi - Roger Hammond Carlo - Igo Silic Concertmaster - Oliver Butterworth Pauline - Valerie Gearon Production In 1966, William R. Trask published the first of his 12 volume translation of Casanova's memoirs while Potter was working as a book reviewer for The Times newspaper. Potter had been after a subject for his first drama serial and found in Casanova a suitable figure to continue the themes of sex, memory and redemption that had influenced much of his previous work. When writing the serial Potter decided not to read the story of Casanova's adventures, choosing instead to work from a list containing the names of Casanova's lovers and specific events from his life. Potter intended to explore the reason why Casanova was "driven" to have had so many sexual encounters. As a result, Potter's Casanova is far different from other interpretations of the character; he suffers from tristitia post-coitum (literally, the sadness after sex) and considers his reliance on women for sexual satisfaction a weakness. The serial includes a number of events that depart from established facts about Casanova. The series resulted in a number of complaints to the BBC. Clean-up TV campaigner Mary Whitehouse, who regularly found fault with Potter's work, thought the first two episodes "boring" and believed the third used a kind of Playboy flashback photography. She commented to a journalist from The Glasgow Herald: "Of all the characters the BBC could have chosen to dramatise Casanova is the most ridiculous." Home media Casanova was released on DVD by BBC Worldwide in 2004, as part of The Dennis Potter Collection, a range of Potter's work released that year. References External links 1971 British television series debuts 1971 British television series endings 1970s British drama television series BBC television dramas Television series set in the 18th century Films about Giacomo Casanova Venice in fiction Television shows written by Dennis Potter 1970s British television miniseries English-language television shows