 Chimes at Midnight was based on the play Five Kings. It was written  by Orson Welles (qv) and condensed Shakespeares Henry IV, V, VI,  and Richard III into one show. He produced the show in New York in  1939 but the opening night, where part 1 was acted, was a disaster  and part 2 was never put on. He revamped the show and revisited it  in 1960. But again, it was not successful. However, this later  production was used as the base for the movie.