Between 1978 and 1985, the BBC (or British Broadcasting Corporation) filmed the thirty-seven Shakespeare plays under the title of The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare. All the way through the project, big acting and directing names were hired, and although some of the plays were done on a shoestring, the result was always impressive. The play Edward III, now widely thought to be one of Shakespeare's, was not included.

The productions are now used more for schools than for broadcasting. All are available on DVD and every one of the thirty-seven is well worth owning.