<P> The Guinness Book of Records lists 410 feature - length film and TV versions of William Shakespeare's plays as having been produced, making Shakespeare the most filmed author ever in any language . </P> <P> As of August 2016, the Internet Movie Database lists Shakespeare as having writing credit on 1,292 films, including those under production but not yet released . The earliest known production is King John from 1899 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Y </Th> <Th> Directors </Th> <Th> Starring </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> All's Well That Ends Well </Th> <Td> TV </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 1968 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> John Barton (stage) </Li> <Li> Claude Whatham (screen) </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Lynn Farleigh (Helena) </Li> <Li> Ian Richardson (Count Bertram) </Li> <Li> Catherine Lacey (The Countess of Rousillon) </Li> <Li> Sebastian Shaw (The King of France) </Li> <Li> Clive Swift (Parolles) </Li> <Li> Caroline Hunt (Diana) </Li> <Li> Elizabeth Spriggs (A Widow of Florence) </Li> <Li> Brewster Mason (Lafew) </Li> <Li> Ian Hogg (Lavatch) </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> Originally a Royal Shakespeare Company stage production, this was the first Shakespeare play broadcast in color by the BBC . The second, of two, reels is believed to be lost . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> All's Well That Ends Well </Th> <Td> Video </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 1978 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Wilford Leach </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Pamela Reed (Helena) </Li> <Li> Marc Linn (Count Bertram) </Li> <Li> Elizabeth Wilson (The Countess of Rousillon) </Li> <Li> Larry Pines (Parolles) </Li> <Li> Frances Conroy (Diana) </Li> <Li> Barbara Williams (A Widow of Florence) </Li> <Li> John Ferraro (Lavatch) </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> A video recording of a 1978 New York Shakespeare Festival performance at the Delacorte Theatre, made by Jaime Caro for Theatre on Film and Tape . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> "All's Well That Ends Well" (BBC Television Shakespeare) </Th> <Td> TV </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 1981 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Elijah Moshinsky </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Angela Down (Helena) </Li> <Li> Ian Charleson (Count Bertram) </Li> <Li> Celia Johnson (The Countess of Rousillon) </Li> <Li> Donald Sinden (The King of France) </Li> <Li> Peter Jeffrey (Parolles) </Li> <Li> Pippa Guard (Diana) </Li> <Li> Rosemary Leach (A Widow of Florence) </Li> <Li> Michael Hordern (Lafew) </Li> <Li> Paul Brooke (Lavatch) </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> All's Well That Ends Well (National Theatre Live) </Th> <Td> TV </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Marianne Elliott </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Michelle Terry (Helena) </Li> <Li> George Rainsford (Count Bertram) </Li> <Li> Claire Higgins (The Countess of Rousillon) </Li> <Li> Oliver Ford Davies (The King of France) </Li> <Li> Conleth Hill (Parolles) </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> Live performance broadcast from the National Theatre in London's West End . </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When was the first film production of a shakespeare play made