Rumpole of the Bailey interest in nineteenth-century anarchists, especially the Russian Peter Kropotkin from whom the title of the play was drawn. The character's name was later changed to Horace Rumpole when it was discovered that there was a real barrister called Horace Rumbold. The title of the play was briefly changed to "Jolly Old Jean Jacques Rousseau" before settling on the less esoteric "Rumpole of the Bailey". Mortimer was keen on Michael Hordern for the role of Rumpole. When Hordern proved unavailable, the part went to Australian-born actor Leo McKern. Mortimer was initially unenthusiastic about McKern's casting but changed his opinion upon seeing
Chain of Events Chain of Events Chain of Events is a 1958 British crime film directed by Gerald Thomas from a radio play by Leo McKern. It starred Susan Shaw, Dermot Walsh, Jack Watling, Freddie Mills and Joan Hickson. A bank clerk tells a white lie to avoid paying his bus fare, and sets in motion a series of catastrophic events involving blackmail and death. "TV Guide" wrote, "from a radio play written by talented British actor Leo McKern, but that's not sufficient reason to sit through it" ; whereas "Cinemaretro" wrote, "very much a B movie feature, the film stands firmly, and