Farewell Performance

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title: "Farewell Performance" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1963-films", "1963-crime-films", "films-directed-by-robert-tronson", "1960s-lost-films", "films-shot-at-pinewood-studios", "lost-british-crime-films", "1960s-english-language-films", "1963-british-films", "english-language-crime-films"] description: "1963 British film by Robert Tronson" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell_Performance" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1963 British film by Robert Tronson ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]

Field	Value
name	Farewell Performance
image	Farewell_Performance_film_Lobby_card_(1963).png
caption	Lobby card
director	Robert Tronson
producer	Jim O'Connolly
writer	Aileen Burke
Leone Stuart
starring	David Kernan
Frederick Jaeger
Delphi Lawrence
music	Joe Meek
studio	Sevenay Productions
distributor	J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
released
runtime	73 minutes
country	United Kingdom
language	English
::

| name = Farewell Performance | image = Farewell_Performance_film_Lobby_card_(1963).png | caption = Lobby card | director = Robert Tronson | producer = Jim O'Connolly | writer = Aileen Burke Leone Stuart | story = | based_on = | narrator = | starring = David Kernan Frederick Jaeger Delphi Lawrence | music = Joe Meek | cinematography = | editing = | studio = Sevenay Productions | distributor = J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors | released = | runtime = 73 minutes | country = United Kingdom | language = English | budget = | gross =

Farewell Performance is a 1963 British crime film directed by Robert Tronson and starring David Kernan, Frederick Jaeger and Delphi Lawrence. It was written by Aileen Burke and Leone Stuart, and features musical interludes from Joe Meek acts including The Tornados and Heinz.

It is considered a lost film and is on the BFI National Archive's 75 Most Wanted List of missing films.

Plot

After pop singer Ray Baron is found murdered by cyanide, Superintendent Raven tries to work out which of Baron's many enemies is responsible.

Cast

• David Kernan as Ray Baron
• Delphi Lawrence as Janice Marlon
• Frederick Jaeger as Paul Warner
• Derek Francis as Superintendent Raven
• Alfred Burke as Marlon
• John Kelland as Mitch
• Toni Gilpin as Carol
• James Copeland as Andrews
• Ron Perry as Dennis
• Denise Coffey as Dickie
• Artro Morris as George
• Sean Lynch as Harry
• Hugh Futcher as Max
• Donald Tandy as Woods
• Middleton Woods as Pop
• Fred Hugh as manager
• The Tornados as themselves
• Heinz as himself
• Tommy Devel and Partner as themselves

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Although the routine plot is supported by a number of pop music interludes, presumably inserted with the object of appealing to teenagers, the backstage murder theme, and even much of the dialogue, harks back to the early Thirties. The number of suspects is more limited than usual, and the identity of the murderer is not very skilfully concealed."

Kine Weekly wrote: "The dramatic development is here interspersed with variety turns and include numbers from the pop singer, an amusing chimp act, a clever juggling pair and The Tornados, an instrumental quartet. The many heartaches of show business troupers register effectively and the atmosphere of the variety theatre, both front and back-stage, well contrived. David Kernan convinces as the teenage idol and Delphi Lawrence is pathetic as the much older woman who is prepared to sacrifice everything for him. Sound support is headed by Frederick Jaeger, as the killer, and Alfred Burke, as the unfortunate husband."

References

References

1. Vagg, Stephen. (30 July 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1963 and 1964".
2. "Farewell Performance".
3. "Farewell Performance". British Film Institute.
4. "Farewell Performance / BFI Most Wanted". British Film Institute.
5. (1 January 1963). "Farewell Performance". [[The Monthly Film Bulletin]].
6. (15 August 1963). "Farewell Performance".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::