The Adventures of Robin Hood

The small town in Washington where I grew up had only one television station in the late 1950's. It was a CBS-affiliated station but seemed to run more syndicated programming than network stuff. One of these syndicated shows that is remembered fondly by pretty much every baby boomer kid in Kennewick, WA. was "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Richard Greene. All the bigger budgeted Robin Hoods pale in comparison--and I don't think this is just nostalgia talking. This version of Robin Hood was very British (as it should be) and great fun to watch.

Of all the shows that I watched when I was a child, this is the one I liked the most. I loved the show - and I loved Richard Greene. He was remarkably good looking and charming. The Sheriff of Nottingham was a dastardly villain with no sense of humor. Robin and his merry band not only defeated the Sheriff in every show, they did it with grace and humor. Unlike most shows of the 50's, Marian did not just sit around in a long dress waiting to be rescued. She put on her tights and fought. I don't remember her using a sword very much, but she was an excellent archer. Looking back after over 40 years, I realize that the relationship between Robin and Marian was more that of pals than lovers as befitted a Saturday morning show for kids. Part of me would like to see it again, but another part me is afraid that it would lose some of it's golden glow. I feel sorry for the kids today. They get endless violent cartoon shows that are only created to sell merchandise. They will never thrill to

"Robin Hood, Robin Hood Riding through the glen, Robin Hood, Robin Hood With his band of men, Feared by the Bad Loved by good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood."

"The Adventures of Robin Hood" was not a children's program, not even a young people's program.  Consider its credits, if you doubt my assessment. Its directors included Daniel Birt, Robert Day, Don Chaffey, Terry Bishop, Terence Fisher, Arthur Crabtree, Peter Maxwell, Ralph Smart and Bernard Knowles, many known for TV and feature film work. The writing corps included some blacklisted Hollywood film writers as well as highly-competent British scenarists including in their numbers Milton Schlesinger, Ring Lardner Jr., Ralph Smart, John Dyson, John Cousins, Arthur Behr, Raymond Bowers, Eric Heath, Anne Rodney, Leslie Poynter. Paul Symonds, Sidney Wells, Ian Lartain, Ian McLellan Hunter and C.D. Phillips. The story sets up an historically false but dramatically useful opposition--the Saxons of England championing the cause of the imprisoned honest King Richard Coeur de Lion, set against his usurping, nefarious brother Prince John, who is in league with their Norman overlords and crooked sheriffs (out only to steal land and wealth and ready to enslave the populace for a brass farthing).  The very fine continuing cast included handsome and able leading man Richard Greene, lovely Bernadette O'Farrell and later very good actress Patricia Driscoll as Maid Marian Fitzwalter; the splendid Shakespearean actor Alexander Gauge playing the definitive Friar Tuck, with Archie Duncan as Little John, Paul Eddington as Will Scarlet, Alan Wheatley as a marvelously subtle and villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, Victor Woolf as Derwent and Simone Lovell as the brave and helpful Maid Joan. Several fine actors played Prince John, including Donald Pleasance, Ian Hunter Robin's friend Sir Richard and Jill Esmond Queen Eleanor. Regular guests included Paul Eddington (doing double duty), Willoughby Gray, John Dearth, Arthur Skinner, Charles Stapley plus guest stars of the caliber of Edward Mulhare, and Leo McKern. Hannah Weinstein was executive producer, with the participation of Sidney Cole as line producer, Thelma Connell a associate and Richard Greene. Edwin Astley, Albert Elms and Sidney Keith Russell provided the music; Carl Sigman wrote the popular title song. The cinematography for the show, which ranged from hood to very good, was done by Gerald Gibbs, Ken Hodges and Michael Reed at various times. The production designer was Peter Proud, and the art directors Proud, John Blezard and Peter Mullins. Gabriel Toyne was in charge of duels and battles with Brenda Gardner in charge of wardrobe. So many people have happy memories of watching this show as young people, I believe they would be surprised how entertaining the and engrossing the show remain. The comedy was frequently very successful, the dialogue above average and the motivations of the characters extraordinarily clear. And, frequently, memorable. Because the show was about important matters to realists, the scenes deal with essentials; and this makes them more consistently interesting and rich than is usual in a television show. This is a much-loved television series, for many reasons; I was privileged to wait each week for its episodes when I was growing up. I have seen many since that time, and they are still enjoyable, as fiction and as good-spirited fun for discriminating viewers.

I loved this as a kid as well. Although it was black and white it didn't matter, only added to the whole. Especially when as an adult,looking back. Richard Greene was the ultimate English dashing hero and Bernadette O'Farrell was gorgeous! I can't remember all of the cast and certainly not Paul Eddington, that was a surprise, but they were all great. The actor playing The Sheriff of Nottingham was marvellously villainous. I would love to see it re-run just to see whether kids of today would still find it as exhilarating as we did then with that marvellous opening shot (literally!) of the arrow being loosed by Robin with the sound turned all the way up! Ripping stuff! Scott Farrell Strichen

Certainly the best loved show of my childhood.

The series was shown in its entirety on a UK cable station early 1990s.

As well as the regular cast there was a repertory company of 6 character actors including Paul Eddington who appeared as different people in different shows. Eddington for example was the regular Will Scarlett but would also turn up as goody or baddie. Victor Wolfe (derwent, one of Robins band) regularly turned up as usually an old man in various episodes. I don't think children in the year 2004 would be so easily convinced. Confusingly there were two Maid Marions and two Little Johns during the course of the series. The writers wrote under nom de plumes (they were blacklisted in Hollywood). Richard Greene retired to Ireland to breed champion horses. By a very strange coincidence his great-niece Hazel Greene became the first Irishwoman to represent Ireland in Olympic Archery (strange but true)